New Feature: Overwatch

[Eric McDonald <mcdonald at phy dot cmich dot edu>]

Hello Xconq Game Designers,

  I have implemented a new feature to ring in the new year. (I managed 
to complete and test it just before local midnight.)

  The new feature is overwatch. An unit can now have a 
zone-of-overwatch (ZOO) that it maintains against other units of various 
types. The principle is very similar to ZOC (zone-of-control), except 
that ZOO's are inherently penetrable, whereas ZOC's are normally "hard". 
An unit entering into a ZOO of enemy unit will be immediately and 
automatically fired upon, provided the enemy unit has the necessary ACP 
and/or materials.
  Three new GDL tables are associated with this feature: 'zoo-range', 
'zoo-range-min', and 'acp-for-overwatch'. 'zoo-range' and 
'zoo-range-min' are TableUU, and specify range in cells. If 'zoo-range' 
exceeds the overwatcher's fire 'range' property, it will be clipped to 
that property. Likewise, if 'zoo-range-min' is less than the 
overwatcher's fire 'range-min' property it will be clipped to that 
property. 'acp-for-overwatch' (TableUU) is a mechanism for providing 
additional ACP so that an unit can respond to violations of its ZOO, 
even it would normally be out of ACP; the table tells how much extra ACP 
an overwatcher will get for the purpose of firing on another unit of a 
certain type.
  There is still room for improvement. A probability table would be a 
nice addition, as would doctrines controlling minimum materials needed 
to overwatch fire and maximum number of overwatch firing against an unit 
of a particular type per move of that unit. I also must ensure that it 
can work with acp-indep units.

  Enjoy, and happy [Gregorian] new year,
     Eric