Official SEOW

G'day,

I'd like to explore the possibility of using the industrial plate for another purpose. Thinking outside the square so to speak. As we're all aware, its downwright imposible to create a campaign (or scenario) that encompasses the millions of fighting men on the battlefield to the nth degree. Placing too many objects on a map just compromises playability. So lets try a different tack.

What if we use an industrial plate and rename it "whatever Infantry Unit" and place it in a town or city. We use the industrial plate to represent infantry holding or garrisoning a city or town. This could negate the need to use an inordinate amount of infantry objects as they'd be replaced by a single plate object of a singular determinant strength that can take a fair amount of damage. Some questions then, as I haven't tested this in the FMB as yet.

(1) What is the opinion of using the cummulative damage taken by an industrial plate as an illustration of the time and effort used to winkle the infantry out of a held position or in forcing it to surrender?

(2) Can industrial plates be governed by the rules of supply already in SEOW?

(3) How does armour react when it comes into contact with an enemy industrial plate? Do they fire at all, or at particular buildings or some invisible object?

(4) Can particular buildings that look like barracks, be used by mission builders to determine the size of the plate used as infantry?

(5) Is it possible to create a category of industrial plates of varrying sizes to represent the company, battallion, regiment and divisional levels of command?

(6) Can such a plate be used in conjunction with the usual armour, vehicle and artillery objects?

Anyway, there are more than enough questions to ponder here and will leave it at that for forum discussion.

Regards,
Warg

One issue to consider is that the plates are passive - they do not cause damage to enemy forces. The exception here is when an aircraft or drivable vehicle collides with a plate, in which case the plane/vehicle is destroyed.

Cheers,
4Shades

Thanks 4Shades,

Bugger, I don't like that particular exception, but I think we can live with it. Maybe it could still work if it doesn't interfere with the operation of artillery weapons (like anti-tank guns) on or in the area of the plate. Just means that the artillery cannot be loaded or transported by vehicle for the duration. It also ensures that tanks and vehicles cannot overunn areas covered by the "infantry plate" without being automatically destroyed. Essentially the plate must be destroyed first before progression through the area, which is what I'm trying to achieve. Kind of functions in the same way as removing infantry holding a position first, before moving units through it. Seem to recall a discussion with Charlie about this and the topic of minefields. Needs to be on a level, flat area. Does a plate need to be supplied regulary. I.e. can it be made to run out of supply and desert the field? Also, what sort of damage, in calibres or kilograms can it be adjusted to take before being destroyed? For that matter, am assuming that the general area of the plate is the focal point of the targeted damage. Maybe a runner, as long as potential users are aware of the plates limitations and know not to run traffic through an area covered by one.

Regards,
Warg

Here is a small video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoUYzzMtikU