X-Mod thread

[Jeff Conner]

There was a move at one time to convert bazookas, RPGs and similar weapons to single use weapons like LAWs. This would follow Alan's idea of either you have the rockets or you don't. But the powers that be didn't go for it. The best that those of us pushing for the idea could get was to reduce the reliability of those weapons down towards a D rating, meaning that they would degrade much faster. Then at least, you would (or at least should) think twice before hosing down every enemy infantry squad with several RPG rockets. However, this change has not been applied consistently.


As for the idea behind the X-mod, I just can't get behind it. I think its great that some players are making use of the editors to change things; after all that's what they are for. But the idea of replacing an algorithm that models ammunition usage with one that ignores the subject entirely does not seem like a step forward. This is especially true in an infantry simulator where the vast majority of ammo carried is by the user and there is most definitely a finite amount.

And to the idea that this won't affect play balance, I disagree. It depends on the time period (this is going to make any weapon with a lower reliability much more effective and reduce the impact of single shot weapons like LAWs) and if the scenario has a true attacker role. Any side that is forced to spend a significant portion of the game moving is going to be at a disadvantage if their opposition does not have to worry about running out of ammo. There are reasons that scenarios are given certain time lengths and part of that is the degradation of units (both men and weapons) over time. So in Vietnam where the bad guys have RPGs that never degrade (and they didn't degrade fast enough to begin with) and the good guys have LAWs, there is going to be an advantage for the bad guys (or compare bazookas, piats and panzerfauts). If the good guys have to attack, which they often do, it is going to be even more of an advantage.

As for changing the lethality values, be my guest. Just be sure that you can tell the which dat values you are currently using. I don't think anyone here would intentionally cheat this way, but I could easily see it happening unintentionally. I don't disagree that I think the values are a bit on the low side. We are constrained to some extent to keep them consistent from title to title. Frank, who I have a lot of respect for thought they were too low based on his experiences in Iraq as a Marine. I can't argue with that at all.

Jeff