I think the only thing about the rules that has struck me oddly are the smoke rules. I love this game and find it produces really good results for the decisions chosen. That said, there seems to be a gap between how smoke is used in real life and how it is portrayed in the game.

In the game a unit that pops smoke gets +1 defense die and -1 Firepower die.

In real life it should not work that way IF you are doing it right. Officers are trained: put smoke on the enemy, not on yourself. I mean, it makes sense. You use smoke like a weapon. You want to disable the enemy, not yourself. It is to create a flank movement opportunity where there wasn't one before. It also is not effective against any unit that is out there - just the ones you target. Tactical smoke is very rare. White Phosphorus is not something you want near you so you toss it on the enemy. The smoke and flash also provide a nice obscuring effect. Artillery dropping smoke usually drops it right near the enemy, cutting off their view. It's not perfect but it works.

Most smoke is colored: Red, Green, Yellow, white/gray and violet (aka goofy grape).

So the rule I would use is this. IF an infantry unit has tactical smoke bombs or Willie Pete, in optimal range, target them. If they react to your move you have +2 Defensive dice and -1 on their reaction die roll.

Artillery smoke works like any other mission excepts it is always on target. +2 Defensive dice if anyone shoots through it and -1 to the reaction roll for reacting to actions beyond it (even if it's a move that places the acting unit on your side of the smoke line.)

The purpose of smoke is to deny the enemy use of narrow passages (valleys, alleys, etc.), to isolate units from each other for piecemeal destruction, obscure routes of attack, withdraw and resupply, obscure FO's, snipers, mortar teams, etc. or to conceal dangerous terrain.

That would be more in line with the doctrine on how smoke is used. For references please see Field Manual FM 3-50, U.S. Army. http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-50.pdf

Field Manual 3-50 provides US Army units with doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures to use smoke and obscurants to attack and defeat specific enemy targets, sensors, target acquisition systems, weapon guidance systems, and other enemy electro-optical devices. Also, it describes techniques to reduce friendly degradation in smoke.

_________________
--Pete
BLOG http://victorypoints.com
Check out the blog for photos and stories of my gaming projects.

you are of course free and indeed encouraged to make the rules yours.
Its been my experience that smoke is often used to cover movement (especialy if your cought in a bad place). at our level a squad or team leader is far more prone to have and deploy smoke rather then the platoon leader tho he may make the decision when where and how as likely as the above.
smoke comes in many colors ive tossed red violet and yellow in my day to cover a move. WP is no longer used as far as I know due to PC wouldnt want to cause a boo boo on an insurgent would we....

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"All Men for the rights of Every man, every man for the rights of all Men"

Haha! Yes, a lot of things aren't doctrine approved anymore. CS, WP, .45 caliber pistol ammo but it still seems to find its way onto the battlefield regardless.

In Iraq I know guys would use it quite close to effect a way out of ambushes in alleys and other tight spots. I just feel that the effects should go both ways. The smoke doesn't know who it is affecting. It should only affect fire crossing it. To maximize the arc it will affect it is better to have it closer to the enemy than to you (a basic geometric consideration).

Clearly the large amounts of smoke dropped in big operations would be a scenario level consideration instead of a tactical one.

Thanks for your comments.

_________________
--Pete
BLOG http://victorypoints.com
Check out the blog for photos and stories of my gaming projects.

I agree that the way smoke is treated seems highlight unrealistic. I like the idea of it being a piece of temporary terrain that only effects things that are firing into it, out of it, or through it.

Something like drop smoke, scatter roll it, place a cotton ball. Anything within 2 inches of the cotton ball is in the smoke, anything that crosses that 2" radius is shooting through the smoke.

Could even determine a wind direction and move the smoke accordingly.

At our level of play where fire teams may be separated by both terrain and distance the smoke we envisioned would be deployed by grenade or perhaps as a fire mission from Lt or medium mortars.
Smoke is used to conceal your folks when faced with movement in an area devoid of cover and or concealment,
either attacking or breaking contact . And yes the decision to deploy smoke may in fact be a "Local" one.
I'm not sure I understand why you feel the mechanic covering smoke is unrealistic?
that mechanic has smoke being deployed by various method grenade, mortar and arty
it can be deployed by one unit to assist another unit.
Depending on its delivery it can last a short period or may be more persistent.
it effects both the target and the User in similar or the same way.
Again we expect the man using the smoke is well trained enough to avoid throwing or deploying it into the wind or any other way that would negatively impact his side more severely then the enemy.

_________________
"All Men for the rights of Every man, every man for the rights of all Men"

Well, it CERTAINLY isn't an accurate model if you are including artillery dropped smoke. Have you ever seen what that does? You can cover battalions with that level of support. Medium and Heavy mortar smoke, now that's a bit more realistic for company level support and possibly platoons.

The model in the game is designed to be fast and easy - just a simple modifier on the unit that is dropping the smoke or calling for it. The thing is, you usually don't call it on yourself. You have the unit that calls it to take a one die firepower penalty. Understandably they want to make it hard for some particular enemy troops or vehicles to have a hard time seeing them. However they shouldn't be penalized for shooting at everyone. You wouldn't flash bang yourself, right? Well maybe for fun, but otherwise?

Just drop a 3" strip of smoke within optimum range. If deployed from vehicle launchers or automatic grenade launchers drop three 3" strips. Any shooting aimed through smoke clouds are at -1D Firepower. If it is deployed as a movement reaction to disengage then give the disengaging unit +1 on the reaction die. During maintenance pick up the smoke. Might I point out GaleForce 9 produces some very reasonably price smoke markers that are also quite attractive?


Do you prefer this, smoke on us:


or this where the smoke is on them and not on you:

_________________
--Pete
BLOG http://victorypoints.com
Check out the blog for photos and stories of my gaming projects.

Sometimes on the battlefield you have bad choices and worse choices.

Bad Choice: Drop smoke on my position and try to disengage from multiple enemy positions.

Worse choice: Drop smoke on one enemy position and let the others keep pounding my position.

'Doctrine' doesn't always mean 'right'.

However they shouldn't be penalized for shooting at everyone. You wouldn't flash bang yourself, right? Well maybe for fun, but otherwise?

I have to say in our game you have the ability to call in smoke by arty ...not likely to do so but its there for you to use.
this is a Fireteam level game in which the team is the central player in the battle.
I 'm Not getting your reference above about grenading yourself. if its about the -1 FP loss then hey I cant see thru smoke any more then the folks I threw it at , They lose a die of FP why shouldnt I? Im throwing smoke and moving as a declaration of a very specific action . If a second enemy unit reacts id lose a die of FP and movement the smoke rule just ties into that.

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"All Men for the rights of Every man, every man for the rights of all Men"

Perhaps the game designer is using the -1FP die not because of any firepower hinderance caused by the smoke but because members of the fireteam are not firing their weapons exclusively but throwing smoke in addition to firing their weapons.

As a result their outgoing FP is reduced as team members check wind, check for a good spot to throw, pull the pin throw and wait those few seconds for the smoke to deploy. Meanwhile the individual is not actively engaging targets with his personal weapon.

Not every modifier needs to be because of the actual activity taking place but can be the result of other actions that are forfeited because the first action takes priority and so chews into time and/or resources that could have otherwise been used to engage targets with a personal weapon.

Just my 2 cents.

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"The first thing people do in this situation is panic"
"Good, I am glad I am doing it in the right order!!!'

Pronto exactly .........Mikey

_________________
"All Men for the rights of Every man, every man for the rights of all Men"