Flooded streams

[Matt Romey]

Posting this for a friend:

"My opponent and I have a question regarding the stream
in A37 - Dreil Team. SSR 2 says, "All Water obstacles
are considered flooded (B16.6 & B20.4), except 22W10
and 22K1 which are Deep."

1. Is the stream a water obstacle? B21.1 defines
Water Obstacles and streams are not mentioned.
However the SSR refers to B16.6, so it would seem that
their intention is that the stream is flooded. How
should this be played?

2. Can you enter a flooded stream? Do you have to
swim? What gives?"

 

[SamB]

The rules state that a flooded stream is treated as if it were a flooded pond (A20.44). A pond is a "water obstacle" that can't be entered w/o swimming or boats.

The two exceptions listed by the SSR are defined as "deep" which means they -can- be entered (A20.43).

In effect, the two "deep" stream hexes are fords.

Sam

 

[Matt Romey]

The rules state that a flooded stream is treated as if it were a flooded pond (A20.44). A pond is a "water obstacle" that can't be entered w/o swimming or boats.

The first sentence I understand. The second sentence challenges me a bit. I believe you (it was my first impression as well), but I don't see it in the rules. I have ASLRBv1 so I am slightly rules challenged.

 

[Anonymous]

Sam,

Thanks for the quick response. But, the SSR says, "All Water obstacles
are considered flooded", but streams are not Water Obstacles. How do we make the leap from stream to flooded stream if it is not explicitly stated?

I'm not trying to be a rules lawyer, I'm trying to Cover My Ass.

Sean
+<|

 

[SamB]

Thanks for the quick response. But, the SSR says, "All Water obstacles are considered flooded", but streams are not Water Obstacles. How do we make the leap from stream to flooded stream if it is not explicitly stated?

OK, you made me look at the sceanrio card. :roll:

Technically, there are NO water obstacles on board 22. So if it doesn't mean what I said (which assumes the generic use of the term "water obstacle" and not the ASL definition) then what is the meaning or purpose of this SSR at all?

I'd also point out that the term in the ASL glossary are capitalized (e.g. Water Obstacle, not water obstacle). Either the scenario designer didn't draw the fine distinction that a stream was not a "Water Obstacle" or he put in a completely pointless SSR.

Sam

 

[Hubbs5]

When Tuomo and I played this scenario a couple of years back we played it that the flooded streams actually raised the terrain in that hex from -1 to ground level. The deep streams were still at -1. The effect of this was that while the troops could get into the stream without swimming, although using all of their movement factors, they could be seen like in open ground. This made it so they couldn't "hide" when crossing the flooded stream. I think the intent here is to limit the sneakiness of the Brits as the Germans have so few troops. I am not sure it is the way the scenario designer intended it but it worked for us.

 

[ThePope]

This just proves that poorly written SSR's can lead to drastic opinions on how the game is played. If the author had simply written that the stream was flooded (except hexes K1 & W10 which are deep) instead of using the phrase "Water Obstacles" there wouldn't even be a question as to how this should be played. :?: Is this worth an errata?