W3I: Imperial Marines for SGII

I've been working on wargaming Traveller with Stargrunt II, Tomorrow's War and other rules systems for a while now. I've made various posts and only played one game of Tomorrow's War so far. Many of those posts have probably contradicted previous posts and I apologise for that. I'll also apologise in advance for any contradictions in this post.

First off the title "Wargaming in the Third Imperium", will henceforth be shortened to 'W3I' because I am sick of typing out the whole thing.

Secondly I've had an epiphany of sorts. I've been trying my hardest to make the Stargrunt II and Tomorrow's War rules match the Traveller setting. For the most part this isn't that hard, but there are some areas where it becomes difficult. What I've decided to do is: wherever possible, to stick within the two rules systems, SGII and TW. Ken Pick's articles on Freelance Traveller provide a fantastic starting point, doing a lot of the work for me (you). What this means for the setting won't be apparent immediately.


This post will be the first of several that look at the miniatures in my collection and attempt to describe their weapons and equipment in Traveller/Striker terms, while also providing SGII and TW stats for them.


I'm going to start off with GZG's UNSC Marines in Hard armour. The two photos provided show all the weapons these figures have available.

 From left to right these are, in Traveller terms, a PGMP-14, PGMP-15, Laser Sniper Rifle and a TAC Missile Launcher. They are wearing Battle Dress-14.

 From left to right these are a RAM Mortar, DFFG/1 and a DFFG/2. 

As I've stated before, these figures appear to be modelled on Traveller's Imperial Marines. The body armour is really close to the most common design of Imperial Armour, both Combat Armour and Battle Dress.

The Imperial Marine Corps
Imperial Marines are equipped to TL15 standards and wear Battle Dress-14. Their main personal weapon is the FGMP-14s, squad support weapons include FGMP-15s and Portable TAC Missile Launchers. Recon teams use a Laser Rifle both as a sniper rifle and on a lower setting to designate targets for support fire. Immediate heavy support is provided by RAM mortars, Direct Fire Fusion Guns (The Plasma A, B, C and Fusion X, Y, and Z guns) and any vehicle weapons that are available.

TL15 Imperial Marine Platoon

• 1x Platoon Command Squad
• 4x Imperial Marine Squads (I've gone with four because that's all I have available)

Platoon Command Squad

• 1x Crew Commander/Gunner (Cpl) w/FGMP-14
• 1x Marine Driver w/FGMP-14
• 1x Platoon Leader (Lt) w/FGMP-14
• 1x Platoon Sergeant w/FGMP-14
• 1x Imperial Marine Grav APC

  

STARGRUNT II    SQUAD DATA CARD
SQUAD TYPE	Imperial Marine Platoon Command Squad
FULL STRENGTH	4	ARMOUR	Heavy PA (D12)
MOBILITY	Fast PA (D12)	SENSORS	Superior +1 (D12)
SMALL ARMS TYPE		FIREPOWER	IMPACT
FGMP-14 (Infantry Plasma Gun) ¹		D10	D12*
SUPPORT WEAPONS		FIREPOWER	IMPACT
ATTACHED SPECIALISTS
APC Cmdr/Gunner and Driver.  Platoon Leader Platoon Sergeant
NOTES AND OTHER EQUIPMENT
¹ This weapon has high recoil and requires the firer to be wearing Battle Dress. * Impact value against dispersed targets/minor hits on point targets. Double for major hits on point targets. This 4 man team is only placed on the table if they are forced to abandon their APC.

 

STARGRUNT II    VEHICLE DATA CARD
NAME	HTG-20B Cmnd APC		TYPE		Grav-VTOL
SIZE	4	MOBILITY	D12		ECM	Superior +1 (D12)
ARMOUR	FRONT	5	SIDE	4	CREW	2
INFANTRY CARRIED	2 Marines
WEAPONRY TYPE					FIRECON		BASE IMPACT
1x VRF Gauss Gun GAC/2 (Turret)					D12		4xD12
2x Light TAC Missile Launchers (GMS/L)					D12		2xD12
Area Defence System (ADS) uses VRF Gauss					D12
NOTES AND OTHER EQUIPMENT
Smoke Dispensers x5, Prismatic Aerosols (acts as decoys for HELs only) x5 Command/Communications System Imperial Battle Dress only takes 1 carried infantry position.

