us force list

7/28/2019 Us Force List

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ARMIES OF THE GREAT INTERPLANETARY WAR

THE UNITED STATES ARMY

The US Army was a small affair at the time of the Second Martian Attack. Consisting of Cavalry,Artillery, and several Infantry Divisions, it was spread out across America in small garrisons. As the

US Army met the Martians, they did so in dribs and drabs at first and usually after a long journey bytrain, followed by a long march. They literally were ground up piece by piece under the superiormachines of the Martians.

In fact, the Martians choseto stop at the Mississippi. They werent really stopped by the US Army. This

proved to be the chance that America needed. It plunged purely and fully into rushing new warmaterials and recruits to the Front. Fortunately, the Martians spent several months consolidating inthe West. This gave the Americans just enough time to fortify the Mississippi Line.

In 1910, America runs on coal. With the largest and most advanced railway system in the world, hugecoal reserves, and the petroleum industry still in its infancy in many ways, coal was the fastest resourceto exploit in defending against the Martian invasion. In addition, steam engines were a well-developedtechnology. The manufacturing base (to produce more) was in place on a large scale, and it could all bedone quickly. This last bit was particularly important as the American army was very tiny incomparison to the amount of territory that had to be defended and technologically ill equipped. Withthe exception of a few primitive trucks and steam tractors, the American Army was a horse drawnaffair of towed guns, cavalry, and infantry. These forces were virtually useless against the Martians. IfAmerica had any hope of survival, it needed new weapons, vehicles, and technologyIMMEDIATELY. It was both natural and logical to turn to the strengths of its current industrial base.

While defensive lines of massive trench works and fortifications could slow the Martians, it certainly

didnt stop them. What was needed was defense in depth and the abi lity to relocate resources to repelan attack at its point of origin. The Warwas becoming a far more mobile affair. The one advantage

mankind did have was numbers. Getting enough numbers into action to absorb the Martian attackswas a key factor. This meant vehicles (and due to the appalling losses against the Martian technology),LOTS of vehicles. The automotive industry was tiny, just beyond the cottage industry level. Ford wasjust beginning. The biggest producers of vehicles were the railroad companies. Baldwin LocomotiveWorks, The American Locomotive Company, Lima and others soon started building more steamtractors that eventually became armoured to improve their survivability and then tracked to increasetheir mobility. Within a matter of months, it was clear that standard designs would speed productionimmensely. Thus was born one of the single greatest accomplishments in perhaps all of industrialhistory. America went from having virtually no self-propelled military equipment to assembly lines

producing thousands of vehicles in the course of a single year.

So there you have it. Steel and coal are the materials of choice. The great locomotive companies of theindustrial East bring their expertise to production. Oil and the refining of it into suitable fuels likekerosene, gasoline, and diesel fuel is far less abundant than the vast coal fields of West Virginia andPennsylvania and with the Martians putting tremendous pressure on Texas, supply looks sketchy.Petroleum does make it onto the battlefield in the form of internal combustion engines used formotorcycles, armoured cars, the new aeroplanes etc., but it is steam that powers the huge gun carryingvehicles with their heavy steel and ceramic armour on the battlefield. At the time of the GreatInterplanetary Wars beginning, internal combustion engines simply were not advanced enough toprovide the power needed for some of the larger military constructs and in America, refined oil

products were in short supply compared to the need.

End of the preamble!


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This section of the book describes the forces of mankindspecifically the army of the United States ofAmerica and some equipment used by its Canadian and British Allies on American soil. You will finda description of the various fighting formations, equipment and machines of these armies, togetherwith game stats, rules and points values. The point values allow a player to put together an army to apre-set value to take part in the various scenarios, or to play any points-matched game against an equalvalue of enemy.

THE INFANTRY

Recent years have seen the introduction of ever more powerful artillery as well as new weapons such asSteamer Tanks, Land Ironclads and Aeroplanes. Despite these many innovations the most importantpart of our fighting forces remains the ordinary foot soldierfor it is he who bears the brunt of this waragainst the Martian invader. American, Canadian and British infantry present an almost identicalappearance, all benefiting from developments that began during the period of rearmament followingthe first Martian invasion.

The standard khaki uniform affords excellent camouflage in close battlefield conditions. Althoughthere remain some doubts as to the visual sensitivities of the Martians, the vast majority of fightingmen are convinced of the benefit. Of undeniable value is the trench helmet. The introduction of thesteel helmet immediately reduced casualties from falling debris and shrapnel. The infantrymans sturdywebbing carries his backpack, dust mask, ammunition and spare magazines for his rifle, and explosivegrenades.

The standard infantry arm is the magazine fed bolt-action rifle: the 1903 Springfield .30 rifle in the caseof American forces and the Lee-Enfield .303 in the case of the British and Canadians. Many alliedunits fighting in the United States have re-equipped with the Springfield rifle, as well as various other

items of American equipment, to avoid problems of supply. Even well aimed rifle fire is largelyineffective against Martian war machines unless targets are already suffering damage from heavierweapons. For this reason, all infantry carry grenades powerful enough to cripple the legs and smash theextremities of a Martian Tripod. Infantry formations typically include at least a proportion of troopswith more powerful explosive charges. Grappling hooks are also carried by some assault troops andused in conjunction with explosives to attack Tripods directly at close quarters.

The infantrymans best defence against the Martians is undoubtedly the cover provided by fixedfortifications and battlefield debris. These all make it difficult for the aliens to identify a target, andafford some protection against the Heat Ray. The deadly Black Dust can only be countered by the useof dust masks, which are now standard issue to all troops. These allow the wearer to breath for up to anhour by filtering out the dust particulates. A separate chemical filter also provides some limited defenceagainst the Green Gas, although prolonged exposure to dense concentrations of the gas will dissolveflesh and perish the rubber of the mask itself.

Adding Maxim Guns to Vehicles

It has become common practice for troops to add Maxim machine guns to

vehicles that otherwise lack them, including to tanks and mobile artillery, as

well as to all kinds of trucks. Although largely ineffective against Martian

machines, the threat from Zombie troopers has made it increasingly necessary

for even non-combatant vehicles to carry such weapons.

Any vehicle that lacks a machine gun is allowed to add a single machinegun at a cost of +10 points. It is not necessary that every vehicle in a unitcarries a machine gun; for example, in a unit of three vehicles one, two or

all three could be so armed, if desired.


