RE: [SG2] [FMA] [Am I the last one to use tags?] Comms Quality

[Qualifier: I play SG2 about once a year, so weigh any comments
accordingly]

I remember the Grey Day game at GZGECC III last Feb.  It had quite a few
ECM
bidding wars (everyone seemed to enjoy this). It was kind of a
game-within-a-game.

I like Alan's suggestion.

I would suggest limiting the CP (Communications Problems) chits to the
number of EW chits that can be committed (i.e. if you can only use upto
3 EW
chits in a bid, then the max CP chits given to a side would be 3. 

Only 1 CP chit could be used in blocking any 1 comm attempt.

CP chips count toward the total EW chits that can be used in a bid (i.e.
if
the max. EW chits that can be used in a bid is 3 and a CP chip is used
for
side A, then side A may only use 2 additional EW chits in that bid).

CP chips must be used before EW chips in a ECM/ECCM bid.

The effect is that the side with the Comm Problem will have to use
additional communications manpower to get signals through.

The bad thing about this system is that the CRITICAL calls are the ones
most
likely to be effected by the communications problem (Murphy's Law?).

~~Slight turn~~

Is EW activation an action? By this I do not mean using the EW chits. In
rereading page 52, it provides the option of an EW activating its
equipment
(and thus getting 3 EW chits or to not activate the EW equipment (and
thus
not have the chits available that turn). If activating EW is not an
action
(thus limiting other actions), why would an EW unit decide not to
activate
the EW? On the other hand, it is not listed on pages 16-18 (regarding
actions). 

If it is an action, it would have to be an Element Action (to coin a new
phrase). An element action is one that effects an individual element of
a
unit (restricting the number of additional actions that element can
perform
without restricting the number of actions that the rest of the unit may
perform). Element Action is not unprecedented (just not named so) as
heavy
weapons action is a separate action for a unit, but only counts as an
action
for the element and all of the leadership actions are element actions.
Thus
an EW unit could activate the EW and move or activate the EW and fire a
weapon, but not activate the EW, move and fire a weapon. But a 2 man
unit
with an EW element could move, activate the EW and have the non-EW
element
fire.

Again, see the qualifier at the top of the post.

-----
Brian Bell
bkb@beol.net	  
-----

> -----Original Message-----
> From: agoodall@canada.com [SMTP:agoodall@canada.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2000 5:03 PM
> To:	gzg-l@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU
> Subject:	Re: [SG2] [FMA] [Am I the last one to use tags?]  Comms
> Quality
> 
> Here's another option. You can make the quality of the communications
a
> function of ECM. 
> 
> Short recap of SG2 ECM rules: When using ECM each ECM unit is given
> (usually) 3 ECM chits. When the ECM unit is activated and goes ACTIVE,
the
> ECM chits are available for use at any time during that turn. 
> 
> Rule suggestion: Give the opposing player one or more ECM chits that
are
> always automatically activated at the beginning of a turn. The
> communications rolls are handled as normal, but the opposing player
may
> spend his ECM chits as he sees fit to muck up communications. 
> 
> Potential issues off the top of my head are as follows:
> 
> 1) These can get confused with regular ECM chits. New chits, perhaps,
> would be better. Perhaps call them "Comm Problem" chits or something.
> Allow them only for communication rolls, and nothing else. This
> essentially adds a new mechanic to the game, but one based on an
existing
> mechanic.
> 
> 2) How many chits should be given? Good question, and could take a
while
> to get the balance right. I'd suggest perhaps 1 chit per potential
leader
> activation. This would have the effect of hurting each communications
> roll, or allowing the opponent to REALLY try to mess up one roll while
> leaving others untouched.
> 
> 3) How many chits can be used at once? This is limited, in the ECM
rules,
> by the number of chits that the player gets and the use of chits by
that
> player's opponent. I'd use the "3 chit" rule from suppression counters
and
> allow no more than 3 chits to be used at any one time.
> 
> The reason I like this chit idea is that it increases player
> participation. SG2 is good for this, but giving players yet another
point
> of tension is always good. My Operation: Dust Off scenario at GenCon
was
> the first time I used ECM in a scenario, and all players found it to
be
> fun. 
> 
> Another advantage of the chit system is that you can use it to
simulate a
> wide range of factors. Say, for instance, that there is some sort of
> general communication mess up in the battle zone. Perhaps a space
battle
> is taking out communications satellites, or nuclear explosives are
adding
> EMP to the area, or there is jamming taking place in the area. You
could
> add or subtract chits per turn based on the strategic implications.
Maybe
> each turn the opposing player gets an additional chit as satellites
are
> knocked out of orbit. Or perhaps the player starts with 6 chits per
turn
> but loses one each time a leader unit conducts a Reorganise action
> (representing someone fixing a radio). 
> 
> Just a thought, anyway.
> 
> Allan Goodall - agoodall@canada.com
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