Re: SG2 Unit Coherency Question

You wrote: 

>In SG2, individuals in a unit must adhere to certain coherence rules, 
or face >penalties.  As I recall (away from the book), coherency is 2" 
in column/line, >or 6" (radius?  diameter?) in an irregular grouping.  
>Now, the question:  Why?  Are these distances based on communications 
(how far >the Sarge can yell, how far away you can read handsigns?), or 
maybe morale >(don't want to be out of sight of your buddies)?	If so, 

Remember groundscale.  1" is 10m.  So 20 meter seperation is about as 
much as you'd want--that's very loose formation.  Command and control 
is one reason.	In areas of thick vegetation, esp at night, you might 
be so close that in SG terms the bases would be overlapping.  The rule 
of thumb in US is five meters minimum, more in open terrain.

couldn't these be >different for other species (closer/farther)?  If 
this assumes modern/post- >modern communications and doctrine, wouldn't 
lower-tech troops, or troops from >a different era have more 
restrictive coherency rules?  AFAIK, the SG2 rules

Probably.  Remember that up into WWI, most troops were 
shoulder-to-shoulder, and even a skirmish line was tighter than modern 
troops form up in.

>assume that most troops have individual radios.  Would an action 
penalty be in >order for troops that don't?

I'd not worry so much about that until you get to detached units.  To 
have guys left behind change what they have been doing might be a 
penalty--depending on commo procedures.  You can do a lot with star 
clusters and a pre-arranged signal set.

John M. Atkinon