Apocal

Waiting for: Close Combat IV Team Fortress II: Brotherhood of Arms Homeworld Shogun: Total War Playing: Chain of Command Close Combat Series ------------------ "Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter." Sir Winston Churchill

JonS consider the role of a Marksmen/Sharpshooter/Sniper. Precision long range rifle fire. During a firefight very few oppurtunties exist for precision fire (most of the sniper's time in actual combat would be spent with his head down). When I said harrasement I meant a SS Battalion pulled back out of a town, but left a single sniper behind to delay the Allied Battalion so the rest can get away. During a real ugly battle (like the one running now) you wouldn't even take notice of a single Sharpshooter. There are more worrisome things afoot (tanks, MGs, rocket arty). Its hard for something you don't know is there to slow you down. ------------------ "Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter." Sir Winston Churchill

I dont think snipers would fit into the scope of a battalion-level game. Sharpshooters yes. Snipers (using the definition of someone who is shooting at you, and you dont know where it is coming from) are used mainly as harrasement forces, to slow a pursuing enemy. If you wanted a game where you spent 3+ hours trying to "make contact" with an enemy force on the run, this would be appropriate. But I dont think many of us want that type of game.

My personal tale of glory is from Close Combat 1. An enemy mortar unit lead by a guy named Thiess wounds me twice, kills my best BAR man, and knocks off a Medal of Honor winner over the course of several battles. Needless to say, I was not happy. It became my personal mission to kill that mortar crew. I got the loader and the guy carrying the danged thing about ten times over, but never managed to nail Thiess himself. Finally in St. Lo I spotted a golden opportunity. He was holed up in a building (dont know why, he was a mortarman, should of been outside) with about 4 or 5 other Germans. I take my best combat leader, 2LT Nash and have him lead an assault on the building. After 30 seconds of hand to hand combat 5 Germans lay dead or wounded and Thiess has slipped out the back door. He survived the street fighting and I never encountered him again. That is probably the best wargaming experience I have ever had. ------------------ "Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter." Sir Winston Churchill