Quote:
Originally Posted by CON_Troll
How about declaring this a "sniper" INF unit?
I ran the numbers, both with and without overrun capability in Henry Cobb's calculator (at http://www.hcobb.com/gev/formcalc.html)
WITHOUT overrun ability: 4.56 VPs
WITH overrun ability: 4.73 VPs
As you can see, there is very little difference.
However, here is where we run into the situation of "improbable statistics" as laid out in Steve Jackson's OGRE article "System Parameters and Limitations" in the 2nd edition of The OGRE Book. Specifically where he says: "...to qualify for a range longer than 4, it has to be a heavy projectile - minimum of 3 attack strength, and probably more." This would seem to suggest that a unit with an attack strength of 1 probably cannot reach even four hexes.
Sooo, my recommendation is that the above "sniper" INF should be VERY expensive. 4 VPs if the unit cannot double in an overrun and 6 VPs if it CAN double in an overrun. A sniper INF cannot attack armor units (including the train) at more than the normal range for INF (all INF, buildings and terrain may be targeted up to 4 hexes away.) Further, it should be a much rarer unit than other specialist INF. No more than 10% of the VP allowed for INF in a scenario may be snipers. |
I dig it.
Playing with Henry's calculator, I came up with a couple variants that are reasonably priced, keep with the conceptual theme of long-range anti-infantry infantry, but do so due to limitations and might be able to fit under the usual 'specialist infantry' rules rather than needing their own unique ratio. If you start with Henry's Infantry template (1/1@3 attacks, D3@inf, M2) and then bump up the numbers...
Scenario 1: 1/4, D1, M2. Gets the infantry attack/defense bonus, doubles in overruns. What keeps the cost reasonable and keeps with the 'Sniper' theme is that it fires as an AP [infantry / D0 / scenario-designated targets only]....bringing it to 6.24VP / 1AU for a platoon of 3.
Scenario 2: Cutting their range and making them 1/3 instead of 1/4 changes the costs to 5.21 VP / 1AU for a platoon of 3.
Scenario 3: Giving the Scenario 1 version high-tech ghillie suits [Ninja Stealth] bumps it up to 9.36VP / 1.5AU for a platoon of 3. A neat idea, but gets away from the clean '0.5AU, 1AU, 2AU' system in play...unless you're required to purchase them in individual squads, which reduces the cost to 3.03VP / 0.5AU. That makes them 50% more expensive than a squad of standard infantry, while retaining a unique purpose and clean AU costs.
Scenario 4: A 1/3 version of Scenario 3 is 7.82VP / 1.5AU for a Platoon, or 2.53VP / 0.5AU for a single squad.
Personally, I like Scenario 4 (1/3 with Stealth) or, failing that, Scenario 2 (1/3)...I can't quantify it as anything more than a gut feeling, and maybe playtesting will prove me wrong, but a range of 4 just "feels" too long. That's missile tank ranges...which works for HWTs, because at that point it's easy to argue they're armed with a single Missile Tank missile in a squad-portable launcher, not unlike the modern day Javelin.
Being partial to Stealth comes from it neatly encompassing that Snipers are going to be small teams playing vantage points and cover, not milling about in large herds of battle armor...it's going to be harder to counter-fire against them unless you're in their face.