Variant OGREs | 
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Perfect Nightmares!
Balanced Ogre Variants
by Warner Airey
The following Ogres have been designed with absolute precision. The points costs are accurate and in perfect balance with existing units. You won’t find clumsy point values, or unbalanced firepower that destroys the elegant game mechanics of OGRE/GEV. You will find interesting and subtle variations on standard cybertanks. Just how much does a Main Battery cost compared with a Secondary? What is the relative cost of internal or external missiles? You will find answers to these sorts of questions amongst the following variants listed here. And hopefully, some fresh tactical nightmares…
MARK III VARIANTS
MARK III-Firestorm
Points: 100
1 Main, 2 Secondary, 6 External Missiles, 8AP.
M3, 45 Treads
The Mark III-Firestorm had six exterior launching tubes. First used by Paneurope along the northwest European salient with devastating results. Due to panic and confused reports, Combine command didn’t get full data about the Firestorm until a full month after it was fielded.
Available to Paneurope early 2080. The almost identical Combine version, "Inferno", became available a few months later.
MARK III-Helltank
Points: 100
1 Main, 3 Secondary, 4 External Missiles, 8AP.
M3, 45 Treads
The Mark III-Helltank had the main battery and one of the secondaries in a coaxial mount. This unusual configuration was reminiscent of the three-headed mythical beast. Combine Helltanks were usually given names relating to this theme, such as, "Hellhound" or "Hades". Available to both sides by 2080 but more common with Combine forces.
MARK III-Hellcat version. The Combine fielded a missile rack version in 2079. It was identical to the Helltank, but had 1 Missile Rack with 5 Internal Missiles, instead of 4 externals. The Combine had difficulty designing a reliable rack system for the Mark IV. The "Hellcat" grew out of internal storage bay experiments. The external missile unit was more common and usually more effective.
MARK III-R
Points: 100
1 Main, 4 Secondary, 1 Missile Rack, 2 Internal Missiles, 6AP.
M3, 45 Treads.
An early experiment with internally stored missiles. Antipersonnel reduced due to design constraints. Rare. Available to Combine 2075.
Mark III-Warlord
Points: 100
1 Missile Rack, 4 Internal Missiles, 2 External Missiles, 1 Main, 2 Secondary, 8AP.
M3, 45 Treads.
Available to the Combine in 2079. An unusual mixture of weapons on the standard Mark III chassis. Essentially a slow Ninja without the extra stealth electronics.
Mark III-Titan
Points: 100
2 Missile Racks, 7 Internal Missiles, 3 Secondary, 8AP.
M3, 45 Treads.
The Fencer is generally considered the first Ogre with multiple missile racks. However, the twin rack Titan, appeared earlier. It was hastily finished by a rival engineering team and rushed into battle in 2083. Never mass-produced. Almost immediately superseded by the heavier payload Fencer. Despite the tendency for individual units to be given impressive names such as "Leviathan" or "Behemoth", the Titan was the same size as the standard Legionnaire cybertank.
Mark III-B*
Points: 120
2 Main, 4 Secondary, 4 External Missiles, 6AP.
M3, 45 Treads.
Combine up-gunned variant of a standard Mark III but with two less AP. Appeared before 2080. Combine planners apparently never made up their minds whether the IIIB was a good idea or not. Some did have the full 8AP but this upgrade took a disproportionate amount of time and resources.
* Note: According to my calculations, the IIIB should only have 6AP, not 8AP as listed by the SJ rules. The rationale is that some AP were lost during modifications. The reduced AP helps explain why the IIIB remained a variant rather than being mass-produced. Otherwise the IIIB is too good for the price.
Mark III-C
Points: 120
2 Main, 6 Secondary, 6AP.
M3, 45 Treads.
Another Combine experiment with upgunning the Mark III chassis. No missiles and only 6AP, but very tough. Sometimes getting hit by a IIIC felt like being hammered by a Mark V. Called the "Hedgehog" by Paneuropean opponents.
Fencer-B
Points: 140
3 Missile Racks, 20 Internal Missiles, 1 Main, 2 Secondary, 8AP.
M3, 45 Treads.
Paneuropean Fencer variant. Available 2084. The standard Fencer had 4 Racks, 20 Internals, 2 Secondary, 8AP. It gives the impression that dropping a missile rack is equivalent in design cost to a main battery The calculation, however, is more complex. For example, compared with having a single missile rack, a total of 4 racks, increases the cost by a factor of 5 times (not quadrupled as you might expect).