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Years of combat experience have led to innumerable changes in the tactical role of infantry comparedto that of their predecessors in the nineteenth century. It is impossible to face the Martians on an openbattlefield where their Heat Rays will cut a swathe through exposed troops from long range. Effectiveresistance relies upon fixed fortifications, trenches and bunkers as well as improvised defences amongstruined buildings. These measures oblige the Martians to close to a distance at which troops can employtheir grenades and explosive charges. Tunnels and covered trenches are essential where movement is tobe undertaken without attracting unwelcome attention. Heavy weapons, including a direct hit byartillery, can destroy Martian machines, but infantry must rely upon ambushes, pit traps andexplosives. Direct assault is possible if troops can spring upon a machine from concealed positions andfix explosives to the metal legs.

The recent appearance of Martian Slave Troops presents the infantryman with a new foe. Althoughcapable of exposing the hiding place of human infantrymen, Slave Troops are vulnerable to theinfantrymans weapons in the same way as ordinary human foes. Their sluggish and automaton-likemovements mean they are easily cut down by well-aimed rifle fire. Overall, they present little threat asopponents, and the main challenge is to eliminate Slave Troops before they can expose ambushers andconcealed traps.

The mainstay of the US Army is the infantry squad consisting of fighting men armed with rifles andgrenades. Although highly vulnerable to the Martian heat ray these troops are not to beunderestimated. Their stealth ability enables them to move as blips whilst remaining hidden and,although not as powerful as assault troops at close-up fighting, they are capable of taking down Tripodswith a little luck.


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INFANTRY SQUAD

Unit: 3 elementsPoints per unit: 30

Element Type Speed Armor Weaponry Special

Infantry Squad Infantry 6 4Rifle,

Grenades Stealth

Weapon Range Power Special

Rifles 15 - -

Grenades +2 - -


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Assault squads are made up of volunteers and only the most courageous step forward for what isvirtually a death sentence. Even if an assault trooper survives an encounter with a Tripod, he stands agood chance of being killed by his own explosive charges. As with all infantry, they have the stealthrule, which allows them to move as blips and remain hidden. They carry explosives giving them thebest Power bonus of any human weaponry. However, these charges are unstable, which means anelement that is destroyed can inflict damage on nearby elements because its explosives detonate.

ASSAULT SQUAD


Element Type Speed Armour Weaponry Special

Assault

Squad Infantry 6 4

Rifle,

Explosives Stealth


Rifles 15 - -

Explosives Assault +4 Unstable


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A command unit represents officers often together with telephone operators, runners, and otherancillary troops. These valiant leaders are often the first to confront the enemy, cheering their menforward, and exhorting weary troops to greater efforts. As with other infantry squads, they have thestealth rule, enabling them to move as blips whilst remaining hidden.

The Maxim gun is an effective weapon when it comes to shooting down Zombie Slaves, though evenwith armour piercing bullets, it will be extremely lucky to damage a Martian war machine. It has theadvantage of the stealth rule, as for other infantry, allowing machine gunners to move as blips whilststaying hidden.

COMMAND SQUAD



CommandUnit Infantry 6 4 Rifle Stealth/Command

Weapon Range Power SpecialRifles 15 - -


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ROUGH RIDER SQUAD

When the Martian War began, cavalry still had a significant role to play as part of the US Army, asthey did in other armies of the day. Cavalry performed scouting duties that couldnt be achieved by

infantry or by the primitive motor vehicles then available. Cavalry were often the first troops toencounter Martian attacks. When the Martian war began, many horsemen joined the ranks and nonemore skilled or fearless than those from Buffalo Bills Wild West and the Congress of Rough Riders ofthe World. It was these cavalrymen who discovered that they could attack Tripods by using the speedof their horses to dive under the machines legs putting them out of reach of the Martians own Heat

MACHINE GUN



Machine Gun Infantry 4 4 Machine Gun Stealth


Machine Gun 20 +1 -


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Ray. Soon, riders were carrying explosive charges to use against the Tripods legs. Some even went asfar as to use lassos or grappling hooks to latch on to the Tripods mid-section, enabling a brave attackerto climb the machine and place explosives directly underneath the armoured canopy.

Within two years, the Martians developed a response to these direct assault tactics: the Green Gas. Bydispensing the gas from vents in a Tripods feet, a Martian pilot was able to choke to death troopsfoolish enough to approach too closely. The Rough Riders were not so easily discouraged, however,swapping their horses for faster motorcycles and adopting modified dust masks with chemical filters,they were able to continue mounting direct assaults by climbing onto the Tripods and fixing theirexplosives. This proved even more effective than before and many new units of Rough Riders wererecruited.

Rough Riders are fast assault troops riding Harley-Davidson V-Twin motorbikes and primarily armedwith explosives charges. Each rider carries a number of charges together with grapples, which they useto gain a purchase on a Tripod before climbing its legs and planting their charges. This involves leapingfrom a speeding machine, a manoeuvre that requires great skill and courage. Once he has planted hisexplosives, a brave rider must quickly descend his rope or simply jump for it, and hopefully escapeboth the deadly blast and the toppling Tripod. The casualty rate amongst Rough Riders is so great that

repeated attempts have been made to disband them. This is a move stubbornly resisted by the daredevilriders themselves.

The chief weakness of the Harley-Davidson is its vulnerability to the Heat Ray. In the open, amotorbike is an easy target and the only hope for a rider is to weave as fast as possible to throw off theMartians aim. If a Heat Ray hits a bike, not only is the rider killed instantly, but also the bikes fueland all the explosives carried result in a conflagration that is likely to injure or kill any other ridersnearby. A Rough Riders best defence is his machines speed and his own skill and courage.

ROUGH RIDERS



Rough Riders Infantry 10 4Rifle,

Explosives Mounted


Rifles 15 - -


With their tremendous speed and hard-hitting assault, Rough Riders are scary opponents forthe Martians who will often target them in preference to harder targets such as tanks andartillery. If nothing else, this will buy you time to bring more durable forces to the fore.

Mounted - Mounted troops count the full movement penalties for moving over difficult ground,

unlike other infantry types. Mounted troops count hard cover as soft cover in the same way asnon-infantry. A mounted unit can dismount at any point in the game and counts as anequivalent infantry squad thereafteronce dismounted it cannot mount up again.


