Which optional Rules do you typically play with?

[TheBigRedOne]

Bump. Something to discuss, especially with so many new guys showing up here. What optional rules do you use?

[gabeeg]

All of them except the Optional Fire and Optional Assault results.

[Compass Rose]

Quality Loss Modifier and Vehicle Fire Over

[GrayTalon]

I use Quality Loss Modifier. I am going to have to acquainted with Vehicle Fire Over as it appears many use it also.

[Landser34]

Quality Loss and Vehicle Fire Over

[TheBigRedOne]

As far as I'm concerned, Quality Loss Modifier shouldn't be an optional rule, it should be part of the over-all game engine. Troops with better morale represent better trained and equipped soldiers. They should have their effectiveness raised.

That said, Vehicle Fire over and Helo Hovering also make good sense in most situations.

Alternate Fire Density is something I've struggled with, in general. In the games that were made before it came out (VN through Korea, I believe), it probably shouldn't be used at all. Games after that which represent more conventional warfare, like Winter War and RV, it probably shouldn't be used either. In my estimation, it's reserved for a more asymmetric battlefield, like SAW. I know for a fact that any and all design and play-testing from Winter War forward did not utilize Alternate Fire Density, but if you like to try new stuff, then go ahead. I usually never PBEM with it.

The optional fire and assault rules are nice if you don't like wild and crazy results in your games, since it averages two die rolls into the final result. Personally, I like the potential for something extraordinary to happen because real combat isn't a series of die rolls. Weird stuff happens, both good and bad. There's always a huge random factor, and I think that smoothing out the data over-rides that, IMHO.

[Compass Rose]

I see that currently Helo Hovering is leading the pack. I have yet to play a SB game where I had any helicopters to use, so I am not familiar with the option.

What are the pro and cons to using or not using that optional rule?

[TheBigRedOne]

From the User's Manual: the most important part, in my mind, is in bold.

Helicopter Hovering is an Optional Rule intended to introduce more fidelity into the dynamics of helicopter movement. However, because this issue puts more requirements on the player not directly related to the conduct of the ground action, it is optional so that the player can choose to disable the effect, resulting in simpler play.

When a helicopter is flying, it is possible for it to enter a state called Hovering. This represents a state where the helicopter is not flying with any significant speed, but rather remaining basically at the same location for periods of time. When a helicopter is Hovering, fire against it is doubled in value.

The actions that cause a helicopter to become Hovering are:
• When a helicopter takes off, it becomes Hovering.
• When a helicopter changes its facing in the same hex, it becomes Hovering.
• When a helicopter turns more than 60 degrees while moving one hex, it becomes Hovering. That is, when a helicopter moves from its current hex into one of the 3 hexes behind its facing direction, it becomes Hovering.
• When a helicopter fires its weapons in such a way that the use of the weapons exceeds the movement usage of the helicopter, it becomes Hovering.

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To answer the question about the pros and cons:

The hovering rule keeps a player from parking their helicopter in the sky and firing at will on ground targets. If a HMG is in the vicinity, we all know that this would be a very, very foolish thing to do. It keeps that player honest in terms of making sure the helicopter is always moving.

The cons can range from difficulty in getting a helo out of hovering status, taking away from the player's focus on what's going on with his ground forces.

I always play scenarios with helo's with the hovering rule on. Keeps things a bit more realistic and gives the enemy a fair shot at shooting down your valuable copters if you're foolish enough to let one sit for a period of time without trying to move it out of harm's way.

[Gasbag]

Alternate Ending in some scenarios.

[TheBigRedOne]

Here's a good look at AFD done a few years ago. I liked how this guy would dissect certain rules and try to come up with some conclusions from some experiments...

https://sites.google.com/site/jzs-place/...nsity-test