Re: Dirtside Engineering Rules [Part 1]

You wrote: 
>
>Yes please, lets see 'em

OK. . . 

Note--I'm using a couple of err. . . liberated. . . manuals, my 
training, and historical knowledge here.  It's all based on my personal 
assumptions of how the universe is going to be in 300 years.  Also 
assumes grav vehicles can 'hop' over obstacles 3 meters tall.  If you 
don't like that assumption, treat them as tracked vehicles in the rules 
to follow.  Or treat obstacles as difficult terrain.  Whatever makes 
you happy.

Breach:  Breach in these rules is simulated by the breaching element 
remaining stationary adjacent to the obstacle for an entire activation, 
neither moving nor firing.  Breaching may active opportunity fire, and 
if this fire damages or destroys the breaching element the breach is 
not sucessful.	A unit may activate certain elements to fire, then 
activate others to breach, but must indicate which are breaching and 
which are firing before any actions are taken.	So an engineer platoon 
may fire 5 elements and use the sixth to breach wire, but if that 
element is destroyed the breach is a failure.  But if they fire 3 
elements and commit three to breaching, all three must be destroyed to 
prevent the breach.  Non-engineer elements attempting a breach must 
make a confidence check at threat level +1, +2 if under fire.  Yes, I 
mean confidence, not reaction.	Gives you folks a reason to keep your 
engineers alive until they hit that last set of obstacles.

Section 1:  Obstacles other than Mines and Wire  Note that these are 
highly scenario-dependant, and as such do not have a listed point cost. 
 They may only be used by a player who has the area fully under his 
control (except expedient items, discussed below).  Suggestion would be 
for an umpire to review the obstacle plan.  A 3-1 advantage is 
reccomended for assaulting a dug-in force.

Bridge Demolitions:  Before any game, a player may rig a bridge to 
explode.  He may detonate it at any point as the activation of a single 
Engineer element.  If neither the element or the bridge are under fire, 
then the bridge drops according to plan.  If the engineer element is 
under fire, or the bridge has been fired on by artillery, whether 
effective or harassing, then roll a dice as per unit quality (d6 for 
green, d8 regular, d10 Veteran) for sucessful demolition.  On a four or 
more, the bridge has been sucessfully and completely demolished.  If 
not, the umpire (or demolishing player, preferable that neither side 
knows) rolls a 1d4.  This indicates the largest weight class of vehicle 
that the bridge can now support.[1]  Also roll a d6 on following chart:

    1-no effect
    2-bridge will collapse after 2d6 vehicles have passed over it
    3-bridge will collapse after 3d6 vehicles have passed over it
    4-bridge will collapse in 2d12 hours
    5-bridge will collapse in d6 days
    6-bridge will collapse in 2d4 days

[1]This is assuming a major highway bridge which can support size-class 
6 vehicles to begin with.  For smaller bridges, roll a d4 and subtract 
from current max allowable weight class, 0 or less indicates it can 
only support infantry and cavalry.

Non-nuclear craters (I'll deal with ADM in a later post!) are assumed 
to be the width of the road they are placed on, or the size of a normal 
marker chit if placed anywhere else (though God alone knows why you'd 
do that.  Too easy to bypass).	These are impassable to all except grav 
vehicles, who can fly over them.  Difficult terrain to infantry--and 
I'm being generous here.  May be bridged by AVLBs (Armored Vehicle 
Launched Bridges).  

Anti Tank Ditches come in expedient and deliberate.  All are impassable 
to wheeled, GEV, or tracked vehicles.  Difficult for infantry.	
Expedient ditches may be breached by size-3+ tracked vehicles.	
Deliberate ditches in hard, clayey soil may not be breached.  All 
ditches may be bridged by AVLBs.

John M. Atkinson