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CAVALRY SQUAD

Horse power continues to provide much of the transport for the army as it does in civilian life, buthorses are as vulnerable as humans to the heat rays and foul vapours of the Martians. As aconsequence, new machines have mostly replaced them in combat roles, and the mounted army hasbeen supplanted to a large extent by motorbikes and other small motor vehicles. However, there aresome roles where the horse still excels as scouts and as mounted infantry especially in the disputedregions and behind enemy lines where the demand for fuel may limit the usefulness of our vehicles.The British Expeditionary Force also includes a proportion of cavalry used to fight the Martians,including the exotically attired veterans of the Indian frontier.

Other Units in Development:

UNARMED CIVILIANS

Unit: Individual elementsPoints per unit: Freefor inclusion in scenarios as objectives.


Unarmed Civilians Infantry 6 3 None -

When Martians break through the defence lines, they often make harvesting raids intocivilian areas to capture the food that they need to survive. Civilians have no fighting valueand do not even enjoy the protection of the stealth rule their only hope is to run and keeprunning!

ARMOURED INFANTRY SQUAD



Armoured Infantry Infantry 3 6Pistols,

Explosives Gas Proof


Pistols 5 - -


Experiments with armoured suits continue apace, although field trials have so far provendisappointing. The greatest challenge to overcome is the weight of the protective armour,with even the lightest versions resembling a cumbersome diving suit encumbered by hugehelmets fashioned from asbestos and glass. This makes it impossible for armoured infantry tocarry rifles, and they are generally armed with pistols and explosives. Although it has beenpossible to produce suits that are largely impervious to both Green Gas and Black Dust, such

protection amounts to nothing if the suit is torn or damaged.

Gas Proof - Armoured Infantry Squads cannot be harmed by Black Dust or Green Gas.


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CAVALRY

Unit: 3 elementsPoints per unit: 35 if armed with grenades, 45 if armed with explosives


Cavalry Infantry 8 4

Rifle,Grenades orExplosives Mounted


Rifles 15 - -

Grenades Assault +2 -


Unstable - Cavalry armed with explosives have the standard unstable rule, which can make thingsdangerous when they come under attack!

Mounted - Mounted troops count the full movement penalties for moving over difficult ground, unlikeother infantry types. Mounted troops count hard cover as soft cover in the same way as non-infantry. Amounted unit can dismount at any point in the game and counts as an equivalent infantry squadthereafteronce dismounted it cannot mount up again.

THE ARTILLERY

Artillery, in the form of static defences, field guns, and steam-powered mobile artillery, are amongst themost powerful weapons available to the mankinds cause. The most potent of all is the new ElectricArtillery developed by Nikolai Tesla, heralding an era of technological warfare upon the battlefields ofAmerica.


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FIELD GUN BATTERY

Field guns are amongst the most effective weapons available to the gallant defenders of planet Earth,for they are available in great quantity and are relatively simple to operate. The biggest disadvantage ofthese medium calibre guns is that they are very vulnerable to enemy counter-attack. Once they havefired, they are all too soon targeted and destroyed. Artillerymen, with experience of fighting theMartians, know that the most successful tactic is to lie in ambush, waiting until the Martians comewithin range, at which point a single salvo is fired and the gun hastily moved to avoid the inevitableretaliatory heat rays. Field guns are often seen as poor cousins to the Mobile Artillery, but they can bemore easily hidden from the enemy and remain one of the most useful weapons available to mankind.

FIELD GUNS

Unit: 3 elements

Points per unit: 80


Field Gun Artillery 4 5 Howitzer Heavy Gear


Howitzer 60 +3 Barrage 1

Field guns are excellent ambush weapons with a long range and the ability to fire a barrage,which can potentially strike several enemies at once. They are most effective against denseenemy formations, but with a Power of +3 they are also up to the job of taking downindividual Tripods with just a little luck and persistence.

Special Rules

Heavy Gear - Field guns are heavy gear as described under the standard special rules onpXX. This means a field gun can only act in one phase of the turn so it can either moveonce (in either move phase) or shoot (in the combat phase). However, note that Field gununits can be assisted by Gun Tugs, which allows them to act in two phases each turn seeGun Tugs pXX.


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HEAVY GUNS

Heavy artillery pieces are an important feature of the fortifications that surround our greatest cities andform the defence lines that stand between the Martians and free America. Many of these large calibreweapons were taken from our battleships during the early days of the war, and many new and evenlarger cannon have been installed since. Because of their huge size, these weapons are fixed intoposition either in open barbettes, enclosed turrets or concrete emplacements. Although by far the mostpowerful weapons we have, it is a sad fact that these very large cannons make easy targets for theMartians and rarely get a chance to fire more than once.

HEAVY GUNS

Unit: 1 element

Points per unit: 50 points or 60 if in turret. Once deployed, heavy guns cannot move.


Heavy Guns Artillery None 5 Heavy Gun -


Heavy Gun Tabletop +4Long Range Bombardment

Barrage 3

Special Rules

Long Range - A heavy gun has a range of many miles and for our purposes this means it can

potentially hit any point on the tabletop.

Bombardment - To represent the extraordinary long range and firepower of a heavy gun, aplayer whose army includes heavy guns can shoot them once at the start of the game beforeeither player begins the first turn. A heavy gun can target any enemy on the table in thenormal way, or any single unit in reserve, or a single unit that is on the table but otherwiseimpossible to target. Targets that are in reserve or that are otherwise impossible to targetnormally benefit from counting behind soft cover. This bombardment represents the gunsfiring at the approaching enemy before they reach the tabletop.

Turret - Some heavy guns are mounted in turrets often these are turrets taken from

battleships. If a gun is mounted in a turret it can shoot in any direction where the turret candraw a line of fireits line of sight is not limited to its front.


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MUNITIONS CARRIER

It takes guns, guns, guns to stop the Martians, and certainly lots of ammunition. The Mark II Chassiswith trailer can and does serve many of the hidden and dug in guns all along the front while providingmodest protection for its crew.

MUNITIONS CARRIER

Unit: 1 Element

Points per unit: 30 points.


Munitions Carrier Vehicle 8 5 NoneMunitions

Carrier

Munitions Carriers are Mark II tanks with a light super structure and trailer and crane for theexpeditious transport and off loading of ammunition.

Special Rules

A unit of Artillery can include an Ammo Carrier adding a further Barrage 1 to the firepowerof the unit as long as the vehicle is within 6 inches.

