Different Level Smoke HIndrance

[johnl]

Smoke between different level Target-Firer pairs is something that I just can't seem to grok. See attached (fuzzy - sorry) pic.

blocked

Is the LOS between R2 Level 2 and the MTR in BB2 blocked by +6 Smoke? Will any L2 or greater Smoke along the LOS affect LOS?

 

[jrv]

The encircled fuzzy unit in R2 is at level two. The other unit in BB2 is at level zero. Smoke has a height of two levels, i.e. it goes from level zero to level two. Smoke is also inherent so LOS does not have to be visible on both sides of the LOS. Touching the hexside is enough. Since the LOS goes from level two to level zero, the LOS is < level two in all hexes. The LOS goes down the hexside in fuzzy hex S2, through the middle of fuzzy hex T2, then along the hexside of fuzzy hex U2 for a total of three hexes at +2 hindrance, making a total hindrance of +6.

If the Smoke hexes had been (inherent) obstacles, all three hexes would have "plateau-ed" the LOS, meaning the encircled unit could not see past obstacles in those hexes to a lower level. If the encircled unit had been at level three, the Smoke hexes would be treated as obstacles to determine blind hexes. Hexes that would be blind to LOS from level three would be hindered instead. So if the encircled unit were at level three, it would have two smoke hindrances to hex V2.

In general you can think of what would happen if the SMOKE (or most other full-level hindrances) were an obstacle. If it would block LOS as an obstacle, it will hinder LOS as SMOKE. This general principle doesn't work with orchards however, which is a bit annoying.

JR

 

[johnl]

Thanks for that great explanation, JR. I was familiar with the obstacle analogy but somehow couldn't get my grey matter to process it. All is good now, especially since I'm safe from that annoying MTR.

 

[Paul John]

In general you can think of what would happen if the SMOKE (or most other full-level hindrances) were an obstacle. If it would block LOS as an obstacle, it will hinder LOS as SMOKE. This general principle doesn't work with orchards however, which is a bit annoying.

What? Why doesn't this work with orchards? I am confused. I thought that if an orchard is in season and would block, that same out of season orchard hinders. Is that not correct?

 

[jrv]

What? Why doesn't this work with orchards? I am confused. I thought that if an orchard is in season and would block, that same out of season orchard hinders. Is that not correct?

When in-season, they behave the same as any other level one obstacle. The difference is that when out-of-season, if the LOS is traced to/from an elevation that is > one level higher than the base level of the orchard, there is a maximum of +1 hindrance and that applies only if the lower unit is adjacent to the orchard. For example if the higher unit is at level 1.5 and there are orchards at ranges six and seven hexes, in-season the orchard at six hexes would create two blind hexes and would block LOS to eight hexes range. The orchard at seven hexes range would also create two blind hexes and would block LOS to nine hexes range. When out of season the orchard at six hexes would have no effect at a ground level location at range eight hexes. The orchard at seven hexes would add a +1 hindrance at range eight hexes and would have no effect at range nine hexes. See B14.2.

If the higher unit were at level one instead of 1.5 and the orchard out-of-season, both hexes would hinder for LOS at range > eight hexes.

JR

 

[Philippe D.]

That is indeed what the rules say, but it seems it would be reasonable to define a "level X hindrance" as one that hinders LOS when crossed in such a way that a same level obstacle would block it, and then define out of season orchard as a level 1 hindrance.

With the rules as they are, an orchard hex 20 hexes away only hinders LOS to the next hex behind it. Makes even less sense, geometry-wise, than the Blind hex rules (and I'm not pleading for a change to the Blind hex rules: they don't make sense, but they make the game play faster; it's just that using the same count systematically for "high" hindrances would not add any complexity to the game).

 

[Paul John]

Wow, Thanks JR. That is some magic s&%t going on there. I always assumed that if it could block when in season, it hindered when out of season.
But then that would be logical.