The rules are pretty clear as to how to handle a heavy weapon mounted on a
vehicle when it tries to attack a dispersed squad of infantry...
...however...
...what about the case where the weapon is a small calibre, fast
rate-of-fire
weapon like, oh, a GAC/2? (See VRF Gauss Rifle post...)
According to the rules as written, this should be treated as an Impact D8
weapon against dispersed targets. Technically, so should the GAC/1.
However,
the GAC/1 is ESSENTIALLY the same as a Gauss SAW mounted on a vehicle.
Jon specifically states that the GAC is a smaller version of the MDC. It's a
faster firing version, but of smaller calibre.
My ruling would be to treat a vehicle mounted GAC/1 the same as a Gauss
SAW:
Impact D12 against dispersed targets. How about the GAC/2, though?
Should it have D12 x 2 against infantry? I'm inclined to go with that, as I
don't like the idea of it being only D8 based on the "heavy weapons against
infantry"
rules. I remember the scene from _Saving Private Ryan_ when the Germans
turn a
20mm flak gun on a group of men taking out a Tiger. I can see the GAC/2
doing the same thing... only worse...
Does this make sense? Or should the GAC/2 stay as a heavy weapon and let
the
GAC/1 be used for anti-infantry?
Allan spake thusly upon matters weighty:
> The rules are pretty clear as to how to handle a heavy weapon mounted
However,
> the GAC/1 is ESSENTIALLY the same as a Gauss SAW mounted on a vehicle.
<snippage>
> Does this make sense? Or should the GAC/2 stay as a heavy weapon and
I was just addressing this point off list with Kenneth Winland recently. It
was spurred not just by the SPR clip, but by a Canadian
Forces film "Small Arms in the Anti-Aircraft Role" part of which
showed a PIVAD with a 20mm Vulcan traversing across infantry. I don't think
the deadliness of this 20mm cannon had much to do with
firecontrol - it had EVERYTHING to do with firepower. And I think the
GAC/1 would be another candidate.
Let's look at it the way the rules have it:
SAW d10 FP d8 IMP Gauss SAW d12FP d12 IMP
RFAC/1 FC FP d10* IMP d8 IMP vs. Inf
GAC/1 FC FP d12?* IMP d8 vs. Inf
Now, some suggested giving these vehicle weapons more FC. I shouldn't need FC
to fake the effects of FP. Even without any (just primitive D4) FC, if I track
a Vulcan across an area occupied by an infantry squad, they are in trouble. It
gets the name Buzzsaw for a reason! The only limiter of this in RL is that 1)
These systems attract buzzbombs and IAVRs like a flowers attract bees and 2)
ammo is a
factor - this anti-infantry fire consumes LOTS of ammo from the HW.
I think these weapons should be PA busters. I think they should utterly murder
infantry squads. I've heard descriptions of the damage
a human takes from a 20-30mm shell. Pretty much any hit is fatal.
So, how did I think to resolve it? I don't have my original notes, but let's
try.... (for GAC and RFAC)....vs. Infantry Targets
GAC/1 Roll D12 for FP instead of FC, Roll D12 for impact.
GAC/2 Roll D12 for FP instead of FC, Roll D12x2 for impact.
RFAC/1 Roll D12 for FP instead of FC, Roll D10 for impact.
RFAC/2 Roll D12 for FP instead of FC, Roll D10x2 for impact.
Just one idea of how to approach this. Yes... it means these weapons
are dangerous to infantry - but any hit from one of these should be
at least as dangeorus as a HAMR hit. And the volume of fire from
these things is phenomenal - I capped FP at D12 under a "maximum
returns" idea.
Tom.
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