RE: Its Doctrine, Scouting and Tactics not Fighters

At 1:00 PM -0400 5/6/02, laserlight@quixnet.net wrote:
>From: Ryan M Gill rmgill@mindspring.com
>Subject: Its Doctrine, Scouting and Tactics not Fighters
>>Two fleets just don't line up at 500 Klicks
>and advance in line. There is really lots of maneuvering and scouting
>that goes on. There is a massive fight for information before the
>first shot is ever fired. You need to add to the rules, not change
>them.
>
>Ok, so we need rules which
>a) simulate pre-battle manuevering
>b) simulate pre-battle recon
>c) affect the tabletop setup
>d) are simple
>e) are quick
>Suggestions?

	Short of a second map that has each CA/DD flotilla and BB 
line on it moved around like chess pieces, the following work. Some 
I've tried others I've postulated based on real experience of similar 
methods that worked.

	The easiest way is when you have a ref. He comes up with the 
scenario and why the two forces are there on the opposite sides of 
the board. Scrolly boards are, while more of a pain in the ass, do 
represent space better given that sometimes you'll both get going in 
the same direction and the game turns into a pursuit like many of the 
WWI Gun actions really were.

	The next method is to have discussion by the players before 
hand on what the scenario is and what the victory conditions are. Its 
best if they aren't playing comparing designs like GW hero characters 
every other week.

	The next method is where players give a rough indication of 
the first 20% of their force. And they then choose 20% blocks going 
from there from a pre-arranged group of craft. This can get tricky 
due to the need to form pre-arranged blocks of craft from the start. 
Fitting optimal units into such blocks can get tricky. The first 
player to offer info on his block is the looser of a die roll. They 
alternate giving/getting info and picking in response until the end. 
You could make this a bit more complex where each player makes an 
opposed die roll for each set of "blocks" where by they are playing 
out the scouting phase of the battle.
	For example. Opposed die roll. Player A wins. Player B has to 
pick his first Block and tell player A basically what it is. "4 
Ships, total Mass 40 max, thrust 6, corvette signatures." Player A 
then picks his ships and then tells Player B. You could continue on 
this pattern, or have an additional opposed die roll for each phase. 
At the end you've got a good idea of what the ships are.
	One could, in theory, pay additional points in order to gain 
a die type or cause your opponent to get incorrect information or 
less information. "I'm spending 100 points for enhanced picket 
sensors, I get a D8 for this roll" or "I'm spending 50 points on 
deception jamming, this group is 100 mass of ships that appear to be 
cruisers".

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