AQMF Steamer Supplement v3
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Transcript of AQMF Steamer Supplement v3
Since the Rulebook was completed, we have had the good fortune of getting a lot more out of the Plastic Steam tank sprues and have added some
brand new models not listed in the main rules. We are also taking this as an opportunity to do some official changes where needed!
Credits for this Addendum:
Excerpts from the Main Rulebook
Additional Material: Ernest Baker
Additional Material and Editing: Jonathan Davidson
OFFICIAL Addendum to pages 96 to 99 of the Main
All Quiet on the Martian Front Rulebook
Mk II Steamer Tank
Mark II Steamer or Baldwin Tank
With the introduction of the improved Holt Land Steamer in 1911,
the designation ‘Steamer Tank’ was officially adopted by the US
Army. The original Holt Steamer was retrospectively renamed the
Mk I Steamer 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. Mk IIs are also
known as Baldwin Tanks after one of their main manufacturers: the
Baldwin Locomotive Company.
The Mk II retained the same basic layout as the earlier tank with the
back-mounted boiler served by an external coal chute to facilitate
rapid refueling. Coal and water capacity were both increased, giving
the new tank a slightly improved range, while the drive shafts, rods
and most engine components were substantially strengthened to
improve reliability. The tracks were of a more robust design,
overcoming one of the Mk I’s chief faults: its tendency to throw a
track in a tight corner. Armor was thickened to 1½" along the top and
front, the most common targets, and to compensate for the increased
weight, the rear armor was reduced to only ½" with the addition of
coolant vanes and improved ventilation.
A larger gun – the 4-inch Tank Gun – was built especially to provide
a harder-hitting weapon that was still workable within a confined
space. Crew protection was augmented with asbestos sheeting to
deflect Heat Rays – a common field 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 significant contribution to the fighting. It
proved its worth in the protracted skirmishes that followed the
Martian attack, and quickly gained the favor of crews re-equipping
from the earlier tank.
The Mk II remains the most common Steamer Tank in service with
the US Army, and its hull and superstructure have lent themselves to
numerous variants including mobile howitzers, unarmed field
tractors, engineering tractors, and armored wireless tractors.
Numerous Mk II Steamer Tanks have been supplied to the Edison
Company for use as experimental weapon mounts.
Max. Armor Thickness: 1½" Steel Plate
Max. Speed: 8 mph
Armament: 1 x 4-inch gun
Crew: 7
Mk II Steamer Tank
Unit: 3 elements
Points per unit: 165 pts
An HMG may be added for 10 pts per tank, see page 5
Type Speed Defense Armor Special
Tank 6” 4 8 -
Main Weaponry Range Power Special
1 x 4-inch gun 30” +2 -
Mark IIt Gun Tractor
The high casualty rates amongst the brave Holt tractor crews
convinced the Unites States generals of the need for armored tractors
to be able to recover artillery pieces about to be over-run by Martian
attacks. The cross country mobility of flivvers was also limited, so a
suitable powerful and tracked vehicle was required.
The solution was the Mk II Steamer Tanks. As more Mk III Steamer
Tanks reached the front, battle damaged or worn-out Mk II Steamers
were refurbished, and the main 4-inch gun and ammo removed, to be
replaced by heavy machine guns.
The steamer had a larger tow hook fitted: the reduction in weight
allowed the Mk IIt Gun Tractor to tow all wheeled artillery at normal
speed. Heavy chains are stored in the cabin and can be used to drag
damaged but still serviceable equipment back to base. This recovered
equipment can be repaired and sent back in to the battle line.
The Mk IIt Gun Tractor proved its worth at the battle of Shreveport
when four Mk IIt Gun Tractors rescued a whole battery of Anti-
Tripod Guns which otherwise would have been lost.
Max. Armor Thickness: 1½” Steel Plate
Max. Speed: 8 mph
Armament: 1 x Heavy Machine Gun
Crew: 3
Mk IIt Gun Tractor
Unit: 1 element
Points per unit: 40 pts
An HMG may be added for 10 pts per tank, see page 5
Type Speed Defense Armor Special
Tank 6” 4 8 Tow, Light Wrecker
Main Weaponry Range Power Special
1 x HMG 20” +1 Rapid Fire 3
Tow
A Mk IIt Gun Tractor can tow a single element of Field Artillery or
Heavy Field Artillery. See page 65 of the main rulebook for more
information on towing.