Munitions carriers are vulnerable targets and if destroyed, create and explosion of

ammunition that can damage all other units with a 6 inch radius.


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MARK II MOBILE ARTILLERY STEAMER

The first kinds of mobile artillery were simply conventional field guns mounted onto Holt Tractorchassis. Wheeled versions were produced to meet the immediate needs of war. These were followed bythe first caterpillar tracked Holt Gun Tractors which mounted a 4-inch naval gun on top of an open

deck. The crew were protected by a heavy gun shield, but were otherwise exposed to the elements andin particularto the deadly effects of Martian heat rays. Most of these early types of mobile artilleryhave now been replaced in service by a 6-inch mobile artillery piece built on the chassis plates and driveof the Mk II Steamer Tank. This vehicle is therefore known as the Mk II Mobile Artillery Steamer.There is no Mk Ithe Mk II designation simply refers to the base vehicle: the Mk II Steamer Tank.

The 6-inch naval gun is too large to fit inside the sponsons or gun box of a tank. It is the largest weaponthat can be successfully mounted into the Mk II chassis. The original tanks armoured top plate isreplaced with a gun deck where three artillerymen are required to work the gun. The stoker acts as areserve loader where required. The front cabin has room for the helmsmen and engineer. The Captainusually rides in the open gun compartment and directs fire from that position by observing through the

minimal Gun Shield.

Three types of ammunition are carried: high explosive, armour piercing, and smoke shells. Densesmoke has been found effective at reducing the range and power of the heat ray aside from hiding


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human troop movements from sight. Since the appearance of Martian Slave Troops, crews of openvehicles such as the Artillery Steamer have taken to carrying a Maxim gun in the cabin.

Cabin armour is the same as the Mk II Steamer Tank as is the drive train and other constructiondetails. Overall performance is comparable to a standard steamer tank as the weight of the reducedarmour and superstructure is more than met by that of the 6-inch gun and ammunition.

In frontline service, Mobile Artillery Steamers are supported by Mk II Munitions Carriers Steamerswhich replace the main gun with additional storage space and tow a trailer with small crane.

Maximum Armour Thickness 11/2 Steel Plate Maximum Speed 8 mph Armament 1 x 6-inch gun Crew 7

MARK II MOBILE ARTILLERY STEAMER

Unit: 3 elements + 1 optional Ammunition Steamer elementPoints per unit: 220 plus a further 30 points for the Ammunition Steamer


MobileArtillerySteamer Vehicle 6 6 Howitzer -

AmmunitionSteamer Vehicle 6 6 None

AmmoCarrier



The Mobile Artillery Steamer carries the heaviest fully mobile artillery in the human forces.This howitzer can outrange even Martian weapons, and with its Power bonus of +3 standsa good chance of knocking down a Tripod. The main drawback of the Mobile Artillery is itsopen structure, which makes it vulnerable to attack giving it an Armour stat of a mere 6.The howitzer is a barrage weapon which means it uses the barrage template and canpotentially target more than one enemy. This is very effective against closely packed enemyformations.

Special Rules

The Mk II Munitions Carrier has extra ammunition allowing the Mobile Artillery tomaintain a rate of fire over a longer period. A unit of Mobile Artillery Steamers can includean Ammo Carrier adding a further Barrage 1 to the firepower of the unit.


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Other Units in Development:

HOLT GUN TRACTORS



Holt GunTractor Vehicle 6 5

LightHowitzer -


Light Howtizer 60 +2 Barrage 1

Holt Gun Tractors have mostly been replaced in frontline service by the more substantial

Mobile Artillery Steamers. Being converted from commercial tractors they are notarmoured and carry a lighter gun in an improvised mounting.

Note that because a light howitzer fires a shell with a reduced charge we give it a Powerrating of only +2 compared to a normal howitzers +3.

GUN TUGSTBD


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TESLA LIGHTNING GUN ELECTRIC ARTILLERY STEAMER

Since the beginning of the war, the greatest minds in America have striven to develop ways toovercome the Martian invaders. Perhaps the very greatest of all is Nikolai Tesla that master ofelectricity, whose genius outshines even that of the renowned Thomas Edison. Now, these two giantsof American technological enterprise are working together to create new weapons to defeat theMartian menace. Whilst the investigation of captured Martian technology continues behind closeddoors, the newspapers have made much of the latest Wonder Weapon: the Tesla Electric Arc or touse the name endowed upon it by the press and popularised by the troops - Lightning Gun.

The principles behind Teslas fearsome weapon derive from his own investigations into thetransmission of high-voltage electricity. Turning these principles into a workable weapon took years ofdevelopment, but eventually bore fruit in the form of a gun suitable for static defence: the Tesla ElectricArc. The weapon was enormous. This was partly due to the number of Tesla coils needed to generatesufficient voltage within the guns resonant electric circuits. An even more telling reason was the sheersize of the electric generators needed to power the new gun. Three of these early Lightning Guns wereinstalled along the Mississippi defences at Memphis in June of 1912, and a further three were addedinto the Western Colorado Defence line by the end of the year. Unfortunately, although well emplaced

in armoured bunkers, the spectacular discharge and very slow rate of fire of the Lightning Guns madethem easy for the Martians to spot and then destroy with focussed Heat Rays. As a result of theweapons poor performance during battles along the Western Colorado defences, it was decided toabandon plans to install more static Lightning Guns and concentrate instead on developing a mobileversion.

The first mobile Lightning Guns were about half the size of the original emplaced weapons andmounted onto railroad cars. Adjoining carriages carried electric generators as well as teams ofengineers and copious spares to keep the machinery operable. It was these Lightning Guns that sawaction in Western Tennessee following the fall of Memphis and subsequent Martian breakout. The newweapons were obviously restricted to the railroads, but their ability to move from point-to-point finally

gave the crews a chance to shoot and shift position to avoid retaliation. Unfortunately, the generatorswere still huge, heavy, and unreliable. The weapons rate of fire remained very slow, with up to fifteenminutes needed to build up enough power to trip the array of resonant circuits. For this reason thearmoured trains would typically include conventional artillery cars as well as a Lightning Gun car,providing some defence during periods of power build-up. Twelve of these rail-mounted guns continuein service, and the fast pace of rail movement makes them a valuable asset to the US army.

