"Gamey" tactics

Ozgur Budak · 07-14-2010, 08:14 PM,

(07-14-2010, 03:26 PM)Laza Wrote: I honestly wouldnt consider anything that to be gamey although like others I never thought of sniper rifle reassigned to a leader

Thats why I rarely assign leaders as snipers as they are impossible to disrupt which is most of the time your biggest chance against a sniper.

Dog Soldier · 07-21-2010, 08:26 AM,

I am not real familiar with the system yet. Still getting my head around it in my spare time.

I wonder if the leader sniper is really that much of an issue. Unless the leader sniper is never located, or is covered by a squad or heavy weapon, could you not just rush the fellow and kill him in close assault? Your average squad should be able to take him out. Another squad in the rush from a different approach would up your chances significantly. Just time it right.

Any thoughts if this would work? Dead leader plus no more sniper as a bonus.

Dog Soldier

TheBigRedOne · (This post was last modified: 07-21-2010, 11:24 PM by TheBigRedOne.)

(07-21-2010, 08:26 AM)Dog Soldier Wrote: I am not real familiar with the system yet. Still getting my head around it in my spare time.

I wonder if the leader sniper is really that much of an issue. Unless the leader sniper is never located, or is covered by a squad or heavy weapon, could you not just rush the fellow and kill him in close assault? Your average squad should be able to take him out. Another squad in the rush from a different approach would up your chances significantly. Just time it right.

Any thoughts if this would work? Dead leader plus no more sniper as a bonus.

Dog Soldier

If you could get that close, yes. I'd never let a full squad get that close to my sniper unless I was using him as delaying force to allow other forces to re-deploy. Given that most sniper rifles have an extended range, you'd have to go through a few rounds of pretty deadly fire to get close enough to assault, that is, if the sniper is placed in an advantageous position. Chances are, you'll get disrupted and you might lose your platoon leader along the way.

As someone said, a leader can't be disrupted or pinned, meaning the effectiveness of the weapon is never compromised, and when you want to leave the scene, you'll never suffer from the movement restrictions a compromised squad has.

I love snipers in SB. They are an incredibly effective weapon at taking out leaders and causing squad to disrupt or pin, and they are one of the few weapons that you can use at maximum range without having their effectiveness drop.

A well placed and utilized one can blunt the approach of an entire platoon.

cazart! · 07-22-2010, 02:22 AM,

I might be inspired to do an ES scenario based on the sniper from Inglorius Basterds.....

Dog Soldier · 07-22-2010, 12:13 PM,

Just to expand on this thread then.....

What is the best way to locate and take out a sniper in the SB system?

Dog Soldier

White Eagle · (This post was last modified: 07-22-2010, 02:16 PM by White Eagle.)

Use tanks or vehicles?

Ozgur Budak · 07-22-2010, 07:44 PM,

I try my best to disrupt him if there is no covered approach to move or assault. If you have long range gun support like tanks thats fine but if you dont returning fire with everything you have is a good option.

(07-22-2010, 12:13 PM)Dog Soldier Wrote: Just to expand on this thread then.....

What is the best way to locate and take out a sniper in the SB system?

Dog Soldier

White Eagle · 07-23-2010, 03:14 PM,

How about using a cheap vehicle to capture an objective in the last few turns. Drive it up for free points, granted the vehicle could get wrecked but I feel a vehicle itself does not exert definite control of an objective.

If several squads are facing off and bitterly contesting an area and a truck drives through with 2 men waving "hello" to friend and foe, that seems gamey because it wouldn't happen in real combat.

I could see a tank doing it, a tank sitting in the middle of a village square (victory obj) I can buy off on. Softskin vehicles like scout cars I could also see someone's point but if the person is looking more at the points of a scenario and "gaming" the scenario for max points by driving a truck, thats gamey.

TheBigRedOne · 07-23-2010, 10:55 PM,

(07-23-2010, 03:14 PM)White Eagle Wrote: How about using a cheap vehicle to capture an objective in the last few turns. Drive it up for free points, granted the vehicle could get wrecked but I feel a vehicle itself does not exert definite control of an objective.

If several squads are facing off and bitterly contesting an area and a truck drives through with 2 men waving "hello" to friend and foe, that seems gamey because it wouldn't happen in real combat.

I could see a tank doing it, a tank sitting in the middle of a village square (victory obj) I can buy off on. Softskin vehicles like scout cars I could also see someone's point but if the person is looking more at the points of a scenario and "gaming" the scenario for max points by driving a truck, thats gamey.

I think it's a limitation of the system more than a gamey tactic. If the truck can stand in place and not get taken out, then that area is pretty much in control of the side who has captured the objective anyway.

The objectives are supposed to sort of abstract areas to conquer, then push through to the next objective, but since they are simply individual hexes that can change hands, I've experienced losing an objective to a lone soldier who was probably pinned/demoralized and wandered around unseen until they recovered, then moseyed on over to the objective after I'd moved on. It happens.

Designers can now make some of the objectives 'capture', which means one the defender loses it, it cannot be re-taken. I'd like to see more of that on objectives on the periphery that are merely junctions on the way to other objectives. Keeps the attacker from having to park a squad on or near it to keep someone from casually taking it.

White Eagle · (This post was last modified: 07-24-2010, 02:33 AM by White Eagle.)

I like the idea of objectives becoming "captures". Perhaps at a later date some small refinement is in order to the Squad Battles system regarding objectives and scoring.

I have played some wargames that use the size of a force for determining control of an area. If for example the defender has 3 squads and a leader within a 3-5 hexes of an objective but not actually on the objective, the defenders would have control over the area even if a solitary confused attacker sat down on the objective. It's more realistic to have 3 squads with LOS and at optimum firing range with killzones to retain control of an objective then the opel truck that just drove up and parked on it. Not sure if this system, however more realisitc could even work with Squad Battles.

I like the Squad Battles system, so part of me says not to monkey around with it too much as I do realize parts of the game are abstracted.