Post by madmorgan on Mar 23, 2016 13:03:28 GMT
As noted before, I believe the new 'crop' of martian offspring to be not only more resistent to terra micros but also willing to devise different approaches to the martian machines. To this end, I present the 2ndGen tripods for three of the models we've all come to love (or hate due to not having!).
Whipper Tripod Unit: 1 elment. Price per Unit: 200. Type: Tripod.
Speed 6" Defense 6 Armor 12 Special: Controller; either 3 Reaper Tentacles or 1 Reaper Claw; 360 degree vision - no arc for the melee weapon(s).
Medium Heatray: Range 20"/10" +3/+2 Power Special: Sweep
(3) Reaper Tentacles: +2 Assault Special: Gatherer/Harvester Rule (pg 199).
OR (1) Reaper Claw: +5 Assault Special: Gatherer/Harvester Rule (pg 199).
Comments: There had been a need for sometime to upgrade the armor on the Slaver - the 2ndGeners did just that. In addition, they gave the new Whipper melee capacity with the Reaper components. The need for prey food was greater with more mouths to feed! The vulnerable 'hand' tentacles were lost in favor of a weapons mount for the heatray. The Whippers entered the battlefields much to the horror of humanity in spring of 1916. {I use the Rebel Miniature (rebelminis.com) Mini Martian Walker for the model, adding whichever the melee weapon appeals to the player. I use the large bulb shaped ray weapon on the under hull for the heat ray.}
Dominator II Unit: 1 element. Price per Unit: 400. Type: Tripod.
Speed 8" Defense 6 Armor 13 Special: Controller; Guided Missile Pod; Multiple Targeting (page 119) "...each of its two..."; Heavy Heatray Gun.
Heavy Heat Ray Gun: Range 30"/15" +4/+3 Power RoF 2 Special: Sweep; Heat Ray Gun has two shots per phase, with independent targeting.
Guided Missile Pod: Range 25" +1 Power RF 4 Special: Guided Missiles (page 119); Rapid Fire 4.
Comments: The first thing the 2ndGeners did was lower the height of the 'II', realizing that a lot of prey-that-stings targeting depends on the height of a given machine. As the body of the 'II' is lower to the ground, the focus of humans seem less intensive. Using better alloy technology, the 'II' has Armor upgrade by 1 without loss of Speed. The Guided Missile Pod is held over as a very good system and a new 'Gun' mount replaces the vulnerable tentacles for use of the heat ray. Note that it as well as the missiles rotate 360, so all around fire is achieved (e.i. no arc/front etc). This tripod enters the battle field in the summer of 1916, much to the dismay of human forces.{I again go to the Rebel Mini Martian Walker, this time putting the barreled gun on the underside and mounting the Old Glory CDMW-05 UB-32 Rocket Pad Truck Mount to the upper side, using the mount as is to give it further height. You could also cut it back a bit at the base, leaving off the support bottom, and have it just on the pole part. The advantage is the new Dominator is less expensive to field but still a monster!}
Overseer II Unit: 1 element. Price per Unit: 600. Type: Tripod. For an additional 160 you may add 4 Units of CABDs.
Speed: 10" Defense 6 Armor 13 Special: Controller; Near-Indestructibile Tripod (page 122-123); Sun Gun; Reaper Claws; Reaper Tentacles; [CABDs]
Sun Gun: Range 60" +6 Power Special: Sun Gun Rules (page 122-123).
(2) Reaper Claws: +5 Assault Special: Gatherer/Harvester rules; May target independently.
(6) Reaper Tentacles: +2 Assault Special: Gatherer/Harvester rules; May target independently.
(20) CABD: See below for stats, carries 4 squads of 5 figures each.
CABD Unit: 1 element. Price per Unit: 60. Type: Infantry.
Speed 6" Defense 5 Armor 7 Special: Requires Controller (12" range) ; Tough - takes 3 hits each
Light Heatray: Range 10" +1 Power RF 3 Special: Rapid Fire 3 (3 shots per element per phase).
(3) Brawler: +1 Assault Special: attacks three times at +1 per assault.
Comments: The 2ndGeners wanted to replace the Lobototons with a upgraded all machine unit. The 'Controlled Antiinfantry Bipedal Drone' is their answer. The CABD has better alloy for protection (Armor) and a much improved reaction time (Defense). Coupled with a fast firing light heat ray and programming with martial skills copied from prey-that-stings sources, the CABD squad of 1 element may seem an easy target, but its every bit the equal to a full 15 figure Lobototon squad. It can take an amazing amount of punishment and still function. It is literally dropped from the Overseer II to the ground and moves into position (per the normal 6" rules page 123), ready to start its march of doom. These units are introduced in the summer of 1916 with the Overseer II. They are scheduled to start replacing Lobototon unit with the Whippers in early 1917. More food for the 2ndGeners ! {I've wanted to replace the Lobototon comcept for a while, thinking that the Lobos are a waste of food source. For the models, I use Rebels Shalur Mercenaries pack at $10.95 for 21 figures. I'll use the extra figure per pack for guards at the cyclinder doors and maybe one left under an Overseer. Its important to note that this unit function everybit as a full Lobototon squad of 3 elements due to "Tough". It combines the light heatray fire and the slicer effect for assaults. It only lacks the shear numbers of two Lobo squad (one each Blaster & Slicer). Although the 2ndGeners wanted to replace the regular drones, they haven't finished a design yet that incorporates the Reaper Tentacles so vital for food gathering. For now its enough to replace the Lobos and gain the increase in foods for their growing populations. Point cost is 20+20 for both fire & assualt functions in one squad and 20 for other overall improvements.}
So there you have three 'new' tripods and an infantry unit type that are readily available at a reasonable price. Despite the difficulty of assembly due to all metal construction & the risk in transport for the same reason, the nature of the Rebel models gives us some respite from the increased cost of fading AD stocks elsewhere. Enjoy!
