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v. 1.3
Last modified: May 10, 2000
DSII Changes
Use DS II movement rates with the exception that Fast GEV vehicles may execute pop-up attacks. To keep mobility in line with 2300AD, GEV vehicles should treat Open terrain as Normal.
GMS/H and /L (Guided Missile Systems/Heavy and /Light): missile systems with Enhanced and Superior guidance attack vehicle's side armor regardless of target facing (to reflect 2300AD's top attack missiles). Missiles with Superior guidance may attack any target within range and within LOS of any friendly unit. ADS systems may not intercept missiles launched closer than 5" from target vehicle. [Strictly speaking, ADS systems should not be allowed to intercept GMSs at all in 2300AD setting, but this adds a little more flavor to the game]
APSW (Anti-Personnel Support Weapon): I decided to divide this category into two subcategories, APSW/L (light) which includes small caliber MGs and APSW/H (Heavy) which covers HMGs, light plasma guns, AGLs, etc. APSW/L uses DS II APSW firing data, while APSW/H fires like a RFAC/1 except that it draws no chits against armored vehicles at Long and Medium ranges, and Yellow chits at Close range. APSW/H takes up 2 capacity points and may not be installed as a "free" APSW. APSW/H costs 6 points.
Side armor is ½ (fractions rounded down) of frontal armor value.Exception: vehicles with armor rating of 1 have flank and rear armor of 1 as well. Reactive and Ablative armors are not allowed.
Current DSII rules for transporting vehicles inside other vehicles do not take account of the fact that heavily armored vehicles are considerably more difficult to transport than lightly armored ones, which is why the world's various RDFs are forced to rely on light AFVs. To find out how many cargo spaces a vehicle would take up, multiply the vehicle's size by its armor rating times 2 AND multiply vehicle size by 4. Use the larger of the two values.
Infantry in 2300AD
Each first-line Human and Kafer infantry team is armed with a small arm type, APSW/L, IAVR. Heavy weapon infantry teams carries APSW/Hs. Other 2300AD infantry types correspond to their DS II equivalents.
Infantry armed with older types of assault rifles (firing conventional cartridge, etc.) fire as Militia. Infantry with liquid propellant rifles fire as Line, while units armed with gauss rifles w/GLs or LP rifles w/GLs fire as Powered infantry. Similarly, teams armed with M2-A2 plasma guns (or equivalent weapons) are considered to have an APSW/H in lieu of /L.
There is no powered infantry in 2300AD. However, troops equipped with rigid full-body armor should be treated as powered infantry for combat purposes and as line infantry for movement purposes. Troops with some body armor take fire as Line units, and troops with no armor at all draw chits as Militia.
Troop Quality Rules
DSII "as is" has very poor TQ rules. Here's an expansion.
There are 5 troop quality levels: Elite, Veteran, Experienced, Trained, Green. Elite units add 4 , Veteran add 2, Experienced add 0, Trained subtract 2 and Green subtract 4 from all hit resolution rolls (both firing and signature rolls), missile attack rolls (including ECM and PDS rolls), and any other type of opposed die roll.
For infantry fire, Elite units draw two more chits than usual when firing and can absorb two more hits than usual. Veteran units: 1 chit/hit more, Experienced: no change; Trained: 1 chit/hit lower, Green: 2 chits/hits lower.
New Weapons
Kinetic Energy Missile (KEM)
KEMs are fired as direct-fire weapons, not as missiles (i.e., treat KEM Guidance value as Fire Control value and roll appropriate attacker die vs. target signature die). However, its accuracy and damage do not degrade with range, and all targets out to max range are engaged as if in the Close Range band. KEM is not affected by Basic or Enhanced PDS. Superior PDS and can be effective against a KEM, but their effectiveness is degraded. Treat as Basic. ECM is totally ineffective against a KEM due to its guidance mode.There are two types of KEM: KEM/H and KEM/L.
All of those capabilities come for a price, however. Due to KEM/Hs' larger size than GMSs, it has a Mass of 8. Basic Guidance KEM costs 80 pts, Enhanced Guidance costs 120 pts, and Superior 160 pts.
KEM/Hs have a Close Range of 6", Medium Range of 48" and Long Range of 60". It draws 5 damage chits. Valid chits are Yellow only at Close Range (KEMs need some time to accelerate to top speed, making them less effective against really close targets), Red and Yellow at Medium range, and Red at Long range (missile is still coasting after motor burnout).
KEM/Ls have a Close Range of 6", Medium Range of 24" and Long Range of 36". They draw 3 damage chits. KEM/Ls do not need to have own launchers since they are launched from standard GMS/H launchers.
