Linked/Group Fire - Do you use it?

[MadCapellan]

I'm not a fan of using the linked-weapon rules.  While neat in theory, they turn the game into a very high-risk, high-reward scenario where the game hinges entirely on good die rolls.  Four linked PPCs fired at 11+ to hit will generally miss, but if they hit will score a disgusting amount of damage.  Fired on 4+, the pounding delivered to a 'Mech is merciless.  It's really not in step with the way the rules were designed for damage.

[Sartris]

I'm not a fan of using the linked-weapon rules.  While neat in theory, they turn the game into a very high-risk, high-reward scenario where the game hinges entirely on good die rolls.  Four linked PPCs fired at 11+ to hit will generally miss, but if they hit will score a disgusting amount of damage.  Fired on 4+, the pounding delivered to a 'Mech is merciless.  It's really not in step with the way the rules were designed for damage.

All it takes to hate this rule is to miss on an alpha strike with a Black Hawk-KU on 4s.   #P

[majesticmoose]

It would be nice if there was a good reason to use the rules... I'm all for speed of play.

Even with dice aids and color coding, a single turn can take way to long.

[Col.Hengist]

  We have used TIC's since Solaris7. It makes sense that the mech would use a 3 trigger/button firing system. It's much like the modern fighters.I realise modern fighters  have fewer guns but think about it in ranges. Short range tic,long range tic, mix of both...
 
 We use 3 tics and you chan change them every turn if you want but you only get 3, so if you have a mech with say 4 ppc's you can link all 4 together,2 and 2, 1 and 1 and 2...but you only get to roll 3 sets of dice. Rolling for location is seperate.I think it speeds up the game and adds realism.It has worked for me and every one i have played with since then and every one has seen the benefit of using that system.

[majesticmoose]

in solaris rules aren't you limited to a single trigger fire per turn too?  tic's make a lot of sense there, because other wise you'd never get most of your weapons fired.

[Taharqa]

The statistical effect of linking weapons is to increase the variance of damage delivered, while maintaining the same mean damage over time. At least assuming that you are not stupidly linking in weapons sub-optimally, like MLs with MPLs.

So, in some sense, all it really does is make the game more "exciting" because you either win big or lose big on a single roll, but over time you dish out the same average damage.

[BirdofPrey]

TICs are useful for the Solaris rules, yes, but those rules are designed for mech and vehicular combat in the RPG, so they are a different monster entirely.  Firing weapons is a simple action (of which you can only make two); either you can fire one weapon (or a group of all the same weapon in the same location) for that simple action or you can use one of the TICs, so you pretty much have to use them there.  (you can also alpha strike as a complex action)

[garhkal]

Yeah, if you've only got one pair of die, there's a serious problem.  I like SRM/MML boats, so the Box of Death is useful because I will often hit with 15-20 at a time.  Heavens know with my clumsiness that there'd be dice all of over the shop otherwise

Then get more! [rockon]

[BirdofPrey]

Then get more! [rockon]

Real wargamers buy dice by the pound.

[garhkal]

Screw a paltry pound..  real men go for a kilo! 8)

[I am Belch II]

You should use linked fire when all the weapons are in the arm. But that just makes mechs like the Nova (Blackhawk) much much more deadler!