Status: RO
Hello, I have a question for the effect of artillery in DSII. In the front of
the manual it states that infantry is considered suppressed if successfully
engaged by direct fire weapons, armor is suppressed only if an element is
damaged or destroyed. In the back under artillery it says that all units are
suppressed by artillery even if it is only harrassing fire (no munitions chit
expended). Is armor suppressed by artillery or only if an armor unit is
damaged or destoyed by the artillery? Phil P.
> On Mon, 6 Oct 1997, Phillip E. Pournelle wrote:
Status: RO
> Hello,
Our group has infantry suppressed (getting 'under fire' markers) under any
artillery fire at all, even harrassing fire. But the only time armor gets
suppressed by artillery is if units are damaged/destroyed, just like
direct-fire weapons. So harrassing fire of armor units is useless, but
it can pin down infantry units quite nicely.
> At 09:21 AM 10/6/97, you wrote:
Status: RO
> Hello,
I've always assumed the former but the rules do contradict. I posted awhile
back that the whole idea of under fire markers for tanks are goofy anyway (in
their effect). Tanks under fire won't sit still, they'll MOVE. In fact, even
well trained infantry will do this. Michael D. Doubler, in his fine book
"Closing with the Enemy: How GIs Fought the War in Europe,
1944-1945",
notes, "By late 1943 infantrymen had learned two techniques that helped reduce
casualties. The best way to avoid losses was to keep moving forward and to
close rapidly with the enemy. Infantry leaders taught their soldiers that
'hitting the dirt' upon enemy contact DID NOT MEAN FREEZING IN PLACE and that
squads had to continue moving forward under fire. Soldiers discovered that
MOVING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH concentrations of enemy shell fire greatly reduced
casualties." [emphasis my own] In my posts I suggested that veteran and elite
forces actually be forced to move (in a direction of the players choice) when
under fire.
> On Tue, 7 Oct 1997, Paul Calvi wrote:
> At 09:21 AM 10/6/97, you wrote:
Status: RO
> >Hello,
Forcing vet and reg soldiers to move out from under arty fire sounds like
an interesting idea - but it shouldn't be automatic, I think. You'd have
to make a reaction check, as with moving while under fire in the current
rules. If you made the reaction check, your troops move, but if you fail the
check, your troops have forgotten their training in the fright of the
bombardment and have 'frozen' in place.
And if you do move ie make your reaction test, you draw fewer chits of
damage - there'll always be some chance of casualties, even if you to
move forward out of the bombardment zone.
Maybe THREAT-2 check, and draw half the regular number of chits?
Let me know what you think...