Overwatch, almost done....

Allan said:

I'd really like to see guidelines for force building in SG2. I'd like to
know just what Jon was thinking when he modelled squads the way he does.
I
have a sneaking suspicion that the game was intended to have fireteams
"abstracted". Hence the allowing of split fire and detachments. That a
squad
in SG2 was intended to act as the lowest squad size. Certainly Jon's
"canon"
squads are 6 and 8 troopers in size. 

[Tomb] The problem with detachments is they are kind of (I find) a pain
to
use. 2 fireteams is easier. Plus an 8 man fireteam gives 3-5 manouvre
elements per platoon and gives a fast game. Translate that into
fireteams
and you have 10-11 manouvre elements per platoon conceivably and a
little
slower game.... better feel tactically, but slower flow. Jon took a
balance.

On the other hand, when I've used fireteams they seem to work just fine.
They are sort of like half-squads in Advanced Squad Leader. 

[Tomb] I've had no problems, except if using 4 guys with FP2 rifles
(OUDF).
They tend to lose firepower wayfast. 

The only thing I'm wrestling with right now is the concept of a squad
leader
versus a fireteam leader. I don't think two fireteams (which make up one
squad) should have a leader that has transfer action capability. It
would
essentially give every squad in the game an extra activation. 

[Tomb] No no and no no. I agree! I make a Sgt head the squad and be with
Fireteam One and a Cpl is with the heavy weapon in Fireteam Two
(typically).
But the Sgt. doesn't "transfer command". I assume the fact that fireteam
2
is acting suggests things are actually being commanded as normal. Only
the
Lt. (or sometimes pltn Sgt) can "transfer command". 

I got thinking about an SG2 point system. The concept I had was based on
command levels, but I'm not sure how it would be put in place. Two
4-trooper
squads should be more expensive than 1 8-trooper squad, even when all
the
support weapons and such are the same. I got thinking that you could
price
things per figure, but you buy the quality and leadership values of the
squad when you buy the leader. Thus, by definition, a large squad will
be
cheaper than two smaller squads. The problem is analysing this to come
up
with a number for the cost...

[Tomb] I hashed out one for our FMA game based on my suspicions about
what
is worth how much, but its gut feeling and reflects the fact
organization
isn't bought in FMA. For SG2, I usually just try to balance the forces
with
an eye to my experience. And I realize the rule of squares applies to
force
differences. If I think the difference in capability is 10%, that really
translates to one force having 100%, the other 90%, and their relative
strengths are 1.00/0.81 --> (0.9^2). Thus a force half as tough as
another
force isn't only 50% as tough, they're really only 25% as tough. This
roughcut formula seems to have prevented too many totally one sided
battles.
I use this sometimes when figuring victory conditions.

[Tomb] A point formula would be nice, but DS2 has one and even that
leads to
min-maxing and contention here and there about what things are worth.
Some
combinations just work better. In SG2, there is no "points" to tell you
two
things are equal - it is an act of gestalt (hard for new people, I
know...
my answer to them is err on the side of caution!)- but it means I don't
go
in with any illusions about two X point setups being equivalent like
some
DS2 scenarios might have me think. A point system is neat, but it
doesn't
replace judgement and experience with the game. Another good point is:
Not
all battles are fair. Warfare is inherently unfair and so if we game it
out,
sometimes we should be prepared for seemingly unbalanced games. I've
seen
awful rolling turn what looked like a balanced scenario into a cakewalk.
I
then modifying the scenario accoringly, and average rolls then made it a
cakewalk the other way. So you just can't win every battle. Be calm
about
that and just enjoy playing the game whether you win or lose, takes a
lot of
stress out of unbalanced results! :) 

------------------------------------------
Thomas R. S. Barclay
Voice: (613) 722-3232 ext 349
e-mail: tomb@bitheads.com

2001: To the New Millenium! The next thousand years
are MINE. 
------------------------------------------