Had a discussion with my group about mercenary/covert ops units, specifically if instead of buying a merc cruiser, a merc unit could strip or gut a bunch of 100t scouts and rebuild them to perform specific ground assault functions (think air cavalry).
The advantages:
- 8 scouts cost 200MCr less than 1 cruiser, leaving plenty of bucks for alterations
- scouts are easier to come by
- forces are split up vice in one easy target
- scouts provide smaller targets
- a bunch of scouts in an area gathers much less attention than a merc cruiser
- assault groups could split up until the appointed rendevous time adding to surprise
- not all scouts carry troops, some are C&C, close air support, medivac, heavy lift, etc.
- scouts should have greater capacity than small craft
- full payload could be dropped simultaneously vice ferrying units from cruiser with cutters
Disadvantages:
- scouts not as fast or manueverable as assault craft carried by merc cruiser or than merc cruiser in space
Questions:
1. Does this make any sense at all? If so, has someone already thought this through?
2. What is the max tonnage available if you strip a scout down to bare minimums?
3. Are there rules for bomb racks? Are they bay weapons? Could you install internal bomb racks on a 100t scout?
4. Could the standard scout sensor package be used to illuminate targets for smart bombs?
The advantages:
- 8 scouts cost 200MCr less than 1 cruiser, leaving plenty of bucks for alterations
- scouts are easier to come by
- forces are split up vice in one easy target
- scouts provide smaller targets
- a bunch of scouts in an area gathers much less attention than a merc cruiser
- assault groups could split up until the appointed rendevous time adding to surprise
- not all scouts carry troops, some are C&C, close air support, medivac, heavy lift, etc.
- scouts should have greater capacity than small craft
- full payload could be dropped simultaneously vice ferrying units from cruiser with cutters
Disadvantages:
- scouts not as fast or manueverable as assault craft carried by merc cruiser or than merc cruiser in space
Questions:
1. Does this make any sense at all? If so, has someone already thought this through?
2. What is the max tonnage available if you strip a scout down to bare minimums?
3. Are there rules for bomb racks? Are they bay weapons? Could you install internal bomb racks on a 100t scout?
4. Could the standard scout sensor package be used to illuminate targets for smart bombs?