From:	Fade <runefo@***.UIO.NO>
Subject:	Re: Firearms vs. Military Strategy
Date:	Sun, 31 May 1998 02:58:32 +0000

George wrote:
> In response to the recent sniping issue, I think a lot of people are
> confusing firearms with Military Strategy especailly when considering
> Firearms as a skill to enhance the perception of snipers.
> Firearms is a skill that allosw you to effectively manage a hand weapon,
> aim it at a target, follow that taget, and then get off a shot. I'm not
> sure how this would allow someone to deduce effective sniping positions.
> The skill to do this would be a Military Strategy skill or something similar.

Good point, but I'm not sure military strategy fits, at least not
perfectly. Small unit tactics can be used against ambuses, though, so
it is useable in some manner - especially in ambush or surprise
situations. It's also very useful in arranging an ambush.

The three skills a sniper need - military theory, stealth,
and firearms. Some sort of 'wilderness' skill might be useful but not
all snipers are in the jungle.

In R2 there's a line about the difference between firearms and
gunnery, firearms being the physical side of aiming and firing, while
gunnery is calculating fire arcs, area of coverage etcetera.

While it sounds bizarre, gunnery looks quite appropriate. Then again,
good old perception might be the best bet - it is, after all, what it
is there for.

I'd let a character use military theory, stealth, or possibly gunnery
to guess at likely locations, but to actually spot the sniper it's a
pure perception test. But the test would logically be easier if the
character says, 'I think he must be either there, there, there or
there, so I scan those places' than 'Um.. I scan the horizon, do I
see anyone?' But as in all things, if the sniper isn't there, there,
or there, it'll be awfully hard to spot him using the former test.

Hm... those military theory/sniping/etc. rolls could count
as successes on the perception test, given that more than one success
is required to spot the sniper. (One success is enough to call in
mortars with reasonable accuracy, but not enough to actually see the
sniper... perhaps. Opinions? Suggestions?)

Any army guys out there, what's standard anti-sniper tactics? It'd be
nice to know, since it will soon crop up in the current campaign.

Anyone seen 'Full Metal Jacket', I think it was?

The scene where a VC sniper shot a guy in the foot, so he lies in the
open, screaming in pain?
Anyone going to help him is shot dead.
If noone goes out to help him, he's shot a few more times, just to
make him scream louder and demoralize the other guys.

Fun with guns.
--
Fade

And the Prince of Lies said:
"To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell:
Better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven."
-John Milton, Paradise Lost