--------------------Ogre interest forum, Nov 18th--------------------

	[I am not allowed to reveal the mailing address of the following
submitter, but I will forward what you have to say on this subject.

	Note: 2" in Ogre Minis == 1 hex in Ogre/GEV (just about...) -HJC]
___

From:  (Steve Jackson)
Subject: Ogre units

Okay, I've contemplated your comments on the interaction of the
GEV-PC and the HW squads. I agree that this is an interesting
question - where were you when we were playtesting :-)
 
My immediate reaction, looking at the point values, is to say
that there's really no problem. A GEV-PC costs 3 points. HW
squads are 4 each. So a GEV-PC loaded with HW costs 15 points,
not quite as much as three MSL tanks. And it can fire three MSL-tank
attacks . . . once.
 
Arguably, assembly and proper launching of the missile
would require a stable platform, if only for a few seconds. However,
in the scale of the game, the squad can hop off the vehicle,
assemble their missile, let it fly, and hop back on the vehicle
to leave on the next turn.
 
You propose to take a bunch of GEV-PC+HW teams into the MK V
Ogre scenario. Hmm. If you do that, you can clearly get the
first strike. You fire a lot of missiles. Hope you roll well.
You need to get 20 tread units to take my movement down to 2.
With average die rolls, this means you need to fire 20 missiles.
Which means you need 20 HW teams and 7 GEV-PCS to carry them,
which is 101 of your 180 build-points right there. Feel lucky?
 
If you fail to take my movement down to 2, my next move trashes
a lot of your infantry with AP and the rest with secondaries,
while popping two GEV-PCs with main batteries and the rest
with missiles (if I even bother with them). If you do cut
my movement to 2, I can still chew up your expensive HW squads
with main and secondary batteries, and I can still use missiles
on any GEV-PCs that seem worth the trouble at that point.
 
Result: A Mark V with 2/3 of its tread points and intact or near-
intact weaponry, walking through a thin line of infantry to
face another 79 points worth of defenders. I'd bet on the Ogre.
 
I think a few GEV-PC+HW teams could be great as a mobile reserve,
but I believe that putting them in the battle line would be an error.
 
 
CHANGE OF SUBJECT . . . 
I'd appreciate your opinion on these two proposed units.
Feel free to repost and collect data from elsewhere - this
is not confidential material.
 
 
Missile GEV (MSL-GEV)
Attack: 3        Range: 8''        Defense: 2
Move: 6''/4''        Movement Mode: GEV
Size: 2        Points: At least 9 . . . ?
A deadly combination of speed and power, this GEV is armed with smart
battlefield rockets similar to those carried by the Missile Tank.
(SJ reaction - Yes, neat - maybe too neat. A general might like to
have a single unit that would obsolete both GEV and MSL units,
but do we need it in the game? Only if it's really expensive.)
 
Heavy Missile Tank (HMSL)
Attack: 1        Range: 2''        Defense: 2
Missile: 6        Range: 10''
Move: 4''        Movement Mode: TNK
Size: 3        Points: 9 to 12 . . . ?
A large, relatively slow vehicle, this unit is a mobile launcher for
two Ogre-type missiles. These are identical to standard Ogre missiles,
with an attack strength of 6 and a range of 10''. Once fired, each
missile is gone, and the unit may not be reloaded during a battle.
If the vehicle is destroyed, the missiles are too. The missiles can be
fired singly, or both at the same time. They do not have to be targeted
on the same unit. Because the small tank lacks an Ogre's sophisticated
battle computers, if both missiles are launched on the same turn at
different targets, those two targets must be within 2'' of each other.
This tank is also armed with a multibarreled cannon for self-defense.
(SJ reaction - Hard to run through any regular algorithm because
it becomes almost worthless after it fires its two missiles. But each
missile, used well, is an almost sure kill on one MSL or GEV.
A troop of these, backing up a troop of HVY, SHVY or even LT, could
probably stop a GEV rush dead and smoking.
___

	[I'll include my comments along with you'alls in a day or two, here
and to Steve.  -HJC]

	Henry J. Cobb	hcobb@fly2.berkeley.edu	SFB Tyrant
		"What's the frequency Kenneth?"