v2.2 Vehicle Damage

[James Langham]

I agree it is an advanced option but we need to consider it for more advanced play as it is a known tactic (and also makes a nice bit of background text in a tactics article!).

Probably the simplest way to simulate the random effect is to multiply the cover armour value by the following amount using a 1D6 roll:

pentrator round (e.g APDS)
1: x 1
2: x 1
3: x 1
4: x 1.5
5: x 2
6: x 3

explosive round (e.g. HEAT)
1: x 1
2: x 1.5
3: x 2
4:x 2
5: x 3
6: x 4

Hopefully fairly quick and easy.

I use a similar system for over-pentration by small arms fire (treating a person as AV1).

[Legbreaker]

In my understanding, a HEAT round would be effectively "ruined" by having to pass through a significant amount (anything a tank might consider "cover") of earth, sandbags, stone, etc before impacting on the intended armoured target.
A pure AP round on the other hand might be able to cut through the obstacle relatively well.

[pmulcahy11b]

I ran a quick 'scenario' with the same M1A1 (Fresh from victory) facing off against a T-80.

The M1A1 gunner crit-failed his roll, so the 'gun jammed'. The T-80 crew took this in stride.

It did not end well for the M1. Sadly.

Good. Let's also figure out a good system for ramming vehicles into each other, people, cows, buildings, etc.

The reason I picked your quote is that it reminded me of a situation the players manning an M1 got into during a duel with a T-80. The T-80 came out from behind a building, less then 20 meters away. Anyway, they ended up in this corkscrewing dance of death, getting closer and closer to each other somehow not able to hit each other (except for the TCs, who were both shot by PCs and NPCs who were not part of the tank crews). Finally, the PCs in the M1 ended up side on to the T-80 with its gun muzzle centimeters away from the turret front of the T-80, of course couldn't miss at that range, and blew a sabot into the turret, with the T-80's turret exploding.

We were using miniatures, which really helped.

Shouldn't the M1 have been damaged somewhat by that

[M-Type]

I'd feel like being that close would lead to the M1 taking some damage.

[Legbreaker]

A heavily armoured vehicle such as a tank, even a WWII era one, is unlikely to be significantly damaged by their own shot even at that range. There's sure to be shrapnel flying about and some of the external stores may be blown off by the blast, but all in all, if the hatches are closed (I'm guessing the TC's body as still in the hatch in Pauls example) the paintwork should be barely scratched.

[pmulcahy11b]

I remember thinking at the time that the driver of the M1 should probably had his head and upper body both shredded by shrap and been jellified by the blast, (an M1 sits higher than a T-80), and the rest of the crew have hearing damage, But after the "TOW incident," I kept my mouth shut...

[Legbreaker]

They were driving exposed at such close range with enemy infantry present What madness is that!

[pmulcahy11b]

It was madness, but mad fun. That was one weird firefight. Hairy.

I been toying for years to convert the driving rules in Car Wars and GURPS Autoduel, but I've never sat down and done the work.

I have so many ideas buzzing around in my head that would be big projects, but I've never put pen to paper on them. Like my idea for a San Antonio/South Texas module to be a more detailed version of Red Star Lone Star called
Remember the Alamo. Or a guidebook to Korea called Morning Calm.

It's really my medication's fault. Not enough waking hours. Hell, I slept most of the day, and I'm getting so sleepy writing this that I feel like I'm going curl up and go to sleep right now.