CENTURION
Points: 140
3 Missile Racks, 12 Internal Missiles, 1 Main, 4 Secondary, 8AP.
M3, 45 Treads.
Fencer-C. Variant 2084. A Paneuropean attempt to build a cybertank with the ability to slug it out and have long range striking power.
MARK III-Juggler
Points: 140
3 Missile Racks, 16 Internal Missiles, 1 Main, 3 Secondary, 8AP.
M3, 45 Treads.
Developed in response to the Paneuropean Fencer. At least a hundred were build in 2085. Used in a hit-and-run role, but didn’t really have the speed for the sort of raiding tactics Combine planners had in mind. Phased out of production as the faster Mark IV became available.
MARK III-Shrike
Points: 140
4 Missile Racks, 15 Internal Missiles, 1 Main, 2 Secondary, 6AP.
M3, 45 Treads.
Combine copy of the Fencer. Rolled off the production line in 2086 but almost obsolete due to the Mark IV. One advantage, however, was that it was easier to "package" into modules for transportation than the Mark IV. A reassembled Shrike in the combat zone was more use than a Mark IV a thousand kilometres away.
FAST MARK III CYBERTANKS
MARK III-Predator
Points: 120
6 External Missiles, 1 Main, 2 Secondary, 8AP.
M4, 40 Treads
The Combine first used this Ogre in Europe in 2080. The Paneuropean "Bugbear" version appeared in 2082.
MARK III-Recon
Points: 120
2 External Missiles, 1 Main, 4 Secondary, 8AP.
M4, 40 Treads.
Available to the Combine in 2080. Copied by the Federation later. Same armaments as the mainstay Mark III, but faster and more expensive. Used for both reconnaissance and to spearhead assaults.
MARK III-Ronin
Points: 120
1 Missile Rack, 4 Internal Missiles, 2 External Missiles, 1 Main, 2 Secondary, 8AP.
M4, 40 Treads.
Early fast Ogre produced in 2079 at the Combine Seattle-Vancouver facility. The Ronin is basically a Ninja without the stealth or special abilities.
Paneuropean NINJA
Points: 150
Special: Hard to Hit*
1 Missile Rack, 5 Internal Missiles, 1 Main, 3 Secondary, 8AP.
M4, 40 Treads
A handful of Ninja type cybertanks were built by Paneurope in 2080; sometimes referred to as "Samurai". Delays due to damaged factories and internal politics, meant that production of these special cybertanks was never more than a trickle. Too many other projects and committees within the Federation were competing for resource and production capacity.
* Because of a Ninja’s elaborate ECM, ECCM, extra point-defence armament etc. it’s very hard to hit. Subtract 1 from the die roll of any attacks made against a Ninja except by infantry in overruns. (Note: In defensive terrain such as town, a roll of 6 still destroys treads).
There are unconfirmed reports of a stealth cybertank eluding a massive search on the Kamchatka Peninsula. According to rumour, a Combine Ninja evaded destruction for months in the region. In theory it could have used naturally occurring volcanic activity and higher than normal background radiation to disguise it’s thermal and electromagnetic signature. Other rumours suggest that it wasn’t a Combine Ninja, but belonged to another country, or was even a rogue Paneuropean experiment! Whatever the actual cause, there is no denying that Paneuropean military traffic in the region Petropavlovsk to Anadyr Gulf, increased heavily, although without visible cause. The explanation of ‘missile tests’ does not quite fit with the evidence of saturation attacks by hundreds of large missiles over a massive area of mountain and tundra. No hard evidence or wrecked hulk was officially documented.
OGRE MARK IV Striker Chassis
MARK IV-B
Points: 140
4 External Missile, 2 Main, 4 Secondary, 6AP.
M4, 60 Treads.
Same attributes as a Mark III-B but on a Mark IV chassis. Available to Combine 2086.
MARK IV-Troll
Points: 150
6 External Missile, 2 Main, 4 Secondary, 8AP.
M4, 60 Treads.
Paneuropean Mark IV type chassis. Small numbers available by 2087.
MARK IV-Centaur
Points: 150
4 Missile Racks, 4 Internal Missiles, 6 External Missiles, 1 Secondary, 8AP.
M4, 60 Treads.
Combine hybrid. Capable of a massive 10 missile launch. Specialist Ogre first seen in 2087. Useful for a narrow band of mission types.
MARK IV-Quad
Points: 150
4 Missile Racks, 16 Internal Missiles, 2 Secondary, 6AP.
60 Treads, Movement 4.
Similar to the earlier Fencer but faster. Available to both Combine and Paneurope.
