DIRTSIDE II
Science Fiction Ground Combat



Dirst Side II Cover Image


"The drop on Mhung'Du was the only hot-zone drop I ever did. Normally Command reckons they're too expensive - much better to land everyone in a nice quiet bit of back-country and then mount an ordinary overland assault. That takes time though, and on Mhung'Du they needed results fast - a Eurie relief force was supposed to be on its way and the brass wanted everything sewn up nice and tihgt before they got there.
We were in the second wave, the big landers with all the armour and support. The PBI went down in the first wave, in the little interface boats - lots of 'em to make the ground defences have to work at it.
We heard that the Brockford dropped thirty boats, all of Delta battalion, and only six made it dirtside. Typical Command screwup, they told us that most of the defences had been "neutralised" by the Fleet bombardment. All I can say is that a lot of them must have un-neutralised themselves by the time we got there....
My Great-Great-Grandad used to tell me about the time he was parajet dropped on Rio back in the Americas War. He was in the Royal Marines - five strike groups went in, he and about twenty others were the only ones to come out. That was back in '064; they gave him a pair of cyberlegs to replace the ones that some Geek burned off with a plasma grenade. He always used to say that was the best thing that ever happened to him - reckoned the tin bits reduced the strain on his heart, and the old boy lived till he was 118 and decided he didn't want any more patch-up jobs.
Yeah, sorry, rambling again.... Anyway, we were lucky enough to hit dirt in one piece. B and D Squadrons got down to OK too, but Charlie Squadron's lander took too much triple-A about a thousand meters up and just fell apart - don't think anyone got out of it. We grounded about klick outside the city and got all dozen tanks out in two minutes, just like a drill. We must have done it by the book, 'cause Captain Travis was actually sounding pleased for once when he gave us the Tac briefing - old man Travis was that sort of officer, the by-the-rules-no-matter-how-bloody-stupid-it-is type (hey, you DID say you were going to edit this, didn't you??).
So, next thing we're rolling into the town with no goddam Infantry to support us! Yes, I know everything was a mess by then and there weren't enough of the Pongoes left to go round, but any Tankie will tell you armour can't fight in an Urban Zone without backup from the footsloggers.
The Captain was leading in Able One-One, sitting up there in the turret just like he was on some bloody parade! Never even saw the monfilament across the road that took his head off. From there one things just went downhill - we were taking incoming and even out AIs couldn't give us any targets to shoot back at. The last thing I remember was this Eurie gook jumping out in front of us with a buzzbomb, faceful of splinters and liquid osmium.
Dunno what happened to the gook - guess I probably ran him over. I woke up on the C-Vac on the way back here, with some cute-sounding little QA nurse trying to tell me why I couldn't see. These new eyes are pretty good once you get used to them - hey, I know guys back home that were paying fifteen kay for a pair, and the Army gives me mine for nothing! By the way, anyone ever tell you how good you look on InfraRed....?

- (Transcirpt of interview with Trooper/Driver Daniel M. Kassel, "A" Squadron, 17th/21st New Anglian Lancers. Filed 12/09/2167 at Caledon Base Med/Rehab facility by Margaret Nakagi, ConFed News Service.)


SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

SECTION 2: FORCES AND TECHNOLOGY

SECTION 3: VEHICLE DESIGN

SECTION 4: SEQUENCE OF PLAY

SECTION 5: CONFIDENCE AND REACTION

SECTION 6: MOVEMENT

SECTION 7: FIRE COMBAT

SECTION 8: INFANTRY COMBAT

SECTION 9: ARTILLERY

SECTION 10: AEROSPACE OPERATIONS

SECTION 11: ADDITIONAL RULES AND OPTIONAL RULES

SECTION 12: SCENARIOS AND BACKGROUNDS

SECTION 13: XENO FILE 1 - THE KRA'VAK (rules for ground combat with Full Thrust)

SECTION 14: XENO FILE 2 - THE SA'VASKU (rules for ground combat with Full Thrust)

SECTION 15: XENO FILE 3 - THE ARCADIANS (rules for ground combat with Full Thrust)




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Copyright © 1996 - 1997
Created by Wolf Pack Inc, Friday, August 29, 1997
Most recent revision Thursday, September 25, 1997