These rules would be good for a historical wargame, these games usually
stress detail. If I want lots of detail in the 40K universe I would play
Necromundia. Epic is at least two size scales removed from Necromundia. I
want a game that is simple and fast.
----- Original Message -----
From: Tzeentch <tzeentch666_at_...>
To: <netepic_at_egroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 1:19 AM
Subject: [NetEpic ML] Advanced Artillery Rules
> Heres another blast from the past you might be interested in.... Feedback
is
> GREATLY appreciated...
> ----------------------------------------------------
>
> NETEPIC ARTILLERY NOTEBOOK
>
> ARTILLERY V3.0
>
> Artillery Classes
> Under these rules all artillery types are grouped into three general
> categories. These three categories are then broken up by guidance type (or
> lack thereof).
>
> --Categories--
> Tube
> Rocket
> Drone
>
> *Tube - This represents the vast majority of artillery types and
encompases
> most varieties of howitzers, railgun artillery and even weapons such as
the
> hop splat gun.
> *Rocket - Pretty much self-explanitory. Rockets usually (but not always)
> fire quantities of unguided rockets to saturate an area.
> *Drone - Drones are unmanned vehicles that have some sort of warhead
> attached to them. In some cases they operate without outsite
communication -
> the Imperial Deathstrike is an example of an autonomous drone. Other
drones,
> most notably those used by the Orkoids, are actually operated by a pilot
via
> remote control. Unlike the above two categories drones do not have a
> notation for guidance and follow there own special rules.
>
> --Guidance--
> *Guided - Guided munitions have some ability to home in on the signals
> generated by an Active Designator (see below). As a rule they tend to be
> quite accurate.
> If attacking an Active artillery marker the weapon gets a +1 to hit.
> Guided munitions scatter the normal 2d6cm if fired indirectly by
> non-Spotters.
> *Unguided - Unguided munitions are just that - unguided. This covers the
> vast majority of 'dumb' ordinance in the Epic universe. Unguided munitions
> tend to be cheap and available in vast quantities.
> Unguided munitions ALWAYS scatters d6cm even with a Spotter and 3d6cm
if
> firing indirect with no Spotter.
> *Uncontrolled - These munitions are not only unguided, but tend to be very
> inaccurate as well. But in compensation they tend to be VERY powerful and
> with large areas of effect.
> Uncontrolled munitions ALWAYS scatters 2d6cm even with a Spotter, or
> 4d6cm if firing indirect with no Spotter.
>
> Ranging Shot
> An artillery battery that does not change targets or move receives a +1 to
> hit if it fires on the same target as it did during the previous turn. The
> bonus is
> not improved if multiple turns are spent firing at the same target.
>
> Artillery Orders
> Artillery batteries are slightly different in how they are given orders
> (in much the same manner that flyers receive modified orders).
> First Fire: Artillery can fire in the First fire segment. The unit may
> fire two barrages. Basilsks may still only fire twice. Very large
artillery
> pieces may only fire once (Bombards, Goliath cannons) as do weapons that
> must reload (Manticore).
> Advance: Artillery may fire in the Advance fire segment THEN move up to
> its advance rate. Note that this movement is outside the normal movement
> segment. Basilsks may fire, move at up to advance rate then fire again
with
> no penalty.
> Charge: Normal rules.
> Note that all artillery fire takes place BEFORE other fire during the
same
> phase. Thus during the First Fire phase (for example) all artillery units
on
> First Fire alternate fire before other units may fire.
>
> Arc of Damage
> All artillery fire is assumed to be coming form the direction of the
> firing battery for purposes of determining where the unit is hit.
>
> Falling Short
> Once the battery fires and range is being determined you must check to
see
> if the rounds fall short. This happens if when measuring the range it is
> found that the artillery cannot fire that far. The template is then placed
> at the maximum range of the artillery based on a straight line drawn from
> the battrery and the target. Anything falling under the template is
attacked
> as normal. Do not roll for scatter in this case.
>
> Deviation
> Unless the artillery is firing in Direct Fire mode or firing on an
> artillery marker artillery shots automatically scatter (amount varies on
> guidance type).