MK II Gun Tractor Towing a Heavy Howitzer
Mk IIb Interim Tank
The Mk II tank was a remarkable manufacturing success, and though
rushed to mass production, gave reasonable mobility. In combat, it
quickly became obvious that its armament was inadequate against the
majority of the Martian machines. Development of the Mk II’s
replacement was protracted, so an interim solution was immediately
called for. The forward position gun was removed, and replaced by
two 4 inch guns carried outside the main body of the tank in
sponsons. While this effectively doubled the fire power, the extra
weight of the guns overtaxed the drive train leading to greatly
reduced speeds. These steamers were not considered successful in the
field and with the advent of the Mk III, no more were built. Some Mk
IIb steamers survived until the end of the war and some were
converted into Mk IIt tractors. A very few were adopted as convoy
escort vehicles by replacing the 4 inch guns with HMGs. This gave
them 3 HMGs and were used later in the war when advancing
infantry forces needed paced and armored machine gun support.
These models were designated Mk IImg.
Max. Armor Thickness: 1½” Steel Plate
Max. Speed: 4 mph
Armament: 2x 4-inch Gun
Crew: 6
Mk IIb Interim Steamer
Unit: 3 elements
Points per unit: 240 pts
An HMG may be added for 10 pts per tank, see page 5
Type Speed Defense Armor Special
Tank 3” 4 8 Rare, Heavy Tank
Main Weaponry Range Power Special
2x 4-inch Guns
1 x HMG
30”
20”
+2
+1
Sponsons
Rapid Fire 3
Mk IImg Interim Steamer
Unit: 3 elements
Points per unit: 180 pts
Type Speed Defense Armor Special
Tank 4” 4 8 Rare, Heavy Tank
Main Weaponry Range Power Special
3 x HMGs 30” +1 Rapid Fire 3, sponsons
Rare
Only one unit each of Mk IIb or Mk IImg Interim Steamers may be
fielded for every 2,500 pts of the US army (round up).
Heavy Tank
For the size of their boiler, these are very heavy steamers.
Consequently, they have a speed of 3” and will bog-down on a roll of
1 (on a d10) for each turn they spend crossing Difficult Ground. If
bogged down, they count as Immobilized and cannot move until
recovered by a Wrecker.
Sponsons
The Mk IIb and Mk IImg carries sponson mounted guns. When it
shoots, it can direct guns to its front, giving it two or three shots at the
target. Alternatively, a single shot can be directed from either side:
drawing line of sight from the center of the tank’s side. Remember,
the whole unit must engage a single enemy target: you can’t shoot at
one enemy to the front and a different enemy to the side as part of the
same attack.
MK IIb Steamer Tank
Mk III Steamer Tank
The success of the Mk II Steamer Tank led to subsequent detail
improvements, but attempts to increase the tank’s firepower
continued to be limited by the size of the chassis. Experiments with a
lengthened chassis – the so-called ‘long-steamer’ – proved a
disappointment, indicating that an entirely new design was called for.
This new design would eventually become the Mk IV. In the
meantime, Baldwin Locomotive Company engineers decided to adapt
the basic Mk II chassis by adding side sponsons and building up the
superstructure to create an armored box. This became the Mk III
Steamer Tank – a compromise design that proved extremely
successful. Equipped with the latest and more powerful Baldwin
engines and mounting no fewer than three 4-inch guns, the Mk III
Steamer Tank finally gave America’s Fighting forces a weapon
capable of confronting the Martians in open battle.
The chief distinguishing feature of the Mk III is the fixed box
superstructure mounted high on the tank’s deck. Indeed, the Mk III is
sometimes called the steam box on account of this large box housing
the tank’s third gun. The addition of a gun above the main decking
was intended to overcome the chief drawback of the hull-mounted
gun in the Mk’s I and II: their inability to elevate sufficiently to hit
the body of a Tripod at ranges under two hundred yards. This often
resulted in crews being unable to bring their weapon to bear on an
approaching Tripod, leaving them no option but to bail out. The
Captain and Gunnery Officer’s positions were moved up into the box
to give them a much better view – Captains of earlier tanks having
been known to stand on the open deck to direct fire.
