Hey Folks,
here is a spontaneous idea I have concerning the ‘Research and Development’ of rockets. Instead of using the original rules:
“_2. Rockets. Your air bases can now launch rockets. During the Strategic and Tactical Bombing Raids step of your Conduct Combat phase each turn, each of your operative air bases can make a single rocket attack against an enemy industrial complex, air base, or naval base within 4 spaces of it. This attack does one die roll of damage to that facility. Rockets may not be fired over neutral territories_.â€
Try the following rules:
“2. Rockets. Your developed a rocket-prototype. Your AA-Guns can now launch rockets. [[i]Sorry, but I like the old concept of AA-Guns firing rockets. :-)] During the Strategic and Tactical Bombing Raids step of your Conduct Combat phase each turn, ONE of your AA-Guns can make a single rocket attack against an enemy industrial complex, air base, or naval base within 2 spaces of it. This attack does one die roll of damage to that facility. Rockets may not be fired over neutral territories.
At the beginning of each new turn you can make one free attempt to upgrade this technology. Roll 1D6; on a result of 4-6 you may either
Any thoughts?
The only weapon resembling a “rocket-firing gun” (or more precisely a “gun-fired missile”) I’ve ever heard of is the MGM-51 Shillelagh anti-tank guided missile, which is a piece of early-1960s technology, so a WWII-era “rocket firing anti-aircraft gun” is very problematic in terms of believability. Accepting that concept for the sake of argument, however, it still leaves an awkward question in terms of game mechanics: if an anti-aircraft gun has been converted into a weapon that (based on what I can gather from your description) fires surface-to-surface guided missiles, does that mean it’s lost its ability to shoot down aircraft?
If I remember correctly, the V2 was a mobile unit. The V1 was fired from fixed missle locations, I am assuming air bases. To incorporate this into an AA game, in the way that The Hessian is suggesting would represent the first development of the V1 which would be fired from an active air base. The next development would represent the more mobile V2 unit and represented by the A-A gun. Like CWO Marc, I think that the confusion of whether a unit is a rocket launcher or an A-A gun could cause some problems. I can see moving the V2 launch unit like an A-A gun but I would recommend differentiating between A-A guns and rocket launchers by simply painting the rocket launcher a distinct color or incorporating a sculpt like those offered by HBG. A simple card board marker could work if you want to game test this experiment before investing in new pieces. I could see different factions using this technology and have house ruled something similar into our games on occasion. The US and UK have used it once and of course Germany used it alot. The Soviets were even able use the tech once and played havoc on the German captured MIC’s.
Okay, what kind of rocket launcher actually used – either an AA-gun capable of also firing rockets or an air base that also includes a launching site – was of minor concern for me.
If you feel more comfortable with the use of air bases, then increase the starting range of the rockets back to three or four spaces (since there are much more AA-Guns in the game than AB’s).
Or just give the nation that developed ‘rockets’ a free mobile miniature of a V2; I bet HBG or FMG have something adequate in stock.
I was more interested in the increasing capability of the technology by limiting its use in the start (1 rocket per turn with a range of 2 spaces) and the possibility to either expand the quantity (number of rockets) or the quality (range). Given this choice you may either employ a huge battery of several rocket launchers that may barely cross the English canal or develop an early kind of ICBM like the German A9 or A10. (Or of cause anything in-between…)
I beleive I understand what you are explaining as the purpose of the technolgy. I hope that I did not confuse the issue. I was just trying to work out the mechanics of the new tech. I like the idea of using the basic tech and then, if so desired, improving that tech to make longer ranged mobile units. I could see how the mobile unit would be advantageous to multiple factions but there are the European factions that would benefit from the basic first develoment level as well.
No problem Dafyd! :-)
Any kind of comment or critique is welcome! You and Marc brought up an interesting point; the launching device.
I think in our game tomorrow each nation that developed ‘Rockets’ will get one rocket launcher for free deployed to one of his factories. The launcher has no combat-value (besides of the strategic bombing raid; 1d6 damage & range 2) and will be destroyed if its territory is captured. If it has not fired during the combat phase, it can move 2 spaces or be transported. Once destroyed it can be rebuild for 7(?) IPCs.
In every turn after the development it may be improved on a roll of 4-6: +1 new launcher or range +1 for all rockets (players choice).
(As miniatures, the old white AA-Guns from my classic edition will do.)
I could see how the mobile unit would be advantageous to multiple factions but there are the European factions that would benefit from the basic first develoment level as well.
Definitely, as a player of the USA I’ve developed ‘rockets’ several times and in most cases this technology was absolutely useless for me since no US-AB was in range of any enemy target. :x
I like the idea of using the basic tech and then, if so desired, improving that tech to make longer ranged mobile units.
Me to. Any ideas for other technologies are very welcome! :-)
I like the rule. I think I would make the replacement or added launcehers a little more, maybe 10 IPC’s since it is a free SBR on an opponent’s facility. A bomber an be shot down. A rocket is just deadly. A mobile unit transported or moved into a forward position would be handy for the US. A rocket launcher in Tobruk would help soften up Egypt or Northern and Southern Italy. If Rome is captured the US or UK, rocket strikes from London and Rome om German facilities would be devostating to the Germans. Even Japan could use this tech on Calcutta or Sidney.
