Outworld Alliances relies on the Planetary Militia as the first line of defense in most planets. Without any Battlemechs and a limited number of combat vehicles, the OA militia depends mainly on conventional infantry forces to deal with most of threats.
In a way to provide long range and heavier punch, motorized infantry with towed field guns is extensively used. Every conscript is trained not only to use an auto-rifle but also how to operate a towed autocannon.
The OA produced hundreds of towed versions of the most common Autocannons used in the Inner Sphere and distributed them to every world with a Planetary Militia garrison. They can be placed inside buildings, including hardened pillboxes, or difficult terrains or forests firing 360 degrees. Crews are trained to prepare hidden positions to disguise their presence.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AC5 Motorized infantry
Equipped with light unarmored vehicles and towing autocannons, the Field Gun Motorized Infantry units are quite mobile and well-armed units.
Eight men are required to operate one Autocannon class 5 with the remaining soldiers in reserve for a total of 14 men. The total weight of this combination of 11.5 ton allows to be transported by heavier transports granting additional mobility
Normally deployed as part of a in-deep defense, they are placed in strategic positions for better use of the good range of the AC/5. Enemies that get too close need to deal with the 14-men rifle armament.
Transport Weight: 11.5
Equipment:
Primary Weapon: 14 Auto-Rifle (Modern, Generic)
Secondary Weapon: None
Battle Value: 95
Cost: 530,203.382 C-bills
Notes: 1 AC/5 with 20 rounds of ammo. Requires 8 soldiers to operate.
Platoon Type (Specialty): Motorized (None)
Ground MP: 3
Platoon Size (Squad/Platoon): 14 (7/2)
Armor Divisor: 1
To-Hit Modifier (Range in Hexes):
-2 (0 Hexes), +0 (1 Hexes), +2 (2 Hexes), +4 (3 Hexes)
Maximum Weapon Damage (# of Troopers):
7 (14-13), 6 (12-11), 5 (10-9), 4 (8-7), 3 (6-5), 2 (4-3), 1 (2-1)
Field Gunners (AC5)
A 28-men full platoon equipped with 3 AC/5s is used to protect more important targets and larger cities. This formation can sustain only minor casualties as 24 men are required to operate all 3 autocannons.
Transport Weight: 32.5
Equipment:
Primary Weapon: 28 Auto-Rifle (Modern, Generic)
Secondary Weapon: None
Armor: Generic Infantry Kit
Battle Value: 238
Cost: 1,204,690.763 C-bills
Notes: 3 AC/5 with 20 rounds of ammo each. Each gun requires 8 soldiers to operate.
Platoon Type (Specialty): Motorized (None)
Ground MP: 3
Platoon Size (Squad/Platoon): 28 (7/4)
Armor Divisor: 1
To-Hit Modifier (Range in Hexes):
-2 (0 Hexes), +0 (1 Hexes), +2 (2 Hexes), +4 (3 Hexes)
Maximum Weapon Damage (# of Troopers):
15 (28), 14 (27-26), 13 (25-24), 12 (23-22), 11 (21-20), 10 (19-18), 9 (17-16), 8 (15-14), 7 (13), 6 (12-11), 5 (10-9), 4 (8-7), 3 (6-5), 2 (4-3), 1 (2-1)
Field Gun AC20 (rifle) Motorized Infantry
A massive Autocannon class 20 requires no less than a 14 crew to be operated. Two other squads of 7 men each remains in reserve. Specialized in urban and jungle warfare, they are capable to quickly hide inside building or vegetation, surprising their targets with point-blank deadly shots. Few mechs and combat vehicles are properly armed to deal with conventional infantry except at short-ranges, which exposes them to AC/20 or rifle fire.
Transport Weight: 20.5
Equipment:
Primary Weapon: 28 Auto-Rifle (Modern, Generic)
Secondary Weapon: None
Battle Value: 215
Cost: 1,111,406.763 C-bills
Notes: 1 AC/20 with 5 rounds of ammo. Requires 14 soldiers to operate.
Platoon Type (Specialty): Motorized (None)
Ground MP: 3
Platoon Size (Squad/Platoon): 28 (7/4)
Armor Divisor: 1
To-Hit Modifier (Range in Hexes):
-2 (0 Hexes), +0 (1 Hexes), +2 (2 Hexes), +4 (3 Hexes)
Maximum Weapon Damage (# of Troopers):
15 (28), 14 (27-26), 13 (25-24), 12 (23-22), 11 (21-20), 10 (19-18), 9 (17-16), 8 (15-14), 7 (13), 6 (12-11), 5 (10-9), 4 (8-7), 3 (6-5), 2 (4-3), 1 (2-1)
Field Gunners (AC20)
Alternative setup with 2 AC20 managed by the full platoon. This formation requires the full complement of men to operate both autocannons and any casualty prevents one cannon to fire. Even so, this is the favored configuration when the platoon is placed in a hidden position - doubling the damage output in the first salvo.
Transport Weight: 35.5
Equipment:
Primary Weapon: 28 Auto-Rifle (Modern, Generic)
Secondary Weapon: None
Armor: Generic Infantry Kit
Battle Value: 338
Cost: 1,436,190.763 C-bills
Notes: 2 AC/20 with 5 rounds of ammo each. Each gun requires 14 soldiers to operate.
Platoon Type (Specialty): Motorized (None)
Ground MP: 3
Platoon Size (Squad/Platoon): 28 (7/4)
Armor Divisor: 1
To-Hit Modifier (Range in Hexes):
-2 (0 Hexes), +0 (1 Hexes), +2 (2 Hexes), +4 (3 Hexes)
Maximum Weapon Damage (# of Troopers):
15 (28), 14 (27-26), 13 (25-24), 12 (23-22), 11 (21-20), 10 (19-18), 9 (17-16), 8 (15-14), 7 (13), 6 (12-11), 5 (10-9), 4 (8-7), 3 (6-5), 2 (4-3), 1 (2-1)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Playing with Motorized Towed Guns
(from Tactical Operations Manual)
Only motorized conventional infantry platoons or mechanized conventional infantry platoons with a Wheeled or Tracked motive type may be equipped with Field Guns. Each Field Gun requires a number of troopers equal to its weight in tonnage to operate (to a minimum of 2 troopers per Field Gun). A platoon equipped with multiple Field Guns can only operate as many Field Guns as it can keep fully manned (any excess Field Guns are considered destroyed as the unit takes damage). Each Field Gun receives a 1 ton of ammunition, which must be tracked during gameplay.
If all of a platoon’s field guns are considered destroyed, the surviving infantry troops can more and fire as a normal infantry platoon of its type. Field Guns attack using the range, damage and any applicable modifiers (including those of the weapon class) as their vehicle-mounted counterparts, but they may not be fired in the same turn that the platoon has moved or delivered any attack using its own infantry weapons. Furthermore, in any turn where the Field Guns are to be fired, the controlling player must designate a weapon facing. A platoon with multiple Field Guns may fire all such weapons separately—and at multiple targets, if desired (no Secondary Target modifiers apply to these attacks, as each weapon fi res with its own crew)—but all attacks must be made against targets in the same firing arc.
