Rethinking Smoke

[Blackcloud6]

I'll reiterate what I say many times when it comes to rules discussion, so-called "reality-arguments" take second place to what the rule actually says and does.

The Limited Ammunition rule is quite explicit in what it says: "Each side in a scenario has a number of turns of smoke equal to 10 percent of the turns in the game, with fractions rounded up."

It does not say "number of times each gun can fire smoke " and so on.  It simply says, "number of turns."  So, you get a number of turns because that is what the rule says.  This is the only way you can play it if you play the rules as written.

It also does not say if all guns can fire in that turn or just one.   So, I can turn the "To track usage, place either a Smoke or Illumination marker under the firing unit to indicate one usage, or note off-board artillery's usage on a piece of paper," clause to mean that every gun capable of firing in the turn you desire to fire smoke can do so in that turn, and since they can be fired over the course of an activation, they are so marked as doing.

Now, the secondary reality argument to support the notion that the rule limits the player to only a certain number of turns is to ponder the notion of what primary level of command the game is replicating: battalion, regiment, brigade.  (There are secondary levels, but they do not apply to my argument).  Remember, this is not a high-resolution tactical game like a squad level-individual vehicle game is.  So low unit level and single vehicle use of smoke is not what is being portrayed.  What is being simulated is the commander at the primary levels planning.  These smoke screens are large ones which take a good concentration of smoke round to make an effective screen, and they take staff planning the occurs in advance.  This level use of smoke thus takes up most of the basic load of smoke that the unit would have on hand, thus needs to be used wisely and for good effect.  Thus, the game designer placed a severe limit on smoke to replicate the conundrum.  

In the end though, the smoke rules are poorly and the developer either didn't catch it or didn't use the rule.  It also shows lack of adequate playtesting because it should have been brought up by someone.  Again, it may have not been played by many people as it is an optional rule.

I then, can launch my lament about optional rules.  I don't like them and think games should not have them.  I say to designers, give me the game you want to design, don't meal-mouth your rulebook by being indecisive with "optional rules."    Now that said, the PG optional rules could have had a caveat saying they only can be evoked by scenario special rule and thus be a toolbox for good scenario design.

As to typing with credentials.  I think if you root around enough, you'll find out what mine are.