There are a few more things missing from last post’s combat. I discovered the advantages of smartlinked weaponry too late. Additionally, there are some options I’ve overlooked. So, yes, this is essentially a rehash of last week’s post.

SEFOP Warheads

I was left wondering whether we couldn’t introduce some sort of “lobbed”, arcing attack to minimissiles, which would allow them to be more useful against people without overhead cover. And, turns out that already exists. As THS:Changing Times notes, SEFOP warheads overfly their targets and attack without overhead cover.

The shaped-charge damage from minimissiles is 6dx2(5), from micromissiles it’s 6d(5).

Against infantry, the micromissiles do 3d-1 against the torso, and more against head and limbs. Minimissiles do far more damage - 9d-1 against the torso.

The power armour is resistant to micromissiles, and minimissiles do 4d against the torso and head, and 7d-2 against extremities.

All in all, this option seems to make power armour more vulnerable.

Minimissile Attack Roll

As we’ve seen above, minimissiles can easily hit even small targets, and their tracking was assumed to be perfect. Instead, let’s introduce something different.

Where previously, I assumed that whenever a missile was placed close enough, it would automatically begin tracking and afterwards hit. Instead, let’s say this is the roll to place the missile in the “basket” where it can actually hit something. We then still need to roll for the missile tracking and hitting.

In an analogy to 4e’s homing rules, let’s give each missile a skill level (this subsumes both manoeuvrability and sensors). After the shooter’s attack roll, roll the missile’s attack run roll. MoS or MoF from the former are applied as bonus or malus to the latter.

Minimissile Indirect Fire

You can also attack an enemy by firing the missile indirectly, like a homing rifle grenade. Only overhead cover protects. Same rules apply as with direct fire, except it attacks only next turn. Additionally, you get a malus of -10 whenever you can’t see your target. Oh, and you can’t aim.

Playtest

You know the drill: Earth-like world, power armour-wearing soldier, four light infantry, 170 metres distance (-11 to hit), cover are concrete vehicle barriers with DR12d.

Turn 1

Alfred and Bruce run towards the next cover and get behind it.

Paula does the same, but fires a micromissile targeting Alfred’s torso. Her skill is 14 - 6 (range, capped at -6) + 1 (HUD link) - 2 (bulk) = 7. She rolls an 8, for a -1 to the missile roll. Missile’s skill is 10, and it too rolls an 8. Alfred fails to dodge, and is hit by a 3d(10) HEMP warhead. It hits, and Alfred’s armour is reduced to 1d+2 by the shaped charge. 14 damage is rolled, and I’ll judge him out of the fight.

Martin and Gunther take cover, too.

Turn 2

Bruce pops up from behind cover and aims at Paula.

Paula pops up her arms and weapon, aiming at where she can see Bruce’s arms.

Martin fires a minimissile at Paula. To-hit is 14 - 6 (range, capped at -6) + 1 (SM) = 9. He critically fails with a 17. His roll of 12 on the critical hit table means his weapon slips from his hands and needs to be re-readied.

Gunther unholsters his rocket launcher.

Turn 3

Bruce fires. His to-hit roll is 14 - 6 (range, capped at -6) + 1 (SM) + 3 (acc) + 2 (scope) = 14 for direct fire. He rolls a 15, failing by 1. So, the missile’s roll of 11 vs 10 -4 (aiming at hands) = 6 fails.

Paula fires at Bruce. The -2 penalty to guns (and -1 to acc) means she ends at 13 effective skill. With a rolled 8, and an effective recoil of 3, this ends up with two hits. Rolling an 11 and a 13, this hits the groin and left leg. Remember from last time that, slowed down by the cover, the groin (still covered by the clamshell armour) is protected. The damage roll is 1d+2, for a high roll of 8. That’s 4 injury, and a shock penalty.

Martin re-readies his rifle.

Gunther holds his rocket launcher and aims at Paula’s cover.

Turn 4

Bruce, wounded in the leg, hides in cover and waits out his shock penalties.

Paula fires an unaimed, indirect-fire micromissile at Gunther. To-hit roll is 14 - 6 (range, capped at -6) +1 (HUD) = 9. She rolls an 8, for a bonus of +1. We’ll deal with the missile roll in the next turn.

Martin fires his missile indirectly. Modifiers are the same as for Paula, except for an additional +1 from SM. Same roll of 8 gives a bonus of +2.

Gunther fires at Paula’s cover. 3e damage is 4dx10 concussion damage. That’s 3.33lbs of TNT-equivalent. That blows a hole of about a metre diameter into the cover and knocks her back. If we assume a distance of explosion of one metre, its “virtual damage roll” before armour is 100, divided by three to get 33. That won’t penetrate the armour, but knocks her back by about two metres (assuming here that the powered armour helps with that). She fails her DX roll and falls down.

Turn 5

Bruce aims his minimissile again.

Paula stands up to a crouching position. At the same time, her missile comes down onto Gunther. Its +1 bonus from last turn means it just manages to hit against its roll of 11. Gunther cannot dodge, and the random hit roll is 9 for a torso hit. That’s 2d-2, for 9 damage. That’s a major wound; half move and dodge, shock, and a failure by 2 means he’s stunned.

Martin fires his missile indirectly again, rolling an 8 yet again (+2). The previous turn’s missile arrives, and also just manages to hit. A roll of 13 means a hit against the leg. Effective armour is 2d+3, which reduces damage to 3d-3 and does 3 damage (very lucky roll!). That’s not a major wound, but still means shock penalties.

Gunther recovers from his stun, but still suffers shock penalties.

Turn 6

Bruce fires his minimissile. His to-hit roll is 9 vs 14, for a margin of success of 5. His missile’s roll is vs 13 (no cover, +5 bonus but -2 for crouching), and it misses.

Paula runs into the next cover, firing another indirect shot on the move. She rolls a 12, for -4 to the missile roll next turn.

Martin has to reload his minimissile launcher, and starts doing so since it’s the only way he can hope to wound Paula. That takes three seconds per missile.

Gunther starts reloading his launcher.

Turn 7

Bruce has one minimissile left. He therefore aims again, from cover.

Paula starts aiming at where she can see Bruce. Her missile from last turn attacks, but misses.

Martin is still reloading, so is Gunther.

Turn 8

Bruce fires his missile. To-hit roll is 12 vs a target of 14, for MoS of +2. Missile attach roll is 8 vs a target of 8; that’s a hit. It does 7 damage (all but 4 is lost), which cripples the hand. It’s also a major wound, and Paula is at less than 1/3rd HP.

I’ll be stopping the fight here: Paula will probably try to disengage; so will the infantry (missiles have all been spent for now).

Summary

In summary, one of the infantry is dead, one is heavily wounded; Paula is also heavily wounded.

As for the rules, I mostly did like the indirect micromissile rules - although they still seem quite strong - and while the missiles remain deadly, they are also surprisingly limited - a four-person infantry fireteam only has six to twelve of those available before reloading.

Later on, I’ll still want to look into robots and other infantry combat things, but for now, it’s fine.