Re: FMA skirmish questions

>On Sun, 11 Jul 1999, Ground Zero Games wrote:
>
>> >I'd like to clarify a few things. (and yeah, I and a lot of others
can
>> >probably settle these just fine between us using common sense)
>
>Ah, people have started to post about FMA! Interesting phenomenon - jon
>posts FMA to the list. List drops dead for two days, except for a
couple
>of vacumnheads (er, FT players) arguing. Then list lurches to life
again
>after we've all had 48 to absorb St St St Jon's latest miracle...
>
>> >
>> >i) Can a figure fire with the same weapon in both actions ?  (In
SG2, you
>> >cannot).
>>
>> Provided it isn't a single-shot weapon, I think yes.
>
>so machine pistols, SMGs, SAWs... what about autopistols, assault
rifles,
>and similar?

I meant single-shot as in a one-shot disposable, or something that needs
reloading after 1 shot, eg: a single tube rocket launcher. An action of
firing with most other weapons is assumed to be several rounds fired
anyway.
>
>> >
>> >ii) Can a leader transfer to the same subordinate twice in an
activation ?
>> >(In SG2, we don't allow this).
>>
>> Gut feeling says no, but is this an unneccesary restriction? (Given
that we
>> want to keep the number of arbitrary and special rules to a bare
minimum)
>> >
>> >iii) Is there any reaction test to enter or hold your ground in
close
>>combat
>> >?  Must you make a combat move to enter close combat ?  On the
whole,
>> >entering close combat is strictly easy in these rules (no morale, no
>> >variable charge range, only reaction or overwatch fire to interrupt
the
>> >charge, no follow ups or overruns).
>
>We did a very small playtest last night (4 troops vs 4) and had the
>attacker pass a straight Reaction test to start CC. Using combat move
>sounds good as well.
>
>> That's a bit of the rules I haven't finished writing yet! Remember,
these
>> were released to the list in a very rough form, and many bits are
>> incomplete. I think that the reaction tests as you mention are both
good
>> ideas, as is the combat-move roll.
>> >
>> >iv) Is it a GM's job to determine when morale-type reaction tests
are taken
>> >?  There are no guidelines for when a force might test to flee, etc.
>
>Aside from the Suppression marker tests, the only other test we added
via
>houserules was "All friendly characters within LOS of a casualty must
make
>a Reaction test."
>
>> One thing I need to put in is an overall "force morale" mechanism, as
well
>> as individual reactions.
>> >
>> >v) Do you have to take an isolationtest on a transferred action ? 
(eg. Sgt
>> >Fiset (Veteran) is only 8" from Cpl Grundy and succeeds in
transfering an
>> >action to him.  However, Grundy is Green and Isolated.  Does Grundy
have to
>> >test to act  (ie. might he hesitate) ?)  I can see arguments both
ways;
>> >Grundy is indeed isolated, but Fiset has had to overcome the sum of
the
>> >motivations in order to transfer the action, so maybe a further test
is not
>> >required.
>>
>> I'd say no further test required - the transfer of action overcomes
the
>> isolation.
>> >
>> >vi) Thrown grenades refer to character strength die types, though
that
>>topic
>> >isn't covered anywhere else. (GM's judgement, I expect)
>>
>> Another case of the draft being cobbled together from incomplete
bits!!
>> Put it on the list of things still to be done....
>
>Along with "what happens when a grenade actually goes off?". We know
how
>to throw them & bounce them (mostly) but not how to make them go BANG!
:)

The idea is that all explosive/area effect weapons have a dice type to
use
for impact value at the actual point of impact, and a blast radius band
over which the impact die drops one type. So, a warhead with a
point-of-impact value of D10 and a radius band of 2 will roll a D10
attack
at anything within 2" of the final impact point, then D8 at 2-4", D6 at
4-6" and finally D4 at 6-8". EVERYTHING within the maximum radius (in
this
example, 8") gets rolled for if in LOS of the impact point, rolling
relevant warhead impact die vs. target armour.
Yes, this is nasty, and the blast diameter of the bigger warheads is
quite
large, but they are supposed to be dangerous - that's why they are
expensive and should be used sparingly.
Impact values and radius band suggestions are in the weapon specs in the
points costings stuff, part 2 of the posted test material.
Note that AP warheads may have to be treated differently.....
>
>> >vii) What is the spread effect of a shotgun ?  What is the sustained
fire
>> >ability of a Light SMG ?  They are a bit expensive, so significant,
but not
>> >clearly spelled out. (This really needs some clarification)
>
>Mmmm - is the SMG's ability what's needed to use both actions to fire?
>Makes sense to me...
>
>The shotgun...dunno...bonus Firepower die in Close range, because
you're
>more likely to splatter someone?

I rather like the idea they use in Shockforce (hey, they nicked some if
our
ideas, so we'll nick a few of theirs back....), where other figures
close
to the target figure may also get hit in the burst. Need to work on
defining this for the rules....
>
>And back to grenades: how could we resolve ACR/GL combos?

Suggest 1 action to select grenade mode, then one to fire it (use
grenade/rocket fire rules); this may seem harsh on a purpose-built combo
weapon, but it may prevent munchkin abuse of always firing grenades
rather
than anything else.
>
>> >viii) Area effect explosive damage weapons seem to have an accuracy
number,
>> >and variable impact based on range from centre of impact.  The
actual
>> >description of how to resolve these is not given (though there's
lots
>>on how
>> >to place them and deviate them).

See above....
>>
>> And again....
>> >
>> >Nitpicks:  Couldn't find combat move defined, but referenced under
>> >suppression in the open.  Dice for combat move vaguely referenced in
>> >movement rate chart.
>>
>> Yes, one of the draft versions (from whihc the movement rules were
taken)
>> didn't have combat moves, but I think we'll use them - they work
well.
>
>The whole system seems to work well - it's very fast, anyway. We did
that
>4-per-side playtest in less than 45 minutes, with pauses to argue &
invent
>stopgap rules!

Yes, that's what we found in the in-house tests - you could get a
6-a-side
skirmish over in less than an hour, with a decent number of turns played
(enough for it to feel like a game rather than just a couple of turns),
then play another one straight afterwards with almost no pre-game work
required.
>
>Great rulesset, already! Just the holes...the
>grenades-that-don't-go-off!!!

Now they do..... <grin>
>
>Brian (yh728@victoria.tc.ca)			       
-DS2/SG2/FR!/HOTT-
>		    - http://warbard.iwarp.com/games.html -
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