Although I've owned the SG2 rules for about six months now, tonight will be my
first actual game. If it all goes well, I should be playing a bit more often
in the future. Anyway, I've been thinking about a possible platoon
organization, and I wanted to get other people's thoughts on it:
Line Platoon:
Command squad - Lieutenant, Senior Sergeant, 2 soldiers.
All carry M10ARs.
Heavy Weapons Team - Corporal, 3 soldiers and M201.
All carry M10Rs.
4 squads - Sergeant, M10MG gunner, M15RPG gunner, 5
soldiers. Sergeant and soldiers carry M10ARs.
All units are wearing basic battledress (Move 6"/d6,
armor d6).
M10R - FP 2, Impact d10.
M10AR - FP 3, Impact d10.
M10MG - FP d8, Impact d10.
M15RPG - FP d10, Impact d10*. (Unguided light rocket
launcher).
M201 - RAC/1 on ground mount. Fire control d6 (Basic),
Impact d10*.
Is it really worthwhile to include the M201? I like the idea of having a
"heavy" machine gun in each platoon, but I don't know if the rules support the
idea very well.
It is worth having a heavy weapon team as you get both light antiarmour
capability and a *Very* long range (for SG). They become a good place to hide
a weak command element (green 3 etc) as they still get 12" range bands against
infantry, but won't cause many casualties due to the low quality and d8 impact
vs infantry (see heavy weapons vs infantry in the vehicle section).
Normally with my OU, in a larger game, I field 2 teams of 2 GMS/L AA
Harlequins; only d6 guidance against ground targets, but will usually cause a
few suppressions to allow other units to engage.
Neath Southern Skies -http://home.pacific.net.au/~southernskies/
[Pirates] Dame Captain Washalot
[MKW2] Admiral Peter Rollins - Task Force Zulu-Beta
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> -----Original Message-----
> On Tue, 16 Jan 2001 14:20:40 -0600, mark.langsdorf@amd.com wrote:
> M10MG - FP d8, Impact d10.
Technically speaking, the rules don't really handle it very well. The
RFAC/1
is a Heavy Weapon. That means the impact on dispersed targets (infantry
squads) is D8. The D10* is only used against vehicles. If you want a machine
gun, you've got the various SAWs listed, the best being a Gauss Machine Gun
(FP D10, Impact D12). But this, in turn, has very little anti-infantry
capability.
What's needed is an RFAC/1 - SAW hybrid. Something that has perhaps a D8
or D10 firepower and a D10* impact. This would represent a high velocity
weapon with armour piercing capability.
Of course, a simple way to handle this is to just allow RFACs to have a D10
impact (instead of D8) against dispursed targets. This may be what you are
implying with the D10* impact designation.
At any rate, there is a need for this kind of weapon at the platoon level.
One question, why a D6, basic fire control system? If you are using the
regular rules, where the RFAC only does D8 impact against infantry, I suggest
an Enhanced (D8) fire control system, minimum.
Mark,
Good comments so far. We have been using the house rule mod much discussed
regarding adding a Firepower Die AND Firecon die for Heavy Weapons vs infantry
and it has been giving a good feel. For the size 1 and 2 weapons we
use the D10 or D12 impact as well! 50Cal/20mm do pack a punch eh?
My only comment regarding a heavy wepaon like this at a platoon level would be
impact on mobility. Now, say you are motorised troops then they would expect
to have the wheels to cart this big beast (AND it's huge ammunition supply)
around. Whilst mounted it can be a mobile fire platform perhaps, but
dismounted for defensive or fire support for assualts etc.
In a 'man pack' mode, an RFAC 1 is really going to be severely limited in
effectiveness due to ammunition constraints.
So, my suggestion would be, like Allan mentioned, allocate TWO Gauss SAWs at
Platoon HQ.
On another point, MGs are usually allocated/tasked in pairs.
Interlocking arcs and mutual support are two key considerations in siting MGs.
So you should see MGs in use in numbers more than one. Otherwise theya re just
a fast firing rifle!?
Have fun!
Owen
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Allan Goodall [mailto:awg@sympatico.ca]
I was aware of the rules, but I was hoping that people's experiences would
work out differently.
> What's needed is an RFAC/1 - SAW hybrid. Something that has
Something like that. It remains to be seen how tolerant my local SG2 group
will be to rules variants, though the fact
that one player wants to use VOR Neo-Soviets means I have some
bargaining space.
> At any rate, there is a need for this kind of weapon at the
Oh, good. At least the idea is sound.
> One question, why a D6, basic fire control system? If you are
I'm envisioning this platoon as being from a relatively poor, Balkanized
colony world, which is why they use an RPG
instead of a GMS/P. Similarly, they just don't have the
technology infrastructure for Enhanced Fire Control.
> From: Owen Glover [mailto:oglover@bigpond.net.au]
I saw that rule, and liked the potential. It might be a bit much, though I
suppose it's not really all that much more fire power than a standard fireteam
with SAW.
> My only comment regarding a heavy wepaon like this at a
Good point. Maybe I'll downshift the firepower by a die or two when firing as
manpack to simulate the fact that the gunner is tapping VERY short bursts.
> On another point, MGs are usually allocated/tasked in pairs.
I suppose I could throw a second MG into the platoon TO&E, though that does
bump the size up to 44 men. But it fits in with the battalion organizational
structure of undersized command group, 3 maneuver elements, and a heavy
weapons element fairly well, so I'll think about it.