=============== OGRE/GEV list, Jan 25th (Last: Jan 23rd) =============== ===== Msl-GEV & background From: RMeaden@aol.com ===== Computers and Cammo From: sj@io.com (Steve Jackson) ------------------------------ From: RMeaden@aol.com To: hcobb@io.com Subject: Msl-GEV & background As Henry pointed out, the Ogre Miniatures rules have a simple timeline of world events, but the upcoming minis supplement 'Killing Zone' greatly details the history, the War, and the various factions. Also thrown into the fray is the Nihon Empire (Japan & much of the Pacific Rim), China (which now occupies Korea and much of Southeast Asia), as well as the smaller nations like Australia, Arabian Confederation, India, etc. Ogre has a *great* background, and has lots of room for great 'historical' battles. The Missile GEV: I ran Ogre at a local convention this past weekend, and got the chance to try this unit in some after-hours games with friends. It's a good unit, and plays better with unlimited ammo (limited ammo became a pain to keep track of - very un-Ogre!), and should probably stay at 6 points. Probably. It seemed OK to tie availability to a number of mechanized Inf units, but also wasn't to horrific when freely chosen without the mechInf. The miniatures conversion is easy to do. I made a small plug-in platform from styrene card that sits in the GEV-PC racks, with a small pop-up turret from 3mm thick styrene with small holes drilled in it to represent the missile pod. made about 12 in an hour. Foward Observers: This rule is fun, and adds a little different stratgy to Infantry. I think it should be allowed for Militia as well (they probably carry comparable targetting equipment), as this will affect Chinese forces for the better (they need all the help they can get!). This rule also makes Chinese Landship ogres more interesting, as their Missile Turrets and Lt. Railguns would benefit from this rule! The Field Artillery archaic armor should also be allowed to benefit from the range bonus. Giving Msl-GEVs 100% range bonus didn't seem a good idea, and maybe such a fast-moving, somewhat unstable firing platform wouldn't be all that accurate to justify it being the only one to get the 100% range bonus. Enough noodling. A good list, and keep up the good work! ----- [I see the reduced range on the Cub to be due to reduced firing rate (no chain-targeting) as platform instability and reduced loiter time. (These guys just don't stop within range of the enemy for long). Also Mech Infantry needs something in the way of missile support, and I can't see any reason that the missiles fired by the Missile Gev to have any less range than the same missile fired by a Missile Tank, when each is depending on grunt-guidance. In Ogre-Minis terms, a Forward Observer directed attack is a normal combined attack of infantry small-arms (the non-missile attack of one-point per squad and 2 inches range) and missile weapons. If all of the infantry in a declared FO attack have LOS to the target then the following benefits apply: The Missile attack factors are also considered to have LOS, and the same Hull-down and hard cover status as the infantry attack, in addition the missile attack may be made at a bonus to the normal range of the missile armed unit. (of 50% for most such units). Militia have the proper equipment to call in Forward Observer attacks, but usually are a bit lacking in training. (It's a question of timing the infantry attack so the target's point defenses are overwhelmed exactly when the missiles arrive.) Normal Militia can call FO attacks from one battery or section, chosen when the units are purchased, elite Militia cost one sixth of a point more each, and may FO the attack of any friendly missile unit. (I.e. seven points buys six squads of elite Militia). Steve, can Hovertrucks carry three squads of Militia? (I'm finding it very difficult to move my Chinese Sacrificial Militia Battalion at the current rate of two-per). Also, I'm back to the armor transport rules, and am working on a two-turn setup / dismantle, one turn load / unload, one LHWZ per Hovertruck with some change left over. (One squad of Militia packed in with the piece, if the above holds) -HJC] ------------------------------ To: "Henry J. Cobb" From: sj@io.com (Steve Jackson) Subject: Computers and Cammo > From: Harry Flashman >Is there any way for me to obtain the computer version of OGRE. >I understand it is out of print! I recently started playing OGRE >again...after about a 15 year recess. Are there any plans in the >works for a more advanced release? It's out of print (and terribly out of date, as far as state of the art goes). The Origin Systems license has expired. We would be happy to talk about creating a new version; over the years there have been talks with various computer companies, but nothing solid. I may end up doing it myself :-) Re cammo - We paint some of our display armies cammo. Others are not. One can make a case either way. There would certainly be some situations in which it would be worthwhile to spoof optical sensors, and other situations in which optics didn't matter a bit, and you might as well make your tanks pretty and enjoy the morale benefits. (Even if the only morale benefits are to the Colonel of the Regiment, he's the one giving the orders...) OTOH, cammo DOES work in the here-and-now, and if you are playing on a nice terrain table, you may actually lose track of units. It's bad enough when you fail to deal with an enemy because you couldn't see him, but when you forget to move your OWN units, that's infuriating. Steve Jackson, sj@io.com - this will do till I fix my .sig file . . . ----- [Steve, if you learn how to program, we'll hire you. The market's that tight. (At least in silicone valley) I can see the history books now: "In the 21st Century, they had the industry and technology to build OGREs, they simply couldn't spare the programmers from other projects." BTW: dibs on Cow-Cammo, the Gateway 2000 strikeforce is mine! The battlecry of my OGREs is "Intel inside, Mooo!" -HJC] Henry J. Cobb hcobb@io.com http://www.io.com/~hcobb All OGRE-related items Copyright (c) 1996, by Steve Jackson Games.