>
> Counter Battery
> If there is a Counter-Battery Sensor (CBS) within 75cm of an artillery
> impact (not necessarily just a marker) then the unit may make a 'to hit'
> roll with its sensor to see if it locks on to the enemy artillery units
> location.
> If the 'attack' is successful then an artillery marker (passive) may be
> placed anywhere on the fired artillery battery as long as the marker is
> within 5cm of a fired vehicle.
> Currently all units notes as being Forward Observers are assumed to have
> CBS gear.
> Until further detailed assume the CBS 'hits' on a 5+.
>
> Range
> When measuring range from an artillery battery all ranges are measured
> from the "Main Gun" (the actual English term may be different, maybe say,
> "center piece") concept instead, as used
> by the real life batteries for simplicity in manual calculations. This is
> the gun closest to the center of battery in the battery commander's
opinion.
>
> This is decided on and marked before any shots are fired. So in the game
> the
> player will declare his "main guns" for each battery at the start of the
> game, and may mark them if they are numerous. All range calculations
> are then made from this piece.
>
> When direct firing however all ranges and LOS calculations are measured
> from the individual
> unit.
>
> SPOTTERS
> Forward Observers (hereafter referred to as 'spotters') are equipped
with
> a 'weapon' known as a Designator. The exact form and specifics of this
> weapon are varied through the different races and armies - but they can be
> grouped into two types, Active and Passive.
>
> Active - Active designators send out some sort of signal or beam to guide
> the artillery strike in. Active designators may target moving units as
well
> as ground locations.
>
> If a target is 'painted' by the active designator it remains painted
until
> the unit either moves out of line-of-sight or the observer designates
> another target. No additional designation rolls need to be made.
>
> Until more detailed rules are given Active Designators have a range of
> 75cm and 'hit' on 3+.
>
> Passive - Passive designators do not send out any sort of signal or beam
but
> are slightly more limited do to the fact that there is nothing for
incoming
> artillery rounds to home in on. Thus passive designators may only target
> points on the ground.
>
> Until more detailed rules are given assume the passive designators have
a
> range of 100cm and 'hit' on a 4+.
>
> Spotter may measure the range before actually seeing if they wish to
> 'fire' their Designtors.
>
> Artillery Markers
> Once a target is Designated it is given an 'artillery marker' to show
that
> it is the target of an artillery strike.
>
> For every real marker the player may place two dummy markers anywhere
> within range and LOS of the spotter.
>
> Note that in some cases units may be able to tell if they are really
> painted or not - in those cases dummy markers are not effective.
>
> Both types of designators may place markers anywhere in the spotters
range
> and LOS.
>
> If the designator is Passive then the marker may only be placed on a
> location - if it is placed on a unit then the marker remains in place even
> if the unit moves away. It does not 'follow' the unit.
>
> Active designators, on the other hand, MAY be placed on moving units and
> move with the unit as long
> as the unit remains in range and LOS of the spotter. The active designator
> artillery marker must actually be placed on an enemy target (chosen by the
> spotter) and remains on THAT target until it is either destroyed or moves
> out of the spotters LOS and/or range. If the target is destroyed the
spotter
> may move the marker to any other valid unit in the same unit.
>
> Designating
> A designator is classed as a weapon even though it does no damage. Each
> designator has a to-hit number and a range associated with it.
>
> When the player announces a designation attempt he rolls the to-hit dice
> and applies
> any modifiers to the roll as if he were firing a normal weapon.
>
> If successful the marker is placed on target. Should the roll fail the
> marker is placed on target but it then scatters d6cm. Active designators
> that scatter off their target may not move with the unit but otherwise the
> marker functions as a normal active designator marker.
>
> Each Spotter stand may only have one artillery marker in place at a
given
> time. If the player wishes, the player may announce in the End Phase that
he
> is maintaining his designation of his current targets, if this is the case
> the markers remain where they are (subject to normal rules) and do not
> require an additional Designation attempt.
>
> Should the Spotter be killed or forced to move (routed, etc) then his
> artillery marker is removed.
>
> Designating Phase
> Designators 'fire' after the orders phase but BEFORE the combat phase.
>
> They may also be fired in either of the combat segments and may be 'snap
> fired'.
>
> Units may not designate from inside vehicles unless the vehicle itself
is
> a spotter.
