H3ANW. Which ruleset and how do I implement them?

[Bucks]

Hi All,

I've seen some discussion regarding this incarnation of the game and the interpretation of the Harpoon minatures rules and their implementation into H3ANW databases. We all need to remember that the basic game engine being utilised in H3ANW is that of our old friend Harpoon2.

Harpoon 2 I believe, was built as a working representation of the Harpoon minatures ruleset published by GDW - Game Designer's Workshop. The minatures ruleset underwent a major overhaul by Messrs Bond and Carlson to find itself re-released by Clash of Arms as Harpoon 4 (now 4.1). Without knowing how the game engine actually calculates it's combat and sensor detection resolutions, my experience has led me to believe the GDW ruleset is obviously in use and of course there was actually no Harpoon 4 rules available at the time of H2's original design.

Most people will be aware of the major changes that took place in the minatures rules in regard to sonar detection and platform characteristics. I have to raise the issue that attempting to use figures for a platform or weapon that use one detection or combat resolution model may lead to incorrect resolution by the H3ANW game engine, which is using another different model. I doubt the code uses the excact same calculations but they would at least be based on them.

When I was editing the HUD-II many moons ago, I undertook the editing of the platform cross-section data in an effort to overcome some of the limitations that would now be obvious (I hope) in the H2 sensor model. I was happy that the changes I had made had been in the right direction. I could after all now have surface platforms and aircraft detect each other at the same ranges as they did on my dining room table with it's 1/3000th scale " blue blanket ocean".

Then I saw the "other" result of my work, missile detection ranges. Small hard to detect sea skimmers were now just that!!! Suddenly ships would only have point defence as the harpoons appeared in the last few seconds of incoming flight. Didn't matter that your area defence SAMs could go out to 60nm, you were only getting a chance to hit them in the last few seconds. Not only that but now some FC (Fire control) radars were having trouble locking onto vlow flying targets. (Doh! That's why they fly so low...) At first I was concerned but after all I was after accuracy, some maybe after playability and others just like a straight up toe to toe missile bash. That is after all the beauty of the ability of changing the database your use with the game.

This is just a point for both Database designers and the Matrix team. When making DB changes or complaining about game issues try to think through what the game is actually doing and how your changes will effect the game's performance. Also how the changes you are making will possibly influence other features of H3ANW. I'd hate to see changes implemented that only raise a whole new set of problems and people making claims about what the rules say and how this game works.

Thanks

Darren