Even before the first rail-mounted Lightning Guns rolled off the production line, Tesla began work ona compact version that could be mounted onto a Steamer Tank chassis. Because there was insufficientroom for an on-board generator, this would be towed behind the tank. When it came to building agenerator small enough to provide the power needed, Tesla turned to the Westinghouse Company

whose engines already drove the armys Land Steamers. The resulting mobile turbine generator wasinevitably less powerful than the huge, static versions, but careful recalibration of the gun resulted in aserviceable weapon. The resulting weapon, mounting the Tesla Arc with towed generator, was adoptedby the army as the Electric Artillery Steamer. These were organised into new Electric ArtilleryBattalions that included their own mobile engineering workshops and supply vehicles. Consumption ofcoal proved to be prodigious. In action, Tesla Lighting Guns are supported by MkII Cargo Steamerscarrying coal.

Maximum Armour Thickness 11/2 Steel Plate Maximum Speed 8 mph

Armament 1 Tesla Lightning Gun Crew 7


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TESLA LIGHTNING GUN ELECTRIC ARTILLERY STEAMER

Unit: 1 element + optional fuel tender

Points per unit: 320 + a further 30 points for the fuel tender


Electric ArtSteamer Vehicle 6 6

LightningGun -

CargoSteamer Vehicle 6 6 None Fueller


Lightning Gun 40 ?Dice Lightning Gun

The Electric Artillery is potentially the most potent weapon the humans can field, but it is

slow to operate and less reliable than conventional weapons.

Special Rules

Lightning Gun - The Lightning Gun is a unique weapon that always forms a unit of oneelement or two if accompanied by a Cargo Steamer. We calculate shooting a littledifferently to normal. In the human turn the player can, if he wishes, either move (in one orboth move phases) or generate electricity to feed the Lightning Gun. He does not have to doeither of course, but he cannot move and generate electricity in the same turn. To generateelectricity he places a die next to the model at the end of the second move phase.Subsequently, in any Combat phase of the human turn, the human player can use electricityalready generated to shoot the Lightning Gun. A Lightning Gun can continue to buildelectricity in turns when it doesnt move up to a maximum of three dice. This doesnt stopthe Electric Artillery Steamer moving once electricity is generated, but it cannot move andgenerate electricity in the same turn.

A lightning gun can shoot in the players Combat phase if it already has one or more dice ofelectricity stored up. If the Lightning Gun shoots in the Combat phase it cannot alsogenerate electricity that turn, even if it remains stationary.

If the Lightning Gun already has three dice at the start of the players Combat phase then he

must either shoot the gun or lose all of the dice already generated as the resonant circuitscan no longer hold the charge.

To shoot the gun, nominate the target and work out line of sight and range in the normalway. The total damage value of the shot is the equivalent of all the dice already generated so roll all the dice and add the results together to get a total score. So, with three dice itwould be possible to score anywhere from 3 to 30, for example. Note this is the total score do not add a further D10 roll as you normally would when making an attack.

If you roll a treble when making an attack (three 1s, three 2s, etc) then work out the damagecaused as normal. The Lightning Gun cannot fire againits delicate mechanism has broken

down. The Lightning Gun is not destroyed, but it cant be used further in the battle.


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MARK II STEAMER TANK

With the introduction of the improved Holt Land Steamer in 1911 the designation Steamer Tank wasofficially adopted by the US Army. The original Holt Steamer was retrospectively renamed the Mk ISteamer Tank with the new model becoming the Mk II. However, amongst the crews themselves it

remained common to refer to both machines as tanks, tumblers, and steamers.

The Mk II retains the same basic layout as the earlier tank with the back mounted boiler served byexternal coal-chute to facilitate rapid refuelling. Coal and water capacity were both increased giving the

If the Lightning Gun damages its original target then roll again to see if the arc jumps toanother target. Roll a die, and if there are any elements, friend or foe, within the number ofinches rolled, the electric arc strikes the one nearest the original target with the samenumber of dice damage as before. Roll again for damage. If this second target is alsodamaged, roll again for distance to determine if a further target is hit, and continue in thisfashion until a target is not damaged, or until there are no new targets within range. If anydamage roll results in a treble the Lightning Gun ceases to work. Note that the electric arc

wont bounce back to an element that has already been struck but which wasnt destroyedoutrightit will only bounce to a new target.

FUEL!!- The MkII Tender carries extra coal burned in huge quantities by all the steam-driven vehicles of the US Army. If an Electric Artillery unit includes a fueller then itgenerates two dice of electricity instead of one in any turn that it begins with no electricityalready generated. This obviously makes it quicker to generate a lethal charge.


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new tank a slightly improved range, whilst the drive shafts, rods and most engine components weresubstantially strengthened to improve reliability. The tracks are of a more robust design, overcomingone of the Mk Is chief faults: its tendency to throw a track in a tight corner. Armour was thickened to1 along the top and front, the most common targets, and to compensate for the increased weightthe rear armour was reduced to only with the addition of coolant vanes and improved ventilation.The front, top and box armour was augmented with asbestos sheeting to deflect heat raysa commonfield modification of the Mk I henceforth carried over into all production models.

The Mk II entered service during the 1911 Martian Offensive but arrived too late to make a significantcontribution to the fighting. It proved its worth in the protracted skirmishes that followed the Martianattack, and quickly gained the favour of crews re-equipping from the earlier two-gun tank. The extragun increased the crew size by two artillerymen, but many crews preferred to fight under strength toincrease space inside the cabin, considering it easier to serve three guns with two well-trained crewsrather than overcrowding the cramped interior.

The Mk II remains the most numerous Steamer Tank in service with the US Army and its hull andsuperstructure have leant themselves to numerous variants including mobile howitzers, unarmed field

tractors, engineering tractors, and armoured wireless tractors. Numerous Mk II Steam Tanks have beensupplied to the Edison Company for use as experimental weapon mounts.

Maximum Armour Thickness 11/2 Steel Plate Maximum Speed 8 mph Armament 2 x 4-inch guns Crew 6-9

MARK II STEAMER TANK

Unit: 3 elements

Points per unit: 240


Mk IISteamer

Tank Tank 6 8Tank Gun

X2 -


Tank Gun 30 +2 -

The Mk II Steamer is a good all round tank and probably the most versatile and effectiveweapon available to the human forces. Its armament of three tank guns gives it considerablefirepower and its armour of 8 means it stands a reasonable chance of surviving attack.


