Confused about stream status in the snow.

sfcmikej

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Hey All,

Playing a scenario with ground snow. There is a stream located where it will have a major impact on play. My opponent asked if it as frozen, as per B21.6. My initial reaction was no, it wasn't as it was not designated as frozen and should be considered frigid and cause ELR for going in. I always attempt to justify my conclusions with rules references. So I find 20.7 and think I am correct. I look at 21.6 and think it applies to water obstacles as opposed to streams and I am even more convinced. Finally, I look at the ground snow rules and all of my conclusions are now questionable in my mind. In this scenario it will make a huge difference if the stream can be crossed without penalty.
So is the stream a frigid water obstacle or treated as ice and therefore a dry stream? Relevant rules listed below.

Mike



B20.7 FRIGID/FROZEN: If a stream is designated as frozen, it is treated as a dry stream regardless of depth [EXC: a flooded stream is still one level higher; 20.44]. If a non-dry stream is not frozen, but snow is present, the stream is a frigid Water Obstacle. If Infantry/Cavalry units enter a frigid Water Obstacle without a bridge they are Replaced by the next lower Class unit or Disrupted as per A19.12-.13 or Casualty Reduced if incapable of both Replacement and Disruption (e.g., heroic or unarmed units). Any boat capable of conveying that size unit can be used to cross a frigid stream at the normal MF cost of the Passenger for entry of that type of stream. There are no loading/unloading costs or other boat rules to consider when crossing a stream unless it is flooded.

B21.6 ICE: All Water Obstacles (except an ocean) freeze in sub-zero temperature scenarios. When frozen, Water Obstacle hexes are treated as Open Ground for all purposes. Ice is removed from any hex in which an Original HE attack DR scores a KIA on the IFT or when the ice collapses. Mark such hexes as clear water by the placement of a coin or a Collapsed Ice counter (available in ARMIES OF OBLIVION). The ice may collapse under the weight of any vehicle of ≥ five tons as per the rules for bridge collapse (6.42; treating the Weight Limit for all ice hexes as equal to that of the highest weight sustained thus far by any ice hex), causing the elimination of all units in that hex and all future vehicles ≥ that weight venturing onto the ice. Wire and unhidden mines are the only Fortifications allowed in an ice hex.

E3.722 TERRAIN: Ground/Deep Snow turns all marsh/mudflat terrain to Open Ground (B16.8), freezes all streams, and activates all Ice rules (B20.7, B21.6). It also causes a +2 DRM to all Entrenching attempts.
 

klasmalmstrom

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A stream is frozen (i.e., dry) if Ground/Deep Snow is in effect (as always, barring an SSR).
 
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