The extra guns increased the crew size by four men, but many crews
prefer to fight under strength to increase space inside the cabin,
considering it easier to serve three guns with two well-trained men
rather than overcrowding the cramped interior.
Max. Armor Thickness: 1½" Steel Plate
Max. Speed: 8 mph
Armament: 3 x 4-inch guns, 1 x Heavy Machine Gun
Crew: 9-11
Mk III Steamer Tank
Unit: 3 elements
Points per unit: 225 pts
Type Speed Defense Armor Special
Tank 6” 4 8
Main Weaponry Range Power Special
3 x 4-inch guns
1 x HMG
30”
20”
+2
+1
Sponsons
Rapid Fire 3
Sponsons
The Mk III carries two sponson mounted guns. When it shoots, it can
direct all four guns to its front, giving it three shots at the target.
Alternatively, a single shot can be directed from either side – drawing
line of sight from the center of the tank’s side. Remember, the whole
unit must engage a single enemy target: you can’t shoot at one enemy
to the front and a different enemy to the side as part of the same
attack.
Mk III Steamer tank
Mk IIIs Infantry Support Steamer
US Armored infantry have proved to be very effective in combating
Martian attacks from Black Dust and Green Gas; staying Hidden and
moving with Stealth to be able to assault Martian Tripods from close
quarters. Martians have countered by sending in Drones, Lobototons,
and even stranger ground forces to flush Armored Troops out of
likely looking ambush terrain. This has proved very effective, so
Armored Infantry commands have been calling for more close
support armor to counter this tactic. The Mk IIIs Infantry Support
Tank was created specifically for this role. Bristling with heavy
machine guns, the steamer is highly effective against the smaller
Martian targets, and they have even proven effective against Scout
and larger Tripods.
The Mk IIIs Infantry Support Steamer is rarely encountered and is
only deployed in support of Armored Infantry. Hearing the sound of
an entire unit of three Mk IIIs blazing away with all twelve Heavy
Machine guns is an encouraging sound that even drowns out the
hissing crackle of the Martian Heavy Heat Ray sizzling through the
atmosphere.
Max. Armor Thickness: 1½" Steel Plate
Max. Speed: 8 mph
Armament: 4 x Heavy Machine Gun
Crew: 7
Mk IIIs Infantry Support Steamer
Unit: 1 element
Points per unit: 75 pts
Type Speed Defense Armor Special
Tank 6” 4 8 Rare Armored
Infantry Support
Main Weaponry Range Power Special
4 x HMG 20” +1 Sponsons, Rapid
Fire 3
Rare and Armored Infantry Support
At least one unit of US Armored Infantry must be taken with each
Mk IIIs Infantry Support Steamer in order to be able to field it.
Sponsons
The Mk IIIs carries two sponson mounted heavy machine guns, and
one HMG on the main hull and a fourth on it superstructure. When it
shoots, it can direct all four guns to its front, giving it four Rapid Fire
3 shots at the target. Alternatively, a single HMG can be directed
from either side – drawing line of sight from the center of the tank’s
side. The whole unit must engage a single enemy target.
Mk IIIs Infantry Support Steamer Tank
Mk IIc Command Tank
Mk IIc Command Steamer Tank
The Baldwin Locomotive Company was commissioned to produce an
armored vehicle, based on the Mk II chassis, to transport field
officers below the rank of general. This enabled junior field
commanders to keep up with their increasingly mobile troops.
The spacious superstructure, identical to the Mk III, has sufficient
space for the commander, second in command, and signalers. A
semaphore tower is fitted to the tank, which allows orders to be
transmitted across the battlefield using flags. The steamer has room
for a single HMG and has a 4-inch gun mounted in the usual location
of the Mk II.
The Command Steamer has proven very popular with infantry and
artillery commanders. Upper echelon tank commanders, however, try
to get a Mk IV tank assigned to them.