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The desperate times of the Martian Invasion and the first years of the Great Interplanetary War ingeneral called for desperate acts of valor. If Assault Troops with their grappling lines were the ForlornHope of the infantry, then surely the volunteers manning the clamp takes were just as brave. Clamptanks have a special steam reservoir on top. This gives them the burst of speed they need to spring fromambush and try to clamp on to the leg of a tripod. This cripples the Tripod and makes it a much bettertarget for the rest of the force. Clamp Tank crews typically bail out once the clamp has beensuccessfully engaged. Losses in men and tanks with these kinds of tactics are high

100 Point **Other Specific in Development**

The Human forces have tried high density mine fields to try and stop the tripods but not to great effect.Large magnetic naval mines were tried, but Martian metal has a very low ferrous content. Teslaintroduced the proximity mine that somehow keys off of electrical fields. Unfortunately human tanks

and vehicles can and often do set them off as well making them very dangerous. The Mark II is used asa carrier for the mine laying equipment.

150 Points **Other Specific in Development**


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MKIII BALDWIN STEAM TANK

The success of the MK II Steamer Tank led to successive detail improvements, but attempts to increasethe tanks firepower continued to be limited by the size of the chassis. Experiments with a lengthenedchassisthe so-called long-steamer proved a disappointment, indicating that an entirely new designwas called for. This became the Mk III Steamer Tank also known as the Heavy Steamer Tankwhich only began to arrive at the frontline in the summer of 1914. The intermittent skirmishing of thelatter half of the year saw the new machines committed to battle for the first time, where theirconsiderable firepower was to prove extremely effective. None the less, as an all-new design, the HeavySteamer soon gained a reputation for breakdowns. In August it was reckoned almost three quarters ofthe tanks were unavailable for front-line service, having been withdrawn to the regimental workshopsfor essential modifications to their engines. Several were lost attempting to cross bridges that provedunable to bear their weight. To top it all fuel consumption was over double that of the Mk II over the

same distance, reducing the machines operational range to a mere six miles at maximum speed.

Despite these problems, the Mk III answers the Tank Corps often stated need for a heavily armed andarmoured vehicle that is both more resistant to heat ray attacks and which carries more guns than astandard tank. Whilst it is unlikely the Mk III will entirely replace the Mk II, it forms a hard-hittingsupport weapon that can fight alongside the lighter machines providing extra firepower where needed.

Space inside the Heavy Steamer Tank remains cramped despite its size. Much of the interior space istaken up by internal stowage for ammunition. Nine crew members are usual, including captain,helmsman, stoker, engineer, gunnery officer, and four artillerymen. The artillerymen can also act asstokers whilst the stoker doubles as an extra loader. The captain and gunnery officer manage the upper

gun position. Because of the vehicles weight, it is necessary for the engineer to act as a secondhelmsman, breaking the left track from the port steering position.

The Mk III has a twin boiler steam-turbine engine that is normally coal powered but which can alsoburn wood with some reduction in performance. The basic layout is similar to the Mk II, with the


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forward steering position at the front of the tank and the boiler and engine mounted outside thearmoured cabin for maximum heat dissipation. The double opposed sponsons carry two 4-inch gunseachone forward firing and one rear firing, but both capable of covering a considerable portion of thearea to the tanks flank. The fifth 4-inch gun is mounted in a gun box similar to the Mk II and ispositioned to fire forwards. All the guns fitted to the Mk III are designed to a more robust pattern thanearlier weapons, allowing the use of more powerful shells as well as conventional ammunition. Thisgives the gun a longer range and improved accuracy. Unfortunately the greater recoil from thisammunition means the improved guns are not suitable for fitting into the smaller Mk II sponsons. TheMk III is sometimes called the steam boxon account of the large box superstructure housing the tanks

third gun.

The Heavy Steamer Tanks armour is 2 thick along the front and upper deck plates, the side sponsonsand gun box are 1 thick, whilst the rear and side plates are 1 down to . The front, upper deck,sponsons and gun box are further protected by asbestos plating which is proof against glancing heat raydamage. The weight of armour means the tanks maximum speed is no greater than the old Mk I at 7miles per hour. Range is 12 miles at an operational speed of 4 miles per hour, reducing to a mere 6miles flat out.

Maximum Armour Thickness 2 Steel Plate Maximum Speed 7 mph Armament 3 x 4-inch guns in opposed side sponsons and 1 x 4-inch gun in box mount Crew 9

MARK III BALDWIN STEAMER TANK

Unit: 3 elements



Mk IIISteamer

Tank Tank 4 9Heavy TankGun X3/X2

OpposedSponsons


Heavy Tank Gun 36 +2 -

The Mk III is well armed and its armour is better than the smaller and lighter tanks, but it is

also extremely slow which can cause it to miss the action at critical moments. That said, inthe right kind of battle it is the best tank the human forces have.

The chief distinguishing feature of the Mk III is the provision of a third 4 gun in a fixedbox superstructure mounted high on the tanks deck. The addition of a gun above the maindecking was intended to overcome the chief drawback of the sponson mounted guns: theirinability to elevate sufficiently to hit the body of a Tripod at ranges under two hundredyards. This often resulted in crews unable to bring their weapon to bear on a closing Tripod,leaving them no option but to bail out. The Captain and Gunnery Officers positions weremoved up into the box to give them a much better view Captains of Mk I tanks havingbeen known to stand on the open deck to direct fire.


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TANK (FUEL) TENDER

The army consumes vast quantities of coal and water, both of which must be carried along withfighting units that need to constantly re-fuel during action. Although rail transport supplies the bulk ofmaterial to the war zones, all supplies must be delivered by horse-drawn or road transport, and carriedinto action by vehicles that are sturdy enough to keep pace with the tanks and mobile artillery. The MkII Armoured Tenderis the armys standard frontline water carrier. It is based upon the chassis of theMk II Steamer Tank and has proven a reliable and effective means of keeping steam-driven vehicles in

action as long as possible.

