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DS2 / SG2 vehicle design.

From: Stephen Pugh <ax16@d...>
Date: Sun, 22 Sep 1996 18:17:24 -0400
Subject: DS2 / SG2 vehicle design.

I've got come across some oddities with the vehicle design system in DS2
and SG2. My problem concerns turrets.

A turreted weapon takes 3xweapon size class. Okay.
Another turreted weapon on the same vehicle takes 2xweapon size class.
Okay, I can see the logic behind that, but when I examine things a bit
closer I run into problems.

Example 1:  A multi-barreled turret, the first barrel takes 3x, each 
subsequent barrel takes 2x. Fine, so my 'Devastation' class fire support
MICV with its 2xHel/2 turret takes 10 capacity.

Example 2: A co-axial weapon is just a variation on the above. Again
fine.

Example 3: An MBT with a cupola. The main turret is 3xweapon size, but
is the cupola 2x or 3x? After all it can rotate to face a different
direction to the main gun and thus would need the extra capacity for 
its own turret mechanism. 
	However as (in DS2) each vehicle can only fire one weapon per
turn there is no practical game difference between this and a co-axial 
mount, so perhaps x2 is jusatified.
	On the other hand, in SG2 we can fire more than one weapon per
turn if we choose to use both actions and so the question becomes 
important.

Example 4:  Vwhicles with multiple turrets. I was prompted to consider
the problems because of the The 'Phalanx' heavy APC from p68 of SG2 
It is a size 4 vehicle with 16 infantry capacity and thus 4 capacity 
remaining. These are occupied by two DFFG/1. How is this possible? The 
DFFGs are clearly in turrets not fixed mounts?
	Do we treat this as two restricted arc turrets, each with 180
degree fire and pay 3x for one and 2x for the other? (This comes to 5
cap, 
more than we have available.) Or we pay 3x for each as they are separate

systems. (This comes to 6 cap, even worse...)
	Or do we fudge matters and say that two 180 degree turrets is
the same as one 360 degree turret and simply pay 3x. pretending that we 
have a single DFFG/1 in a 360 degree turret?
	Or do we say that as the dead zone for each DFFG is actually
very small, (the size of the other turret) we could treat it as a
2xDFFG/1
in a 360 degree turret. Thus taking 5x capacity as in Example 1.

	Obviously there are even more horrendous models out, in
particular some of the GW ones. So the questions are:
* Do turreted extra weapons only take the 2x capacity instead of 3x if
they are mounted on the SAME turret as the primary weapon?
* To what extent do people fudge their interpretation of an actual
miniature in order to make it a 'clean' DS2 or SG2 design?

While on the subject of vehicle designs, here are a few more:
* When designing vehicles to use in both SG2 and DS2 how do people
handle the fact that infantry teams take up 4 capacity in DS2 regardless
of size but in SG2 they take 1 capacity per troop. If I am using the
same 
army in both scales I would be tempted to know exactly how many troops 
in a team and thus allocate exact capacity to my DS2 designs.
* How much extra capacity does a man packed crew served heavy weapon
occupy if the squad mount up in an APC etc.? I woud say either 1 or 2
extra
capacity.

	So how does any one out there handle these problems? Any
'official' ruling from Mike? (especially regarding the Phalanx)

		Steve

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