UNITED STATES MILITARY MIGHT

This article gives a few suggestions on using some of the weapons of the military in your campaigns. First a few definitions:

Crew - most larger vehicles and weapons require a minimum crew to operate efficiently. Each crew member can be considered to have the base stats as described in the Judge's Book. Each gains a +1CS when using the weapon or piloting the vehicle they have trained for. Untrained persons trying to fire a heavy weapon must first make a Red Reason feat roll to be able to make it work, then a -1CS to operate it.

Sensors - some aircraft are able to fly and land without visibility using radar alone. Radar waves can be controlled with magnetic or electrical control powers on a successful feat roll. Almost all naval craft are equipped with some form of sonar. Sound control can make a character invisible to sonar with a successful feat roll.

Guided missiles and torpedoes - these either have active or passive control systems. Active control allows the missile to be guided by the person who fired it. The passive control missile has homing abilities using heat, sound, or some other target-finding system. The Control rank represents the accuracy of the tracking system. With a passive system, the person firing the missile rolls on teh control system's rank rather than their Agility.

Each missile is designed for one attack mode: air-to-air, air-to-ground, shit-to-ship, etc. If it is used for another purpose its Control rank is at -1CS if it can be used at all. Only those designed to go underwater can do so, all others will explode upon hitting the water's surface.

Bombing and strafing - two types of bombs are explosives and napalm. An explosive bomb is like a large hand grenade, everyone in the targeet area rolls on the Hack and Slash column for damage. Napalm causes IN flame and heat damage. This may only be dodged by hyper-speed or teleportation.

Strafing occurs when an aircraft fire their guns at ground targets. There may be a -1CS to hit with jets that have high minimum speeds.

Bullseye and kill results - certain unarmored parts of a vehicle should be available for bullseye results. A vehicle should receive some serious damage on a kill result.


M-60 Main Battle Tank

CTRL: EX
BODY: RM
SPEED: PR
PROT: EX
CREW: 4

Armament: the M-60 carries a 105mm cannon - IN (40) damage, 20-area range.

7.62mm machine gun - RM (30) damage, 10-area range on the turret. These guns can only fire the direction the turret is facing, but the turret can turn 360 degrees.

On top of the turret is a 5" anti-aircraft machine gun - RM (30) damage, 15-area range. It can turn independently of the turret 360 degrees.

Another model of the M-60 replaces the 105mm cannon with a flame thrower - IN (40) damage, 2-area range.

The M-60 can ram for RM (30) damage. If it charges and gets a Red result it will run over the target and do IN (40) damage, supposing the target is of the appropriate size.

The M-60 has .5" to 4.8" of cast armor and weighs 54 tons. The crew received EX protection from all chemical weapons. The electrical systems, including the ignition and radio, have EX protection against Energy attacks. Bullseye targets include the radio antenna and headlights (TY material) and the external machine guns (GD material). On a Kill result, the Judge may jam the treads freezing the tank in place until it is repaired.

Performance: the M-60 has a 12-cylinder diesel engine capable of 30 mph in flat terrain. The tank can climb a slope of 60 degrees, climb over vertical obstacles 3' high, and ford water up to 3' deep without modifications.

This vehicle is used by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, Israel, Iran, Italy, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Turkey.


F-16 Fighter-Bomber

CTRL: RM
BODY: EX
SPEED: AM
PROT: GD
CREW: 1

Armament: The U.S. Air Force usually equips the F-16 with one 20mm multi-barrel cannon with 500 rounds - EX (20) damage, 10-area range, and carries two Sidewinder missiles, one on each wing tip. Under the wings and body of the plane are four more hard points which can carry cluster bombs, Sidewinder missiles, or Sparrow missiles. In the center of the body of the plane is a rack able to carry a 2,200 lb. bomb.

The Sidewinder is a heat-seeking anti-aircraft missile - RM (30) damage, 11-mile range, TY Body, TY Control, UN Speed.

The Sparrow is a radar-guided missile which comes in three types: air-to-air, air-to-ship (the Sea Sparrow), and air-to-surface (the Land Sparrow) - RM (30) damage, 28-mile range, TY Body, GD Control, UN Speed.

Cluster bombs - IN (40) damage, and the single large bomb - AM (50) damage, may be used free falling or laser directed. If free falling their accuracy depends on the pilot's Agility. Laser-directed bombs are guided toward the target (but not propelled) by air-control surfaces. This control system gives a +1CS to the pilot's Agility.

If the F-16 rams anything, it does IN (40) damage. If either the plane's Body or Control rank falls to FB, it blows up. It must also make a Yellow Control feat to avoid going out of control when it strikes something or vice-versa. The pilot may eject with an Agility feat roll.

The pilot is protected against all chemical and biological weapons while his cockpit is sealed. The control and communication systems have GD protection against magnetic and electrical attacks. The plane weighs 21 tons with a full load of weapons and fuel. A Bullseye result may damage the control surfaces of the plane, forcing it to land as soon as possible. A Kill result damages the single engine and causes a crash. The pilot can only be struck if an attack penetrates the plane's armor.

Performance: the F-16 has one 23,845-lb. thrust afterburner turbo-fan engine. Its maximum speed is 915 mph fully loaded, but its minimum speed is uncertain. It requires 25 areas to take off or land safely, requiring a perfectly smooth, straight surface such as an airport runway.

The General Dynamics F-16 multi-role jet fighter-bomber is used by the U.S. Air Force, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands and Norway.


AV-8 Harrier Jet Fighter

CTRL: RM
BODY: EX
SPEED: IN
PROT: GD
CREW: 1

Armament: the AV-8 normally carries two 30mm machine guns - RM (30) damage, 10-area range, and two Sidewinder air-to-air heat seeking missiles - RM (30) damage, 11-mile range, TY Body, TY Control, UN Speed. It can carry three 1,000-lb. bombs - IN (40) damage, one under the body and the other two in the wings.

