[SG2] Element Description Format - draft 0.5 - RFC

I was thinking on my long commute home about how we exposit squads in
SG2 -
usually with squad cards. This is a good format, contains the
information
required. But if you want to describe a large force, it is kind of ...
well... big. If it takes about the equivalent space of a paragraph or
two to
fully describe a squad, maybe there is a better way to do it shorthand
for
those occaisions where it could be useful. 

Then I thought of GDW, source of oh so many good games and ideas.
Traveller
had the right idea - with its UPP. They could, in one short set of
codes,
describe a persons basic stats. I thought a similar idea could be
harnessed
for SG2 squads. 

I came up with the EDF - Element Description Format. It is a shorthand
code
for (I hope) completely describing infantry units in SG2 terms (haven't
thought about vehicles yet). 

Here is the synopsis:
=============================================
EDF - Element Description Format for GZG SG2

Each unit is described by a series of letters/numbers with separators.
The
meaning of each letter/number is dependent on its location - the meaning
is
derived from the context (where it occurs in the descriptor).

An EDF code looks like:
TQ#FM##-#WWW##-#WWW##-#WWW##-etc.

The first alphabetic character is the Troop Type. Valid values would
include
I (Infantry), F (Fast Powered Armour), S (Slow Powered Armour)L (Light
Infantry). This has to do with movement types through terrain and base
movement rates (6/12/6/8 respectively). 

The second alphabetic character is the Troop Quality. Valid values would
be
U (Untrained, G (Green), R (Regular), V (Veteran), E (Elite). 

The first number(#) is the Leadership level Valid Values are 1-3.

The third alphabetic character is Fatigue Level. Valid values are R
(Rested), T (Tired) and E (Exhausted). 

The fourth alphabetic character is Morale Level. Valid values are C
(Confident), S (Steady), H (sHaken), B (Broken) and R (Routed). 

The second number(#) is the number of figures in the unit. Valid Values
are
0-9, then alphabetic characters (A is 10, B is 11, etc). 

The third number(#) is the armour level of the unit. Valid values go
from 0
(1 armour - for FMA compatibility later), 1 (d4), 2(d6), 3(d8), 4(d10),
5(d12). 

The next character is a "dash separator". 

Then come "groups". Each group consists of a number, a three letter
string,
and another 2 numbers. The first number is how many members of the squad
this grouping applies to. The letters are the weapon type for that
group,
and the second number is the FP of an individual weapon. The third
number is
the impact of the weapon. 

Valid values for the # of squad members are identical to the unit size
values. 

Valid values for the weapon type include CHR (civilian hunting rifle),
BAR
(Basic Assault Rifle), AAR (Adv Assault Rifle), CSG (combat shotgun),
SMG
(Submachinegun), SAW (Conventional SAW), GAW (Gauss SAW), RAW (Rotary
SAW),
CSR (Conventional Sniper Rifle), LSR (Laser Sniper Rifle), GSR (Gauss
Sniper
Rifle), IDR (Infantry Disposable Rocket - IAVR), AAG (Adv AR w GL), BAG
(Basic AR w GL). Other unique codes would be fine too. IPG is infantry
Plasma Gun, IPF is Infantry Personal Flamer. 

Valid FP values are 0 (0.5 FP), 1 (1), 2 (2), 3(3), 4(D6), 5(D8),
6(D10),
7(D12). If this is a GMS, this is obviously a guidance die. 

Valid Impact values are 1(d4), 2(d6), 3(d8), 4(d10), 5(D12), 6(D12*).

So, as an illustration, let us describe two diverse units. A unit of
elite
special forces broken into two 4 man squads (each with 3 AAR w GL and a
SAW). They move fast (light infantry). One is lead by a Ldr 1, another
by
Ldr 2. They are fresh and in good morale. They have flexible armour, but
it
is state of the art and gives D8 protection.

TQ#FM##-#WWW#-#WWW#-#WWW#-etc.

Squad 1 (SF) LE1RC43-3AAG34-1SAW64
Squad 2 (SF) LE2RC43-3AAG34-1SAW64

Now, let us describe a Tom-style PzGd formation. These troops are mostly
regs, with a vet or two in the mix, good leadership, rested, good
morale,
organized in 8 man squads (with 2 4 man fireteams each). Their armour is
powered (sort of) giving them 8" movement and d8 armour. They have a
variety
of leader levels. This armour is not considered powered armour because
it
does not get CC doublings nor does it autoresolve wounds. 

Platoon Cmdr (Indiv) LV1RC13-1AAG34
GMS Team 1 (2 man)   LR2RC23-1GMS66
GMS Team 2 (2 man)   LV2RC23-1GMS66
Rifle Sq1, 1st Fireteam (4 men)   LR1RC43-4AAG34
Rifle Sq1, 2nd Fireteam (4 men)   LR2RC43-3AAG34-1GAW74
Rifle Sq2, 1st Fireteam (4 men)   LV1RC43-4AAG34
Rifle Sq2, 2nd Fireteam (4 men)   LR3RC43-3AAG34-1GAW74
Rifle Sq3, 1st Fireteam (4 men)   LR1RC43-4AAG34
Rifle Sq2, 2nd Fireteam (4 men)   LV2RC43-3AAG34-1IPG46

Note I have more or less completely described (from a stats point of
view)
our formation of 30 guys in the space it might normally take to fill out
one
squad card. 

Note: This is only a first cut at this idea - I can already see ways to
adjust the values displayed to have some consistency (to make values
more
intuitive and not so different for each index). I can also see ways to
add
ammo tracking for things like GMS systems. And I need to turn this into
a
properly developed and explained grammar. 

Comments? Would a well developed format be of use? It might be for PBeM,
for
easy force descriptions in compact space such as scenario books, and for
computer representations, etc.