[SG2] close assault: more of the same

These comments don't specifically adress the rules, but maybe some
thoughts
on how things perhaps should be....

On one level, I agree that SG2 and DS2 should be harmonized. I think
that
spending the activation of an assaulted unit makes sense. It makes both
rulesets equivalent, and on the other hand, it actually makes sense that
your action is gone - you actually did something - you fought a fierce
close
range combat! As for this being a penalty to unactivated units, I have
two
thoughts: 1) What were you doing with an unactivated unit in CA range?
and
2) He who hesitates is lost. This might actually require shrewd choice
from
the attacker because he might choose to assault a unit waiting to act...
which also places a choice before the defender when activating if this
is a
risk! And I'm pretty confident that a unit that has taken a close range
charge and engaged in a short range melee is likely to be incapable of
action. This makes close assault desireable (as opposed to the walk up
to 2"
away and shoot as I've seen done many times) because if you manage it,
you
tie up that unit for the remainder of the turn (barring reactivation). 

I'm not sure that if you are heavily suppressed (which implies LOTS of
nasty
crap is dropping on you) that you should be able to pull out. I don't
care
if the attacker is a bunch of guys coming to attack my position with
grenades... if the bullets are hailing so thick I stand and die, I'll
take
my chances in the position! To me, if you have 2 or 3 suppressions, you
should not be able to withdraw at all. 

Why (lets think) would the withdrawal from CA be your base move? If
anything, this SURELY is a combat move...

I'm not sure I'd be as severe as Adrian suggests but it seems to me that 

1) being assaulted or being the assaulter is quite likely to leave you
disorganized (this is, as someone pointed out, a classic problem). I'd
think
a re-org would be in order somewhere in this picture. 

2) stopping or chopping a retreat in mid flight is not an easy feat!
Once
people start to beat feet, they generally keep going until they tire or
are
out of range of the enemy. That doesn't mean stopping 20m away and
shooting
them up with precision fire! It *could* happen, but this strikes me as
something that should be difficult and hence the exception rather than
the
rule. 

So, I will probably try this:
make check to initiate CA
roll movement
if reaction fire opportunity, allow defender to attempt it depending on
suppressions 
roll more movement if required
if close assault does not reach you, your activation is not consumed 
if you fight a close assault, one side will withdraw 1 combat move. 
The other side may pursue with a test (1 combat move)
Perhaps another CA is fought. 
In any case, eventually the units will be separated. Since both are now
disorganized, and have their activations consumed, neither will be
blindsiding the other at close range. In order for either to act,
command
cohesion must be restored with a re-org. Then, if required, suppressions
must be removed. Only then may other actions be attempted. 

More generally, I am likely to use the following suppression rule:
1) If suppressed with 1 suppression in cover, you can't move. If
suppressed
with 1 suppression in the open, make a leadership test or your next
action
must be a move towards cover. Once you've reached cover (if it takes
less
than the next entire activation), you can remove suppression. Failing
that,
you can take another leadership test once you've moved towards cover for
a
full turn. If it passes, you may then attempt to remove suppression
where
you are. Repeat this process till you reach cover or stop and remove
suppression.
2) If double suppressed, you aren't moving. Period.
3) Removing suppression in the open is TL +2/+1/+0. 
4) I am considering another suggestion from FMA - removing multiple
suppressions. I would say for every 3 points you beat your required roll
by,
you clear an extra suppression. If you need a 2, and roll a 5, you clear
2
suppressions. This represents the fact that a great leader can sometimes
rally his troops not only more effectively, but faster! 

I'll let you know how these ideas pan out. 

------------------------------------------
Thomas R. S. Barclay
Voice: (613) 722-3232 ext 349
e-mail: tomb@bitheads.com

Do not go where the path may lead, 
go instead where there is no path 
and leave a trail.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)  
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