Possible Mods

[K K Rossokolski]

FACTS. Engineers have been in CS since the start. Engineers inter alia clear minefields. CS is not interested in the layout of the minefields, their geometrical pattern, whether they are camouflaged, FASCAM (or indeed any other scam). These matters are supremely irrelevant to this discussion.
Minefields are deemed to be anti vehicle, anti personnel without any distinctions. Everything gets blown up. Except engineers and certain other units such as flail tanks. These are called "Mine Clearing Units (MCU)* The minefield covers the entire hex, and may be Strength 1, 2, 3. Until recently, minefields could not be laid in play, but had to be placed by the scen design.
Undisrupted MCU entering a minefield are not attacked, and immediately begin clearing. Each turn in the minefield clears one strength level. Thus a strength 3 minefield will be cleared in 3 turns. No die throw....to stop the process the MCU must be disrupted or made to retreat. As far as I am aware, the MCU strength has no effect on the process...one undisrupted sapper with his probing bayonet can clear the whole lot.
Recent CS developments have brought exciting new engineer capabilities, including mine laying engineers. These are allowed only one Strength 1 field PER SCENARIO. I maintain this is unrealistic in the extreme, implying that minelaying ....a very common activity in WWII...is some kind of exotic activity practiced only by soldiers with PhDs in engineering. Which is an idea even sillier than the present restrictions. How many were laid in WWII,mostly by hand.....100 million? Who knows?

I believe the restriction on minelaying in CS needs to better reflect reality. Mine clearing involves finding, digging (both very carefully) moving and disposing /storing/relaying. Minelaying involves moving, planning layout, digging** Thus as these are equivalent activities in most ways,the minelaying capability should reflect the clearing capability ie Undisrupted, unfatigued, but additionally within supply range. An element low on supply will cease laying until supply is restored (if that is feasible wrt game mechanics). No dice roll is necessary.....what they are doing is essentially the reverse of CS mineclearing. No balance aspects come into play, except for the relatively few scens that have minelayers. There appears to be a concern, unjustified by argument, that this activity should take time. Easy...limit the numbers available in the .org. Has anyone seen a scen where the basic engineers are available on the spot at the drop of a hat? If so, IMO that is a worthless scenario.

MR Kool Kat commented wisely in an earlier post on the virtues of simplicity. This proposal seems a simple way to change a ridiculous addition into one with some semblance of reality. And one which will, I believe give CS players another set of options, a little more to think about.


* Correctly, this should read elements, not units. The smallest UNIT is Battalion or equivalent.
** A minefield need not be camouflaged to be effective. Its prime purpose is to deny the use of ground. The Australians caused problems in the desert by making lots of little sandcastles laid out neatly.