ISaW Order Writing and Intel Ops

[The Purist]

This one is probably for Worktroll

One thing that has stood out as we have moved into the May 3019 turn is that some of the more critical intel/spec ops are generally "too late" to matter.

Page 350 notes that all orders must be written and turned into the GM who then executes all the orders at the same time, which makes perfect sense. However, as the results of missions such as Espionage Planetary Forces, Troop Locations and Military Operations are also resolved after orders are submitted the benefits are largely lost.

Discovering a target planet has three large veteran/elite combat commands on the surface after you have just ordered two of your own to attack isn't much help where planning is concerned and the news is likely obsolete by the next turn. Likewise, learning about an invasion of a major planet via a successful 'Military Operations' mission doesn't help when you cannot react to the news until the next turn, also likely too late.

There doesn't seem to be much scope for any 'intelligence coupes' that the three noted missions would allow if they could be reacted to in a more timely manner.

Is this 'lag' intended?

To be clear, the rules and sequence of play work well for the counter intel, special ops and the other foreign intel (espionage) missions (system recon, scout industry, mole hunt and espionage tech). It's just the three noted missions that seem to be missing in their (intended?) impact.

Cheers. 

[worktroll]

The lag's fully intentional.

In the game, as in real life, intelligence forces look to identify what opposing forces are in place, which then informs the decision to attack once the intel has been received. Obviously, on turn 1 this is tricky.

Given the interstellar distances involved, and the 'helpful' and 'friendly' communications provider, the one-turn delay is realistic enough, and manageable. Yes, we could have considered creating further delays based on distance from borders, but ... it's also meant to be a game.

Short form, if you don't want to wait, continue performing "reconnaisance in force" O0

W.

[idea weenie]

Fifth Frontier War had a potentially useful mechanism in case you want to consider it, a Leadership Rating.  Essentially, the leaders have to have orders written for them in advance equal to their rating.  So a rating 4 leader will have 4 turns of orders written for them, so if you write orders for them on turn 3, they will get to them on turn 7 (when those orders might be out of date).  Leaders with a rating 0 are extremely rare.

Could something like this be used for spies in enemy territory?  You send a spy in and write what orders you want them to do, and when they get to those orders they execute them.  Depending on conditions, you might be able to have the spies order around your units.

For example, you might have a Rating 4 spy perform the following orders (and have to issue them all on turn 4):
Turn: Action
5: Establish network
6: Determine local defenses
7: Transmit Go/No-go to 5th Regiment via pre-arranged code
8: Engage in defensive sabotage to allow for easier landing

On Turn 5, you would write down the order for the spy to execute on turn 9., on turn 6 you would write the order for turn 10, aso.

For the 5th Regiment leader you might have to issue the following orders:
5: Train troops
6: Train troops for specific environment at target planet
7: Await Go/No-go order
8: If Go, attack planet, else Train

However, a pirate raid happens on turn 6, damaging several units in the 5th Regiment making it impossible for them to attack successfully.  Unless you can get a quick message to the spy on the target planet, the spy will send the message on turn 7, and begin sabotage operations on turn 8.  This sabotage without an invasion means the defender can run counter-intel ops without worrying about countering enemy firepower.

The other fun is if you have a better spy there (1-2 turns of orders), and the opponent manages to capture/kill them, that is a very serious loss.

[worktroll]

I love Traveller, love the GDW universe for it, and own Fifth Frontier War.

And have never been able to successfully play it. And I've played SPI's megagames like The Next War, and Terrible Swift Sword.

(Not Campaign for North Africa, though. I often think no human can ...)

Short form, all the record keeping and timing and delays etc etc cause too much trouble for the "average gamer". If we wrote the rules explicitly for CPAs, then that would be the sort of approach to take.

If you wanted a more technical reason for going down the low-drag path - while BT has similar delay issues in FTL travel as the Imperium does, it has HPGs, which the Imperium doesn't. Yes, not a total answer, but ...

W.

[The Purist]

The lag's fully intentional.... <snip>.

Thanks for the response.

I did warn the guys that intelligence coupes that were of true strategic importance were few and far between. I had suggested that if they really want to know what is going on in an adjacent area they will have to invest in major intel push over a number of turns to draw a picture that could help them decide on where to attack and with what.

The enemy, of course, may have different ideas. Something about plans 'not surviving first contact with the enemy'.   :o

As GM I have noted that intel/spec ops budgets between May and June alone have basically doubled and their direction is already more focused. I think gamers will need to "grow into the rules" and learn how to make the system work.

Cheers.

[The Purist]

One more for our Worktroll.

We've had our first successful Terrorism operation succeed and a close reading of the results has raised questions.

Could you clarify how the effects should be applied as there is some confusion between -

"...production of a planet and its elements are reduced by 25 per cent for four turns."

and

"...the targeted world's industrial output is reduced by 50 percent for a number of turns equal to the MoS of the operation."

Cheers.