RE: [Epic] marine chapters (was: Orks with LandRaiders)

From: Oki Purwanto <oki_at_...>
Date: Tue, 09 Sep 1997 03:29:47 +0800

At 03:20 PM 9/8/97 +0200, you wrote:
>From: J. Michael Looney[SMTP:mlooney_at_...]


>In the former Red Army (it is shorter) not all of the vehicles had
>radios;
>only commanders. In the U.S. Army command vehicles are easily
>identified by
>the 2, 3, or even 4 antennas on the vehicles. A very real part of
>Air-Land
>Battle (the U.S. Army's Cold War Doctrine) was the destruction of any
>vehicle with antennas. All fire support observers had radios as well so
>if
>you accidently got a artillery spotter, oh well.
>

You mean the Russkie leaders do not force all their subordinate tanks to put
up a few metal wires on each and every of their tanks so as to confuse their
opponents ? "But sir, all of them has got 4 antennas ! Which do I shoot ?!!
And there are hundreds of them ! Wait a minute, I see one without any
antennas...." I thought even the Orkz could have figured that ought.

And if US Army's Cold War doctrine is based partially on the ability of
their field troopers to kill the Russkies' lead tanks (identified of course
by presence of their antennas), I sure am glad the cold war is over ! ;)

Anyway, my two cents worth (which is not much, after Singapore's currency
attack) I feel that :

1. Detachments should have free targeting (ie. can target any
detachment as the detachment commandeer see fit). These guys are supposed to
be pros, and should have the ability to weigh the importance of multiple
targets (opposing detachments). And if you choose wrongly, then you have to
pay the price.

2. AT weapons should not be given excessive flexibility in choosing
target. While they are able to choose their target class, they should not be
able to pick out the specific target within that class. What I mean is that,
supposed an AT can target a Stomper over an Ork infantry unit. But if there
are multiple Stompers around, the nearest Stompers will (ahem!) die first,
instead of the Warboss Stompa everytime. Even though, the effect is neglible
as command is pass to the next eligible unit, I really hate it when the
prettiest and the coolest unit on the board always die first. Hmmm, maybe I
am onto something here, much like the antennas ;)

Nothing scientific nor excessively logical of course.

Regards
Oki
      

>Your Point? Man I hate this. Maybe the Epic40K targeting restrictions
>are
>not so unrealistic after all. Call em characters (40K) or SC (Epic40K)
>they are not so hard to pick out on the battlefield.
>

Maybe not in firefights in ranges of km/behind easily defensible (or ambush)
position. But when you are maneuvering at combat fight, almost dog-fighting
(hey, come to think of it, is this Air-Land Battle thinking applicable to
identifying commanding planes also ?), I don't think the ground troopers
will have the luxury of time. "Nope, no antennas, no antennas, aha ! two
antennas ! Ready.... Wait I see three antennas !"

I hope that did not come off too loud/obnoxious guys. But the fact that NATO
actually figured out that "identifying and taking out Warsaw Pact command
tanks in the heat of the battle" is one of their best tactics simply scares
the hell out of me. Hence the ramblings. Even though I am in Singapore, 1/3
the world away.
Received on Mon Sep 08 1997 - 19:29:47 UTC