(09-15-2013, 06:49 PM)waynebaumber Wrote: Having been out of the UK for some time and deliberately not taking the laptop with me I arrive late to this discussion. I will not add any new suggestions to those that have been posted on this thread but I will add a note of caution.
Like Dr's, John's main rule should be "do no harm". The 4th edition rule book should be more about clarification than whole scale rule changes. This in it's self is a challenge eg The Hill LOS controversy which has has engaged our minds since the beginning of time (well since I started playing PG).
I agree that some Scenario special rule should be included in the main rule book e,g pushing guns, Inf A/T capability etc. However I do not believe that making AFV's stronger in Assault and faster would be a welcome rule change for most players.
That said I am looking forward to seeing the 4th edition rule book and the numerous threads on this forum and others which no doubt will appear bemoaning various aspects of it.
The very best of luck John S.

(09-15-2013, 10:55 PM)enrique Wrote:

(09-14-2013, 12:51 PM)Airlifter Wrote: Plenty of commander's have sent unit after unit to destruction. If you do, you lose. But, we don't currently have a mechanism that directly affects morale of an army. Sure, you lose initiative after losing xx number of steps, and that gives the opponent the chance to mop you up, but that's not the same as everyone getting jittery because their division commander keeps sending battalions forward in dribs and drabs to destruction on a battlefield littered with corpses.

Does anyone use a house rule for this? Say every two initiative steps lost = 1 morale step loss? What would the implications be on games? Would this make players more sensitive (too sensitive?) to losses, much as if in a campaign where every step lost hurts you for the rest of the campaign?
John

Maybe you could apply the special rule 14 ("Formation Morale") of Beyond Normandy:
"The morale of the units belonging to a formation is affected by losses. Each step loss or leader lost counts as a step. All units of the formation have their morale reduced as follows when the losses equal the noted number:

Lost Steps 8 Morale Reduction -1/0
Lost Steps 15 Morale Reduction -1/-1
Lost Steps 23 Morale Reduction -2/-1

Thus a Regiment that began a scenario with a morale of 8/7 would be reduced to a morale of 7/7 when step and leader losses totaled 8, to 7/6 when step and leader losses totaled 15 and 6/6 when step and leader losses totaled 23".

This rule would be easily applicable in scenarios where in the same side are various formations (eg German SS and Heer, Heer and Luftwaffe...), or in large scenarios (eg units in sector A begin the battle with 5 losses and units in sector B without losses).

(09-16-2013, 08:35 AM)Matt W Wrote: Since I have played the bulk of my scenarios solo but have had the luxury of being able to play many with hidden units ftf I can tell you that they dramatically change the game play in a very, very good way. I have gotten better at the style of play necessary against hidden units and use it now when I play solo against "hidden" units. I, of course, stumble into ambushes and there are losses which might not happen otherwise but they add a feel very different from "the enemy is there and I will strike him there" routine without hidden units.

(09-16-2013, 10:09 AM)Airlifter Wrote: Some ideas offered up by Ottavio Ricchi for consideration.

"I also include a few more suggestions, i.e.:

-The rules about rubble generation as a result of bombardments as included in France 1940 module should be added.
-Drumfire from Infantry Attacks rule (or a slightly modified version) should be used. This kind of bombardment fire was very common also in WWII.
-I quite like the cold steel rule from Infantry Attacks
-Strong point rules from PG are fine, however there is not really any reasons why such units should not get a -1 modifier against direct and indirect fire. … they are static units placed on map at the start of the scenario and there is no reason why they should not have had the time to dug in!
-Additional suggested rule changes:
-Mortar capability to hide. Mortars of 82 mm and lower calibers do not become spotted if they fire from concealment terrain. This simulates the capability of this unit to remain under cover when firing at the enemy.
-Armored units get first fire against personnel units assaulting them. This occurs if all the following conditions are fulfilled: the armoured unit is not already engaged in assault; at least either the assaulting or the assaulted unit is on open ground. If the armoured unit has not been activated gets a positive one column shift modifier.
-Finally, concerning the new countersheet, I have no big ideas. However it might be worth it to make a few changes even to the existing one. For instance disrupted counters should always have on their back the demoralised information. It much easier to find them in the pool and it saves time when you use them."

Ottavio

Thoughts everyone?