Breeching Pods

[pwrserge]

If 3 troops equals a battalion that would mean that 1 equals a company. (~120 men in most infantry units) That would mean that you need to cram 20 men onto each pod. (Assuming 6 pods per flight.) Given that a breaching pod is not that much larger than a starfury, that seems about right for the amount of discomfort marines can endure. 3 troops per flight would be ridiculous. That would mean ~60 infantry per pod. (A highly unreasonable amount given the size of the pods.

SERGE

 

[Keith]

I have used breaching pods on rare occasions to good effect. The most repeatable of these are as the "Defender" in the recon run scenario. A swarm of pods can be a great deterrant to the ship trying to get close enough to scan.

IMO the value of breaching pods is more in the threat of their use rather than actual capture of enemy vessels.

You need to garentee fighter superiority.

 

[Junior]

If 3 troops equals a battalion that would mean that 1 equals a company. (~120 men in most infantry units) That would mean that you need to cram 20 men onto each pod. (Assuming 6 pods per flight.) Given that a breaching pod is not that much larger than a starfury, that seems about right for the amount of discomfort marines can endure. 3 troops per flight would be ridiculous. That would mean ~60 infantry per pod. (A highly unreasonable amount given the size of the pods.

SERGE

Well, I think when I saw some flying near a Pres Clark EA Fleet attacking B5 it was quite a bit bigger then a starfury, but I'm of the impression it is for only short term jaunts anyways.

 

[Valen is my name]

so if a breaching pod automatically loses a dogfight does that mean as soon as a fighter moves into base contact the pod is automatically destroyed?

 

[lastbesthope]

so if a breaching pod automatically loses a dogfight does that mean as soon as a fighter moves into base contact the pod is automatically destroyed?

Not until the dogfight portion of play.

LBH

 

[Valen is my name]

but it still is destryoed that turn automatically?

 

[lastbesthope]

Yes.

The when it happened made more of a difference Pre-Armageddon, since in Arm, all fighters/aux craft move last and fire/dogfight first, it's negligible now.

LBH

 

[Iain McGhee]

Afraid so, unless you've got an escort with it.

I've found Breaching Pods useful against the Drazi (no side or rear AF weapons generally) or any ship that has lost weapons on at least one arc. Usually best if you wait until the target is crippled or skeleton crewed first, both of which will limit the number of weapons available to shoot at the pod before it latches on. More often than not a ship that can only fire one weapon system or one per arc will have something more threatening to shoot at.

 

[Ripple]

We have found any form of troops on a ship basically means the ship will fall soon. Just too small a chance of the troops on board dieing. That said we find no need to up the number of troops on pods. But we don't try for standard open space pod attacks either.

This is not something you see in the show really, you only see this when they are trying to capture a station, almost more a police action than an military assault as they have EA civilians on board they'd rather not space. (Think modern navies for a second...do we really drop out the dingies full of marines and tell them to go take that carrier?....and could a few dinghies of marines really take a carrier?)

Ripple

 

[pwrserge]

(Think modern navies for a second...do we really drop out the dingies full of marines and tell them to go take that carrier?....and could a few dinghies of marines really take a carrier?)

Question 1: Answer - Yes, the US navy does that regularly nowadays. Although it's more like helicopters rather than dingies. That's the method used to recapture ships taken by pirates.

Question 2: Answer - USMC or RMC can deffinately board and take a hostile warship. It's what they are trained for. (Well some of us are anyway.) Anyone else, no.

As for breaching pods... I think that the rules are cool, they just need to be a little faster.

SERGE

 

[Tank]

RMC?? who are they?

 

[pwrserge]

My bad, it should be RM (Royal Marines - UK). I just add the corps subconciously, hence the C.

SERGE

 

[Tank]

Yes - Royal Marines (Commando) Home of the best Marine's in the world :lol: (although undoubtedly not the best equipped)

No offence to everone else out there :lol: Just showing some patriotic pride and joshing with the colonials :lol:

 

[pwrserge]

I think the boys down in Little Creek (Recon School) would have something to say about that. Perhaps you chaps would like to come over and play? :lol:

SERGE

 

[katadder]

am sure they would everyone knows we have the best marines and the best spec forces in the world. why you think that when the US was running the show in Afghan they had royal marines in the mountains? its cos these guys are the best at what they do.
only advantage US has is numbers and equipment.

 

[Na-Po]

Just have a look on the GIGN ;-)
and you'll know what excellency means

 

[Da Boss]

Does anyone have a way of making them actually usuable except in the few exceptions noted? :?:

have fun

 

[Triggy]

My ways of using them at the moment are two-fold:

Firstly as an escort to discourage enemy ships from jumping in amongst your ships with AJPs.

Secondly as a nasty trick jumping in with ships and attacking before the enemy can even respond (e.g. Torothas open jump points and Breaching Pod wings fly through with their extra speed).

I suppose a final way is to take ships that can launch fighters and swap them for Breaching Pods. Get them into base contact with an enemy and launch your men directly into a boarding action!

 

[Tank]

Make models of breaching pods and throw them at your opponent in order to put him off his game? no... wait....isnt that the Vorchan? :lol:

Seriously though I think its very rare that you would be able to use them, any fleet with a fighter screen will clear them out and as they mostly arent that quick they're likely to be picked off before they cvan be brought into range.

But if you manage it then kudos to you :lol:

 

[Triggy]

In a Vassal game I managed to eventually get five of my eight Breaching Pods to board a Marathon...unfortunately I killed the ship anyway that turn as I had nothing else to shoot at