Airdropping a GB?

[taalismn]

I'm working on a campaign where one player's USA-G10 is being dropped out of a GAW MC-130 with a bunch of EBA/light power armor merc troops. What would you recommend to ensure its safe arrival on the ground? Parachutes? Retro-rocket packs? Flight packs like the one Kitsune drew up for the Semper Fi?

Big chute...plus the Glitterboy has its own jets that give it a limited jump/brief hover capabilities that could be used for last-moment hard braking. You COULD combine it with an overhead retro-rocket package if you want to, if you have the jets high enough up the lanyards to not interfere with your sensors with exhaust flux...

[Akashic Soldier]

I'd just let the Glitterboy burst its jets right before it hit the ground than land safely. Physics aren't as important as dramatic effect unless they're directly going to impact the story--and even then watching scientists wig out over the impossibility of what they just saw is always fun.

[taalismn]

"Whoops, misjudged the braking burn again. Nice living room you got here, mister!"

Or:

"Well #%##! Buried myself AGAIN?! &^**^&(&^###!!!!"

[Anthar]

Well the GB's recoil boosters are strong enough to hold it 12ft off the ground for 1D6X10 seconds so they should be strond enough to make the landing without damaging the PA or burying it in the ground.

[Akashic Soldier]

Or if you want to get really classy how about an upgrade?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU_BfOCM4RE

I couldnt one using the scrandler as they fall from orbit or a ship but it was done at least a couple of times.

I guess a hoverplatform would work too--but its hardly as cool as an attachment. XD

PS (This isnt the best scene lol)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNJvQyTK2FA
(From about 1:30 to 2:20)

[Mack]

No thrusters needed:

The GB falls head first for the ground. Just as it appears he's about to coat the inside of the armor with a lot of red, fleshy bits, he fires a single shot at the ground breaking his fall. He lands with a graceful somersault, and seamlessly glides into a pirouette flourish. He then exits the landing zone via a moon walk.

[Akashic Soldier]

No thrusters needed:

The GB falls head first for the ground. Just as it appears he's about to coat the inside of the armor with a lot of red, fleshy bits, he fires a single shot at the ground breaking his fall. He lands with a graceful somersault, and seamlessly glides into a pirouette flourish. He then exits the landing zone via a moon walk.

This almost made it into my signature.

[Faceless Dude]

Have your GB pilot take Hand to Hand Martial Arts and Gymnastics. He's not falling, he's performing a flying jump-kick against the earth

[ShadowLogan]

I'd go for a parachute:
-One is it simplier.
-Two it brings a degree of stealthiness to the insertion the powered options lack out of the box.
-Three it is likely cheaper.
-Four the parachute(s) can be recycled for other functions if taken along and not abandoned (use to create tents, pancho to obscure the chrome surface, etc).

[Nomadic]

I'd just let the Glitterboy burst its jets right before it hit the ground than land safely. Physics aren't as important as dramatic effect unless they're directly going to impact the story--and even then watching scientists wig out over the impossibility of what they just saw is always fun.

+1

[taalismn]

"Yeah, it feels like I busted both kneecaps spiking that landing, but I got triple-tens from the battlefield judges! Totally worth it!"

[azazel1024]

If you want a little realism, parachute combined with its stabalizer jets. The jets might suffice to hover it just off the ground for 10-60 seconds. There is a big difference between that and braking a ton dropping at a speed of probably over 200mph (density is a lot higher on a GB than a human being, and terminal velocity on the low end of a person parrallel to the ground with arms and hands outstretched is roughly 100mph, around 160-180mph head down).

A good sized parachute should be able to slow a GB to maybe 30-40mph and the stabalizer jets firing over the last 100ft or so should slow it down enough for an easy enough landing for the legs to absorb the impact.

Without slowing down at all, with any realism, MDC or not, the GB would be friggen toast hitting at 200+mph in to anything other than about a 60ft thick snow bank. Even if the GB wasn't completely toast, going from 200+mph to zero in about 50 miliseconds on striking the ground would jelly the GB pilot inside the suit.

[Tiree]

I would let the Glitterboy drop out without a parachute up to twice it's maximum jumping height. After that, I would go with a parachute.

The reason I wanted to quantify that, is that I can totally see a C-130 flying really low, cargo bay open and the GB jumping out, skidding to a stop.

[The Galactus Kid]

I would allow the booster jets to fire for dramatic effect, but I'd also allow a parachutte for a more stealthy entrance.

[glitterboy2098]

I would allow the booster jets to fire for dramatic effect, but I'd also allow a parachute for a more stealthy entrance.

at a ton and a half, a GB is roughly equivilent to a fully equipped Humvee, which can be airdropped on pallets using parachutes. once down it can be crewed up and driven right off the pallet.

for a GB, mount the same parachute backage, and let it walk/leap out the back of the plane like infantry troops. the paracutes bring it down safely, allowing it to use short burns from it's thrusters to make a soft landing.

[taalismn]

The HMMWV is actually HEAVIER than the GB!! I just did the research and it's 2.5-3 tons. So the GB would work completely fine with chutes

"AIIIRRRRBBBOOORRRRNNNEEEE!!!!"
Seriously, that allows GBs to a LOT more easily transported around historically, and makes the chances of finding ones with patches of the U.S. Airborne Division(s) all the more likely.

[glitterboy2098]

The HMMWV is actually HEAVIER than the GB!! I just did the research and it's 2.5-3 tons. So the GB would work completely fine with chutes

"AIIIRRRRBBBOOORRRRNNNEEEE!!!!"
Seriously, that allows GBs to a LOT more easily transported around historically, and makes the chances of finding ones with patches of the U.S. Airborne Division(s) all the more likely.

i've generally assumed the Army had the GB created for use by the Airborne units, and only later started deploying it in more normal infantry units. a GB combines the battlefeild role of a Mobile Gun System with easy airdrop deployment, and the ability to deploy almost anywhere a regular infantryman can go.