From: Phillip E. Pournelle <pepourne@n...>
Date: Wed, 14 May 1997 14:50:19 -0400
Subject: DirtSide II Rules suggestions (Long)
Hello, Given the incredible power of leaders in DirtSide II, especially when
senior leaders can cause a cascade effect and activate the entire army in one
turn, I think we need to cost out the benefits these guys bring to the
battlefield, particularly if you are playing in a campeign. The other issue is
replacing leaders. Normally there may be a few leaders from the staff like the
Executive Officer or the Adjutant, but quite often you have to conduct a
battlefield promotion of someone from a composite element. My family history
showed me how a forward observer junior officer can become the Commanding
Officer is certain circumstances... The Inverse Peter principle becomes very
important in warfare. After the Japanese lost their best pilots and wing
commanders, they had to do the best they could by plugging in people where
they could. There are many historical examples where an army lost its
abilities as it lost leaders... Therefore, I propose the following structure
of leaders. An excellent leader for a squad can be a good Platoon leader but a
poor Company Commander and so on up the chain. Organizational level
Leader type Cost Squad Platoon Company Battalion Brigade
Division
A 20 Poor(3)
B 40 Good(2) Poor(3)
C 60 Excel(1)Good(2) Poor(3)
D 80 Excel(1) Good(2) Poor(3)
E 100 Excel(1) Good(2) Poor(3)
F 120 Excel(1) Good(2) Poor(3)
G 150 Excel(1) Good(2)
H 180
Excel(1)
All Commanders must be in a communications Command Post to affect units not
adjacent to them. There is also an advantage to buying extra leaders for
squads. This means a squad can act on its own without the rest of the Platoon,
etc. Now you should also be able to promote and demote your leaders during a
campeign.
Die Roll 1 or less Demote Roll if unit survived a Confidence check
2 Retain +1 Per enemy unit checked (Cumulative)
3 Retain +1 per enemy unit routed (Cumulative)
4 Retain +1 per enemy unit Destroyed
5 Retain -1 per failed Confidence check
6 or More Promote -1 if unit routed
These rolls are used for each leader at the level of orgaization he commands.
So a Company Commander does not roll if only one of his platoons destroyed one
enemy platoon. The Company Commander does roll if his Company
checked/routed/destroyed an enemy company, each of his Platoon
Commanders will roll if their platoons also affected a platoon, and so on. The
same table can be used for the confidence rating of a
squad/platoon. However, Green and Yellow(untrained) units add 3 to
their die roll.
I also think that we need a cost multiple for force quality ratings. Use these
multiples to determine final cost for your forces.
Confidence Rating Quality Die Cost Multiple Elite D12 2.0 Veteran D10 1.7
Regular D8 1.4 Green D6 1.0 Untrained D4 0.7
The reason for this is simple, an Elite Regular squad is as effective in fire
power as a Regular Powered Armor squad.
Finally, here are some weapons from SGII that I think can be reflected at the
Platoon level in DSII and be costed out, each weapon draws one chit unless
fired at infantry:
Weapon/Cost Ranges/Effect Versus Inf
Close Medium Long Plasma Gun Man Portable 2 4 6 Cost:8 All Red Yellow Yellow(3
chits) Automatic Grenade Lau 4 6 8 Cost:3 half Yellow half Yellow(3 chits)
Value Value
Red/Yellow Red/Yellow
IAVR 4
Cost:3 R/Y (draw 2)
Multipe Launch Pod 6 12 18
Cost:6 Half Value Red/Yellow Half Yellow (3 chits)
Using the parent units from DSII you can point out you forces for SGII using
these as well. All these weapons are in addition to whatever standard dice are
rolled for that squad.
I would apreciate your feedback, Phil P.