ORIGINAL: Chuck2
The basis of the ships not operating 24hrs/day is mainly the need to refuel. According to the link below the swift boat only had the ability to go on a 600-800 kilometer patrol with a top speed of 20 to 25 knots .
At 2400km/week a riverine unit could travel about 686km in two days. Then it would need to refuel - couple of hours. The fact remains that river vessels have berths & cooking facilities - you don't have to stop for sleep or eating, like a motorized unit would.
River boats have the ability to RBC much larger units out of the way ...
A completely different problem - and that's the one that needs to be addressed. Let's don't fix the wrong thing.
...and only pay 1 mp regardless of who controls the territory...
For ground units, the rationale for the extra cost to enter enemy territory is that the unit must convert from straight column to column with flankers & advance guards to avoid being ambushed. Since part of the force is off in the toughest terrain scouting the flanks and checking the ground ahead, the unit moves slower. There is no corresponding factor for naval units - they all move over the same terrain - water. I wouldn't think swift boats would slow down in enemy territory. Would that make them safer?
If you want to discuss other river boats, please bring up some examples. For large rivers that can carry ocean-going ships, it might be better to make the river a deep water hex.
Well, there was this guy who designed an American Civil War scenario. [:)]
Whether a deep water hex could be used instead of a river depends on the scale and whether it should require amphib ability to be crossed.
