With the increase in SDR automated units, and armies reliance on modern technology for targeting systems and the like as a whole, combat is getting more and more lethal, and for the troops on the ground, there doesn't seem too much of a way to break this deadlock. As a result, new ways are being developed to try and get the balance back into force for one side, and one way of doing this is to get more electronic warfare vehicles back onto the front line. Electronic warfare, at its simplest, is the use of jammers and counter-jammers filling the air so that one sides reliance on their modern technology is shattered. Then the EW side can then mop up the enemy as their targeting systems will still be working fine. At least this is the theory, in practise the other side is going to be doing the same thing and not wishing to let you overrun their targeting systems when they can overrun yours! Terms: The following terms are used in this article. EW: Electronic Warfare. For the purposes of this article, EW is any of the actions that are described later, and a EW vehicle is simply one that can employ EW. A Neuspotter is an EW vehicle. ECM: Electronic Counter measures. For the purposes of this, ECM also includes ECCM (Electronic Counter-Counter measures), the art of trying to break through an opponents ECM. Jamming: Jamming is a very specific form of ECM which tries to disrupt automated units only. ECM will not affect automated anymore than it will affect normal units, and jamming has no effect on ECM. For the purposes of this article, a ground unit includes any surface naval vessel. EW actions: There are several abilities which an EW vehicle may use, which include the following: Spotting: This is when a unit with LOS to several enemy units sends this information to other units so that the enemy may be attacked by indirect fire. Targeting: This allows the EW unit to effectively 'paint' the targeted unit, which means that the EW unit is getting as much information about the enemy as possibly and as accurately, which it then sends to another unit so that that the firer may have a much improved chance of hitting. ECM: An EW vehicle employing ECM is trying to jam every single enemy unit in the area of effect, by submitting the enemy units to as much electronic static and noise as possible. A unit subject to ECM is trying to break through this ECM and in doing so attempting to subject the other side to its own ECM. Jamming: Jamming is a much more directed version of ECM. Whereas ECM is trying to blanket everything, jamming is only trying to disrupt automated units (such as Neuspotters and Nutrockers), and attempts to confuse them and put them out of action. Jamming also involves counter-jamming which attempts to break through the jamming and impose its own on the other side. Every ability will have a rating. For spotting, this will be amount of units that can be spotted in the turn, Targeting has a modifier of what bonus a firer will have on a targeted unit, and with ECM and Jamming this is the rating of the system. In all cases, the higher the number, the better the system. Not all vehicles will have all the abilities, and most will have them at differing ratings, for example a Neuspotter has Spotting (2) and Targeting (+3). EW in use: EW adds a new phase to the game turn - the Electronic Warfare phase. This is placed after the Mutual Air Commitment phase, and before the Dogfight Resolution phase. During this phase, both sides secretly declare what EW units will employ ECM and which will employ Jamming (if they have any units that are capable of doing this). Aircraft with EW pods must declare if they are going to be using them for ground attack or dog fighting missions. Note that more than one vehicle on each side may declare ECM or Jamming, but only the highest rating vehicle will take effect here. No vehicle has to declare ECM if they chose not to employ it. Spotting and Targeting do not have to be declared now. Once done, both sides declare their ECM and Jamming ratings, and then they compare each others scores. The highest side has the lower rating subtracted and the modified result is the Active ECM and Jamming ratings. The side with the higher ECM is called the Active ECM side (or Jamming side because they may be different). For example, an SDR force declares an ECM of 2, and a Jamming of 0. The Mercs declare an ECM of 3 and a Jamming of 3. The end result is the Mercs are the active ECM side with an active ECM of 1, they are also the active Jamming side with an active Jamming of 3. It is possible for there to be no active ECM or jamming side, and for there to be an active ECM or jamming rating of 0. This just means that both sides EW facilities are powerful enough to be able to burn through the oppositions EW, but aren't powerful enough to actually take advantage of this. Unless an EW unit has more than one attack, if it uses an EW action, then it may not conduct an attack. If a unit does have more than one attack, then each EW action it uses counts as one of it's attacks. This applies to overrun combat too, and a unit that defends or attacks in overrun will lose any ECM or Jamming that it currently has active. A unit that gets engaged in overrun combat may elect not to return fire, in which case it will get no attacks back at the attacker, but will keep its EW running if it survives. The exception to this is physical combat. A unit may engage in physical combat and be engaged in physical combat with no penalties. A unit never has to use all of it's ECM or Jamming ability, but when the rating of the unit is declared, that value is fixed for the turn. Also, a unit that is declaring ECM or Jamming may declare that it is only being used in the countering role. In this case, the declarations are made as normal, but if the countering side wins, the active ECM or Jamming rating will be 0. Destroying a unit that is generating ECM or Jamming: There is a way to break this ECM or jamming in a turn. If the EW vehicle moves and then gets destroyed in Opportunity Fire, or if the unit is destroyed in Overrun combat, then the ECM (or jamming) generated by that unit is lost. This means that the next highest rating ECM or Jamming vehicle (if active [which is declared in the new Electronic Warfare phase, remember]) will take over the role, but unless its rating is exactly the same as the lost unit, then the active ECM (or jamming) side and active ECM (jamming) modifier will have to be recalculated. ECM and Jamming range: Whilst there is a range for everything, when it comes to EW, the range is sufficient that it will cover the entire map. Thus no unit on the non-active EW side is safe from the effects of ECM or Jamming. It is also worth noting that ECM and jamming are not effected by LOS, and a unit cannot 'hide' from these weapons. The only defence is to destroy the EW vehicle, or to have a greater EW strength. ECM: The active ECM modifier is