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Mixed Tech forces was Re: 15mm FCT/Kwa'Zulu pics - Saeed Khalifate, etc.

From: <warbeads@j...>
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2004 18:04:11 -0500
Subject: Mixed Tech forces was Re: 15mm FCT/Kwa'Zulu pics - Saeed Khalifate, etc.

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 08:59:02 +1000 <Beth.Fulton@csiro.au> writes:
>G'day,
>
>Brian was so enjoying reading the archives on the Stargate thread he 
>couldn't help but wade in on anotehr thread too ;)
>
>Have fun
>
>Beth
>
>>>>>>>> Brian's message <<<<<<<
>>> Every body here that has played the games I have run has made it a
>>> point to close (if possible) to at least medium range for their
>>> weapon system when facing HELs - and got away with it.
>
>> That's when the DFFGs, GMS etc come in handy ;)
>
>That observation seems to bear out John A's assertion that  a mixed 
>force beats a lopsided reliance on one weapon type. 

I think it should in most cases where both commanders are reasonably
competent.

 I have to agree 
>with him, combined arms and a mix of weapons really do make sense, for 
>several reasons:
>
>1.  Keeping your enemy guessing about what he'll face is always good.	
>It means he has to prepare for any eventuality, and is less likely to 
>be able to develop a successful tactic or strategy that leans too 
>heavily in one direction, because he knows he'll be exposing his 
>"technological flank" to you.
>

True but I was (in my case) trying to reduce the homogenization factor
of
different groups/nations.

>2.  Any individual enemy vehicle designed to be well-defended against 
>all possible threats is going to either be very expensive or 
>undergunned.  Or both, if you're lucky.
>

Well, depends if it's your force or your opponent's - I started to say
"his" but the distaff side of the hobby is growing... Right, Beth?

>3.  In a campaign setting, the more varied your forces, the more 
>versatile -- the force optimized for open terrain is going to be at a 
>disadvantage in an urban setting, and vice versa.  By having both in 
>reserve, you decrease your chances of bringing a knife to a gunfight.
>

Most earth forces of non-major powers probably don't anticipate fighting
in two widely divergent (Arctic and Sahara) environments with the major
components of their forces without time to re-equip (if nothing else
uniforms and personal equipment plus camo patterns.)  Colonial Forces
probably would have less exotic options in their standard structure but
be unlikely to be capable of good performance in terrain dissimilar to
the terrain they are assigned to.  Forces in a tropical zone probably
don't have a  lot of capability in adapting to arctic conditions.  Units
intended for inter-continental warfare	more likely would need and have
that capability.

>Having said that, I can, for game purposes, see the validity in doing 
>some mental exercises: If, for whatever reason -- Scenario rules, 
>background flavor, whatever the case may be -- you must design a force 
>with certain restrictions, what would you do?	So, in light of the 
>current discussion, here are a few of my feelings:
>
>1. If you had to assemble a force armed with only 1 specific 
>direct-fire weapon system (weapon and class), what would it be?
>
>For me, the answer is simple:	The MDC 5.  Pound-for-pound, the 
>absolutely best combination of both range AND damage of any weapon in 
>the game, short of artillery.
>

Well, I don't like the odds of a size 5 going down due to evil chits. 
One game the HEL force (already at a disadvantage tactically) at a key
point rolled wide margins (like 12 to 4, 10 to 2, that kind of rolling)
of 'to hit' dice on a couple of platoons of AFVs consecutively at
critical positions in his attack only to have 3 of the 6 vehicles (along
with BOOM,  damaged vehicle  hits on already damaged HVC using targets, 
and large amounts of damage numbers of the right color) draw 'firing
system down' chits!  The other 3 had two mobility hits (one multiple) on
vehicles trying to hold a fixed victory point position they had reached
last turn and the other accumulated about 6 points, a damaged vehicle
and
a firer's  system down chit  on a size 1 nuisance that was chewing up
his
light units.

Don't like size 5 weapons at all.

>
<snip>

Gracias,
Glenn

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