IFF was RE: [OT] Question from the news

Thinking about IFF, there are several ways to do this:

1) Visual shape ID - a Challenger is boxy and very angular, Russian
built tanks (T-71, T-80) are very round in the turret.  Reactive armor
blocks might make them more angular but there still should be a visual
difference.

2) Unit markings - Such as the Chevron or National insignia on sides or
rear of the turret/hull.

3) IR or UV beacons that flash coded pulses.

4) Electronic IFF - a radio signal that sends out an IFF signal

5) Battlefield Awareness - using GPS uploads from each tank then
transmitting an overall map with friendly tanks located on it.

Some or all of these can be hampered by a sandstorm - visual ID is not
clear, unit markings obscured by blowing sand or a light coating of sand on
the symbol. IR beacons or UV beacons would also likely be obscured by clowing
sand. Electronic IFF may be blocked by the static generated by all the moving
sand particles generating an inclear or incomplete signal which would be
rejected by an IFF receiver. Finally, I'm not sure the British have the same
system that the US uses where each tank reports position from a GPS reading
and sends it out on a local net to other vehicles.

This stresses the importance of battlefield communications - if you
can't communicate, then you must use more compact formations that allow
visual, or good radio communication.  Co-ordination of spread out forces
then becomes problematic.

On a SG/DS note: could this be simulated in game?  Often a single player
is running an entire side, and most attacks are very well co-ordinated
with fire missions, suppressing fire and movement occuring like
clockwork.  Perhaps there needs to be a variable ECM/ECCM rating rolled
for each turn that indicates how many units can move, with the remaining units
following their previous turn's orders. (i.e. if they were moving down a road,
they would continue to do so, if they were camping in a forest, they would sit
tight).

--Binhan

> On a SG/DS note: could this be simulated in game? Often a single
(i.e. if they were moving down a road, they would continue to do so, if they
were camping in a forest, they would sit tight).

A comms roll for each action? Sounds interesting. Don't know how
much it would slow down the game--you'd have to decide which unit you
wanted to activate first, so you have most of the decision-making time
still in there. It wouldn't necessarily be just the opponent's ECM and your
ECCM squaring off, though, it could be influenced by training, environment (eg
sandstorms), and other factors (General Jones drags
his feet to avoid supporting General Smith)--everything that makes up
"friction"