MARK IV-Poleaxe
Points: 150
2 Missile Racks, 20 Internal Missiles, 1 Main, 2 Secondary, 8AP.
M4, 60 Treads.
Available early in 2088. Combine strike Ogre. Effective as a "raider" but vulnerable against other cybertanks.
MARK V OGRES
MARK V-Grendel
Points: 150
2 Missile Racks, 12 Internal Missiles, 1 Main, 6 Secondary, 12AP.
M3, 60 Treads.
Intended to be a multi-purpose cybertank. Earliest use by Paneurope in 2084. Rare.
MARK V-Sentinel
Points: 150
4 External Missiles, 2 Main, 7 Secondary, 12AP.
M3, 60 Treads.
This unusual version of the Mark V had two less missiles, but an extra gun. The additional cannon was actually mounted facing to the rear - clumsy in appearance, but effective in use.
MARK V-Megalith
Points: 150
2 External Missiles, 3 Main, 6 Secondary, 12AP.
M3, 60 Treads.
Combine variant. Not as fast as a Mark IV. Nothing special like a Ninja. Not able to throw missiles around like a Fencer. Just tough. Able to plough through the thick of it better than most other Ogres.
PHALANX
Points: 150
2 External Missiles, 2 Main, 8 Secondary, 12AP.
M3, 60 Treads.
Paneuropean Doppelsoldner forerunner, but without the missile racks. Vaguely mentioned in combat reports as early as 2084, but more frequent use by 2086. Individual units had names relating to Alexander the Great, such as "Issus" & "Granicus".
JUGGERNAUTS: Late Cybertanks
DOPPELSOLDNER*
Points: 210
Special Rules: Easily Stuck.
3 Missile Racks, 20 Internal Missiles, 2 Main, 8 Secondary, 16AP.
M3, 60 Treads
*My calculations give the Doppelsoldner a total of 16AP, four more than listed in the SJ rules. I also suggest that cramming this much hardware onto the same chassis as the Mark V causes problems with ground pressure and increased chance of getting stuck. I suggest a special rule for this and any other oversize Ogre which has too much of a load on its chassis.
Special Rules: Easily Stuck. The Doppelsoldner, is easily bogged. Tread width is narrow in proportion to the weight. It is stuck in swamps on a roll of 1, 2 or 3. It must also roll when it moves into water. On a roll of 1 it is stuck.
If it just moved from land to water roll again to see where it is stuck. On a 1, 2 or 3 it is stuck underwater. Place it in the water hex and treat it as submerged. Marine Infantry can cut it to pieces. On a 4, 5 or 6 it is stuck but upper bulk is exposed. On a hex map leave it in the land hex it was moving from but record that it is permanently stuck. The Ogre is not considered underwater, so all combat and terrain effects are the same as for the land terrain type. Marines do not get any benefit. Marines are either adjacent in the water hex or must move out of the water over to where the Ogre is, and conduct normal ground/overrun combat.
VALKYRIE
Points: 210
Special Rules: Easily Stuck.
2 Missile Racks, 10 Internal Missiles, 4 Main, 8 Secondary, 12AP.
M3, 60 Treads.
A unique fact associate with Valkyries was that they were referred to as "she". Individual names included, "Brunhilde", "Termagant" & "Walpurgisnacht". Less were produced than the Doppelsoldner, but they appeared as about the same time. This Paneuropean cybertank also has a higher chance of being stuck due to high ground pressure. It is stuck in swamps on a roll of 1, 2 or 3, and stuck in water on a roll of 1.
COLOSSO
Points: 210
Special Rules: Easily Stuck.
2 Missile Racks, 12 Internal Missiles, 6 External Missiles,
3 Main, 6 Secondary, 12AP.
M3, 60 Treads.
A small number of "Giants" appeared in 2088 and were stranded on the battlefield due to excessive demand on the treads. These beasts really did live up to their name. Probably the maximum number of weapons that can be placed on a Mark V platform. Few were built due to concerns about tread durability. This Paneuropean cybertank also has a higher chance of being stuck. It is stuck in swamps on a roll of 1, 2 or 3, and stuck in water on a roll of 1.
MARK VI-Vindicator
Points: 210
6 External Missiles, 4 Main, 8 Secondary, 12AP.
M3, 75 Treads.
Combine variant using the Mark VI chassis. Appeared late 2088. Had lower than standard number of AP for a Mark VI. The Mark VI caused the Combine immense logistical difficulties in sustaining extended field operations..
