Author Topic: Technology, Doctrine, Tactics, Game Balance and Rules  (Read 1004 times)

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Offline Clark

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Technology, Doctrine, Tactics, Game Balance and Rules
« on: April 11, 2011, 08:00:38 PM »
This thread comes as a result of the general dissatisfaction with the UNE Plasma Grenade (plas-g).

I'l admit that they are are sucky little weapon with less than a one-in-six chance to kill a gremlin, even in the most favourable of circumstances.

However, what sucks is not the rules which work perfectly well.

What really sucks is the technology that was developed for taking out powered infantry with AOE weapons.  In general, PBA is hard to take out with AOE weapons, which is the major game change over NPI.  The plas-g is given as a technology that can take out PBA but only with the use of a particular doctrine and tactics.  The UNE used a doctrine  of organic indirect firepower and the associated tactics require massed fire from grenade launcher equipped units. 

Anyone who has studied the history of warfare will see the connection between technology, doctrine and tactics.  (But if you read John Keegan's "History of Warfare" - which I was reading while writing background info for the Fantasians and Black Empire - then there is also the line that culture also dictates doctrine.)

The UNE were geared to take out the Machines.  Until cyborgs appeared, there was no tactical use for most conventional AOE weapons.  The UNE PI section are more "dial-a-soldiers" than the Infranites, in their own way.  They have the best direct fire weapons with a 30" short range.  They have 4 anti-armour weapons, two of which are carried by leaders.  They have more indirect firepower than any other line unit.  However, they have to act as a unit to deliver the benefits.

In short, the doctrine is organic firepower and the tactics rely on mass action rather than individual plinking.

The Fantasians rely on "speyd und violentz; violentz and speyd".  (That quote is actually taken from a Master Warrant Officer cum Captain advising me prior to my leadership course where were could conduct section level attacks.) The Fantasian powered infantry section has zero indirect fire capability and limited AOE capability.  However, T-85/35s and the K2-Shaw batteries are a great deal.  Doctrine is to have one K2Shaw per PI squad, independent of other attachments.

The Fantasians are clay pigeons with their +1 armour but they clock in at 392 UPV for a squad.  A T-85/35 is 148 UPV giving you 540 UPV.

Maybe I need to revisit the gamesmanship (in the bad sense of he word) that affect UPV break points.