From: Beth Fulton <beth.fulton@m...>
Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 14:53:46 +1000
Subject: Underwater Rules - SG (long)
G'day again, And lastly the SG suggestions Beth > [quoted text omitted] STARGRUNT SUGGESTIONS There are probably fewer modifications necessary for SG than DS, but here are a few thoughts... Mission Motivation: Working in a foreign medium does nothing for the nerves, you have always got to have that little extra edge in the back of your mind, and if you don't then it reaches up and bites you on the butt..... Thus all reaction tests have an additional +1 to the threat level (except for the 'sniper going into hiding test' which is as normal) as do the confidence tests done as a part of a close assault. Mobility and Terrain Effects: It would probably be quite OK to use the existing movement regimes for infantry seeing as the biggest differences would be vs vehicles rather than other infantry types (i.e. less obvious than in DS). The only change to this would be that if they're actually exiting the water (i.e. have stood up or are dolphining out of the surf zone), then their movement rates will be down 2 die types (with 'normal troops actually moving only 2" and rolling a D4 and counting the result as a 1 on a 1 or 2 and a 2 on a 3 or 4). Vehicle base movement now becomes 6" for wheeled vehicles and 12" for everything else but GRAV and boats which go 15". The terrain effects on mobility and ambient weather conditions are as given/assumed above for DS. Spotting: As normal, but the die type is shifted up one for every 6" rather than every 12" and if the water is turbid then unaided vision has a -1 to the roll. Weaponry: Missile fire is not effected by the fact its underwater (they're assumed to be missiles modified for fire underwater or actually torpedos), however other weapons are effected. There is an extra (cover-like) die shift to the target die for targets of non-missile fire; these shifts are as follows: WEAPON SHIFT to Target Die Small Arms - close only UP 3 Small Arms = rifles UP 2 SAWs UP 2 Infantry Plasma Gun UP 1 RFAC UP 3 HVC UP 2 GAC UP 2 MDC UP 1 DFFG UP 1 HEL UP 1 if clear water UP 2 if coastal UP 4 if turbid Heavy weapon range bands are also reduced to 8" x target size Hit Effects: If vehicles are penetrated but not destroyed (i.e. disabled) then roll again and if firer exceeds target's armour die then the vehicle begins to flood, if not repaired in 2 turns then it must be abandoned (if the crew can't escape it they're dead). The effects of an explosion underwater can be pretty devastating to the surrounding area too. Thus ANY unit (friend or foe) within 6" of a vehicle that has been destroyed or a successful (fully effective) missile, or explosive artillery, strike potentially suffers a hit too. Repeat the fire resolution as if the unit was the actual target, but with an extra UP 1 (if this would make it impossible to hit them then give them a suppression regardless). Medical Treatment: Unsuited infantry who are wounded must be moved to land/surface the very next activation or they are considered deceased. Suited infantry or wounded in vehicles may survive longer than their unsuited comrades, however, they're still in a dangerous medium and the sooner they're treated the better, so there is a -1 to the treatment roll for every turn that has elapsed since they were wounded (i.e. if its been 3 turns then there is a -3 etc). DFO: Surface vessels may also use DFO, these must be placed along the path moved by the vessel that turn, but don't forget that anything caught in the burst radius is effected (i.e. watch you don't catch yourself). Dropping off troops: Troops may drop from craft hovering about the surface as if dropping onto a clear plain on land (you can still hurt yourself pretty badly dropping into the water so the WOUNDED on a 1 still stands), drops are not allowed within 6" of a reef or turbulence zone. Troops exiting a vehicle underwater can only do that if the vehicle is taking flood damage (well I guess if you exited a healthy vehicle it'd end up flooded anyway and so be useless) or if the vehicle is identified as having a 'dive pool' before the game (purpose built marine APCs are assumed to have these automatically). Firing troops out torpedo tubes is not advised. Wildlife: There's even more scope for the interaction of troops and wildlife at this scale than any other so a few ideas (along the lines of those given for FT and DS) are given here too. Leviathans could do a lot to mess up a good battle plan, especially if they get in the road. While they would most likely steer clear of a battle in full swing, they may just happen to be caught in the middle when one starts. On the flip side, quite a part from accidental encounters aquatic predators may be drawn to battle sites. They could be of any size, though even the really impressive ones would be probably only have a fairly low armour class (its not impossible for them to be some chitinous monster from another realm, but its more likely they'll be more lightly armoured so they have greater mobility). They'd have to be in contact with a squad or vehicle to 'attack' it, I'd given them a weapon the same size as they are (to reflect the actions of bulk as much as anything) with a (just for e.g) Firepower die of D8 and an Impact of D10 (this is really up for grabs though and would depend on the nature of the beast, its size, any teeth etc it had or whether it was just hitting you with its size). Packs of smaller animals would be better represented as a squad close assaulting with the equivalent of knives or something. Fouling wildlife (like jellyfish etc which entangle but may also sting) is dangerous especially if encountered in swarms. As stated for DS, these would move with the currents and if they end on the same spot as a unit then they will smother it. Vehicles and PA don't take wounds, but they are hampered and take a suppression. Unsuited infantry suffer an attack, as if fired upon by a full strength squad with 'improvised firearms' at close range. Furthermore, swarms of any kind needn't contact troops to hamper operations and dense schools of small 'fish' etc could be counted as additional soft cover if they got into the line of fire.