Re: Small squads/random losses

In message <20010419175254.3548.cpmta@c001.zsm.cp.net>,
agoodall@canada.com wri
tes:
> 
> Well, I've been thinking about this, and I'm coming to the
> conclusion that small squads (i.e. fireteams) are modelled within
> the squad structure of the game itself. The integrity range is 60
> metres, which seems pretty spread out for a fireteam. I think the
> game works well without modelling fireteams by making them their own
> special squads.

Synchronicity.	I've been mulling this over the last few days, and had
pretty much come to the same conclusion.  I was just waiting to try
and dig through some of the army FMs to see if they commented any on
normal distances fireteams should operate at.

Especially with the "wasted firepower" of large squads and the ability
to break that firepower up and effectively hit two targets or the same
target twice, I feel the current game structure adequately represents
fireteams.  Add to this the fact that additional squads add additional
play time and game complexity (esp. with additional FT rules), and I'm
thinking I'll stick with large squads.

I'll note that my main concern with fireteam ranges comes from my
recent reading of Antal's "Infantry Combat: The Rifle Platoon,"
whereby several anti-armor and machine gun teams were detached (at
fair distances) from the main squads.  Now, the anti-armor teams were
actually company attachments (IIRC), so they'd perhaps be better
served as small squads (this is what I did in my recent games-- AA
teams were two man squads).  However, in there book, there was at
least one real detachment-- a machine gunner from the MG squad
detached to cover the rear.  There was no contact between the command
and the detachment past this.  The team went "there" and did "that"
until receiving further orders, and the main squad suffered a "morale
check" later when the MG squad couldn't be reached by radio.

P.S. The book rawked.  It's an educational choose-your-own-adventure
style book; i.e., "Forward Defense? Go to 12.  Rear Slope Defense?  Go
to 15" and "Incoming Artillery.  Roll 2d6: 2-4, go to 18.  5-12, go
to21."	He's also got a tank platoon book, and an infantry company
book which I've got on order right now.

Check 'em out: