descent speed. Excessive weight naturally means that this becomes more difficult to control. Carrying equipment in excess of the maximum suspended weight is dangerous.
Aerodyne Mamba 150 Canopy
The Aerodyne Mamba 150 is a 9-cell elliptical sport parachute canopy. It provides high levels of control, allowing for precise and smooth landings. The canopy is six metres across with an area of just under 14 square metres . It is made of zero-porosity fabric and has a shaped nose and has a maximum suspended weight of 136kg.
Aerodyne Smart 250 Reserve Canopy
The Aerodyne Smart 250 Reserve is a compact reserve sports parachute. It is tested to 136kg exit weight, but in practice due to its high specification can be pushed a little bit beyond that if needed.
Airborne Systems 8m and LLP Mk 1 Low Level Parachutes
These are both static line parachute assemblies, intended for mass parachute deployments. Jumps can be made from heights as low as 76 metres and at speeds up to 260kph. They can carry an all-up suspended weight of 160kg, at which the descent rate is six metres per second for the 8m LLP and 5.9 metres per second for the LLP Mark 1.
The 8m LLP assembly combines the Low Level Round Canopy with the Low Level Parachute Mark 1. Its canopy is conical in shape and its design means that it is resistant to line twisting, with reduced canopy oscillation. The harness has a three-point closure, which is fully adjustable for all sizes of paratroopers and can be disconnected from the canopy when on the ground.
You attach your reserve parachute to D-rings and can also attach weapons and other equipment to the harness. There is also a central equipment sling for suspending an equipment container. The outer pack fully encloses the deployment bag, with the static line mounted on the top outer pack, covered by a flap. An integral carrying bag is fitted to the side of the outer pack.
The LLP Mark 1 system is similar and is used by the British Army Parachute Regiment. The canopy is a traditional round, shaped canopy and the harness is similar to that for the 8m LLP. The container has a carrying handle and the static line is on top and is reinforced where it comes into contact with the aircraft door.
SEA, AIR AND LAND
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Airborne Systems Advanced Tactical Parachute System
The Advanced Tactical Parachute System (ATPS) is replacing the T-10 parachute system with US Army Airborne units for mass parachute deployments. Deployment can be made from altitudes between 152 metres above ground level (AGL) and 2,286 metres above median sea level (AMSL), at speeds of up to 278kph. This gives you a range of options for insertion methods, providing slower descent rates and reduced oscillation of the canopy in flight, both of which contribute to reduced injuries and increased carrying capacity.
The system consists of three major components: the main canopy, the T-11R reserve canopy and the T-11 harness. Both the T-11R canopy and the T-11 harness are already in service as part of the MC-6 steerable parachute system. The main canopy
is a cruciform (cross) parachute, which is inherently stable and opens gently. A slider controls the speed of opening of the canopy, reducing the risk of malfunction. It can carry an all-up weight of up to 173.2kg and the descent rate at 115 metres below the deployment altitude is 4.48 metres per second.
The T-11 harness is fully adjustable and capable of being sized to 5th percentile female to the 97th percentile male. The reserve parachute attaches at the same point as the main riser, which puts the parachutist in a normal position in relation to the reserve canopy.
The T-11R reserve canopy provides less than an 8.22 metres per second rate of descent for a 173kg all-up weight parachutist. It opens with a handle that can be pulled in any direction with either hand and the parachute adapts automatically to high and low opening speeds.
BASIC ROLEPLAYING Game Information:
Parachuting
Parachuting is not covered by the skill list within the rulebook.
Details for the Parachuting Skill are as follows.
Parachuting Base Chance: 00%
Category: Physical
This skill provides an understanding of parachuting techniques and equipment, as well as expertise in parachuting itself and is used to determine accuracy and safe landing of parachute jumps.
Effects: The following are the results for different degrees of success:
Fumble: Something has gone terribly wrong and you smash into the ground 1D10x10 metres from intended landing spot suffering 4D6 falling damage. If a Fumble is rolled and the character is equipped with a reserve parachute they can make another Parachuting skill roll, with an additional –10% Circumstantial Action Modifier.
Success (of any level) negates the automatic 4D6 falling damage, and instead the character should make a Jump check to avoid 2D6 falling damage.
Failure: You land 1D10x3 metres from intended landing spot and must make a Jump check to avoid 1D6 falling damage.
Success: You land 1d10 metres from the intended landing spot must make an easy Jump check to avoid 1D3 falling damage.
Special: You land exactly where intended.
Critical: You land exactly where intended and may act normally in the following combat round.
Setting Notes:
This skill is most appropriate to modern settings, though there may be applications in superhero and science fiction settings.
