Re : Chits

>Soldiers  are _trained_ NOT to think and only obey orders . Initiative
is a
>dangerous beast in the hand of the common grunt (No offence .mil boys!)
>Sprayforming Developments Ltd.        [production tools]
>					    made in
>				       [prototype  times]
>  'The future is now'

Well that was quite a statement.  I don't know what country you live in,
but in the U.S. soldiers are trained a little better than that.  Playing
in
such a small scale action, we have to assume that the soldiers have been
given general orders before hand, "hold this ridge", "advance to sector
B4", "delay enemy forces for 20 minutes", etc.	  Forgetting to move a
unit
does NOT simulate the confusion of battle, just the forgetfulness of a
player.  If you want confusion, perhaps the player should make a
communications check, (just draw a command chit for the PLAYER before
the
game starts)  and he has to make a sucessful check be fore he can MOVE
any
troops.  They would still fire and defend themselves of course.  Now
that
would simulate circumstances beyond the commanders control!   Armies
that
have troops with initiative are excellent fighters ( Finnish soldiers
WWII)
whereas armies with low troop initiative (Soviet soldiers WWII) must
rely
on brute force of numbers to get the job done.	I think this accurately
portrayed in SG II with the quality level assigned to each unit.  I
haven't
played Dirtside yet, but it looks very similar.  The point is that every
army today and in the future will have different training levels and to
say
that "GRUNTS ARE TRAINED NOT TO THINK" is not accurate.    The chits are
a
quick, informative and convientit way to play these games without
cumbersome unit sheets and recording of status on paper.   I really
don't
see anyother way to do it.  I also don't subscribe to the idea that
using
chits to remind you which units have not moved is "unrealistic".   It's
bad
enough when you try to combat move a unit and roll a 1 or when you try
to
go "in position" and fail, leaving your butts hanging in the wind.  The
Lt.
or the Gen. didn't have to tell them boys to  "get their heads down" 
they
already know how to do that.

Jerry McVicker

"Don't worry soldier, weapons will be available in a moment."

I buy my gaming supplies at....

Blackwind and Raddix Gaming
http://www.imagixx.net/~bnrgames
bnrgames@imagixx.net