I've been inspired by some reading on the Eastern Front, the ice storm of the
past few days, and a Command Decision scenario from their magazine. So I went
out and bought a 10' long hunk of white cloth and have whipped up the
following scenario:
MSR 4:
Imperial Forces have penetrated deep into enemy territory, and the sucess of
the spearhead units depends on supplies being brought forward in a timely
manner. Due to weather conditions, a shortage of snowplows, and agressive
action by small enemy units attempting to sever the supply lines, the decision
has been made to focus effort on a few main supply routes, guarding and
plowing them while ignoring minor roads.
Terrain: Hills and light forests, with a highway running down the middle
of the table, long-ways.
Defenders: Beta/2nd, 5th Prokusatores Turma, IV (Thematic) Exerciti. (9
Size 3 tanks, 13 Size 2 CFVs, 13 Line Rifle stands, 2 Mortars) Deployed along
the highway in platoons or sections (2xCFV). Mission: At end of game, have no
enemy units in line of sight to road, loose no trucks from any of the convoys.
Attackers: Parachute infantry company inserted anywhere on the board (exact OB
left to my opponent), and an armored company (again, exact OB left to
opponent) moving in from anywhere on the other side of the board
(splitting it long-ways, so that they have to start out somewhat
seperated). Mission: Have at least one platoon in position to execute ambushes
of supply convoys at end of game.
Initial Conditions: Light Wind (direction by d12), Moderate Snow, Light Snow
Cover
Random events (d20, each turn)
1: Wind shifts 1 clockwise
2: Wind shifts 1 counter-clockwise
3: Wind gains a level 4: Wind decreases a level 5: Snow increases a level 6:
Snow decreases a level
7-8: Redfor Airstrike
9: Bluefor Airstrike 10: Bluefor Artillery Battery
11-12: Redfor Artillery Battery
13: Random Artillery strike (4 guns, 50% MAK/HEF, loose sheaf)
14: Random Airstrike (Random direction, MAK on nearest armored vehicles) 15:
Snow cover increases to deep
16-20: Bluefor Convoy
Wind: Light: No Effect Moderate: Halves visibility if snowing Heavy: Quarters
visibility if snowing, automatically goes to Moderate after 2 turns
Snow:
Light: 1/2 Visibility,
Medium: 1/4 Visibility,
Heavy: 1/8 Visibility,
Airstrike Size Three, Stealth 2, Superior ECM, 1xHEF DFO, 1xMAK DFO,
1xMDC/2
Forward Mounted
Artillery Battery: 8 medium guns in 2x4 gun sections, CBS with 1 section.
3xMAK, 1xHEF, 1xSmoke
Snow Cover:
Light: Doubles all off-road movement costs except for GEV, Grav.
Unplowed road is normal terrian, plowed road is easy. Ski troops ignore.
Heavy: Quaruples all off-road movement costs for vehicles except
GEV,
Grav. Doubles infantry/cavalry movement costs. Unplowed roads
are normal, plowed roads are easy.
Convoy: 2d6 Bluefor trucks moving along highway.
I want to penalize energy weapons additionally for the snow, but I can't
decide exactally how.
> I've been inspired by some reading on the Eastern Front, the ice storm
Deployed
> along the highway in platoons or sections (2xCFV). Mission: At end of
> Unplowed road is normal terrian, plowed road is easy. Ski troops
Unplowed roads are
> normal, plowed roads are easy.
Well, if the primary targetting systems are lasers, the snow could cause a
downward shift in targetting die. Perhaps for every
two levels of (snow + wind), downgrade targetting die by one.
Of course, this would affect *all* weapons that use optical
targetting--laser sights, iron sights, etc. SODAR would be
similarly affected, but radar would not. You could also get significant clouds
of steam around a
target after an energy-weapon hit. These might reduce weapon
effectiveness (block/absorb some energy) and/or target die
(harder to see, as above) on subsequent shots.
- Sam
In a message dated 12/27/98 12:15:40 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> john.m.atkinson@erols.com writes:
<< I want to penalize energy weapons additionally for the snow, but I can't
decide exactally how.
John M. Atkinson >>
John..why don't you halve or reduce by one-fourth the ranges for HEL's
to account for refraction from the snow?
On Sun, 27 Dec 1998 11:16:58 -0700, Samuel Reynolds
<reynol@primenet.com> wrote:
> Well, if the primary targetting systems are lasers, the snow
Hmm, I'd disagree. A HEL powerful enough to do damage to an armoured target
isn't going to be significantly degraded by snow, even in a blizzard.
> Perhaps for every
Maybe use it for laser sighting, but I wouldn't for HELs. Maybe someone with
experience using laser sighting equipment in snow could jump in here.
> You could also get significant clouds of steam around a
Steam I could see. Especially with those HELs zapping through the snow. You'd
see steam trails rising as the HELs lanced through the falling snow. That
would decrease visibility further...
Snow:two ways of handleing it for fusion weapons. Eihter reduce the range or
the lethality.I vote usually for reduced lethality since at near relativistic
velocities, something will be left to reach the target. At the same time
remember that something as hot as a bolt of fused plasma is not going to be
slowed down as much by some snow flake. How does rain effect fusion guns? In
striker It;s more simple but in dirtside the damage slope is not as subtle so
I don't know how to realistically skew the damage. Good
luck. Sounds like fun, I do wish I could be there. John W
> -----Original Message-----
(9
> Size 3 tanks, 13 Size 2 CFVs, 13 Line Rifle stands, 2 Mortars)
Deployed
> along the highway in platoons or sections (2xCFV). Mission: At end of
> Unplowed road is normal terrian, plowed road is easy. Ski
Unplowed
> roads are
> On Sun, 27 Dec 1998 11:16:58 -0700, Samuel Reynolds
I didn't say the HEL would be degraded. I said the *targetting* would be
degraded. If you get the HEL on target, even heavy snow in the air would have
little effect on the damage it does. You'd still draw the same number of
chits, and have the same validities. But the smaller lasers in the targetting
system (for whatever weapon) could be significantly degraded. So instead of a
D10 (superior FC), you might roll D8 or D6. Then if the attacker's die would
drop below D4 you increase the target's defense die, instead.
> Perhaps for every
As I said, it would affect the *targetting* die, not the *effect*.
I might also penalize infantry firing into the wind in some way. It's *hard*
to aim when you have snow blowing in your face! (Even in a closed helmet, I'd
imagine.) It'd have a greater effect on visibility, blowing in the eyes or
blasting the goggles or faceplate.
- Sam
On Mon, 28 Dec 1998 19:07:38 -0700, Samuel Reynolds
<reynol@primenet.com> wrote:
> I didn't say the HEL would be degraded. I said the
*L* Sorry Sam. Yes, you're right. I had my Stargrunt hat on, not my DS2 hat. I
was thinking of the SG2 range die. If you increase the range die in SG2 you
end up with degraded effect.
However, yes, in DS2 if you degrade the targeting die but leave the chit draw
the same it should work.
Mea culpa!