>
> Non-Spotters Designating
> As has been mentioned in the first section firing artillery based on
data
> from non-spotters is inaccurate. But it is important to note that
artillery
> may NOT fire on units that their is no LOS to. There must be a friendly
unit
> within LOS of the desired impact point for the artillery to fire there.
> There is no 'firing blind'. So while artillery directed by non spotters
may
> be inaccurate (usually scattering 2d6cm) its better then nothing. If you
> want accurate fire get some spotters!
>
> Direct Fire
> Artillery may be fired directly without spotters. Artillery tends to not
> be very nimble however, and thus suffers a -1 to hit against targets that
> moved the previous turn. -2 if the target was on Charge orders.
>
> Artillery fired in a direct mode utilizes a different template system.
> This is an equilateral triangle 3cm to a side. There is a dividing line
> between the apex and the mid-point of the opposing side to align the LOF.
> One point of the triangle may be placed within LOS and range with the
'far'
> end pointing in adirection straight away from the firing artillery unit.
>
> When firing in direct fire mode each artillery unit is treated as a
> separate unit and fires individually. Artillery is not designed to be used
> in this manner and is not very efficient.
>
> Due to the nature of rounds fired in this way all artillery receives a
> bonus to their normal target save modifier of an additional -1 (if the
round
> would not normally have a modifier it receives a -1 TSM).
>
> All LOS and ranges are determined from the individual unit. All
modifiers
> for normal ranged combat apply. To hit numbers are determined by the
> individual BP value of the artillery piece.
>
> Optional: Artillery Rounds
> When the player announces he is firing an artillery battery he may state
> that he is using an special munition type (if available). This must be
> stated BEFORE the battery fires. All units in the battery fire the same
> munition type.
>
> ---MUNITION TYPES AND EFFECTS---
> *Smoke - Smoke rounds do no damage, instead the firing player may place a
> number of smoke templates (3cm by 2cm rectangular templates) equal tot he
> number of firing units in the battery. These templates must touch and no
> template may be outside of the batteries normal range.
> Smoke blocks line of sight (for game purposes it is assumed to be 25cm
> 'tall'), including designators (both types). If a unit that is Actively
> designated moves so that the Spotters LOS must cross the smoke templates
> then the marker is lost.
> (Designers Note: Smoke rounds are assumed to be an advanced 'black fog'
type
> that blocks thermographs and interferes with other targeting systems.
> Optionally some races may have to use much more innefficient smoke types.
> This includes Normal Smoke (vehicles do not have LOS broken, Designators
are
> blocked (unless Passive from a vehicle Spotter).)
> *Anti-Personnel - these rounds are specifically designed to be more
> effective against infantry targets. usually this means utilizing many
small
> bomblets to saturate an area with explosives or special rounds that
release
> thousands of flechettes or shards that carpet a large area with flying
> death.
> AP rounds do not have a TSM but templates covering infantry count as
> DOUBLE BP for to-hit purposes. AP rounds have no effect against anything
> above light vehicles. Light vehicles (skimmers, dreadnoughts, tarantulas,
> etc) are hit as normal but do not suffer the BP doubling when rolling
> to-hit.
> *Anti-Tank - these rounds come in many shapes and sizes. Some release
small
> mini missiles that seek out armored units (SADARM) while others are not
> rounds at all but missiles launched from artillery units (Copperhead).
> Whatever the actual method they have the same effect.
> Anti-Tank rounds have their BP HALVED for to-hit purposes against
> infantry. Vehicles (including light vehicles) are hit for normal BP but
the
> rounds have an additional -1 target save modifier.
>
> Optional: Command Vehicles
> As an optional rule all command vehicles except for light vehicles and
> APCs can be assumed to possess Passive designators with a range equal to
> that of its longest ranged weapon. This rule is optional.
>
> Ken
> -------------------------------------------
> "If John Doe's head splits open and a U.F.O flies out, I want you to have
> expected it."
> -Somerset, 'Seven'
>
> "Wanting people to pay attention, you can't just tap them on the shoulder
> anymore. You have to hit them in the head with a sledgehammer. Then, you
> have their strict attention"
> -John Doe, 'Seven'
>
>
>
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Received on Sat Dec 18 1999 - 05:04:41 UTC