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[SGII] Supression

From: "John M. Atkinson" <john.m.atkinson@e...>
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 10:43:23 -0500
Subject: [SGII] Supression

OK, one of the nicest thing about SGII is a viable supression mechanism,
which represents what most rounds sent downrange in combat do.	

One of the points constantly harped upon by it's detractors is the lack
of aliens in the Warhammer motif.

It is theorized by many people that a fear of death is a human
characteristic (which fails to explain why a species would survive long
enough to get to the stars if there isn't a survival urge) and hence
certain aliens should not be affected by supression.  Or maybe they just
don't like spending all that time pulling supression markers.  

Hence a number of conversions of SGII to various alien species.  And in
a number of these conversions, the notation is made that this or that
group is 'immune to supression'.

Let me propose that supression is a survival reflex in a combat
zone--getting small and inconspicuous behind something solid sounds like
sane thing to do, at least in the short term.  Hence those who aren't
supressed--the uber-macho[1] who ignore those bullet whizzing around and
leap manfully into the fray--are going to be a LOT easier to hit.

So my suggestion is thus:  For every thing there is a tradeoff, also
known as There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.  Suppose for a
moment that if Species X is immune to supression, then ALL sucesses
should count as major sucesses.  This would mean that there is a chance
of one or two casualties every time they are fired upon.  This would
allow things like Rorke's Drift In Space.  Right now it would be heavily
skewed in favor of the non-supressed side.  They can leap up and charge
in serried ranks of massed alienity, but they are no easier to hit than
a Boer Commandoe low-crawling through the woods and using proper
Individual Movement Techniques.  This evens things out a little bit. 
It's not extreme enough to allow for the effects of shooting into dense,
close formations (pike phalanxes, Napoleonic lines. Zulu Impis, or force
of Reiters) but should even the odds in favor of those brave Terrans
battling fearsome "Thingies with Lots of Spikey Bits."

John M. Atkinson
[1]Yes, I'm mixing Spanish and German.	Deal with it.


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