Re: do GMS/P troopers carry ARs?

On Wed, 23 Feb 2000, Michael Sarno wrote:
> >   I think any arguments that should be made should be kept strictly
at the
> > game balance level.  Although it's fun to bash around our
assumptions like
> > this, we all know it isn't going to get anywhere.  :)
> 
>     I can't gree here.  Game balance is a secondary consideration.  If
both sides
> have to abide by the same rules, game balance becomes a matter that is
belt
> addressed on the level of scenario design.  Besides, the only way to
hash out any
> rules change or house rule is to perform a reality check.

  Game balance is the primary concern.	If the game doesn't work, it
isn't
fun and there isn't any point playing it.  To take this to an extreme,
imagine a weapon that kills everything on the enemy force when
triggered.
Okay, roll to see who goes first... trigger weapon... win.  Did you
have fun?  The 5 second game.
  Reality check?  The only check is against game balance.  You might
think
support weapons in the future will jump out of the dead persons
grasp and into the arms of someone else, it's just as viable to say that
a
weapon self destructs when it detects the user dies so the enemy can't
use
it!  You can't make a 'reality check' against something that isn't real.
Make up whatever you want it to be, but the point of doing it in the
first
place is to make the game more fun, and that means you have to keep the
game playable.	:)

>     Besides, it doesn't really matter how complicated they're going to
make a
> weapons system in the future.  If it's designed for grunts, a support
weapon is
> always going to be able to be picked up quickly (Just how quickly is
the point of
> this discussion. <g>)  by a comrade should the operator fall in
battle.  That's
> the way it is know, and that's the way it is in the vast majority of
sci-fi combat
> we've seen.

  Certainly using comrades, or enemy's, weapons is a nice little
dramatic
flair we see in movies.  I wouldn't say it occurs in the vast majority
though, and it's usually the hero that does it.  The G.I. Plain Janes
doen't get enough camera time to waste watching them spend 5 seconds
swapping weapons.
  Hmmm, I'm suddenly having Star Wars flashbacks...  Are there rules for
hi-jacking enemy AT-STs, speeder-bikes etc.? :)

> > > The time thing is something I'm always uncomfortable with too. Jon
> > states in
> > > his rules that he doesn't like to put a fixed time limit on a game
turn and
> > > mentions 1 minute and a few minutes. Then we say it can take up to
5 minutes
> > > and then we all start quoting 5 minutes. I really think Jon T
didn't really
> > > want to get pigeon holed with a SET 5 minutes turn yet now we all
argue it
> > > is a gospel fixed time span.....
> >
> >   Which is why we should leave the philosophising up to him.  :)
> 
>     Hey, I paid my money, the rules are mine, now. <g>

  Heh.	Just wait for SG3 when GZG figures out how to use Microsoftian
legalities...  "You have purchased the right to use, but not alter in
any way..."
  Hmmm.  I want my hologram authentic SG edition!