Our
solution
was to
have
Antitank
Guided
Weapon
fire occur
simultaneous
with other
Direct
Fire, but
limit its
capacity
for Ambush
fire. The
lack of
Ambush
capacity
goes far
to
simulate
the
real-life
weaknesses
of the
antitank
guided
missile.
For
example,
assume
Player A
has an
ATGW
vehicle in
cover and
Player B
moves his
tank at
combat
speed to
18" away.
Since
ATGWs are
not
eligible
for Ambush
fire, the
ATGW will
fire in
the
Stationary
Fire
phase. If
the tank
survives,
it will
get to
fire back
in the
Moving
Fire
phase,
which it
would not
get to do
against a
vehicle
using
conventional
cannon.
Weapon
Ranges
Much has
been
written
about the
frightening
accuracy
of modern
weapon
systems.
It is an
unquestioned
fact that
modern
tank guns
and
missiles
are
capable of
kills at
ranges up
to 4000
meters.
Such
statistics,
when
applied to
miniature
Wargames,
often
result in
a static
battlefield
where
enemy
forces
engage
each other
across an
8’ (or
larger)
table.
Such games
seem to us
to be
neither
enjoyable
nor
realistic.
Theoretical
performance
aside,
most
modern
tank
engagements
have taken
place at
about 2400
meters or
less.
Moving
targets
are
difficult
to hit at
over 1500
meters,
particularly
when
obscured
by smoke
and
terrain.
On the
attack,
vehicle
movement,
battlefield
dust and
smoke, and
the
enemy's
use of
camouflage
and
concealment
significantly
reduce
effective
engagement
ranges. On
defense,
the
necessary
platoon-level
fire
control
results in
a further
reduction
in the
engagement
range.
Even if
one tank
in a
firefight
gets a
shot off
at maximum
range, the
platoon as
a whole
may not
engage
until the
enemy is
within a
designated
engagement
zone, well
within
effective
range.
Even the
much-vaunted
antitank
guided
missile’s
accuracy
is limited
by flight
length,
operator
exposure,
terrain,
smoke, and
incoming
fire.
Given
these
considerations,
we have
erred on
the side
of caution
in
assigning
Ranges on
the Data
Cards. In
MSH, most
weapon
ranges are
generally
confined
to 24" (or
less), and
the real
trick is
finding
ground
where you
can use
even that
much
range.
As in
original
SPEARHEAD,
all MSH
platoons
have a
single
Effective
Range.
While it
is true
that
casualties
do
increase
as range
decreases,
there is
generally
a large
"effective
range"
within
which
casualties
can be
inflicted
at a
fairly
constant
rate. Once
outside
this area,
the number
of
casualties
inflicted
rapidly
becomes
insignificant,
at least
from the
point of
view of
the
operational
commander.
Since MSH
simulates
warfare at
the
operational
level, the
multiple
"range
brackets"
used in
most
wargames
are
unnecessary
tactical
details.
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