Morrow Aviation Assets

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by LBraden

Can't afford it, but I do bits here and there, will up my Deviant Art page in my sig, as I have done some non Morrow stuff, and my next plan is an aircraft, that Morrow could have possibly used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LTV_XC-142

I have your DeviantArt page marked to "watch" and have been patiently awaiting your updates for months.

Maybe you could tackle some Kentucky Free States equipment? Or let out your inner "Mad Max" on some Gypsy Truckers or Warriors of Krell?

I think I will do up some game stats for a Grumman Goose and a PBY Catalina.

Amphibious Observation and Search & Rescue planes for the MARS division.

Updated electronics, Carbon fiber skins, titanium alloy frame members, and fusion powered electric propellers.

Huge weight savings in not having to carry thousands of pounds of fuel.

[LBraden]

One of the things I am stalled on is some good images for "External Stores", such as fuel tanks, missiles, rocket pods, dumb bombs, guided bombs, ELINT pods, Gun pods, Areal Torpedoes, etc.

I don't really do "mad max" and I have been trying to knock off a few more vehicles, but as with everything, if I don't have all the pieces, I can get stalled, which is why my "Aviation projects" are stalled until I get get the external stores images.

If I get other stuff, such as field shell images for sizing and such, I may do big guns and tanks, but for now, I am trying to do air, but google search is failing me.

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by LBraden

One of the things I am stalled on is some good images for "External Stores", such as fuel tanks, missiles, rocket pods, dumb bombs, guided bombs, ELINT pods, Gun pods, Areal Torpedoes, etc.

I don't really do "mad max" and I have been trying to knock off a few more vehicles, but as with everything, if I don't have all the pieces, I can get stalled, which is why my "Aviation projects" are stalled until I get get the external stores images.

If I get other stuff, such as field shell images for sizing and such, I may do big guns and tanks, but for now, I am trying to do air, but google search is failing me.

Go to Scribd.com

Hundreds of field manuals from different countries have been uploaded by various users.

To use it for free, they have a upload one to download one policy. A year membership is pretty low though.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/213392736/...Ground-Systems

[LBraden]

Just for the people who want a possible "heavy fighter"

http://braden1986.deviantart.com/art...avoc-451833313

[Capt Gideon]

Chaparral MIM-72 is based on a Sidewinder AIM-9 missile, but was modified to operate from a ground launch platform. It used a different rocket motor and reduced control surfaces. MIM-72A only had a range of 6000 meters and a speed of Mach 1.5 (1838 kph)(510.6 m/s) or 1.8 km per Combat Turn. the later MIM-72C&G version are listed at having a range of 9000 meters, with the G version have a new smokeless motor and the same IR seeker as FIM-92 Stinger. Where someone came up with the idea of 17,700m range for Chaparral is by treating it as the air launched version which it isn't. Chaparral being launched from the ground does not have Sidewinders advantage of being air launched where it is already at near Mach speeds. It has to provide all its own energy to gain speed and altitude, requiring a different type of rocket motor. This is why there were projections for improvements to the ADATS, giving it a IR seeker in addition to laser homing and a secondary version that would use a AIM-120 AMRAAM seeker in place of the original laser homing system, which would improve range. But who says the KFS doesn't have jet technology and just not shown it yet. A version of the follow on to the ME262 or other early jets, like flying wing bombers could throw a real challenge for the team.

[rcaf_777]

What about the

Piper PA-48 Enforcer - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-48_Enforcer
Cavalier Mustang - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalier_Mustang
North American P-51 Mustang - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_A...t-World_War_II

[welsh]

I think those would be better choices than F5s, and certainly a better balance to the KFS, but the problem is - why develop a fighter aircraft (with all the resources necessary to maintain the plane) when there are applications that need attention? Given the Morrow mission, why purchase fighters? We can leave aside the difficulty in buying advanced military fighter aircraft- something multinational enterprises usually don't do, but which might be sidestepped if you buy duel use. Of course with a heavy dose of imagination, I guess anything is possible.

The problem of having dedicated air assets in a fighter or even attack capacity, suggests that the project would anticipate the need for it in lieu of other purposes. Given that the project was supposed to rebuild after a nuclear war, I would think that aircraft, if budgeted, would be needed for recon and transportation, be low maintenance, technologically not very sophisticated, and practical. The reasons are simple that the needs for the mission demand it- low cost/multi-purpose/low tech- requiring minimal manpower (as talented labor is in short-supply). These are planes that might be adapted for military purpose, but military purpose is of secondary importance. The project's purpose is to rebuild.

There are a couple of streams of thought that you could utilize in justifying or explaining aircraft. I think there are three- the "unlimited Morrow" approach, the "Balance against potential enemies approach" or the "Morrow is a constrained organization" approach. Each reflects different mindsets about how to play the game.

