Chemical Weapons

[hoplitis]

First things first. I would be suprised if the Camo crew included Chemical Warfare in the game. This a tactical wargame and I would, again, be suprised if someone suggested that chemical weapons are just another "capability" readily available to a battalion or brigade HQ. They must be "released" by a higher level of command. In the classical NATO vs WPact "whatifs" use of even "tactical" CWs could easily trigger a "strategic escalation" of the conflict. In any case, even for "3rd World" conflicts use of CW would be more of a strategic/operational option rather than a tactical one and as such probably out of the "scope" of the game.

AbshireJW said:
...Simply put, its no more a problem than Napalm from an Air strike, or a flame thrower, or a 155mm Artillery shell...dead is dead ...

Nope. This is an oversimplification. Impact or expolosive munitinos do most of their damage upon delivery. Chemical agents can be "tuned" both for immediate and lasting effects. One fairly common "mode of operation" is to deliver a highly potent agent in an aerosol form of medium volatility. The lowered volatility ensures that the agent (in the form of miniscule liquid droplets) will remain in the target area for an extended time and the high potency assures that the slow or "controlled" vaporisation of small amounts of the agent will have a disabling effect on the enemy. In fact you would have to "simulate" a range of Chemical Warfare agents depending on their "fugacity", "rate of dispersion" and/or overall "persistance" in the battlefield just to name a few parameters that might be important (not going into environmental parameters such as temperature, wind velocity/direction, humidity(?)/rain etc).
On the other hand you could design a scenario involving the advance of a NBC capable force in the aftermath of a CWs attack. You can "simulate" the effect of the protective suit for infantry (reduced speed, combat ability and possibly vision), select vehicles/APCs/armor with a known NBC capability, you can (seriously) reduce the strength and moral/rally ability of non NBC capable units etc. The interesting designer issue would be the moral/rally ability of the advancing NBC force, ie "I feel secure wih my protective gear" or "God help me I'm walking in the valley of chemical death!"