Question about steam vehicles in IHMN

[cptkremmen]

I am playing Scotland yard V Thule tonight. Problem is Thule have too many points so I am giving SY "Dotty" an ironclad miniatures 4 wheeled armoured car with a machine gun.

I am going to assume a crew of 2 bobbies. 1 driver and 1 gunner. 

On the vehicle hit table I am assuming that despite having 2 crew, if it takes a crew incapacitated hit the entire vehicle will be out of action.

I presume it is not possible to fight an armoured vehicle in hand to hand combat??

To shoot at it fair enough I think I have that.

Any ideas?

Andy

[VSF Gamer]

I haven't played the game yet but in other games we play attacking a vehicle in hand to hand is permitted. Firing ones pistol or rilfe through gun slits can be quite hazzardous to those inside. This of course if the vehicle isn't moving. Figures can attack if it's moving but they stand the risk of getting run over if they fail a save.

My 2 cents worth.

[Van-Helsing]

I (personally) only think Walkers can engage in HtH - as logically, a Walker is a suit of Armour like any other and as the Johnson Mk VII (for example) is equipped with a "Steam Fist" it can engage in Hand to Hand Combat.

As the Steersman can do "nothing else" while driving the Walker - one would presume that means he can ONLY operate the Walker in whatever task (including Combat) it is performing at the time - I would use the Steersmans attributes for Combat Purposes, but (I know its obvious) the Walkers Armour and Weapons.

Plus when it states "Takes a Hit" it is worded generally (as in either Close Combat or Ranged attacks) and not specifically linked to the Walker just being Shot.

Whereas you can just walk up and start pounding on a Tank - not that it will do you much good really LoL.

Just my thoughts.

[Van-Helsing]

I (personally) only think Walkers can engage in HtH - as logically, a Walker is a suit of Armour like any other and as the Johnson Mk VII (for example) is equipped with a "Steam Fist" it can engage in Hand to Hand Combat.

As the Steersman can do "nothing else" while driving the Walker - one would presume that means he can ONLY operate the Walker in whatever task (including Combat) it is performing at the time - I would use the Steersmans attributes for Combat Purposes, but (I know its obvious) the Walkers Armour and Weapons.

Plus when it states "Takes a Hit" it is worded generally (as in either Close Combat or Ranged attacks) and not specifically linked to the Walker just being Shot.

Whereas you can just walk up and start pounding on a Tank - not that it will do you much good really LoL.

Just my thoughts.

[cptkremmen]

Van Helsing,

Remember i said a 4 wheeled armoured car not a walker....

[Craig]

It is worth noting that the armoured vehicles of 1895 are not as robust as those of even 1916. They are usually civilian vehicles with upgraded steam boilers and with iron plates riveted on the body.

For example early converted Rolls Royce armoured cars could be and were immobilised by rioters who slashed the tyres or stuck bars through the wheel spokes. Blocking a steam engine's funnel can be pretty lethal to the occupants as well.

[Van-Helsing]

I don't know what happened there (Kremmen read the full message above LoL)

[cptkremmen]

Craig so we are saying an ordinary man with normal weapons may engage the armoured steam car in hand to hand combat?

[cptkremmen]

We will be playing with "Dotty" the Scotland Yard experimental Riot Control vehicle tomorrow.

4 wheel armoured car, with an MG, so armour 11.  Will assume it can be engaged in hand to hand combat. Not sure if IT is capable of inflicting hand to hand damge?  chance of running over the assailant etc?

If so what is the FV bonus and pluck modifier of an armoured car?  I would guess +2 FV and -2 pluck modifier?

Anyone any ideas?

Andy

[Skrapwelder]

FV and Pluck of the crew, who would be doing the actual fighting. Armor of the vehicle or add 3 to the Armor of the crew to represent the protected position they fight from.

[Craig]

In the demonstration games we ran at Salute and Partizan we had a lot of civilian vehicles on the roads. At the end of each movement turn we then rolled randomly for the distance each one moved.
Any figure that was in front of the vehicle and in its movement path simply made a pluck roll.
If they succeeded they moved out of the way, if they failed they were mown down and out of the game.
In one incident a Milk Cart ran through a combat between four Tong Members and three Incorrigibles. All four Tong Member nimbly somersaulted out of the way of the panic-stricken horse and its driverless cart (note: artistic licence being employed for narrative effect). The three Incorrigibles were not so lucky and all went under the hooves and wheels.
As you can imagine much hilarity ensued... 

What I'm getting at is apply the KISS principle. If the vehicle is moving give figures a chance to get out of the way. If it is not moving then the vehicle is a sitting duck. It is why in the wars that followed tanks deployed in street-fighting would not advance without close infantry support.

[thebunkergames]

Hi Craig
For random vehicle movement in my 'normal' (yeah right!) games I use the GW scatter dice. This gives a random distance & direction. If the arrow die gives a backward result, the model is assumed to slam all in panic and not move that turn. I think this fits in with the KISS rule
See you soon
Regards
Shaun in The Bunker.

ps do I have a milk float?

[Craig]

ps do I have a milk float?

Well it looked like one and it certainly creamed those Incorrigibles 

[cptkremmen]

thanks for the sugestions