"COVER" and PBEM LOS

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by coltom

I have enjoyed playing the CD version of your game for several years....as a new member of this forum I apologise if these questions have been answered in a previous thread. COVER..if I understand correctly moving into cover gives no benefit on the turn you move, some benefit on the next turn, and full benefit on the following turn. PBEM LOS...since you only see your opponent's units if you fire on him during his movement how do you overwatch (without firing) an area of the map with a FO for instance to observe him moving from a hex out of your LOS to another hex out of your LOS...in other words at some point during his movement you would have seen him but since he moved from a hex not in your LOS to another hex not in your LOS he has moved (closer) without you observing him (in game terms). Thanks for your reply in advance.

Cover for a hex (rough say) applies as soon as you enter the hex.

However, dug-in status (occupying foxholes or vehicle sandbag revetments) requires some time. Usually one turn stationary. (Troops moving in a fire trench are considered dug-in though).

Moving infantry is more vulnerable - the more hexes they have moved, the more vulnerable (Includes any hexes moved in an APC too). So for infantry to get full benefit of say rough terrain cover - they need to "go firm" next turn, ie not move. If you have to move grunts under fire (or expect to receive some in the enemy phase), try to keep movement to 1 or at the outside 2 hexes total.

Moving vehicles are generally more difficult to hit with direct A/T fire. But as stated above - the APC movement is counted towards the infantry vulnerability. So it is best to debus your pax at the start of a move (APC has no or only 1-2 hexes moved) if there is a possibility of return fire. Charging many hexes into the middle of an enemy position and then jumping out leaves you horribly exposed and bunched up.

PBEM playback only shows firing events. If every movement event was logged, then the PBEM replay file would be simply massive, and take forever. So there is no way to observe say a bunch of tanks that exit from behind village A and end up behind village B unless someone takes a pot-shot at those moving tanks. (But the system is miles better than the original SP-1 game - there was no replay at all, so you had no clue why your tigers were suddenly burning).


Cheers
Andy