Question About Smoke/Paint and Helicopter Targeting

helbent4 · 04-13-2023, 12:23 PM

Hello,

Thanks for the replies!

Thanks for checking ADQ&A for me about smoke blocking LOS! I guess my recollection was a fever dream, as I skimmed over Tanks years ago but don't recall in any depth any rules. Accepting that Tanks is at variance with the rules, so to speak, the suggestion that 2" of smoke/paint blocks LOS would put it at anything -4 blocks LOS. Kind of a house rule to consider, along with suggestions on a spotting roll. There are other considerations, like how IR (thermal imaging) would still penetrate most smoke much like an infrared laser. (Somewhere there is a distinction made between normal and "hot" smoke, which would make a difference.)

In Convoy (both the version in ADQ 1-1 and the stand-alone solo adventure) there is a paint trap as you describe. What are concealed on the road past the stationary paint sprayers are mines. Mines and other dropped weapons are concealed under smoke and paint (etc.) I guess for dramatic purposes mines laid beyond the paint would therefore also be concealed, which is not much of a stretch!

As for helicopters, quoting the rule was my pleasure. I'd say it's reasonable to treat out-of-arc targeting for helos the same as cars even if the wording and examples seem to imply it must be reciprocal (you can only target a side from within its arc of fire). But it does seem silly that you can't target a location you can see, like with ground vehicles.

As a house rule, I'd allow targeting the rotor hub at -10. Damage goes to the rotors. Allowed only if at the same or higher altitude. As well, Helicopters pitch down when accelerating in level flight so targeting their top armour is again allowed if at the same or higher altitude. Additional maneuver: Fly Sideways. May be attempted at a speed of no more than 20 MPH. Same as Fly Backward but obviously to either side.

Tony

04-13-2023, 12:23 PM	#4
helbent4 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Vancouver BC	Re: Question About Smoke/Paint and Helicopter Targeting Hello, Thanks for the replies! Thanks for checking ADQ&A for me about smoke blocking LOS! I guess my recollection was a fever dream, as I skimmed over Tanks years ago but don't recall in any depth any rules. Accepting that Tanks is at variance with the rules, so to speak, the suggestion that 2" of smoke/paint blocks LOS would put it at anything -4 blocks LOS. Kind of a house rule to consider, along with suggestions on a spotting roll. There are other considerations, like how IR (thermal imaging) would still penetrate most smoke much like an infrared laser. (Somewhere there is a distinction made between normal and "hot" smoke, which would make a difference.) In Convoy (both the version in ADQ 1-1 and the stand-alone solo adventure) there is a paint trap as you describe. What are concealed on the road past the stationary paint sprayers are mines. Mines and other dropped weapons are concealed under smoke and paint (etc.) I guess for dramatic purposes mines laid beyond the paint would therefore also be concealed, which is not much of a stretch! As for helicopters, quoting the rule was my pleasure. I'd say it's reasonable to treat out-of-arc targeting for helos the same as cars even if the wording and examples seem to imply it must be reciprocal (you can only target a side from within its arc of fire). But it does seem silly that you can't target a location you can see, like with ground vehicles. As a house rule, I'd allow targeting the rotor hub at -10. Damage goes to the rotors. Allowed only if at the same or higher altitude. As well, Helicopters pitch down when accelerating in level flight so targeting their top armour is again allowed if at the same or higher altitude. Additional maneuver: Fly Sideways. May be attempted at a speed of no more than 20 MPH. Same as Fly Backward but obviously to either side. Tony