This question is an extension of the one here:
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,26828.0.htmlTO pg.299:
Game Rules: A unit using a Chaff Pod must declare its use at the end of the unit’s Movement Phase. In ground combat, each activated Chaff Pod fills
the unit’s hex with a cloud of obscurants 2 elevations in height. This cloud is treated as a hex of light smoke for LOS purposes (see p. 47), as well as a
1-hex “bubble” of ECM (see p. 134, TW). Furthermore, the chaff cloud acts as an anti-missile system (see pp. 129-130, TW) for all missile attacks made
against units within the clouded hex, except those delivered by standard MRMs or Rocket Launchers.
Chaff Pods have no effect in vacuum or space combat, but may be used by landed or airborne aerospace units operating in atmosphere at any
altitude for the same effects.
A fighter can mount and use a Chaff Pod for the same effects as ground based units. So my first set of questions:
1) If using the lower-atmosphere map, does the effect of the chaff impact the fighter's hex or does the effect of the chaff impact the fighter only (representing filling its standard scale hex)?
2) If using the Aerofighter on map option, does the effect of the chaff impact the fighter's hex?
2a) If yes, how does it effect stacking as any number of aero units may be in the same hex at the same altitude?
TW p.78:
Any number of units can stack in the same hex on the space map, high-altitude or low-altitude map, regardless of the player to whom they belong.
2b) Would all units gain the benefits?
TO p.357:
Game Rules: Air-to-Air Arrow missiles take up 5 bomb slots per missile when mounted on an external hardpoint (and are unavailable for use by standard Arrow IV launchers).
AAA Missiles may be used by aerospace units traveling at any altitude on the Low-Altitude Map, on any Row on the High-Altitude Map or the Space Map, and may attack any target except for infantry. If used against targets on the ground, such as when engaging in combat over the ground mapsheet (see p. 242, TW), AAA missiles suffer a +4 to-hit modifier, plus an additional +3 if fired at a ground target from below an Altitude of 4 (150 meters or less from the ground, per p. 82, TW). AAA Missiles may not cross the Space/Atmosphere Interface.
Unlike a standard bomb attack, AAA Missiles attack as a standard direct-fire weapon, and deliver their damage to a single hit location.
Anti-missile systems and other Point Defense weapons affect the AAA Missile as a capital missile (see p. 130, TW).
The key part of my inquiry is here: Anti-missile systems and other Point Defense weapons affect the AAA Missile as a capital missile.
As discussed in the other topic, AMS does not effect Capital Missiles at the TW Level only at the SO Level. Even at the SO Level, you need at least 2 AMS to effect Capital Missiles. Does an AAAM ignores AMS unless its in space? Could an Aero with two AMS effect an AAAM?
TO p.359:
Game Rules: Light Air-to-Air Arrow Missiles take up 2 bomb slot per missile when mounted on an external hardpoint.
LAA Missiles otherwise follow the same rules as Air-to-Air Arrow Missiles (see p. 357).
What about in the case of this smaller missile? Same limitations?
Do these two air launched anti-fighter missiles ignore AMS from enemy fighters? Did the devs consider this when they selected their wording?
TO pg.299:
Game Rules:
Chaff Pods have no effect in vacuum or space combat, but may be used by landed or airborne aerospace units operating in atmosphere at any
altitude for the same effects.
What about when these missiles interact with Chaff Pods which can only be used inside an atmosphere? Could you deploy a pair of chaff pods in a hex and effect these missiles or would they ignore it and fly right through the material cloud? Can you even use more than one pod per turn and would the effects compound: heavy smoke, 1-hex ecm(2), and -8 AMS effect?
It seems kinda sad if an aero using these to avoid enemy missiles in an atmosphere gained no benefit from them against the latest and perhaps deadliest air-to-air weapon.
