Re: Vietnam and modern combat

***
> >to the "My men go where I tell them and they stand to
> >the last" sort of gamer.

"frustrating" or "enlightening"
***

Tis a reason for all the discussion of morale, and why you're top kick
has
to spend an action to get a unit to do something extra, of course. These
are rules to take the troops out of mindless automaton status. Some of
it's
already in there...

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The problem in simulating the lower-level stuff is
that guerilla warfare is, like special operations,
impossible to simulate on the game table.  Both depend
on the reality that for most of the time, nothing
happens.  You do 30 patrols down the same stretch of
road and nothing happens, it takes a dedicated
professional to stay alert the 31st time.  But by its
very nature, the game table is only out if something
is going to happen.
***

The other point I wanted to make earlier was that scenarios tend to be
set
up to start after it hits the fan. A scenario description up to the
start
of action can point out this was a normal patrol, and it's the reason
everyone's out of position, you are short action points, why these
troops
take and get an automatic minus on their morale check at the sound of
first
fire, etc...

Using the rules as they are in novel ways can go a long way. Least, from
the vantage of this vacc-head.

The_Beast