The Command APC removes eight passenger seats to make room for the Command/Communications Systems.

TL15 Imperial Marine Squad

• 1x Squad Leader (Sgt) w/FGMP-14
• 1x 2IC (Cpl) w/FGMP-14
• 2x Marines w/FGMP14s
• 1x Marine Gunner w/FGMP-15
• 1x Marine Gunner w/Light TAC Missile Launcher 
• 1x Crew Commander/Gunner (Cpl) w/FGMP-14
• 1x Driver w/FGMP-14 
  
• 1x Imperial Grav APC
  

STARGRUNT II    SQUAD DATA CARD
SQUAD TYPE	Imperial Marine Squad
FULL STRENGTH	8	ARMOUR	Heavy PA (D12)
MOBILITY	Fast PA (D12)	SENSORS	Superior +1 (D12)
SMALL ARMS TYPE		FIREPOWER	IMPACT
FGMP-14 (Infantry Plasma Gun) ¹		D10	D12*
SUPPORT WEAPONS		FIREPOWER	IMPACT
FGMP-15 (Infantry Plasma Gun) ²		D10	D12*
Portable TAC Missile Launcher (GMS/P)		D12**	D12
ATTACHED SPECIALISTS
APC Cmdr/Gunner and Driver. The remaining six squad members form the dismount team which is supported by the APC in combat. One dismount team member will be a trained medic.  Other specialists can be assigned as needed.
NOTES AND OTHER EQUIPMENT
¹ This weapon has high recoil and requires the firer to be wearing Battle Dress. ² This weapon has grav compensation built in and can be used by non-powered troops. * Impact value against dispersed targets/minor hits on point targets. Double for major hits on point targets. ** Superior +1 Missile Guidance System (Striker Zero by Ken Pick)

Note: In Traveller man portable high energy weapons are divided into three broad groups on the charts (the PGMP-12, the PGMP-13/14, and the FGMP-14/15) the PGMP-12 does 10D damage, each group thereafter has increased chances to hit and increased damage potential. Listing the PGMP-12 as SGIIs standard Infantry Plasma Gun, I opted for a Firepower Die increase for the higher tech weapons, but kept the Impact the same as I did not want them to have as great an impact as say the DFFG series of weapons. So the PGMP-13 and 14 have D8 firepower, while the FGMP series has D10 firepower.

The Imperial Marine Grav APC 

The Imperial Marine Grav APC is designed to get a marine squad from low orbit to the planetary surface in a single group. Armed with Tac Missiles and a VRF Gauss Gun linked to an ADS system. Doctrine calls for the APC to stay with the squad to provide supporting fire and when necessary an umbrella of ADS fire. Tac Missiles are used to strike designated targets or opportunity targets during the descent. The APC can also perform a pop up and launch them new targets once 'on the ground'. One missile tube is mounted on each side, under the front hull.

Unpainted as yet, but this will be the Imperial Marine APC. It's a V15-20A High Tech Grav APC. Technically Darkest Star Games' 15FD1- Puma LODAV GIFV represents the Grav APC described in CT Adventure 01: The Kinunir and MT 101 Vehicles, but I have what I have.

STARGRUNT II    VEHICLE DATA CARD
NAME	HTG-20A APC		TYPE		Grav-VTOL
SIZE	4	MOBILITY	D12		ECM	Superior +1 (D12)
ARMOUR	FRONT	5	SIDE	4	CREW	2
INFANTRY CARRIED	10 Marines (but usually only carries 6)
WEAPONRY TYPE					FIRECON		BASE IMPACT
1x VRF Gauss Gun GAC/2 (Turret)					D12		4xD12
2x Light TAC Missile Launchers (GMS/L)					D12		4xD12
Area Defence System (ADS) uses VRF Gauss Gun					D12
NOTES AND OTHER EQUIPMENT
Smoke Dispensers x5, Prismatic Aerosols (acts as decoys for HELs only) x5 Imperial Battle Dress only takes 1 carried infantry position.

The APC and crew are considered part of the squad and normally remain within cohesion distance. The APC can be detached and is treated as any normal detached element.

Game Note: When selecting Activation markers for Imperial Marines, the majority of marine units should be regular or veteran, with a sprinkling of green and almost no elites.


I'll update with full platoon (painted and based) and heavy support weapons teams.