21 replies to this topic

[InnerSphereNews]

Sun. June 24, 3049: Kallon Industries announces surprise entry into modern military rail transport with the Nolan/LevCar.

[Farside]

Trains would make a nice way to move lots of mechs/vechices/ alien cow hybrids at one time to one spot. But also really to attack with artillery or airplanes.

[phlebbb]

Nice idea but easily damaged/sabotaged....would be a good idea for behind the lines transport,but, with dropships available for rapid assaults, is no "behind the lines"....

[Scrap Was So C Bills]

Trains? We're still using ground-based rail travel? No wonder the Clans make fun of our tech.

[Roh]

I feel the need to point out that the most powerful war machines of the time had a far shorter firing range then a wwII sniper. Love it of leave it.. This is BT!

[Cole Christensen]

I'm really hoping for a lot of background "noise" on the maps, such as trains/civilian cars on the maps; especially if they are destructible.

[Christmas]

Don`t forget we`ve had centuries of war on almost every IS-world - and almost everything new upcoming in technology has gone lost or has been beaten to dust - remember about the Warship and jumpship tech... so be happy we still have trains

[GHQCommander]

Here is a link to the LevCar details...

http://www.sarna.net...RMC-3050_LevCar

I wonder if the existing of technology like this on a planet will make it more valuable because production and mining is faster.

Cole Christensen, on 24 June 2012 - 10:22 AM, said:

I'm really hoping for a lot of background "noise" on the maps, such as trains/civilian cars on the maps; especially if they are destructible.

That sounds more like the MechWarrior 5 that was almost coming rather than anything we have seen in videos on this so far.

Ain't even seen birds fly when whomping through forest.

[Argon3]

Farside, on 24 June 2012 - 08:08 AM, said:

Trains would make a nice way to move lots of mechs/vechices/ alien cow hybrids at one time to one spot. But also really to attack with artillery or airplanes.

Put some ramps on the tracks at a curve......
Airborne Train for the win
This is fluff but really cool fluff

[verybad]

1337W422102, on 24 June 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:

Trains? We're still using ground-based rail travel? No wonder the Clans make fun of our tech.

*meh* The Clans economics are even mroe hillarious. Rail travel is cheap and effective. Most coal and farm products produced in north america are moved that way today. Even more important, it uses relatively few crew members.

Military rail transport doesn't mean it's used in combat. Most worlds probably have few space ports where it's safe and reliable to get stuff into space, however wars are won with logistics. Getting stuff to the spaceport, so it can get to the place where the fight is being fought is useful.

Millitary rail transport probably entails spcial cars that can handle superheavy units like mechs or 100 ton tanks...stuff like that. Doubtful if they build rail tracks for military only use...The highspeed track being (going to be?) track here in California would cost about as much as 1200 19 million cbill cost mechs (ie assaults) at the estimated cost of 60 billion dollars. This is more than 10% of the entire mech force of any Great Houses in the sphere.

Edited by verybad, 24 June 2012 - 11:50 AM.

[Antagonist]

I really wouldn't want to be the mech getting primaried by that train's fire control computer.

30 LRMs per rail car passing by can ruin anyone's day.

[Cerlin]

Hurray for Sci-fi trains. I wonder if they are better than bullettrains of today. The Japanese ones are pretty awesome.

[Digs]

It might make an interesting escort gametype

[Nairdowell]

During a tabletop session, a unit was attacking an EW location in a valley... Knowing they would be jammed, they decided to attack at night to try and level the playing field... as only the sections of the table were revealed as they entered (to simulate the lowered visibility), one of the scouts decided to race ahead blindly.... He came to rest on a train track..... As I (GM) had plotted the location and speed of the train before the game, they had no idea as to whether or not he would be rammed if he stayed on the tracks... he bugged out and was lucky as his init was higher than the train... which would have been detroyed but caused a lot of ramming damage to his light mech....

So yes! Add trains... as targets, as escort missions, as capture items (equipment or POWs).... and if military, armored with weapons.... lol

[Skylarr]

RMC-3050 LevCar Mass
300 Power Plant [color="#ba0000"]MagLev[/color]
Armament 2 x LRM-15s, Advance Fire Control Crew 8 (2 officers + 6 Gunners)

RMC-3050 LevCar

Description
Kallon Industries RMC-3050 LevCar is a "rail car" designed to be used on MagLev type railroad tracks. The vehicle is normally towed by the RML-447 Nolan MagLev Tractor or "Engine".^[1]
Its primary function is to transport foot infantry platoons. It can be refitted for other roles, listed under variants. Also the vehicle is designed to handle different types of turreted weapons beyond its normal standard load out.^[1]
All variants of the LevCars can carry up to 200 tons, however this varies.
Armament

The all LevCar carries two Fifteen Tube Long Range Missile Launchers in its turret. The weapons are provided with six tons of ammunition. The weapons carried by variants are also guided by the car's Advanced Fire Control computer.^[1]
All LevCars are designed to with a bay for a foot infantry platoon.
Cargo

Various per variants.
Notes

All variants of the RMC-3050 have the following features - Armored, Tractor, Trailer chassis and control modifications. Four Searchlights (mounted Front, Sides, and Rear), the turret can handle up to 15 tons of non-energy weaponry, with maximum six ton ammunition capacity in the car itself.^[1]
Note not all variants have been given stats.
Variants

• Cargo Variant 188 tons standard

• Passager/Infantry Variant - 40 standard - Features 24 Steerage passager quarters and 4 motorized infantry platoons

• Luxury Passager Variant - 8 tons standard - Featuring 18 first class passager quarters.

• Command Variant - Crew of ten, with 42 tons of cargo - Featuring 4 first class passager quarters, 7 crew quarters, communication equipment, and fifty ton light vehicle bay.

• MASH Variant - carry surgical theater.

• Repair Variant - Carries mobile repair bay

See Also

• RML-447 NolanReferences

Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex, pp. 150-151, "Vehicle Profile"Bibliography

• Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex

Edited by Skylarr, 24 June 2012 - 01:46 PM.

[Skylarr]

Mobile Long Tom

The Mobile Long Tom was essentially an artillery piece on wheels. Known in official Star League records as the LT-MOB-25, it is actually six vehicles all hooked together as part of a massive convoy. This combat vehicle was first produced for the Star League Defense Force and the design disseminated amongst the Successor States following the fall of the Star League.

LT-MOB-50 - This variant was only different from the -25 in that it was much rarer and used rails to travel faster. Due to the limited nature of rail travel, comparatively few of these were produced.

[Skylarr]

Grey Death Legion used Magrail lines to move their forces around in defense of Glengary in Tactics of Duty, by William H. Keith, Jr., is the fifth book of the Saga of the Gray Death Legion.

Colonel Carlyle utilize the maglev rail lines to allow to move his few company worth of BattleMech and other forces various sites.

[Cole Christensen]

GHQCommander, on 24 June 2012 - 11:28 AM, said:

Ain't even seen birds fly when whomping through forest.

I know! That's why I was concerned. I'm sure they're busy working on the "important" stuff, like mech models, animations, weapons, ect. I hope that's its something they can integrate into the game later-on at least.

[Scrap Was So C Bills]

Cole Christensen, on 24 June 2012 - 07:58 PM, said:

I know! That's why I was concerned. I'm sure they're busy working on the "important" stuff, like mech models, animations, weapons, ect. I hope that's its something they can integrate into the game later-on at least.

There are probably some birds left here. Crescent Hawks, Storm Crows, maybe a few Vultures...

[Pilot Revant]

A level with a train could be pretty kick-***, though I loathe escort missions, but this could be cool.