Maximum Armour Thickness 11/2 Steel Plate Maximum Speed 8 mph Crew 4

TANK (FUEL) TENDER

Unit: 1 element

Points per unit: 15


Mk IITender Vehicle 6 6 None Tender

Special Rules

Tender - If a steam driven vehicle unit begins any move phase within 6 of a Tender it candouble its speed that move phase. A unit that doubles its speed in this way cannot also shootthat turn and is unable to double its speed if it has already shot. Each time a unit uses a

Tender to increase its speed roll a die, on the score of a 1 the Tender is out of water and canno longer be used in this way. A Tender is allowed to consume its own waterdoubling itsown speedbut must then make the same test to determine if it is out of water.


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MARK IV STEAM TANK

A truly lumbering beast of a machine, the Mark IV chassis has only been on the Front the last fewmonths. This picture shows the Monitor Version packing no less than six 15 pound guns, a twin

machine gun on a turret cupola, and a massive anti-tripod main gun. This is one of the firstturreted vehicles. The original design was a hand cranked turret, but it was so slow to traverse, oneof the new Westinghouse motors was soon installed. The main gun is very large and has a side breach,yet the very rear of the gun still sticks out the turret. When the gun is fired, it actually recoils throughthe turret itself. While it sports many guns, ammunition supply is scant, as even at its massive size,there is little interior room left. To save interior space, the side rods are outside the track sponsons forthe front drive wheel. The tracks are driven by powered wheels both front and back. This tricky designproblem was ultimately resolved with the help of Ephraim Shay, who invented an all new drive systemfor it. The Mark IV Chassis in many of its configurations also lacks range, due to the small size of itswater tank. Some vehicles have been equipped with towed water tenders to extend their range. Themaximum speed of the heavily armoured Monitor version is 7 miles per hour.

Rules in development but

The double opposed sponsons carry two 4-inch guns eachone forward firing and one rear firing, but both

capable of covering a considerable portion of the area to the tanks flank. Interestingly the Production of the

Mark IV has brought a new concept to Steam Tank Development- interchangeable weapons positions or

:hard points. This concept has been heavily pushed and support by Henry Ford.

Maximum Armour Thickness First US vehicle with tri-level armour- ceramic/asbestos/ steel Maximum Speed 7 mph

Armament, Monitor Version: 4 x 4-inch guns in opposed side sponsons, 2 4 inch guns in front deckmount, HMG on turret, Turret armed with 12 Inch Naval Gun

Crew 9190 Points **Other Specifics in Development**


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Mark IV Heat Gun or Flame Tank

Envious of the incredibly powerful and versatile Heat Ray of the Martians, the Army wanted anequivalent weapon. After much study and some experimentation, the best the Ordnance Departmentcould do was the Heat Gun mounted on a Mark IV chassis. The Dupont Chemical Companydeveloped a special two part fuel for the weapon. These fuels are mixed at the same time a pressurizedsystem drives them out of the nozzle and into the igniter. The resultant mixture is highly combustibleand burns at a temperature of nearly 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. Early experimentation found thechemicals could not be stored premixed as they were both to unstable and corrosive when combined.Even with the large electrically powered pump on the main tank, the resultant stream of heavy liquidhas a disappointing range. To make the weapon effective against tripods, it had to be elevated and thuswas born the version shown in the picture. The vehicle is still relatively stable as the upper works andturret are relatively thin plate. These weapons are just entering combat, and while effective when closeenough to get direct strikes, they have proven very vulnerable to the Heat Rays. Heat Ray puncture ofany of the chemical storage tanks often results in a spectacular and wide spread explosion of stickyburning fluid.

180 Points **Other Specifics in Development**


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Mark IV Command Version

A rare variant of the Mark IV Chassis, the Senior Command Version features a very tall observationand communications tower. Designed as a mobile command bunker for senior field commanders(mostly three star generals and above), only a few dozen have actually been built. It is typically armedwith two 15 pound cannons and two machine gun turrets for self-defence but is not meant as a combatvehicle. Many Generals have seen fit to refit the armament to their own tastes after deployment. Thevehicle is equipped with a signalling platform on the back (frequently used to address gatherings oftroops as well) and they are all equipped with the new 75 watt radio sets. This gives them acommunication range out to 200 or more miles depending on weather conditions. The towers arecovered with thin armour plate, suitable for defence against small arms and even some light cannon,but not very effective against most Martian ranged weapons or even terrestrial big guns. To date,only one of these vehicles has been lost. It occurred when the Martians broke through the Shreveport

Gap, cutting Texas off from the rest of the Free US in the process. General Samuel Yates, thecommander of the 5th Corp defending the gap was killed along with his staff when several AssaultTripods sliced his command vehicle up with their Heat Rays. This model is a Kickstarter Exclusive andwill be given special rules for its use in due time.

170 **Other Specifics in Development**


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FLIVVER TRANSPORTS

Flivvers are light Model-T Ford trucks with gasoline or ethanol fuelled combustion engines. They areused as transports by all kinds of units, and many are employed as ambulances, supply trucks, andeven as mounts for machine guns and light artillery pieces. They are very flimsy vehicles and utterlyuseless over difficult terrain, but tremendously valuable when it comes to ferrying men and materials tothe battlefront. Many cars and trucks now carry additional machine guns as defence against Zombieattack.

FLIVVER TRANSPORTS

Unit: 3 elements of the same type

Points per unit: 15 for transports and 60 for Gun Carriers


FlivverVehicle Vehicle 10 4

None orLight

Howitzer

Transport,Road

Vehicle


Light Howitzer 60 +2 Barrage 1

Transport - If an infantry unit begins its move within 6 of a Flivver unit then it can double itsspeed that move phase. A unit that doubles its speed in this way cannot also shoot that turnand is unable to double its speed if it has already shot. Note that is doesnt matter how manyFlivvers there are in the Flivver unit, even a single Flivver can ferry an entire unit of infantryif necessary. Any number of infantry units can use the Flivvers during the turn, so long asthey are within 6 at the start of their move.

Road Vehicle - Flivvers are really road vehicles and not good at tackling difficult terrain. So,instead of counting the distance covered over difficult ground as twice the distance, Flivversmultiple the distances covered by four: so 1 travelled counts as 4.


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FLIVVER AMBULANCE

The Martian War has reaped a terrible cost in lives broken and destroyed by the dreaded Martians, buthow much greater would that cost have been were it not for the gallantry and expertise of the MedicalCorps and its frontline Doctors and Nurses. Field dressing stations operate as closely to the lines aspossible, for speed is of the essence and only by rapid and expert action can lives be saved. Oftenlightly wounded men can be treated immediately and returned to their units, ready to confront theMartian menace once more.