Whipper Tripod Unit: 1 elment. Price per Unit: 200. Type: Tripod.
Speed 6" Defense 6 Armor 12 Special: Controller; either 3 Reaper Tentacles or 1 Reaper Claw; 360 degree vision - no arc for the melee weapon(s).
Medium Heatray: Range 20"/10" +3/+2 Power Special: Sweep
(3) Reaper Tentacles: +2 Assault Special: Gatherer/Harvester Rule (pg 199).
OR (1) Reaper Claw: +5 Assault Special: Gatherer/Harvester Rule (pg 199).
Comments: There had been a need for sometime to upgrade the armor on the Slaver - the 2ndGeners did just that. In addition, they gave the new Whipper melee capacity with the Reaper components. The need for prey food was greater with more mouths to feed! The vulnerable 'hand' tentacles were lost in favor of a weapons mount for the heatray. The Whippers entered the battlefields much to the horror of humanity in spring of 1916. {I use the Rebel Miniature (rebelminis.com) Mini Martian Walker for the model, adding whichever the melee weapon appeals to the player. I use the large bulb shaped ray weapon on the under hull for the heat ray.}
Dominator II Unit: 1 element. Price per Unit: 400. Type: Tripod.
Speed 8" Defense 6 Armor 13 Special: Controller; Guided Missile Pod; Multiple Targeting (page 119) "...each of its two..."; Heavy Heatray Gun.
Heavy Heat Ray Gun: Range 30"/15" +4/+3 Power RoF 2 Special: Sweep; Heat Ray Gun has two shots per phase, with independent targeting.
Guided Missile Pod: Range 25" +1 Power RF 4 Special: Guided Missiles (page 119); Rapid Fire 4.
Comments: The first thing the 2ndGeners did was lower the height of the 'II', realizing that a lot of prey-that-stings targeting depends on the height of a given machine. As the body of the 'II' is lower to the ground, the focus of humans seem less intensive. Using better alloy technology, the 'II' has Armor upgrade by 1 without loss of Speed. The Guided Missile Pod is held over as a very good system and a new 'Gun' mount replaces the vulnerable tentacles for use of the heat ray. Note that it as well as the missiles rotate 360, so all around fire is achieved (e.i. no arc/front etc). This tripod enters the battle field in the summer of 1916, much to the dismay of human forces.{I again go to the Rebel Mini Martian Walker, this time putting the barreled gun on the underside and mounting the Old Glory CDMW-05 UB-32 Rocket Pad Truck Mount to the upper side, using the mount as is to give it further height. You could also cut it back a bit at the base, leaving off the support bottom, and have it just on the pole part. The advantage is the new Dominator is less expensive to field but still a monster!}
Overseer II Unit: 1 element. Price per Unit: 600. Type: Tripod. For an additional 160 you may add 4 Units of CABDs.
Speed: 10" Defense 6 Armor 13 Special: Controller; Near-Indestructibile Tripod (page 122-123); Sun Gun; Reaper Claws; Reaper Tentacles; [CABDs]
Sun Gun: Range 60" +6 Power Special: Sun Gun Rules (page 122-123).
(2) Reaper Claws: +5 Assault Special: Gatherer/Harvester rules; May target independently.
(6) Reaper Tentacles: +2 Assault Special: Gatherer/Harvester rules; May target independently.
(20) CABD: See below for stats, carries 4 squads of 5 figures each.
CABD Unit: 1 element. Price per Unit: 60. Type: Infantry.
Speed 6" Defense 5 Armor 7 Special: Requires Controller (12" range) ; Tough - takes 3 hits each
Light Heatray: Range 10" +1 Power RF 3 Special: Rapid Fire 3 (3 shots per element per phase).
(3) Brawler: +1 Assault Special: attacks three times at +1 per assault.
Comments: The 2ndGeners wanted to replace the Lobototons with a upgraded all machine unit. The 'Controlled Antiinfantry Bipedal Drone' is their answer. The CABD has better alloy for protection (Armor) and a much improved reaction time (Defense). Coupled with a fast firing light heat ray and programming with martial skills copied from prey-that-stings sources, the CABD squad of 1 element may seem an easy target, but its every bit the equal to a full 15 figure Lobototon squad. It can take an amazing amount of punishment and still function. It is literally dropped from the Overseer II to the ground and moves into position (per the normal 6" rules page 123), ready to start its march of doom. These units are introduced in the summer of 1916 with the Overseer II. They are scheduled to start replacing Lobototon unit with the Whippers in early 1917. More food for the 2ndGeners ! {I've wanted to replace the Lobototon comcept for a while, thinking that the Lobos are a waste of food source. For the models, I use Rebels Shalur Mercenaries pack at $10.95 for 21 figures. I'll use the extra figure per pack for guards at the cyclinder doors and maybe one left under an Overseer. Its important to note that this unit function everybit as a full Lobototon squad of 3 elements due to "Tough". It combines the light heatray fire and the slicer effect for assaults. It only lacks the shear numbers of two Lobo squad (one each Blaster & Slicer). Although the 2ndGeners wanted to replace the regular drones, they haven't finished a design yet that incorporates the Reaper Tentacles so vital for food gathering. For now its enough to replace the Lobos and gain the increase in foods for their growing populations. Point cost is 20+20 for both fire & assualt functions in one squad and 20 for other overall improvements.}
So there you have three 'new' tripods and an infantry unit type that are readily available at a reasonable price. Despite the difficulty of assembly due to all metal construction & the risk in transport for the same reason, the nature of the Rebel models gives us some respite from the increased cost of fading AD stocks elsewhere. Enjoy!