From: sl9b4@cc.usu.edu (Deep Six)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Re: Time mechanics and manuvering
Date: 6 Sep 92 22:22:20 MDT
Distribution: world
Organization: Utah State University

In article <1992Sep6.152747.58678@cc.usu.edu>, slp66@cc.usu.edu writes:

I said:
>> If you want to move in GURPS, you better damn sure have some cover fire, 
>> maybe some smoke, some masking terrain, and a prayer in your heart. And 
>> if you do move, make sure you only move 2-3 seconds at time, then take 
>> cover again. 

Then Matt said: 
> Ok, now hang on.  Not one month ago, Chadd, you GMed an ambush against the
> group. (first adventure, after the barge was disabled.) Now we got ambushed
> and had a tough time fighting our way out. Fine. We got the bad guys by
> taking cover and returning fire. NOw, after the ambush, you chastened us
> because we "didn't take control of the fight."

Okay, now we're really getting away from the original argument, but that's
fine.

Right, you didn't take control of the fight, and I think you and the other 
players agreed. You sat down and responded to the enemy's tricks, gave away
your positions by firing at their decoys and you got thrashed. Like I said 
then, the key to taking control of the battle would have been not to do what 
the enemy was trying to make you do.

> The number one option, you asserted, would have been for us to fall back 
> and set up our own ambush. Now in this thread, you claim that movement 
> should be eshewed for dropping in one's tracks and laying down fire.  Now, 
> which is the true story. Sure, cover plays a huge role here and there are 
> other variables, but let's nail down some princibles. In this thread, you 
> claim manueving is bad and that GURPS realistically treats this subject. 
> A month ago you said something very opposite.  What's the real story?

I can see how the two statements might seem a little contradictory. However,
I stand by what I said yesterday and a month ago. Look at where you were in 
that ambush: in heavy, hilly terrain in the middle of the night. You had
everything necessary to move -- a good reason (you were getting trounced), 
concealment (heavy foliage and darkness), and firepower (you had a M203 
and an RPG if I remember correctly). If you would have popped a few smoke
grenades you could have literally disappeared into the woods.

That is no where near opposite of what I said on this thread. It is, in 
fact, exactly in agreement with what I said. If you want to move around
during combat, you better have a few things on your side. Namely, a good
plan, concealment, cover fire and a little luck. In that ambush, you had
all those things (and maybe more) working for you. 

No one said moving is immpossible, it's just damn risky. GURPS adheres
to that idea, AD&D doesn't. 

Now understand me here. I am not now nor was I then chastising you or the 
party for what happened during that game. Hell it was just one encounter.
I thought I was just giving a few pointers. No one in our group is a 
tactical genius, and I learned as much as anyone during that game.

Okay,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chadd VanZanten SL9B4@CC.USU.EDU + ``My karma ran over my dogma.'' --Unknown
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy