Quote:
Originally Posted by PTTG
Other problems: this might make it too easy to try and "decapitate" other PC forces by attempting to Destroy Specific Element the enemy C3I elements.
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Yes. And other rare-Element types too. It's a big problem.
I'm still contemplating the implementation of the mass combat rules for my own homebrew RPG design, and I don't think I'll offer a "Targeted Attack" option at all. It's
far too likely to be used in a fashion that would
never occur in a realistic large-battle situation.
And
if I were to offer one, I'd give much harsher penalties than the ones you suggest.
Much harsher. And I'd give each such "Element" (I call them someting else) that is likely to be the subject of a targeted attack a set of "Resist Targeted Attack" values. This way you can have regular Engineers with little or no DR, or semi-paranoid Dwarven Engineers wearing head-to-toe Heavy Plate.
One thing I've thought about, for my system, would be to include a pseudo-spatial element in force composition, so that the character commanding each army must designate all Units as either vanguard, front-flank, ranged front, center, reserves or rear (including a lot of roleplay concerns, with some NPCs or some Unit types getting insulted if they don't get a honourable, a.k.a. suicidal, position), and with leaders (using Leadership and Tactics/Strategy) spatial position moving around too, e.g. whether or not the leader character is at the front or not during any given battle turn (with being at the front obviously being more personally dangerous).
If something like that is implemented then it becomes
very easy to handle such situations, and also much less exploitable since a C3I Element would
never be in the front line, where it is easy to make a targeted attack against it, anyway
Changing GURPS Mass Combat to use such a pseudo-spatial positioning system would be non-trivial, though, and even if you wanted to, all I currently have are some quite vague ideas.
Really, I think the default mode, that damage is evenly distributed between those who do the actual fighting (this would
not include C3I, and also not the Engineers unless it's a siege), is a good model for how Mass Combat should work.
If someone seriously wants to make a targeted attack, it can be roleplayed out using the GURPS rules, as a commando mission. E.g. send a small group (perhaps a PC party) behind enemy lines to pollute the purity of the sancitifed rations of the contingent of Anti-Undead Clerics (so as to thwart their Power Modifier, in GURPS terms), or similar.