From: Barclay, Tom <tomb@b...>
Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 15:59:13 -0400
Subject: allan's arty
Allan, calm my brother! My answer to you is this: Though I do not use arty much (I prefer TacAir because it can be directed, controlled, and fought by the defender), I would say all off table air strikes or fire missions arrive not at Box 1, but at the Battle Area. If you want an immediate Fire Mission, you put it on the track at Box 1, then at the end of the round it arrives at the Battle Area and hits home. This might be platoon mortars or a registered, dedicated battery attached at company level. Just go with what makes the most fun - do you like your arty quick or slow? Is anyone but you gonna notice?:) Many scenarios I play involve Spec Forces or small underequipped troops on the move. Arty is often not an option. When my air units enter the board, I have AA small arms rules and Anti-Air GMS rules to deal with them. This makes them a fun part of the battle and I do use confidence levels for them so they don't just route off the board. (Generally, by the time someone gets around to dealing with the air units, it involves laying an HKP/4 or a HEL/4 into them.... at which point they blow up so morale isn't often a huge problem - though I've seen GMS/P-Air take them out too). Strangely, with Aliens VTOLs, the biggest danger zone is the rear of the vehicle. So as long as it sits at the map edge front-on to the hostiles, it has reasonable armour. If it turns away, it tends to take a shot up the kilt... often terminal.