Tactics for adversary near-future soldiers

[Michele]

Originally Posted by Rupert

Note that the timers, etc. will have a failure rate, especially in artillery/rocket projected mines. Some won't arm properly, some will arm and not disarm, and so on. Yes, it's a lot safer than the results of just tossing a bunch of cold-war era mines out of a helicopter, but if you throw thousands of mines out there, people will be finding live ones for years to come, even with timed deactivation.

Well, yes. WWII UXO are still found today, too . But it's a bug, not a feature.

[PTTG]

To kind of recenter here, my main concern is how to decide what is tactically sound, looks like a well-drilled professional military to my players, and challenging, while still being survivable, considering the PCs have psionic powers of a variety of types.

This is specifically in regards to the second-by-second decisons. How do I, a GM with no formal military training and serious time constraints (I want to keep NPC turns below a minute per), emulate the decisions made by a dozen seasoned combat veterans?

[Verjigorm]

Originally Posted by PTTG

To kind of recenter here, my main concern is how to decide what is tactically sound, looks like a well-drilled professional military to my players, and challenging, while still being survivable, considering the PCs have psionic powers of a variety of types.

This is specifically in regards to the second-by-second decisons. How do I, a GM with no formal military training and serious time constraints (I want to keep NPC turns below a minute per), emulate the decisions made by a dozen seasoned combat veterans?

http://www.milsf.com/ is an excellent site, with a lot of information.

[PTTG]

Originally Posted by Verjigorm

http://www.milsf.com/ is an excellent site, with a lot of information.

Never has character order been so critical.

Excellent resource, too, thanks!

[Michele]

Originally Posted by PTTG

To kind of recenter here, my main concern is how to decide what is tactically sound, looks like a well-drilled professional military to my players, and challenging, while still being survivable, considering the PCs have psionic powers of a variety of types.

This is specifically in regards to the second-by-second decisons. How do I, a GM with no formal military training and serious time constraints (I want to keep NPC turns below a minute per), emulate the decisions made by a dozen seasoned combat veterans?

OK, so you are not thinking in terms of large-scale engagements. For deploying a company, you'd be much better off with GURPS Mass Combat than with the standard GURPS combat rules.

Now if we're talking about a dozen soldiers, that's a squad. Still you don't necessarily have to deal with 12 separate decisions. Keep in mind this is a highly networked unit, and even if comms fail or are interfered with, the soldiers will rely not only on their training but also on their suits' LAIs. So they will act together and on a relatively small number of options.

You might have three fireteams.
The first is the heavier one and probably the one including the commanding NCO. This will try to hold slightly back, and to lay down heavy firepower. If they have not sighted the psis, they will nevertheless employ area fire on potential/suspected areas where their enemy might be. Psis attack with their minds (need to Concentrate), and there's nothing like a rain of steel and fire to prevent concentration. So the two crewmen of the SAW or equivalent heavy weapon will take care of that. The NCO will alternate between calling support in, and directing his men. The last man might be the sniper, or air drone operator, and might detach himself to try to gain a direct or indirect (through the drone) LOS to the enemy.
The other two fireteams will engage the enemy. If they are only under intermittent attack, or none after the initial event, they will operate in bounds, one laying down supporting fire and the other advancing to a better position (if they are not withdrawing, that's a position where they can better engage the enemy, or cut their withdrawal). If they are under heavy attack, they might seek cover and return fire. As a final alternative, the four soldiers of each of these teams might split in pairs, and in each pair, one of the soldiers moves and the other covers him.

You could probably come up with a high-tech version of the Teamwork Perk, and it would be part of all of these soldiers' training.

But, essentially, you have an initial decision by the NCO (return fire from the current position? withdraw? maneuver and engage?). Then you have two decision concerning the heavier team (where to lay the suppressive fire? how and where to employ the sniper/drone?). Then one decision concerning the other two teams, concerning how they'll stagger maneuver and fire in implementing the initial decision.

Note that a single squad will not try to take on a psi team and defeat it single-handedly. It's more likely they will "pin" it, and call in the other two squads.

It's difficult to be more specific than this, if you don't tell us what the psi are capable of, and whether the infantry is able to expect/predict/determine what powers they are facing in the skirmish.

[Verjigorm]

Originally Posted by PTTG

Never has character order been so critical.

Excellent resource, too, thanks!

I'm not gonna lie: I haven't read this website since the late 90s, early 2000s. But it helped me then, and I hope it helps you now.

[AlexanderHowl]

It is quite likely that Space Nazis would call in an orbital laser strike when they encounter psi resistance. They would only need to keep the psi from fleeing during the 20s it would take the ship to fire down to the surface (assuming that they have coverage from a GSO positioned warship). If they do not have coverage, they may have to wait for drone or fighter coverage, which could take longer.

One possible scenario would be a resistance against an occupying force whose orbital support was called away, disabled, or destroyed. Without orbital support, infantry tactics become much more important, and commanders will be more cautious. Without transport off the planet, the occupying force will also likely not use weapons of mass destruction. Instead, they will be depending on a lot of local forces, either through positive recruitment (pay and benefits, offers of citizenship and positions of importance, etc) or negative recruitment (kidnapped relatives, food and medical supplies held hostage, etc), to deal with the troublesome locals.