The Unoffial 2056 Vehicle Guide

[swordtart]

At 11" you shouldn't even be ble to see them (camo net). You need to drop your BE into the trench to affect peds in the trench (which precludes direct fire generally).

Counter defilade really needs indirect fire and in CW we generally only have grenades for that (aircraft dropping bombs were uncommon in our games). I would use concussion for area saturation as the targets don't actually have to be exposed for them to be effective (though hard cover does provide a bonus on the roll to avoid it).

Very few people mount GL with concussion grenades as a default option. In the end my players got the idea and gave every driver a hand held GL to poke out the port (because then they can't drop one under the seat). That way he is behind vehicle armour and immune. Explosive grenades might fall short and put you in the 1/2" burst plus they only affect exposed peds.

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by swordtart

At 11" you shouldn't even be ble to see them (camo net). You need to drop your BE into the trench to affect peds in the trench (which precludes direct fire generally).

There wasn't camo netting in the rules back then -- we had to make stuff up (the total -5 to shoot a "concealed" ped -- -3 for the ped, then another -2 for partial cover -- made it hard enough).

My solution, as such, involved a 1-man helicopter, and a Passenger with grenades. A _Micromedic_ can be used for this; if one is willing to risk it, having Passengers with grenades on the Skid Stretchers in addition to the Passenger inside the hull makes for a fairly-impressive improvised bomber on-the-cheap. (For a particularly nasty variant: Have the 'copter "dust" the footsloggers, *then* give them the grenades.) Then there's what evolved into the "EDSEL _Snapdragon_" for "The Death of EDSEL": Univ.-turret MG w/ Explosive ammo, plus a pair of CB15s....

"I have played many tank-combat games where the designers had to Magically Eliminate Air Power; I have yet to play the Air Combat game where the designers had to Magically Eliminate Ground Power." >:)

[swordtart]

Air power isn't a panacea. We learned that in Kosovo, Vietnam, Casino etc.

Before a/c saturation with hi-ex from long range heavy artillery was used (WW1) the ratio of lbs of explosive to casualties was ridiculous.

Dug in infantry can realistically only be grubbed out by infantry.

In CW, as in real life, use their lack of mobility against then and go round them (Maginot Line).

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by swordtart

Air power isn't a panacea. We learned that in Kosovo, Vietnam, Casino etc.

Maybe not -- but against a toll-booth gang, it's proven quite... effective. :)

Originally Posted by swordtart

In CW, as in real life, use their lack of mobility against then and go round them (Maginot Line).

This is why they dig trenches, or lay trees, across the road (and the smart ones [cough :) ] extend those barricades *beyond* the road edges) -- and why I prefer to go *over* them.

(To be fair, I've had my Learning Experiences -- like "if one is 'dusting' a position, one cannot use dropped-gas-type grenades or bombs; the rotor wash disperses the cloud". >< )

[swordtart]

Originally Posted by 43Supporter

This is why they dig trenches, or lay trees, across the road (and the smart ones [cough :) ] extend those barricades *beyond* the road edges) -- and why I prefer to go *over* them.

I mean use a different road entirely. Use your intel (AADA incident reports), a cheap aircraft (but spotting from the air is a challenge if they use even rudimentary camouflage) or just a guy on a bike running ahead of the convoy to identify where they are operating and go another way. Avoid any jurisdictions that provide un-patrolled roads, especially ones where you are forced to use a particular route frequently.

This will force the baddies to re-site frequently (often after a single sting). That reduces the effort they can invest in any single site (less ditches, mines, tree-felling and the like). Generally this means it will be less expensive to you should you decide to engage.

This will encourage them to run leaner. This means they will be more likely to chose targets at the lower end of the spectrum (bikes, solo cars etc. who frankly should know better) or set their tolls lower to incentivise a pay-out rather than a challenge.

By constantly moving around they are more likely to be caught out when they are most vulnerable (before they have turned the terrain to their advantage). They will also have more difficulty establishing safe markets or cooperative relationships with locals (particularly law enforcement).

If you do decide to engage you need to ensure you will profit by it.
This can mean a good deed (which hopefully will result in the favour of local law-enforcement, the AADA or the Brotherhood).
It can mean salvage, but remember the most valuable equipment owned by low level bandits is often their body armour (and you will have shredded that before you could even wound them). The higher the level of bandit, generally the more repair and replacement costs you will incur.
It can mean bounties, but in this case the bandits should be either hard to kill or hard to find. They will also have earned a rep. Local enforcement won't offer more in reward than it would cost them to do the job themselves and they can take weeks to plan an efficient operation, you will probably be improvising and expending resources less efficiently.