FLIVVER AMBULANCE

Unit: 1 element

Points per unit: 15


Flivver

Ambulance Vehicle 10 4 None

RoadVehicle,

Medic

Flivvers are used by the Medical Corps and often serve as field bases for dressing stations.Flivvers with medics and stretcher-bearers often brave the fierce fighting to rescue strickensoldiers.

Medic - If an infantry or artillery unit is within 6 of a Flivver Ambulance then it canpotentially recover elements that fall casualty during the enemys Combat phase. If anyinfantry or artillery element within 6 of the Flivver Ambulance is destroyed roll a die: onthe score of a 1-7 the medics fail to rescue any of the stricken soldiers, on a roll of an 8-10the medics make all the difference and the element is restored and does not fall casualty.

Road Vehicle - Flivvers are really road vehicles and not good at tackling difficult terrain. So,instead of doubling the distance covered over difficult ground, Flivvers multiple thedistances covered by four: so 1 travelled counts as 4.


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The Goliath

The Goliath is an experimental vehicle of which only 6 have been built. Carrying a Tripod blastingNaval Gun, it is actually a precursor design to the larger Land Ironclads. The vehicle is designed toserve a single purpose- get a gun powerful enough into range of a tripod and hit the target on the first orsecond shot. A single hit from its large gun can destroy a Tripod. Its very size gives it somesurvivability against the heat ray, but its also so heavy and ponderous its hard to move over longdistances and across water obstacles.

375 **Other Specifices for this Vehicle are in development**

THE LAND IRONCLAD (MIL 1914)

The huge Land Ironclad is no mere weapon of war it is a potent symbol of human ingenuity andAmerican industrial might! These towering vessels were first built in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard inVirginia, utilising the methods and skills employed in ship construction to produce what many havedubbed land battleships. The popular press have so far been denied access to complete details of theLand Ironclads armament and defensive systems, but such information as has been revealed speaks of


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a weapon as superior to the existing steam tanks as those mighty machines are superior to a mereinfantryman.

Owing to the use of naval facilities and personnel it became a matter of some controversy whether thenew Land Ironclads would fall under the command of the army or navy. As the first machines werebuilt with watertight hulls the navy considered them to be ships. Sea trials indicated that, thoughcapable of transport by water, lacking a proper keel the Land Ironclads were unstable in anything butthe calmest waters. The first Ironclads were delivered to the US Army and were still officiallyundergoing land trials when they encountered Tripod Raiders in Western Tennessee. On that occasiona flotilla of three Ironclads was about to steam for home, having completed a test of its primarygunnery systems, when it ran into a force of more than a dozen Tripods. The Tripods swept the vesselswith their heat rays causing only superficial damage thanks to the dense asbestos plates that shield theIronclads metal armour. The Ironclads responded by laying steam as a precautionary defence andengaging the tripods with their 6-inch guns. Four Tripods were destroyed or crippled with the firstsalvo and the remainder quickly withdrew, leaving the Ironclads very much the victors of this firstencounter in this new war of the machines.

Maximum Armour Thickness: Classified Maximum Speed: Approximately 4 mph in trials Armament: 2x 6-inch guns mounted in front turret, 2x 6-inch guns mounted in rear turret, 2x 6

inch guns mounted mid-ships. Rumoured to carry new Electric Cannonas yet unconfirmed.

Crew: At least 30

RICKS RULES NOTES ONLY

Multiple armament: the Land Ironclads turrets allow it to train its weapons to its front, sides, or rearbut it can only shoot each weapon system (howitzers and machine guns) in one direction in any turntraining the weapon system to face predominantly in one direction. When shooting to the side,calculate shots from the mid-point of the Ironclads side; when shooting from the rear, calculate shotsform the mid-point of the rear. Note that Machine Guns can be fired in one direction at one target, andHowitzers can be fired in another direction at another target if you wish. A Land Ironclad can shoot up

to 2 Howitzers either to its front or rear, or up to 4 howitzers to its side. A land Iron clad can shoot upto 3 machine guns either to its front or rear, or 6 machine guns to its sides.

Lay Steam. An ironclad can lay steam in any move phase whether it moves or not but cannot shootin the same turn it lays steam (as it cannot see!). An Ironclad that lays steam is invulnerable to Black

LAND IRONCLAD

Unit: 1 element



IroncladMachine 4 12 HowitzerX2/X4/X2

MachineGunsX3/X6/X3

Ironclad,Lay Steam,

MultipleArmament



Machine Gun 20 +1 -


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Dust and Sweeping Heat Rays. Focussed Heat Rays are reduced to Power +2. All weapons are limitedto a maximum range of 24 against the Ironclad. The effect lasts until the beginning of the Ironcladsfollowing turn.

Ironclad. An Ironclad can take 5 destruction damage before it is destroyed as if it were a unit of 5individual vehicles. Record each destruction damaging hit as it is inflicted. As a score of 10+ isrequired on the damage table to score a destruction damaging hit this means that Ironclads are verydifficult to knock out.

If an Ironclad suffers one or more points of damage from shooting or assault then it is notautomatically destroyed, instead roll a die and consult the following chart. If the Ironclad has sufferedmore than one point of damage add +1 to the die roll for each additional point of damage scored. Forexample, if an Ironclad has taken 3 points of damage roll a die and add +2.

1 to 5 The Ironclad is partially damaged and its Amour value is reduced by -1 6 The Ironclads boiler is damaged and it is reduced to half speed and can no longer lay steam.

Its Armour value is reduced by1.

7 The Ironclads steering mechanism is damaged. When the Ironclad moves roll a dice. 1-3move directly ahead. 4-5 move directly towards the enemy table edge. 6-7 move directlytowards the table side edge to the players left. 8-9 move directly towards the table side edge tothe players right. 0 move directly toward the players own table edge. Its Armour value isreduced by1.

8 The Ironclads armament is hit. Reduce the number of Howitzer and Machine Gun shot by 1in each direction. Its Armour value is reduced by1.

9 The Land Ironclad is immobilised. It can no longer move and cannot lay steam. Its Armourvalue is reduced by1.

10+. The Land Ironclad takes 1 destruction damage. .An Ironclad can take 5 destructiondamage in all. Once an Ironclad has taken 5 destruction damage it is destroyed.

Note in the above chart the term destruction damage probably needs replacing but Im sure youget the idea

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