The Harrier can ram for RM damage, but if either the plane's Body or Control rank falls to FB, it blows up. Due to its VTOL features, it can blast the area directly below it with flames of EX power. This happens whenever it lands or takeoffs. The pilot may eject with an Agility feat roll.

The pilot is protected against all chemical and biological weapons while his cockpit is sealed. The control and communication systems have GD protection against magnetic and electrical attacks. A Bullseye result may damage the control surfaces of the plane, forcing it to land as soon as possible. A Kill result damages the single engine and causes a crash.

Performance: The Harrier has one 21,500 lb. thrust turbo-fan engine and travels 740 mph maximum. It can go a minimum of 58 mph (TY speed) usint its VTOL powers. It is able to take off and land in a single area. Since it weights 12.5 tons with weapons and fuel, it cannot land on rooftops or other structures not designed not designed to hold such weight (requiring AM strength or better).

The Harrier VTOL jet fighter is used by U.S. Marine Corps, Spanish Navy and British Air Force.


Ohio-Class Submarine

CTRL: GD
BODY: RM
SPEED: GD
PROT: EX
CREW: 133

Armament: the Ohio class is equipped with four 21-inch torpedo tubes firing acoustic homing torpedoes - IN (40) damage, 25-area range, RM Control, TY Body, EX Speed - which follow the sounds made by a ship.

It also has 24 tubes for Trident Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles - CL. 1000 damage, 4,400 mile range, EX Control, GD Body, UN Speed. An ICBM's target must be a fixed position on the Earth's surface. The missile may be equipped with explosives of any power, and it may also contain chemical weapons.

As a final resort against intruders, the crew may release radiation from the sub's power plant. This will cause MN radiation damage to everything alive in a 10-area radius around the sub.

Special equipment: each ICBM carrying sub has 10 different communication systems on board, linking it to the world's satellite system as well as allowing direct transmissions. All Ohio-class subs are equipped with sonar and may use both air and surface radar when surfaced. The radar has a range of 200 miles and the sonar 25 miles.

The subs body consists of a very heavy, pressure-resistant hull. The hull is compartmentalized so if one chamber is breached it is sealed to protect the others. Each time a chamber is flooded, speed and control are reduced one rank. If either reaches FB the sub sinks. The electrical system has RM shielding and the crew is protected from all chemical weapons when the hatches are sealed.

Bull's eyes may be scored against the periscope or the radar antenna disc. Destroying the disc - GD material - destroys the ships radar capabilities. Damaging the periscope - TY material - renders the ship blind (except for sonar) when submerged. A Kill roll allows the attacker to disable the sub's single propeller - EX material.

Performance: the exact speed of the Ohio-class sub is a secret but is assumed to be over 100 mph. The sub's depth limit is 985 feet; to go below this requires a feat against the hull's strength. A White or Green means it survives, a Yellow means it drops one rank in every class, and a Red means the hull is crushed and the sub destroyed.

The sub requires 36 feet of water to maneuver on the surface. In shallower waters it runs aground. Escape requires a Green feat on the TY column, and it can try once every 10 rounds.

The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine is used only by the U.S. Navy.


Kidd-Class Destroyer

CTRL: GD
BODY: RM
SPEED: GD
PROT: EX
CREW: 200

Armament: the ship carries front and rear MK-26 twin missile launchers, each able to fire two missiles in the same round in 180 degree fields of fire. Three kinds of missiles may be used.

The MR anti-aircraft missiles have active guidance - IN (40) damage, 6-mile range, TY Body, EX Speed. The Harpoon anti-ship missiles also have active guidance - GD (10) damage, 60-mile range, TY Body, GD Speed. The ASROC anti-submarine missiles carried on the destroyer become acoustic homing torpedoes after they strike the water - IN (40) damage, 6-mile range, TY Body, GD Speed, RM Control.

In addition, each destroyer has two 5" MK-45 cannons, one mounted on the bow and stern - EX (20) damage, 30-area range.

They also have six MK-32 torpedo tubes, firing MK-46 torpedoes with acoustic homing - IN (40) damage, 2-mile range, TY Body, EX Speed, RM Control.

The Kidd-class destroyer also carries two LAMPS (Light Airborne Multi-Purpose Systems) anti-submarine helicopters. These helicopters are equipped with radar, sonar buoys, and a magnetic system for detecting submarines from the air (nicknamed MAD). They can direct Harpoon missiles fired from the ship after the missiles have crossed the ship's visual horizon. A LAMPS helicopter has GD Body, GD Speed, GD Control, TY Protection and a Crew of four.

Kidd-class destroyers are able to ram surface targets for AM (50) damage without harm to themselves, since their bows were designed for ramming. This attack only affects surface craft and beings.

The Kidd-class destoyer is designed for fleet escort duty, and it carries armor that will not reduce its speed. Destroyers are compartmentalized to protect them from flooding. Each time a compartment is flooded, speed and control are reduced one rank. If either reaches FB the ship sinks.

Bulls-eye targets are the radar discs, radio antenna, and any crewmembers standing on the deck or bridge. The discs and antenna each have GD material strength. A Kill result means one of the propeller shafts - EX material - has been damaged or fouled. This reduces speed and control by one rank.

Performance: the best speed of the Kidd-class destroyer is over 100 mph. It uses four gas turbines with two propeller shafts. It cannot move into water less than 60' deep or it will run aground. Escape will require a TY feat roll and an escape attempt may be made once every 10 rounds.

The Kidd-class destroyer is used only by the U.S. Navy.


Soviet Military