Of course if you meet two yokels who have towed a log across a road, you may feel a few rounds rapid to be in order. Chances are however that they are either supported by the local community or will have concealed their actions from it. When you roll into town having killed Zeke and Jake you may find the locals reaction less positive than you hoped. "Zeke would never have done that, sounds like you killed 'em in cold blood then made up this hooey to justify yourself - get the sheriff!"

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by swordtart

I mean use a different road entirely. Use your intel (AADA incident reports), a cheap aircraft (but spotting from the air is a challenge if they use even rudimentary camouflage) or just a guy on a bike running ahead of the convoy to identify where they are operating and go another way. Avoid any jurisdictions that provide un-patrolled roads, especially ones where you are forced to use a particular route frequently. [...]

[John McClane] "Way ahead of you, pal." [/John McClane] :)

Of course, when one is out on the road for the *express intent* of Removing Unauthorized Revenue Cutters, a fight is unavoidable. ;) (Up here, we have "Corridor Management Teams"; I gave them Firepower. And before that, when I was in Omaha... well, the rest of the group learned *real* fast I don't play by Comic-Book Rules, unless said comic book is one of the old EC imprints. >:) )

On the subject of Deniability: Even before there was an "official" Camera accessory, I had cameras. (Watch _Aliens_ for details.) *Everything* was documented, for exactly the reason you describe. "Panopticon", perhaps -- but when the alternative is "it's all about the he-said-she-said", I know which option I prefer.

"Mah sweet innacent boyz would *nevah*--"

[HOURS OF VIDEO-CUBE EVIDENCE LATER]

"...Ah'll shut up now."

My only regret is: Mortars didn't become Official until _CW Tanks_ -- this is why I had to use helicopters so extensively; there wasn't a good Artillery Option.

[swordtart]

Yup, an organised hunting expedition is a different matter, and any baddies that aren't bright enough to move on once they have had a success will quickly find themselves removed from the gene pool.

But...

"Aw son, that's a real nice movie and all, but round here video evidence is inadmissible less'n the equipment was calibrated by the local sheriffs office prior to the event in question, which I note your's wasn't."

"Don't worry Ma, I'll bring Zeke's body back so Pa can bury him 'long side the rest of the family."

"Now let's deal with this murdering hoodlum, there appears to be a tree over there that's vacant." ;)

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by swordtart

"Aw son, that's a real nice movie and all, but round here video evidence is inadmissible less'n the equipment was calibrated by the local sheriffs office prior to the event in question, which I note your's wasn't."

"Don't worry Ma, I'll bring Zeke's body back so Pa can bury him 'long side the rest of the family."

"Now let's deal with this murdering hoodlum, there appears to be a tree over there that's vacant." ;)

And that's why the cameras are attached to the heavy artillery.

(One of the books on the shelves behind me is titled "_Outlaws With Badges_"; it's a tome about how in the Old West, the line between "law enforcement" and "law breaker" wasn't that thick. It's a really useful reference for folks who want to run campaigns where Local Law Enforcement is just "a gang with cars and badges". See also the movie _Tombstone_, and Wyatt Earp's message to Ike Clanton at the train station. >:) )

[juris]

A cheap spotter aircraft isn't going to do much when it's hit by 5 Stinger missiles. BTW the same applies to almost any aircraft at speed (5 D3 hazards). That's $5000 in air defense.

The best roadblock is a custom side-shooter minibus - use radio det. mines to block all routes around the bus. Paying the toll is way cheaper than repairs. Cars should be let through one at a time after paying the toll so they can't just all attack the bus from the weak side.

As a bonus the toll operators may as well use camouflaged field carriages - no reason only the military should be able to figure out 19th century tech. The bus could probably tow it into place. This makes an ATG as accurate as a laser. Fixed defenses are brutal.

[swordtart]

If the purpose of the cheap spotter was to find the enemy so the main convoy can avoid them, being hit by anything finds the enemy too ;)

I personally use lots of cheap rockets on tripods. With a laser sight and a decent gunner you can get the base to hit down to under 4 after a couple of ranging shots using the sight (you don't even need laser guidance on that basis). Fire from the front and you can eliminate most of the speed modifier. If they stop to pay toll, you don't fire the rockets, just keep firing the sight to keep the sustained fire.

If you do fire, next turn you just pick up the now empty tripod with the laser sight and extract back down pedestrian only routes. You punish them with up to 6D damage and they may be inclined to pay next time.