True Horizon Optional Rule

[redcoat]

I don't know if anyone has ever proposed this, but I was thinking about weapon ranges. If there are no aerial or orbital observation options since they would be quickly shot down, the the curvature of the earth would prevent some weapons from firing out to their maximum range without a spotter.

There are some handy distance to horizon calculators you can search for, and the distance to the horizon for typical units turns out to be roughly:

Laser Tower (70' high) - 16km or 21 inches
Ogre MkV (50' high) - 14km or 19 inches
Ground unit (observing from a height of 6') 5km or 7 inches

So the implications are that a ground unit would be able to see the top of an Ogre from 19 inches away, but would not see other ground units until they are just about within firing range. You would need some kind of forward observation to get full range out of a howitzer. Ogres would become very important as observation and command and control.

GEVs might make good remote observers, but they wouldn't last long if there is an ogre.

Interesting?

[ArchangelDad]

Certainly interesting from a realism point of view, but for me the beauty of Ogre is in its simplicity. Fewer rules to remember make for faster, funner games. My perspective, at any rate.

[Deimos]

Originally Posted by redcoat

If there are no aerial or orbital observation options since they would be quickly shot down, the the curvature of the earth would prevent some weapons from firing out to their maximum range without a spotter.

While an interesting thing to know, I don't see what this brings to the game.

All of the units, other than lasers and laser towers, are already stated to use indirect fire of "semi-smart" or somewhat "self-guided" munitions and have ranges much less than what you mentioned. And the lasers and towers already have LOS rules that, while not the most realistic, work well enough in the context of the game.

[offsides]

IIRC, the primary limitation on range isn't even targeting, it's countermeasures. Since anything in the air too long can be shot down, the longer the range the more likely it is. This is partially countered by larger and longer-ranged weapons (like HWZ) having better counter-countermeasures, but even then it has to reach the target and detonate before it can be overwhelmed by the defence. Given what I know of modern weapons and the size of a HWZ, I expect its absolute maximum range to throw its ammunition (which, IIRC, are more like smart missiles anyway) would be somewhere around 20-30 miles, perhaps even as far as 40-50, but the chances of them a) reaching that distance and b) actually hitting the intended target (other than a building) at that range is just slightly under zero...

Horizon only really matters for lasers, and there's a recent thread about that and the fact that in-game the range given for lasers is actually too high unless there's some sort of redirection going on, but for everything else I think the game handles it just fine.

[J. Durr]

Speaking of lasers, Israel's announced an advance in long range lasers https://www.janes.com/article/93626/...r-breakthrough