Re: Wire Obstacles

John spake thusly upon matters weighty: 

> You wrote: 
> 
> >The real point of Monomolocular Filiament is that it is a dirty 
> weapon. My >thinking on it has completely changed since this
discussion 
> began. In the >Mercenary campaign I plan to run the mercs will have
the 
> opportunity to use >'dirty tricks'. It's in the literature and it's in

> real life so why avoid >it? Now then, if you deploy something as nasty

> as land mines or MF as one >of your 'dirty tricks' then you risk - 
> 
> *SNX*  I realize I havn't put out my post on mines yet, but to
classify 
> *properly utilized* mines as a 'dirty trick' is. . . how to say this 
> without insulting someone's intelligence. . . a little pathetic?  
> Speaks of someone buying into a lot of poorly thought-out propaganda 
> put out by people who have the luxury of knowing they'll never come 
> near a combat zone.  An unmarked land mine next to a villiage's only 
> well is a terror weapon, a properly laid out AT minefield with proper 
> AP mines and Anti-handling devices is a militarily useful and legally 
> and morally acceptable weapon.

To make a point: One does not even need to step on a mine to have 
one's mobility impaired. If one sees an area that looks like it might 
be mined (with minefield signs posted), one must avoid it or try to 
sweep it, as the minefield might well be real. A friend used this to 
great effect defending a town when he didn't have enough mines to 
defend it all.... 

> If the rebels get too dirty and the Mercs can utilize that effectively

> in their propaganda, then the power supporting the Rebels (no such 
> thing as a dangerous rebellion without outside support) kisses them 
> off.

Hmmm. I'm not sure the Tsars of Russia would agree. There are home 
grown rebellions which are quite dangerous. But for the most part, 
they are exacerbated by external forces. 
 
> >understanding how things like this might work. I think the further we

> get >from assuming Total War in our games, the more realistic they
will 
> become.
> 
> Sounds like someone's been reading Clausewitz and actually 
> understanding it, which is a pleasant change.

Interestingly enough, the Traveller universe revolved around 
continuous small wars as a way to avoid the big ones.  

Tom.
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