used as a negative modifier to all opposing forces to-hit rolls and targeting modifiers, making it harder for them to hit their targets, and reducing the targeting abilities of EW craft. This modifier will be in effect for the entire turn, unless the unit gets destroyed as stated above. Jamming: Jamming is similar to ECM, although it is only used against automated units. The active jamming modifier is applied to all combat rolls made by the unit (use the higher of active ECM and active jamming if both are in effect), but it is also applied as a modifier against the jammed units movement rate. This simulates the fact that the automated unit is getting confused and is constantly re-evaluating the situation. Thus a unit under the effects of Jamming 2 will be at a -2 to all combat rolls and also a +2 movement rate, making even a clear hex costing 3 movememt points to enter. There is also another effect. At the end of the turn where jamming is in effect, any units that have been jammed that turn must roll 1d6, with a + modifier of the active Jamming. On a 6+, that unit will be shocked next turn, and thus will not be able to move or fire in the turn. This shocking will happen regardless of whether there is any jamming next turn and whether or not the unit may normally be shocked or not. At the end of the next turn, all shocked units will become active again, although if there is any opposing jamming, then all units will have to roll for shock again. Using with SF3D II: The EW rules were written before I had access to SF3D II, and while they do stand up fine, the Jamming rules as written cannot be used with the normal Control and Loss of Control for Automated Units which come with SF3D II. As such, use one of the following alternatives: Use the normal Jamming rules as written here Whilst working fine, this does means that controllers no longer have any effect for some scenarios unless destroyed, in which case the automated units are permanently jammed. Use the Control rules from SF3D II and ignore jamming If you do this, then obviously some EW won't be effective, possibly rendering some units not as capable as before. Use the Jamming rules above combined with the Control Rules from SF3D II In this variant, the jamming rules above are used, however if a unit is effected, then it is treated as being Out of Control and uses a reduced Defence rating. Again, controllers tend to lose their effectiveness except that if they are destroyed, all automated units are permanently out of control. The Jury is still out on which is the better option. Spotting: A unit with this ability has the capacity to act as a spotter for other units to be able to use indirect fire. It may spot as many units as it has LOS for and has a rating for, so a Neuspotter may spot 2 units. Targeting: An EW vehicle with this ability is using all of its sensors to track a target very accurately. This information is then sent to all other units on the EW vehicles side, and they may then fire on the targeted vehicle with the rating of the targeting ability, which is reduced by any active ECM if the opposing side is the active ECM side. Only one unit may be targeted by an EW vehicle per turn. Aircraft: Aircraft may also employ EW. Instead of carrying an extra weapon counter, they may carry an EW counter (which you'll have to make yourself I'm afraid). Some examples of these counters include: Spotting (2) Targeting (+3) ECM (1, 2 or 3) Jamming (1, 2 or 3) An aircraft's use of EW will depend on it's mission. Observation missions: In these missions, an aircraft may employ Spotting and Targeting EW only. Ground attack missions: These missions allow an aircraft to use all EW functions. However, ECM may only be used to affect ground targets and other aircraft flying ground attack missions. It will never effect dog fighting vehicles, even if they are currently being employed to engage ground attack aircraft. Aircraft involved in ground attack missions may have EW employed against them. They are susceptible to ECM and they may be Targeted as normal. Dogfight missions: Aircraft in dog fighting have very little EW options. All they can do is to employ ECM and jamming against the opposing dogfighters. When using ECM or Jamming in dog fighting, the active EW side get to use the active ECM (or Jamming) as a bonus to their dogfight rating. For example, an SDR flight with a dogfight rating of 2 and an ECM rating of 2 goes up against some Mercs with a dogfight rating of 3 and no ECM. The totals are that the SDR flight have a dogfight rating of 4, while the Mercs still have still a rating of 3. The craft that are using the ECM do not add their dogfight rating to the combat, but they can be taken as casualties if so desired. If an opposing aircraft is effected by Jamming and is shocked, then it will crash and burn on the following turn if it has to roll again to see if it is still shocked. An automated aircraft can only survive one consecutive turn in the air shocked. Dogfighting EW will not effect ground attack aircraft, nor ground units. Naval EW: EW used in the seas works exactly as it done on land, and surface or undersea units are treated as ground units for this purpose. EW operating from a surface or ground unit will effect units that are underwater, and vice versa. The only exception is when it comes to units that are in deep water. An EW unit in deep water will only effect other units in deep water and will not be able to effect other undersea or surface craft. The reverse is also true. Availability of EW vehicles: EW vehicles are never as common as their commanders would like them to be. As a result, generally only one EW vehicle is ever assigned to a single platoon. For walkers, this is usually one SAFS Racoon or PKA Konrad per 12 or so armoured suits, and usually the EW vehicle is also the commander's vehicle. Other EW vehicles (such the HEWS Janus) are assigned as and when deemed necessary, as is the case with aircraft EW pods. The exception to this are the Neuspotters and KrachenVogel which are spread all over, and (especially with the Neuspotters) are used whenever possible. Optional EW rules: Instead of giving each unit a set rating of ECM and Jamming, units have a power unit rating. This should be 75% of the combined total of the units ECM and Jamming (thus a HAFS Janus with an ECM 3 and Jamming 3 would have 4 power units). These power units can then be split between the two sources of EW as the owner wishes which would give more tactical options as you would have to decide which is more important - ECM or Jamming? After all, with the rules as they stand, there is no reason to ever not give all of the rating to the enemy. Units that only have the one ability will simply use that ability at it's listed strength and not take a reduction, but this can be balanced by the fact that the units with the power units have no maximum value that can be allocated to any specific ability.