IFF was RE: [OT] Question from the news

Thinking about IFF, there are several ways to do this:

1) Visual shape ID - a Challenger is boxy and very angular, Russian
built tanks (T-71, T-80) are very round in the turret.	Reactive armor
blocks might make them more angular but there still should be a visual
difference.

2) Unit markings - Such as the Chevron or National insignia on sides or
rear of the turret/hull.

3) IR or UV beacons that flash coded pulses.

4) Electronic IFF - a radio signal that sends out an IFF signal

5) Battlefield Awareness - using GPS uploads from each tank then
transmitting an overall map with friendly tanks located on it.

Some or all of these can be hampered by a sandstorm - visual ID is not
clear, unit markings obscured by blowing sand or a light coating of sand
on the symbol.	IR beacons or UV beacons would also likely be obscured
by clowing sand.  Electronic IFF may be blocked by the static generated
by all the moving sand particles generating an inclear or incomplete
signal which would be rejected by an IFF receiver.  Finally, I'm not
sure the British have the same system that the US uses where each tank
reports position from a GPS reading and sends it out on a local net to
other vehicles.

This stresses the importance of battlefield communications - if you
can't communicate, then you must use more compact formations that allow
visual, or good radio communication.  Co-ordination of spread out forces
then becomes problematic.

On a SG/DS note: could this be simulated in game?  Often a single player
is running an entire side, and most attacks are very well co-ordinated
with fire missions, suppressing fire and movement occuring like
clockwork.  Perhaps there needs to be a variable ECM/ECCM rating rolled
for each turn that indicates how many units can move, with the remaining
units following their previous turn's orders. (i.e. if they were moving
down a road, they would continue to do so, if they were camping in a
forest, they would sit tight).

--Binhan