Balancing out the Missile Tank

[offsides]

Originally Posted by dwalend

I'd like to see engineering rules to let the ENG build a road for the MHWZ as it advances.

Hmm... now that's an interesting idea. Realistically, it only needs to cover forests (roads on swamp is not going to be doable quickly, and all tracked vehicles have the same limitations in towns, not that engineers can move buildings out of the way), and it doesn't need to be a proper road - just enough to not slow them down too much. Essentially, give the benefit of ignoring terrain penalties without giving a road bonus. The 2 questions I have are:

1. What movement types does this apply to? Just TNK (light tracked), or do GEVs benefit as well? What about wheeled?
2. Is this something that is a one-shot "escort the tank through the forest" and has to be done each time, or is it a terrain alteration that becomes permanent (at least until it's damaged)?

I'm not sure how I feel about either of those questions, I'll have to think about it some more.

[dwalend]

Originally Posted by offsides

...only needs to cover forests ... give the benefit of ignoring terrain penalties without giving a road bonus.

Unfortunately that road bonus is the key bit for a MHWZ. For an M1 light tracked vehicle, streams, forests, and towns are the same as clear.

The unpaved tracks from that Assault Pack really only help in swamps and rubble. Maybe "not disabled by swamp or rubble" would have some utility, but it'd be hard to build a tactic around it.

Also, the ENG team needs to be able to move at M2 to make a difference. Forcing them to stack with as rewarding a target as a MHWZ helps limit the tactic.

Originally Posted by offsides

What movement types does this apply to? Just TNK (light tracked), or do GEVs benefit as well? What about wheeled?

I think all types.

Is this something that is a one-shot "escort the tank through the forest" and has to be done each time, or is it a terrain alteration that becomes permanent (at least until it's damaged)?

I could argue that either way.

"Scout best path" The ENG team leads a vehicle, scouting out and clearing a special path, which the vehicle crushes back into the original terrain as it goes - forces the ENG team to stay stacked with the MHWZ. That'd be a good backstory for "Doesn't get stuck" plus it'd add drama if the ENG team is lost while that MHWZ is in the middle of a swamp. I could see that working with the ENG team at M2.

"Build road" I don't see why an ENG team with tactical nukes and BPC can't lay down very expensive and toasty warm road beds very quickly - even bridges. (I think I've lost that argument several times.) Add some trucks full of supplies to the target list to limit the tactic further. I think the ENG team would have to stop to do this, or only move at M1.

[ColBosch]

Isn't a turn representing about ten minutes? That doesn't seem like anywhere near long enough to build a mile of road.

[dwalend]

Originally Posted by ColBosch

Isn't a turn representing about ten minutes? That doesn't seem like anywhere near long enough to build a mile of road.

4 minutes I think.

But with tactical nukes to level anything in the way, and a long roll of BPC? I don't see the problem.

Check out this mesh-laying truck. Now imagine that with a mile-long roll of thin BPC.

[GranitePenguin]

Reality isn't the problem. There are plenty of handwavium extrapolations that allow things that on the surface are unreasonable (the range of a laser tower, for example).

The only thing that really needs to be addressed is whether or not it adds something interesting and useful to the game that feels like it fits. It's just a game, after all.

Don't get hung up on trying to simulate the real world; that's not what this is supposed to be.

[Toltrin]

Give the Missile tank the ability to leave 3 attack missiles 4 hexes away and they stay in that hex for up to 3 turns. The missile tank using this ability cannot use it for three turns.
The missiles's attack are doubled in overruns.

[GranitePenguin]

Originally Posted by Toltrin

Give the Missile tank the ability to leave 3 attack missiles 4 hexes away and they stay in that hex for up to 3 turns. The missile tank using this ability cannot use it for three turns.

huh?

4 hexes away from what? what happens at the end of 3 turns? Bookkeeping yuck aside, I'm honestly really confused by this one.

[TheAmishStig]

Originally Posted by GranitePenguin

huh?

4 hexes away from what? what happens at the end of 3 turns? Bookkeeping yuck aside, I'm honestly really confused by this one.

Same. I thought at first maybe they were talking about something akin to Battletech's "Thunder" munition [effectively a missile-deliverable minefield], but the bit that introduces a despawn timer / etc is throwing me. Without the context of what they do after being dropped, I can't venture a very good guess.