RE: [SG2]: GSM/P Question

Remember the British troops fighting in the Falklands war used guided
missiles against infantry... I seem to remember reading there was an
incident in which Argentinian trenches and machine gun bunkers were
attacked by British guided missile teams, to great effect - primarily
'cause it freaked the Argentinians out.  I think this was when the
British
officer went forward to accept a surrender and was machinegunned.  The
British soldiers said "right, then" and opened up with their anti-tank
missiles, and the Argentinians quickly abandoned their positions.

At the least, being shot at by one of these things may have morale
effects,
at the very least supressing the target momentarily - and there is
always
some chance that it could cause damage.  If the rocket weighs 10 lbs and
has a HEAT warhead, and it hits near a troop unit moving at a couple
thousand miles per hour, it will at least create some shrapnel by
destroying what it hits and from the warhead casing itself.  Obviously
it
is really unlikely to actually hit a single person, but if it did hit
close
to someone, it could cause serious damage.

>From a "rules" point of view, look at page 40 of the SG2 rulebook.

Under "guided missile fire" it says that the GMS/P can't add in to
small-arms fire resolution (unlike a buzz-bomb).  It doesn't say that
you
can't fire at infantry, just that you must fire the GMS/P as a separate
fire action.

If you can do damage to infantry with an IAVR (firepower d10, impact d12
according to chart on page 34, though the text on page 40 says it has
firepower d8) shouldn't you be able to do damage to infantry with a
GMS/P?
The only real difference between the two is in size of rocket motor and
guidance package. The warheads are the same (d12, d12x2 for major hit).

I would suggest that if you fire a GMS/P vs infantry, one of two methods
might be used to resolve the fire:

1.  you should roll quality die and guidance die vs. target ECM (d4 for
"none" unless you have an ew specialist with the target squad) to see if
it
hits.  If so, then as Owen pointed out, you divide the defender's die
type
into the attacker total to see how many troops are hit.  Then use impact
of
the GMS/P - usually d12 - to resolve damage.  Let's look at a "typical"
example.  If you take a regular unit firing a GMS/P with "enhanced" (d8)
guidance against an infantry squad in hard cover you would be rolling
2d8
vs 1d6 (assuming the infantry doesn't have ECM).  Rolls are average,
with 4
and 5 on the d8's and 4 on the d6.  Unit is supressed, no casualties. 
If
the defender rolls a 3 on the d6 then he is supressed, and suffers 1
potential casualty, 2 if roll 1 through 3 on a d6.  Impact is d12, but
'cause in hard cover the armour is shifted up two dice.  Not the end of
the
world.	Worst case scenario is the missile hitting troops in the open
and
rolling well - could do lots of damage.  Not any better than an IAVR
though.

Saying an IAVR will damage troops but a GMS/P won't, when they use the
same
warhead, doesn't make any sense.  I don't see any problem with limiting
how
effective the GMS/P is - particularly with respect to range - vs
infantry,
but it should be able to do *something*.

2.  An alternative might be to treat the GMS/P as an IAVR for the
purposes
of attacking dispursed infantry, using guidance die instead of FP die,
but
defender using range die as per normal.  Or say that the guidance system
of
the missile gives some benefit to the user, so the rangebands are
2xquality, same as with a sniper (not unlimited, 'cause target is really
small, but better than normal 'cause of sighting systems).  The missile
must be fired as a separate fire action.  Cover shifts range die as per
small arms fire.

Anyway, my $0.02.

Adrian

   Quite obviosuly  you can engage an infantry target with ANY
>weapons system. Set up a Milan,  acquire an infantry squad in the open
and
>of course you CAN fire your missile.  Total waste of a tank killer
round
>though. And quite likely you'll not do much  in the way of casualties
>compare to the effect of a MAG58 or M60. But you CAN do  it.	
>Realistically your  squads should not be engaging infantry with a GMS
if
>they are in the open or in  soft cover or if there is a LIKELY armour
>threat. However if the enemy is  situated in a hardened defensive
position
>such as a bunker or prepared building	it may be a differnet story. If
>there are no IAVR's in the squad then of course  you'd use your best
asset
>to take the enemy out! The GMS!!   IMHO the SG rules  set is good
because
>it is flexible and a reasonable simulation of small unit  engagements
when
>played in the spirit of the game.   Cheers,   Owen  G	  -----Original