The PBeM game has brought a few questions to my mind about the
composition of forces for a future mulitary, (TL 12+).
From Traveller book 4, Mercenary, under OVERVIEW OF EQUIPMENT,
Military Vehicles, pg 47:
"Tech Level 12: All vehicles have sufficient free-flight performance
that ground combat vehicles effectively no longer exist, having
merged with aircraft." ...
"Tech Level 15: Gunships mounting rapid pulse X guns and heavier Z
guns are virtually indistinguishable from orbital craft." ...
What does this do to the current day term of 'tank' and 'fighter'?
Grav-tank seems pretty obvious to me, but what do people mean when
they say 'fighter'?
The overall mission of a military is to allow your side free
use of a territory and to deny the other side free use of territory.
Specific missions:
Take and occupy ground; accomplished by armor, mech-infantry and
infantry units.
Interdict and destroy ground forces; Ground Attack Aircraft.
Maintain air superiority; Fighter Aircraft.
The overall mission of a future military should pretty much stay the
same, but what about the specific missions and what accomplishes
them?
Well, "Take and ocuppy ground" still applies, and now that task falls
to the grav-tanks, grav-apcs and other grav vehicles along with the
infantry.
Now what about "Interdict and destroy ground forces"? That use to
be the task of ground attack aircraft because they had the speed and
range to get to around, but can't that task now be handled by fast
grav vehicles? The grav vehicle would have a longer on station time
because it wouldn't have to be flying all the time, it would also
be harder to spot, sitting stationary on the ground. Sneak in fast
the night before, set an ambush for a convoy and split right afterwards.
What does all this do to the fighter's mission? Or is a fighter the
high tech level 'gunship' able to swoop down from orbit to attack,
not ground, but planetary bound forces?
It seems to me that the future "Air Force" ceases to exist.
The main staple of a military is it's fast armored grav vehicles.
The space arm of a planetary force providing gunships and gunship
interceptors.
I recall seeing some TO&Es in The Journal's earlier issues, around
13-17. I'll look there too.
I haven't mentioned naval forces at all. What does the futuristic
navy consist of?
So, what do people think?
Brian Gillespie
was: Computervision Corp.
now: Computervision Division of Prime, Inc.
email: [email removed]
#include "standard.disclaimers"