(1) The Morrow Project needs them so acquires them and feels its justified to make the expense in labor and financial capital. Unlimited financial capacity and imagination can take this idea very far. In fact, that logic can go pretty fair to justify anything. My thinking is that the project would do something practical. The bigger your game project, the more likely that it might have jets. Assume the project could spend unlimited amounts, than why not buy spacecraft too or modern satellites. After all those are pretty sophisticated Science and Mars vehicles in the book. Granted those are few in number and far apart, suggesting limits in the scope of the project.

My feeling on this is that the advanced technology is pretty limited by the game's main book. I would be reluctant to go beyond that.

(2) Balancing with adversaries. Sgt has made this argument, but the only real adversary that has air capacity seems to have KFS and they have World War 2 era Thunderbolts. I would be curious to know how many Thunderbolts still remain operational today. In that sense, your choices seem a fair balance.

The down side of this is that if the Project beats KFS (and it probably will) than Morrow Project has now acquired air dominance. Beware Ballooners and every other faction. Sure they might have sidewinders and AAA capacity that might shoot down your planes, but those are fixed and if you have a wild weasel aircraft, maybe you can knock those planes out too. A dictator takes over the Project and can become the king of America, a benevolent (or not so benevolent) dictatorship because it has the capacity of bombing just about any opposition it might face. Cool side of that is that a slave federation or a bunch of former soviet forces with technology 150 years old (and with little residual know-how to service it) may save America from the best intentions (made corrupt by power-hungry leaders) of the Morrow Project. Not sure how Morrow didn't anticipate that possibility- but it might make for a new story line.

(3) The Morrow Project operates under stiff constraints- The Morrow Project is a small group whose mission is primarily rebuilding and redevelopment of a country largely destroyed by nuclear warfare. Delayed from undertaking its mission, it has few people, few resources and significant constraints. If it meets with a powerful enemy, that means it has to find a way to rise to the challenge, perhaps against a foe that has it outmatched in terms of military technology- thus the challenge is high. The goal of this game is not necessarily to make the game cool or easy, but to make it hard and challenging for the players by giving them significant obstacles to overcome.

That doesn't mean that you couldn't incorporate your airplanes into the story, but you would have to think about how. For instance, lets say that the KFS and its aircraft are threatening neighbors with bombing- utilizing air dominance to impose its demands through the threat, and occasional display of coercive capacity. The Project knows of this and has had its team hit by these planes in the past. To put an end to this, it needs to come up with an alternative- perhaps a trap in which the project uses its limited anti-air assets to shoot down the planes. Perhaps a commando raid to destroy the planes (or steal them) from the KFS. Perhaps a quick strike by armed air scouts against the air field to hit the planes while they are still on the ground. Perhaps these planes- meant for quick communication- can be put to service.

Or perhaps there is another group that might help. Perhaps a small group of pilots, largely operating independently or in cooperation with each other, are flying across the country creating a form of postal service between communities. They have taught generations of their children how to maintain the planes (although that knowledge is a bit weak after 150 years). They operate single planes out of bumpy air fields, perhaps the utilize some form of alternative fuel or energy to keep their planes in the air. The planes themselves have seen lots of wear and tear over 150 years, and are held together by bubblegum, rubber bands and prayer as well as craftsman ship and innovation.

Some of those planes might be like those you posted- rather simple, easy to maintain, practical and low cost. Maybe there are others that fit. A hodgepodge collection of ancient airplanes of uncertain maintenance and ability, being put to the test against the KFS's dedicated fighters. That would be kind of fun.

The story might be that the Project has to find a way to enlist these pilots, organized them, and perhaps even arm them to respond to the KFS. This may require some bargaining and perhaps some subterfuge, as well as the creation of potential back-up plans if this craps out. The odds remain against them, but the choice is stark. Either the Project can fashion the alliance of the KFS seizes more towns and imposes its rules.

Honestly, as a player or a director, I would prefer a difficult challenge than resolving the problem through the easy adoption of military tech and all the problems that might come from that. But at the end of the day, its your story. You decide what goes into it. I caution against advanced technology.

Another way of thinking about it comes down to how heavy do you want the military side of the game to dominate the story. Power, or I should say socially organized power, comes in different forms. Military power as social power is fundamentally concentrated and coercive- and its power at its most brutal and blunt. But there are other forms of power- ideological, economic, and political to name of few. Those forms of power operate on different logics. As I see the Morrow Project, military power is deemed essential but secondary to the broader purposes- which are economic, social, political and ideological. The problem of military power is that the consequences of its abuse are high but its application is generally destructive. As Gamer argued a page or two earlier, the goal of the project is to rebuild the country, not to create a more powerful warlord. Again, it's your game. Are you creating a mini-warlord, or are you in the difficult business of rebuilding a society. THe later requires the capacity to rebuild communities, find some ideological purchase, mediate conflicts, build communities- the stuff of the other forms of social power.