System Notes:
These rules can be used for all parachute jumps. However, it is
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advised to divide parachute jumps into Static Line, Freefall and High Altitude. For landing accuracy relating to Static Line and Freefall jumps use the results above. For High Altitude jumps, double the deviation distances from the landing spot.
Parachuting by its very nature is a dangerous activity and the Gamemaster should adjust the Task Difficulty or apply positive or negative Circumstantial Action Modifiers based on weather conditions:
High winds can make Parachute and Jump rolls more difficult, and increase off-target distances;
The type of jump - some jumps are more difficult than others (High Altitude, High Opening - HAHO, High Altitude, Low Opening - HALO,, over water); or
Using inappropriate equipment.
The turn after landing must be spent getting up, untangling from shroud lines and so forth before the character can act normally. For Failures and Fumbles this is increased to two turns. If the character has suffered falling damage the time until they can act normally is increased by 1D2 combat turns.
Fumble rolls can be devastating, but that is why most parachutists carry reserve parachutes.
Cargo Parachutes
Deploying cargo by parachute is treated like a normal Parachute check except the Gamemaster should consider damage to the cargo any time falling damage is indicated.
Required Equipment
Making a parachute jump requires some proficiency in the Parachuting skill and the following minimum items of equipment:
Static Line Jump: Static line parachute;
Freefall Jump (under 3000m): Freefall parachute, goggles, altimeter (skydiving suit and reserve parachute highly recommended);
High-altitude Jump: Freefall parachute, high-altitude parachute helmet, oxygen system, insulation, altimeter (reserve ‘chute, HALO/HAHO jump suit, jump computer highly recommended).
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Airborne Systems G-11 / G-12 / G-14 Cargo Delivery Parachutes
These cargo delivery parachutes are for delivering supplies and equipment – either with parachutists or to re-supply troops in the field. Each can be used singularly or in clusters of two or more (with a maximum of three for the G14). They need to be used in conjunction with an automatic activation device (AAD) but can alternatively be used with the Joint Precision Aerial Delivery System (see below). Carrying capacities for an individual parachute are:
G-14: Maximum 226.8kg;
G-12: Maximum 1,587½kg;
G-11: Up to 19,050kg when deployed in a cluster of eight parachutes.
Airborne Systems Intruder HALO / HAHO Canopy and Reserve
The Intruder system is a military HAHO / HALO parachute for making the kind of drops typical for special forces deployments – heavily loaded parachutists, dropping into unfamiliar territory in low-light conditions. It has superior gliding performance and control, which minimise the risk of injury on landing. It can be used with either freefall or static line deployments, up to 9,100 metres AMSL.
The Intruder has four different canopy sizes but details are given here for the largest - 33.5 square metres - for loads up to 204kg. The rate of descent is between 3 to 3.7 metres per second for a 159kg load, or slower for lighter loads. With a 136kg load, the forward speed is 54.8kph.
The Intruder is intended to be used with the Raider harness container and the Intruder Reserve canopy is rated to carry up to 252kg. It can also be configured with the Microfly Equipment Delivery System (see JPADS below).
Airborne Systems Joint Precision Aerial Delivery Systems
Airborne Systems’ Joint Precision Aerial Delivery Systems (JPADS) is a family of GPS-guided cargo delivery systems. They provide a range of cargo delivery options for loads between 45kg and 13,500kg, at altitudes up to 7,500 metres.
System Payload
Microfly 45kg to 315kg
Fire Fly 2K 225kg to 1,000kg
Fire Fly 5K 1,135kg to 2,270kg
Dragon Fly 2,200kg to 4,500kg
Megafly 9,000kg to 13,500kg
To use the system, all you need to know are where you want it to land and how much the payload weighs. The GPS system updates its position ten times per second in flight, compensating for actual wind conditions. A separate remote control unit can be used by a jumper in flight to guide the system. With a roadway drop zone that is 200 metres long by 40 metres wide, there is an 80% confidence level of the equipment landing within 50 metres of the desired impact point. There are four systems, as shown in the table on the left.
Airborne Systems MC-6 Manoeuvrable Troop Parachute System
The MC-6 is a steerable, fast-opening military parachute for static line deployments, developed for special forces use.
It features the SF-10A main canopy and is used with the T-11R reserve parachute and the ATPS harness. The canopy is polyconical in shape and can be used for jumps with a minimum altitude of 152 metres AGL.
The MC-6 is more manoeuvrable than the MC1-1C that it replaces.
For example, a 360° turn to correct an overshoot takes four seconds with the MC-6, compared to nine with the MC1-1C. It can carry a maximum weight of 181kg.
Irvin G-14 Cargo Delivery Parachute
Photo courtesy of and © Airborne Systems
Irvin G-12 Cargo Delivery Parachute
Photo courtesy of and © Airborne Systems