Target hex density in spww2?
 

Hi guys,
Are there any target hex density effects in spww2. If I put two tanks or infantry squads in a hex, does that increase the chances of them suffering casualties? I know the hexes are quite large (50 m across), but I imagine there might still be a density effect.

Thanks for your help,
J

Re: Target hex density in spww2?
 

The only effect, afaik, is that burst effect weapons can affect all units in the burst radius - for some weapons this is only 1 hex (HESH). It is possible that one hit could destroy, or damage/supress both units in the same hex.

I have seen some people play with multiple units in a single hex, but most people try to avoid (and some house rules prohibit) multiple units in a single hex.

Re: Target hex density in spww2?
 

Generally keeping units spaced is advisable mainly because of suppression, you are letting incoming fire affect multiple units rather than just the target.

As mentioned many weapons can suppress the adjacent hex as well, all can suppress other units in a hex. Fire a MG at a group of adjacent armoured vehicles to hear the ricochets or turn blast circles on to see it.

There is a small chance it may actually damage any unit in the target hex also.
Put a group of trucks in same or adjacent hexes & fire HE at them to see the effect, the target might survive while other units get toasted.

Re: Target hex density in spww2?
 

OK, but in an advance or assault you're gonna need lots of smoke. Within a few turns artillery supplies can be exhausted while onboard AFV rounds or dischargers are often insufficient. Infantry may be obliged to dismount and pop smoke pre-emptively, and if your forces are spread out they can run out before you've taken most objectives. Under those circumstances the alternatives are either to concentrate units in a few "safe" hexes screened with parsimoniously rationed smoke, or expose at least some of your units to unseen AT or MG fire.

Re: Target hex density in spww2?
 

One effect of stacking multiple units in same hex is that it slows down movement (as there is an additional cost for moving to a hex with units already in it).

As for shooting, it tends to be quite bad news for soft skin vehicles and infantry, as HE fire tends to have some effect (at least suppression) on all units in the target hex.

Armoured targets tend to be on the safer side, as AP fire tends to affect only the target unit, while light HE fire tends to cause the target little more than buttoning up. Very large calibre HE fire can however damage armoured targets even in neighbouring hexes.

Any infantry on the same hex as an armoured vehicle (or even worse, doing tank riding on it) will of course be negatively affected by even small arms fire targeted at the tank (the game does not provide opportunity of infantry taking cover behind a tank, like you might see in some Vietnam movies). Historically, infantrymen were not always fond of being in very close proximity to tanks, as they considered them attracting fire (as they tend to do in the game), not to mention the prospects of getting run over by one.

Tactics-wise, keep in mind that you can sometimes force enemy infantry units to retreat to hexes occupied by other infantry units. Especially handy if you manage to ambush an enemy infantry column advancing along a road - once you have suppressed them enough to eliminate return fire, start pounding at the first unit in column until it retreats to the hex behind with another unit in it.