Gauss AutoCannon (GAC): This weapon is simply an adaptation of GAC found in Stargrunt II and it supersedes MDC/1 and /2. GACs can be built in classes 1 and 2. They use MDC range bands and draw chits like MDCs when firing on vehicles and like RFACs when firing on infantry.
Designing Vehicles for 2300AD using DSII
If you need to design a horde of AFVs for your fledgling military, Dirtside II is more than up to the job. While it is a much "rougher" system than vehicle design manuals for RPGs, it produces acceptable results and requires far less time to master. Vehicles designed using Dirtside can even be converted to 2300AD stats by comparing them to the already-converted vehicles listed below. To keep DS II in line with 2300AD universe, any prospective vehicle designer should observe the following guidelines:
Ignore requirements for FGP power plants. Grav vehicles are not allowed in 2300AD.
Reactive and Ablative armors are disallowed, since their effects already appear to be "factored into" standard 2300AD armor values.
Slow Tracked vehicles may have armor value 1 higher than their Size, whereas fast tracked may have armor rating up to their size.Wheeled vehicles may have maximum armor value of up to half their size rating, fractions rounded up.
Realistic Hovercraft Limits (Optional): GEVs should suffer from the same limitations on armor and weaponry as Riverine vessels. Hovercraft treat Open terrain as normal, all hills as Impossible. This rule is optional because its adoption would instantly invalidate most of 2300AD's AFVs, but is included here for other GEVophobes.
Turreted weapons may be up to 1 size class larger than vehicle size. Hull-mounted weapon may be up to 2 size classes larger than vehicle size.
Maximum DFFG size is 1. SLAMs (Salvo-Launched Missiles) may be installed only on air vehicles.
Walkers may be designed only up to Size 1 (Infantry Walkers).
Size 2, 3, and 4 vehicles are considered to have Signature of Size 3 vehicles. Size 1 vehicles have Signature as Size 2 vehicles, Size 5 vehicles have Signature as if they were Size 4, per original rules. This is due to the fact that vehicle size does not play as great a role in its survivability as DSII rules make it look.
Stealth-2 may be installed only on modern vehicles used and manufactured by leading Earth powers, while Stealth-1 can be fitted to most older human designs. Only the latest Kafer vehicles use any stealth. Same limitations apply to Superior fire controls, missile guidance systems, and ECM. MDCs and DFFGs represent the latest in Human weapon technology, and should not be found on older models. Kafer tank guns (and some older Human weapons), though described as Mass Driver Cannons, have inferior performance and fall into the High Velocity Cannon (HVC) in DS II.
Given the ease in which real-world 20th century tanks can be retrofitted with external PDS installations, these systems should not occupy spaces provided the vehicle has sufficient external surface to mount the system. Size 4 vehicles can mount any PDS system with no space being occupied, Size 3 vehicles may mount Basic or Enhanced PDS without any spaces being occupied and pay 1 space for Superior PDS, Size 2 vehicles may mount Basic PDS with no spaces, pay 1 space for Enhanced and 2 for Superior, Size 1 vehicles may not mount PDS. Which means that most existing 2300AD vehicle may be retrofitted with a PDS without serious redesign. Tech restrictions apply, as per using Stealth, ECM and Superior fire controls.
Sample Vehicles (from "Ground Vehicle Guide" and "Operation Overlord")
The vehicles listed below should be considered "baseline" models. Players should feel free to field upgraded models, with different weapon fits, improved ECM, stealth, and point defense qualities, etc.