Max. Armor Thickness: 1½" Steel Plate
Max. Speed: 11 mph
Armament: 1 x Heavy Machine Gun, 1 x 4-inch Gun
Crew: 4 plus Command Team
Mk IIc Command Tank
Unit: 1 element
Points per unit: 85 pts
Type Speed Defense Armor Special
Tank 6” 4 8 Command Vehicle
Main Weaponry Range Power Special
1 x 4-inch gun
1 x HMG
30”
20”
+2
+1
Rapid Fire 3
Command Vehicle
A vehicle designated as a command vehicle is capable of three
special abilities:
Local Commander: Command Vehicles effect only the elements in
the unit or units it is attached to. This must be determined before the
game begins and cannot be changed during the game. A command
vehicle can be attached to a maximum of 6 units whether they consist
of single or multiple elements. It can rally troops that have failed
morale tests, but must be within 6 inches of said troops to do so. This
is in addition to the designated Field commander. Note that
Command vehicles do not issue orders like Field Commanders unless
the vehicle is indeed the Field Commanders vehicle.
Command Relay: A Command Vehicle can relay orders from a Field
Commander. A Field Commander may issue orders to units out of its
line of sight, an exception to the Filed Commander rules on page 63
and 85, if the Field Commander can draw a direct line of sight to a
Command Vehicle and the Command Vehicle can draw a line of
sight directly to the unit being issued orders.
Field Commander: A Command Vehicle can be the vehicle that
contains the Field Commander for an additional 30 points. All the
rules governing Field Commanders on page 87 then apply.
Summary Table
Designation Main Armament Pts/
Unit
RNG PWR SPD DEF ARM Special Rules
Mk II Steamer 1 x 4" Gun 165/3 30" +2 6" 4 8 None
Mk IIt Tractor Steamer 1 x HMG 40/1 20" +1 6" 4 8 Tow,
Rapid Fire 3
Mk IIb Interim Steamer 2 x 4" Gun
1 x HMG
240/3
30"
20”
+2
+1
3" 4 8 Rare, Heavy Tank, Sponsons,
Rapid Fire 3
Mk IImg 3 x HMG 180/3 20” +1 4” 4 8 Rare, Heavy Tank, Sponsons,
Rapid Fire 3
Mk III Steamer 3 x 4" Gun
1 x HMG
225/3
30"
20”
+2
+1
6" 4 8 Sponsons,
Rapid Fire 3
Mk IIIs Infantry Support 4 x HMG 75/1 20" +1 6" 4 8 Rare, Armored Infantry Support,
Rapid Fire 3
Mk IIc Command Steamer 1 x HMG
1 x 4" Gun
85/1 20"
30”
+1
+2
6" 4 8 Command Vehicle,
Rapid Fire 3
Auxiliary HMG 1 x HMG +10 20" +1 6" 4 8 Rapid Fire 3
Key: RNG = range, PWR = power rating of main gun, SPD = speed of tank,
DEF = tank’s defense, ARM = armor rating of tank.
A Publication of Robot Peanut Studios, specifically for All Quiet on the Martian Front.
Copyright 2014. All Rights Reserved.
Extra Machine Guns
American forces love to put machine guns on every vehicle they can. Lots of these are
scrounged from destroyed vehicles and, in some cases, “procured”. These are rarely “official”,
but what the rear desk jockeys don’t know won’t hurt them! As per the Field Modification
rules on page 85 of the Main Rule book, you can add extra machine guns to your tanks.
Please note that whether an extra HMG is added to the stats of a vehicle as listed in this
supplement or as an add-on to a vehicle in the main rules, you must pay the additional points
for it. Note that extra guns added to a vehicle but not listed in the stats for that vehicle cannot
be fired in addition to the vehicles weapons but can be fired instead of those weapons. An
example would be an Mk II tank. It has a 4-inch gun. If you added an HMG on the top of the
tank, then you can then fire either one of the weapons, but NOT both. These extra guns
require extra crew that is not available. In fact, most vehicles are under crew strength due to
battle losses anyway!
So…if the weapon is listed on the chart for the vehicle, you pay no
additional cost for it. If it is not you may add it and take the additional
point cost under the Field Modification rules.
Tanks can fire EITHER their cannon or their HMGs but not both in
the case of all Mk II and Mk III Variants. HMG ONLY armed tanks
can fire all their HMGs at once within normal shooting rules (line of
sight, etc.)
But what if I have a tank that is all HMGs and I add another HMG to
it? Well, you can decide this with your opponent. The OFFICIAL vehicles and their
points/weapons are in the chart.
The addition of extra cannon, etc is up to you and the Field Modifications rules provide some
guidance but are not definitive. Balance or even plausibility is not guaranteed.
We will deal with Mk IVs in another update.