Re: DSII Ideas/questions: ADS, FO's,

Brian Bilderback wrote:
> I had a couple of ideas/questions concerning DSII.  This time, they're
all
about the game and it's rules, not their comparison to real life (as we
know
it, Jim).

    But I try to match DSII rules to real life! :-)

> How do other players (besides myself) determine how many ADS vehicles
to
deploy?

    I deploy them in pairs to make a unit. I also don't bother using
them to
protect other units against GMS.

> Do you attach them to support units, tank units,...

    No. I would put a unit near artillery or other valuable support
elements.

> or send them out on their own with an escort or two?

    Drive 'em onto a nearby hill and sit them there, out of weapon's
range
of my opponent.

> When not starting hidden, do you usually start the game with them
activated, and only turn them off when they start to draw a crowd, or
start
with them off and activate them once the flies start buzzing?

    They start activated, because Aerospace can and does strike in the
very
first turn in our games. BTW, in my games, stealth is just advanced
manufacturing technology, _not_ electronic camouflage. Therefore ADS can
have effective stealth.

> How many specialized Spotter elements do most people deploy per
artillery
battery available?

    I'm not decided yet. I've been using one vehicle with artillery
spotter
capability, carrying one infantry team with artillery spotter
capability.

> It seems to me that under most circumstances, the only actions besides
movement that ADS vehicles take during their OWN activation is to 1:
Turn
the ADS on 2: Turn the ADS off 3: Tell the ADS they have a headache
(sorry)
er 3: Fire an inactive ADS as a RFAC.  They seem to be busiest during
ENEMY
activations (reasonable).  According to the rules, an ADS while
activated
can respond to attacks even after it's unit has used it's activation. So
I
had an idea, let's see what everyone else thinks:  Train your ADS crews
in
Artillery spotting. That way, if, on their activation, their ADS is
already
on and they want to LEAVE it on, they're available to use to call in
arty. I
think it's legal, but I suspect it's also mildly cheesy. Input?

    It's a reasonable idea. But it's I believe it's better to be able to
move the artillery observer independently of the ADS.

> Other than that, I'm considering training NONE of my HBT/MBT crews in
artillery spotting, training ONE of my APC crews per platoon, and
training
ALL of the crews in my	mechanized recce platoons. Is this about right,
or
overkill?

    Probably overkill. Recall that on page 39 of DSII that unit leaders
can
call in artillery as their combat action.

I hope this helps.

Andrew Martin
ICQ: 26227169
http://members.xoom.com/AndrewMartin/
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