France:
AC-8 Hovertank: Size 3 vehicle; Fast GEV mobility, HMT power, Armor 2,
1 HVC/3 in hull w/ Enhanced FireCon, 1 RFAC/1 in turret, 1 APSW/L, 1 GMS/H (Enhanced guidance), Enhanced ECM, Stealth 1
AC-12 Hovertank: Size 3 vehicle; Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 3
1 MDC/3 in turret w/ Superior FireCon, 1 APSW/L, 1 GMS/H (Superior Guidance), APFC Belt, Superior ECM, Stealth 2
CC-21 Tracked MBT: Size 4 vehicle; Slow Tracked Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 5,
1 HEL/4 in turret w/Superior FireCon, 1 DFFG/1 in turret, 1 GMS/H (Superior Guidance), Superior ECM, Stealth 1
AVCI-3 Bessieres Hover APC: Size 3 vehicle; Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1,
1 RFAC/1 in turret w/ Basic FireCon, 1 APSW/L, 1 GMS-L (Enhanced Guidance), Enhanced ECM, 2 Infantry Teams, Stealth 1
AC-12 ADS: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 4,
1 Superior ADS, 1 APSW/L, Superior ECM, Stealth 2
ABR-76 Armored Car: Size 2 Vehicle, HiMob Wheeled Mobility, Armor 1
1 DFFG/1 in turret w/Basic FireCon, 1 APSW/L, Enhanced ECM
ABR-76M Self-Propelled Mortar: Size 2 Vehicle, HiMob Wheeled Mobility, Armor 1
1 RAM Mortar (Light Artillery), 1 APSW/L, Enhanced ECM
VALR-12 Multiple Rocket Launcher: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, Armor 1
1 MRL (Medium Artillery), 1 APSW/L, Enhanced ECM, Stealth 2
BH-21 Walker: Size 1 Vehicle, Powered Infantry Mobility, Armor 1, 1 DFFG/1 in arm w/Basic FireCon, Enhanced ECM
America:
M9 Hovertank: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV mobility, HMT Power, Armor 3
1 HVC/3 in turret w/Superior FireCon, 1 APSW/H in turret, 1 APSW/L, Superior ECM, Stealth 2
M24A3 Hover APC: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1
1 DFFG/1 in turret w/ Basic FireCon, 1 GMS-L (Superior Guidance), Superior ECM, 2 Infantry Teams, Stealth 1
M386 Hover Artillery Platform: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1,
1 MRL (Medium Artillery), Superior ECM,
CIT-IIIA Lander: Size 5 Vehicle, Aerospace Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1,
5 Infantry Teams or 1 Size 3 Vehicle,
M170 "Dragon" X-Wing: Size 2 Vehicle, VTOL Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1
1 RFAC/1, 1 GMS/H (Superior Guidance), 1 SLAM/2, Superior ECM, Stealth 1
Australia:
Kangaroo IV Hover APC: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1, 1 DFFG/1 w/ Basic FireCon, 1 RFAC/1, 2 APSW/L, Enhanced ECM, 2 Infantry Teams
Kangaroo IV-DS Direct Support Vehicle: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1, 2 GMS-H (Enhanced Guidance), 2 APSW/L, Enhanced ECM
Kangaroo IV-AD Air Defense Vehicle: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1, 1 Enhanced ADS (RFAC/1), 2 APSW/L
Germany:
LkPz-VIII Hovertank: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 2,
1 HVC/3 in turret w/Superior FireCon, 1 APSW/L, Enhanced ECM
LkPz-IX Hovertank: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 3
1 MDC/3 in turret w/Superior FireCon, 1 GMS/H (Superior Guidance), 1 APSW/L, 1 APFC, Superior ECM, Stealth Level 2
GfPzTr-XII Hover APC: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1
1 DFFG/1 in turret w/Enhanced FireCon, 1 GMS/H (Superior Guidance),1 APSW/H, 1 APSW/L, Superior ECM, 2 Infantry Teams.
Kz-7 Walker: Size 1 Vehicle, Powered Infantry Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1, 1 DFFG/1 in arm, 1 HEL/1 in arm (Basic Fire Control), Enhanced ECM
Manchuria
Type 27 Tracked Main Battle Tank: Size 4 Vehicle, Slow Tracked Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 5, 1 HVC/4 in turret w/Enhanced FireCon, 1 DFFG/1 in turret, 1 GMS/H w/Enhanced Guidance, 2 APSW, Enhanced ECM, Stealth 1
The Kafers
"Deathsled" Hovertank: Size 4 Vehicle, Slow GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 4,
1 HVC/4 in turret w/ Enhanced FireCon, 1 GMS/H (Enhanced Guidance), 1 RFAC/1, 1 APSW/L, Enhanced ECM
"Behemoth" Tracked Tank: Size 5 Vehicle, Slow Tracked Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 5,
1 HEL/4 in turret w/Enhanced FireCon, 1 APSW/H, 1 APSW/L, 1 GMS/H (Enhanced Guidance), 2 Infantry Teams, Enhanced ECM
"Floater" Hover APC: Size 3 Vehicle, Fast GEV Mobility, HMT Power, Armor 1
1 APSW/H in hull w/Basic FireCon, 1 GMS/H (Superior Guidance), 2 Infantry Teams, Enhanced ECM, Stealth 1
"Cockroach Car" Tracked APC: Size 3 Vehicle, Slow Tracked Mobility, Armor 1
1 APSW/H in hull w/Basic FireCon, 3 Infantry Teams, Basic ECM
"Crawler" Tracked APC: Size 3 Vehicle, Slow Tracked Mobility, Armor 1
1 APSW/H in hull w/Basic FireCon, 3 Infantry Teams, Basic ECM