Aliens Dropships

29th May 2003

Official Dropship - UD-4L

The dropship fulfills a particular role in the Colonial Marine force, acting as an orbit to surface style shuttle. Within the CMC, this latest variant of the dropship acts as a troop transport for half a marine platoon inside an APC, and then backs up the troops with recon and heavy weapon support. It is also capable of carrying transport pallets. Under normal circumstances the Dropship will operate in pairs - 2 dropships deliver 1 platoon and 2 APCs.

The dropship is primarily intended to be offloaded from the transport ship during a low level planetary orbit. While the dropship does operate briefly in space, it is not designed for space manouvres for any length of time.

Flown by a crew of 2 (assume it requires only one as per the movie, though it can also be flown remotely as in the movie), it also has a limited seating capacity at the rear of the cockpit (cargo bay side) for 3 passengers.

The vehicle measures 25.28m long, 12.59m wing span, 6.05m high. Mass - 18.62t. Max operating mass 34.63t.

The cargo bay measures 9.5m long x 4.5m wide x 2.4m high, and requires a .2m clearance all round. A lifting hook is embedded in the roof. The floor of the cargo bay is also the main access ramp to the craft. Over the cargo bay is an access walkway to the cockpit, reachable from the cargo bay by a stair.

Armament:

• 25mm gatling cannon (600RPM) (nose) 900 rounds ammo
• Rear Missile Pods (2): 32x150mm unguided rockets, 12x70mm unguided rockets, 8x120mm guided rockets,
• Forward Missile Pods (2): 6xAir to Ground missiles, 3 threat suppression missiles and 3 Air to Air missiles. Numbers may be varied to a max of 12 missiles total.
• Nose: 25mm gatling cannon
• Rear Missile Pod (2): 32 missiles being variations of Sprint (high speed intercept) or Dogleg Missiles (high speed intercept, one course change)
• Forward Missile Pods (2): - Capable of holding 12 heavy missiles (Hammer) max

Defence Systems

• Laser defence system on starboard leading edge and rear fuselage. Max range 10km.
• Decoy launching system (location not defined, but likely rear fuselage)
• Somewhere: Las cannon - for anti personnel or missile use

Alien Scenarios

Trying to use the Dropship in scenarios can be tricky. After all, it is hardly likely the dropship will land in the middle of a firefight and drop off a bunch of marines in the middle of an alien assault. (Why? They are too brief and bloody, but let's not forget Starship Troopers) It is more likely the Dropship will drop the APC some distance away and let it motor to the scene of the crime, where the APC may soon also become redundant depending on where the Aliens are holed up.

It is more likely the Dropship will become either mobile artillery support, or a victory condition for one side or the other. Dropship use will be very much scenario based.

On bug hunt missions, I feel it is more likely the Dropship will be carrying much more specialised equipment. For areas like the movie the APC wasn't all that much use for hunting. It may well be that indignenous transport could be used, and the full platoon could be carried in the dropship along with extra stores. For bug hunting, I'd assume the dropship would form a strongpoint where ever it roosts to prevent Aliens getting to it and cutting off the marines escape route. A handy supply of smart guns around the perimieter with maybe the passenger slots filled by a specialist team.