Re: Loss of platoon/company leaders, was Re: SG2 Rules and such,

In message <199803180316.WAA31181@icx.net>, Thomas Barclay writes:
> Andy spake thusly upon matters weighty: 
> 
> > How about this:
> > When a command squad for a unit is routed or destroyed, that unit
must
> > make an immediate Confidence Test at TL 3.
> > 
> > When a command squad is routed or destroyed, the units it commanded
> > are considered leaderless.	Leaderless units are considered to be at
> > broken morale (if they were not routed) for all purposes until
command
> > is reestablished.  A unit may attempt to move normally without
command
> > being established by passing a reaction test at TL 2; if the
reaction
> > test is failed, the unit may not do anything else that activation.
> 
> Not consistent with other rules. How about this? Test at TL 3. If you 
> fail, you suffer normal failure effects (morale drops as normal, and 
> you pull back 6"). A leaderless unit may thereafter not move or 
> conduct a fire action without passing a reaction test (TL 2? maybe) 
> which represents the individual initiative of the squad leader. If it 
> fails, it does not move or do anything for that turn.  

That's essentially a clarification of what I meant above, with the 6"
pull back added.

> > Leadership may be reestablished by the next unit in command taking a
> > reorganize action.	Once leadership is reestablished, units under
that
> > command may move normally after passing a normal reaction test.
> 
> If the PSM is alive, let him take a reorg on the command unit and if 

Well, I don't really want to go out of the squad level.  Half the
time, when there's a casulty, we randomly roll to see if it was the
squad leader.  I would use the new squad leader replacement rules to
handle the actual loss of the command unit's squad leader; the rules
I'm trying to develop are when the command unit is no longer a factor
(i.e., routed or destroyed).  Do you feel that the added detail is
necessary?  It's probably more realistic, but would the game get
bogged down with CT's and RT's everytime your command squad takes
fire?

> Of course, this begs the question: The commander is smoked. Your 200m 
> left advancing through trees. Do you have any idea? Maybe, maybe not. 
:
> suspect otherwise. Of course, I can't think of a rules based approach 

I agree.  It's easier just to let them know.

You could get pretty interesting with rules about command elements.
What if the command element were suppressed, and the units he commands
_thinks_ he's dead?  :) Of course, most of it would probably bog the
game down.  That's the main reason I don't want to detail the
individuals in the chain of command.

--
Andrew E. B. Cowell <cowell@icx.net>
Systems Administrator, Internet Design Group, Inc.
http://www.internet-design.com/
http://www.icx.net/