Re: Overwatch

Hi folks,

>Allan said:
>What you can't do is move the first unit and have it go on OW, at 
>least not with my current OW rules. My OW rules, and Tom's, restrict 
>you to spending two actions to go on OW. Maybe this is a flaw, and it 
>should only cost one action.
>
>[Tomb] Misquote :)  (I only ever called OW a single action and a fire 
>action that I recall, this two action thing is either something you 
>or Sr. Fulton dreamed up - I don't see it as unbalancing as 1 action)

Hang on a minute, if your OW requires only a single action, then
couldn't I
fire and go on overwatch?

If that is the case, then that opens the door to breaking the "weapons
can't fire more than once per activation" rule.

For example:

Team A activates, shoots at Squad 1 (which is 12" away in light cover)
with
first action, then goes on overwatch as second action.

Squad 1 activates, and tries a combat move out from this light cover to
the
next bit of light cover, 8" distant.  Team A takes their OW action,
shooting at Squad 1 as it moves out of the cover.

Team A has now shot twice for a single activation's worth of actions.

Is that what you intend to be the case, or did you have some other kind
of
limitations on going on overwatch, like:

1. Overwatch is the last action a unit may take in any given activation
(if
you go on overwatch, your activation ends).
2. Overwatch requires only one action.
3. A unit may NOT go on overwatch if it has already fired during the
same
activation.

So, you couldn't go on overwatch and then move.  Nor could you shoot and
go
on overwatch.  You could, however, move and go on overwatch, or go into
position and go on overwatch.

I think having overwatch cost one action under these circumstances is
reasonable.  I don't think you should be able to shoot and go on
overwatch
in the same activation.  

Otherwise, overwatch should indeed cost two actions - to prevent people
shooting and going on overwatch in the same activation...

You might respond "Ok, my rifles fire (action 1), but my SAW goes on
overwatch (action 2)".	This is too complex - keeping track of which
weapon
in which squad has fired and which hasn't.  I'd rather keep the rule as
simple as possible, and say "the squad is on overwatch or it isn't". 
That
way, the squad could use its overwatch action to fire a special weapon
(like a GMS/L) if an enemy vehicle came into view, or its smallarms
against
an enemy squad.

That's a bit more simplistic, but easier and quicker to administer
(nothing
to remember - just mark the overwatch with a counter).

********************************************

Adrian Johnson
adrian.johnson@sympatico.ca