GunDog

[Todg]

Some time ago, we discussed a roboted infantry support platform which someone tagged a 'GunDog'. The concept was for a legged robot that would function as a squad level gun platform.

It seems that the Army is interested too. The first versions won't have guns, but that's probably only a matter of time.

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/000711.html

 

[Uncle Bob]

Interesting site. And it got me

 

[Uncle Bob]

Interesting site. And it got me a link to Natick Labs.

But the author may not be as clued in as he thinks.
He thinks Mike Sparks is a legitimate AFV expert. And he was singing the praises of the XM8 in June, months after it was a dead issue.

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by Uncle Bob:
Interesting site. And it got me

...thinking? And the thought police nabbed you mid thought and post!



Who is

 

[Uncle Bob]

It got me to realize how much I hate this *@%# 300 MHz antique.

 

[Colin]

My GunDog lives! Or something... My original GunDog idea came from a game Of Jovian Chronicles I was playing. The GunDog carried a minigun and an ATGM for weapons. It had enough armor, and was big enough, that it could provide instant cover for the infantry team that deployed with it. It was likewise small enough to go anywhere the team did, while carrying heavy weapons and spare ammo. I even toyed with the idea of making it a self-mobile stretcher, but that seemed to be putting too many roles onto one machine.

Colin Dunn
2320AD Writer and Line Editor

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Corejob:
It seems that the Army is interested too. The first versions won't have guns, but that's probably only a matter of time.

From the archives of the defensetech site:

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/001246.html

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/001451.html

 

[Todg]

I designed several robots with the same characteristics for use in near future trav games, but I could vever think up any catchy names.

My gundig was basically a heavy weapons platform for enfratry support, replacing the GPMG at the squad level. Basic armament was a 10mm machinegun (firing a cartridge similar to the .408 CheyTac) and mount points for a variety of sort range missiles. These could range from small LOSAT type anti-armor missiles to anti-air to unsophisticated rockets with large explosive charges for dealing with fixed fortifications.

The value of the GunDog, besides heavy weapons and relatively decent sensors, is that it can be deployed to deal with high risk operations. It doesn't have to be highly autonomous either. I have gundogs appearing at TL 8-9.

 

[Todg]

BTW, here are the earlier threads on this subject:

It started with the Self Propelled machinegun
http://www.travellerrpg.com/cgi-bin/Trav/CotI/Discuss/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000143#000001

And followed with the GunDog
http://www.travellerrpg.com/cgi-bin/Trav/CotI/Discuss/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000144#000000

 

[Todg]

The RL GunDog continues to evolve. Here's the l;atest version. It just needs guns. Also, note the name: bigdog.

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/mech-tech/dn8802.html

 

[Andrew Boulton]

That's actually quite disturbing. It's the legs.