|
07-12-2014, 06:46 AM | #1 |
Night Watchman
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cambridge, UK
|
[Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
Artillery is the skill of using indirect-fire heavy weapons. There are several specialisations, with no defaults between them; it's a single skill only because the different kinds of weapons it uses all use the same rules. Splitting it off from Gunner, and making it IQ-based was a significant change from 3e.
GPS- and laser-guided smart bombs come under (Bombs), as (Guided Missile) seems to be for missiles with significant propulsion of their own. Some heavy guns can be used for both direct and indirect fire, but <edit>you need Gunner (Cannon) for direct fire.</edit> Mortars use (Cannon), with a familiarity of their own, and heavy anti-aircraft guns would be the same. Torpedoes can be used for direct fire, but aiming them is generally a matter of calculation, so it's IQ-based Artillery, not DX-based Gunner. Forward Observer is mostly used with Artillery, so might as well be covered here. It isn't described in much detail in Basic, but see B412 for laser designators, and High-Tech p139 for lots of detail and an example. That example is a cut-down version of a classic passage from earlier editions of High-Tech; it was really too long, but it was very evocative. High-Tech and Ultra-Tech have a lot of weapons for Artillery skill. I'm not clear what would count as Fine equipment for +1 to Forward Observer, although the concept is mentioned on B345 under Equipment Modifiers. Low-Tech has artillery for its period, expanded on in Low-Tech Companion 2, but Forward Observer doesn't seem to exist at TL1-4. Naturally, Artillery only gets used in games that feature heavy weaponry. I've used Artillery (Bombs) as a bomb-aimer in a WWII game, and (Guided Missile) in Reign of Steel: Will to Live. It's also going to be used for planning attacks, and for setting up targets: positioning flares in the target area to guide an air attack felt a lot more plausible with the use of (Bombs) specialisation. What have you done with Artillery and Forward Observer skills? I realise, thinking about them, that my main image of these skills and their usage comes from Spike Milligan's war memoirs, Adolf Hitler: My Part In His Downfall and "Rommel?" "Gunner Who?". Amongst the chaos, there's a fair amount about using artillery. Last edited by johndallman; 07-13-2014 at 09:30 AM. Reason: Correction to RAW |
07-12-2014, 08:47 AM | #2 |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
|
Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
For what its worth, if artillery rolls come up in my game, people are probably on spaceships using advanced weaponry with automated targeting systems. Missiles has been brought up, but Ghost particle beams, Displacer beams (Go Stargate Asgards!), and gravity weapons (I'm sorry, but If you're aiming at a point instead of a beam you should be using artillary) are all fun as well.
__________________
Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one! |
07-12-2014, 09:24 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
|
Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
I used it in a Supers game for lobbing objects over the horizon at a base and mechs. Also a high fantasy game to aim a meteor strike.
|
07-12-2014, 09:26 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Eindhoven, the Netherlands
|
Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
Personally, outside of Artillery(Guided Missile), I find Forward Observer far more fun. A hero who must slip deep into enemy territory, fight off patrols, and then call in the artillery (or orbital!) strike is far more fun than playing the guy who pushes the "And then we killed them all" button.
__________________
My Blog: Mailanka's Musing. Currently Playing: Psi-Wars, a step-by-step exploration of building your own Space Opera setting, inspired by Star Wars. |
07-12-2014, 10:04 AM | #5 |
Petitioner: Word of IN Filk
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Longmont, CO
|
Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
Any thoughts on using this for some Jules Verne-style spaceship launching? From the Earth to the Moon involved a literal "moon shot" from a really, REALLY big cannon.
__________________
“It's not railroading if you offer the PCs tickets and they stampede to the box office, waving their money. Metaphorically speaking” --Elizabeth McCoy, In Nomine Line Editor Author: "What Doesn't Kill Me Makes Me Stronger" |
07-12-2014, 10:53 AM | #6 | |
Night Watchman
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cambridge, UK
|
Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
Quote:
Then you need Engineer/TL6 (Heavy Weapons) and Armoury/TL6 (Heavy Weapons) to build the gun. Engineer/TL6 (Civil) would probably also help. You also need Engineer/TL6 (Spacecraft) and Mechanic/TL6 (Spacecraft) to build the projectile. Now you're ready, you use Artillery/TL6 (Cannon) to fire the gun, and some pretty fancy magic - RPM can probably do it most easily - to keep the crew from being killed by the acceleration on firing and to keep the projectile from being stopped and/or destroyed by the resistance of the atmosphere. Finally, you need a succession of miracles - Powers: Divine Favor seems appropriate - to allow the crew to survive the trip, the re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, and the landing, and to be found in time. I have a strong feeling that any projectile strong enough to survive the launch is too heavy for any parachute it can contain to slow it enough to keep the crew from being killed in the landing. Last edited by johndallman; 07-12-2014 at 11:01 AM. Reason: Put in TLs |
|
07-13-2014, 09:55 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
|
Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
There could probably be superpowers for which Artilllery is the relevant skill. One might even imagine a telepathic scout spotting targets for a blaster whose attacks can go over the horizon or even shortcut through hyperspace.
Bill Stoddard |
07-13-2014, 06:18 PM | #8 |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
|
Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
You know, I have a setting in which massive long range magic is a fairly common weapon of war (things like making it rain fire on opposing capitals or setting off volcano's prematurely). I hadn't thought about it before, but it'd be fun to require artillary to aim instead of using the ritual magic skill thats really about pulling off the massive power expenditure. And I just might be able to work forward observer in there... leading to a great escape scene for the heroes.
__________________
Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one! |
07-14-2014, 09:36 AM | #9 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
|
Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
In my previous campaign, which was TL2-3 fantasy, the leading military power was modeled on the Roman Empire. They made heavy use of siege engines, and the PCs found Artillery (Catapult) valuable for their more daring raids – especially ones where they captured loaded machines of war. The artificer found it useful for his one-off death machines. See GURPS Low-Tech, pp. 78-83 for the kinds of weapons that turned up.
In my current campaign, Artillery (Cannon) has seen a lot of use for infantry mortars (GURPS High-Tech, pp. 145-147), while Artillery (Guided Missile) has seen modest use for MANPADS such as the Stinger (GURPS High-Tech, pp. 152-153). I've yet to use Artillery (Beams), Artillery (Bombs), or Artillery (Torpedoes). Forward Observer has seen use in many of my higher-tech campaigns since it was introduced in the first edition of GURPS High-Tech years ago. I consider calling in fires to be a great task for small groups of PCs. That said, PCs have also used it to direct mortar fire from their own team just over the hill . . . having a camouflaged observer prone with field glasses on the hilltop while the mortar team is barely out of sight just behind him is plenty useful.
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
07-14-2014, 09:45 AM | #10 |
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: On the road again...
|
Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
Don't forget that an onager is quite useful for launching adventurers over the keep walls. You need Artillery (Catapult) to make sure they're not going to go too far and miss the hay bales set up to feed the keep's horses and livestock.
__________________
"Life ... is an Oreo cookie." - J'onn J'onzz, 1991 "But mom, I don't wanna go back in the dungeon!" The GURPS Marvel Universe Reboot Project A-G, H-R, and S-Z, and its not-a-wiki-really web adaptation. Ranoc, a Muskets-and-Magery Renaissance Fantasy Setting |
Tags |
artillery, basic, forward observer, skill, skill of the week |
|
|