Parachuting: modifiers for LALO and HALO jumps?

[Ragitsu]

Originally Posted by Hannes665

In Gurps SpecOps 3e, it says basically.

Each technique (HAHO, HALO and LALO) is a unfamiliarity at -5 per technique. It takes 50 hours in a military jump training to buy them away, each.

In Gurps Seals 4e, HAHO and HALO are treated as a Hard Technique, together one Technique, at -5 from the Parachuting skill. Upto Skill.

The main diffrence between 3e and 4e is that in 3e you dont have to spent points, just time. While in 4e you buy one Technique for HAHO and HALO while LALO does not get any mention, maybe because it is a static line jump, normal procedure for Paratroopers in WW2 and onward.

You have my thanks, Hannes665. It would make sense then that most special forces (such as the aforementioned SEALs) types in the military have bought off the penalty to HALO jumps.

[Humabout]

From my extremely limited experience jumping and what I've heard around the DZ, most of the difficulty in HALO jumps is managing the 100-pound gunny sack between your legs. Aside from that, it's pretty similar to what civilian skydivers do, except exit altitude is higher and special gear (like oxygen and thermal undies) is required. Openning altitude is a bit low, but higher than what basejumpers are use to.

As for HAHO jumps, what exactly is the technique buying off? Ram-air parachutes are pretty easily handled, and with a GPS to tell you where to go, I'm not sure where the issue is. The landing itself seems like it'd be a pretty straight forward pattern. I'm sure you'd have to account for obstacles like any other jump, but I doubt they do much swooping.

And this raises another question: Does Parachuting cover the freefall portion of a skydive or just the use of the canopy itself? Would a freestyle skydiving require levels of Aerobatics or Freefall, too?

[Ragitsu]

I don't know why HAHO was brought up. I thought it was the easiest kind of jump.

[General Lee]

To make a HAHO/HALO jump one must make Piloting (glider) roll to steer the ram-air parachute. So, there is two tests to make. HAHO/HALO test to sucessfully deploy the chute and Piloting (glider) to land.

[Humabout]

So the only use of the Parachuting skill is just to throw the pilot chute? That seems awefully narrow in scope. I'd have to believe it is used for something more. I always thought that it covered canopy control, too. Heck, I'd assumed you could default Breakfall to it to cover PLFs, as well.

[General Lee]

Originally Posted by Humabout

So the only use of the Parachuting skill is just to throw the pilot chute? That seems awefully narrow in scope. I'd have to believe it is used for something more. I always thought that it covered canopy control, too. Heck, I'd assumed you could default Breakfall to it to cover PLFs, as well.

Actually, I demand two HALO/HAHO tests. The first to correctly jump the aircraft (**** happens in this fase) and the second to deploy the chute. Then, I roll piloting (glider) to land in the spot. If necessary,I ask my Players to roll equipments checks - IQ-based HALO/HAHO.

[Ragitsu]

Different strokes...

[SentryGun]

How much gear can you carry on a HALO? I know this is not the intention of the thread, but it comes up occasionally.

I also like the idea of the two roles necessary for the HALO - suggested by General Lee. I often get nervous in making the players role for such events, as it could end the game before it begins - if the HALO is part of "getting there". I like dice like everyone else, but if you get a critical failure at this stage, it is a bad day...or beginning of an exciting one at least.

[Þorkell]

Originally Posted by General Lee

To make a HAHO/HALO jump one must make Piloting (glider) roll to steer the ram-air parachute. So, there is two tests to make. HAHO/HALO test to sucessfully deploy the chute and Piloting (glider) to land.

Piloting (Glider) is for winged aircraft. A parachute does not have wings. So, therefore this is a house rule of yours.

[ed_209a]

Originally Posted by Þorkell

Piloting (Glider) is for winged aircraft. A parachute does not have wings. So, therefore this is a house rule of yours.

Ram-air parachutes (the square ones) are wings. Just not particularly efficient ones. That is how HAHO drops can go dozens of miles from the drop aircraft.

I don't know how HAHO chutes are different from sport chutes, but I would guess they are bigger, both to give better payload and better glide ratios.