RogueCode
10/21/06 12:18 AM
74.132.119.47
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Hello everyone
I am new to the game. my understanding of the rules is that cover, such as forest, give a bonus to the to hit number for a defending Mech. does this apply both ways? if it does, it seems that it would be of very little use, unless you wanted to die slower, or kill your enemy slower.
I didn't bring this up to discuss tactics, what i want to direct my question towards is the rules system. I'm hoping that i am overlooking another rule, or misunderstanding this, and i just want to confirm. thank you.
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Cray
10/21/06 10:03 AM
70.118.43.50
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Quote:
Hello everyone
I am new to the game. my understanding of the rules is that cover, such as forest, give a bonus to the to hit number for a defending Mech. does this apply both ways? if it does, it seems that it would be of very little use, unless you wanted to die slower, or kill your enemy slower.
Alright. Just to be clear:
Let's say mech A steps into a light woods hex. There is a heavy woods BEHIND mech A, and another light woods behind the heavy woods. 5 hexes in front of mech A is plain, flat terrain (no other terrain modifiers) and mech B.
When Mech B fires on Mech A, mech B suffers a +1 to-hit penalty against Mech A because Mech A is in light woods.
When Mech A returns fire, mech A does NOT receive a to-hit for the woods hex it is currently in.
On the next turn, mech A decides it is facing too much firepower from mech B and steps backward into the heavy woods behind it. Mech B, feeling confident, decides to "stand and deliver" and remains in the same hex.
Now, mech B faces penalties for shooting into light woods and heavy woods, a total of +3 to-hit. Mech A, on the other hand, is facing +1 for firing through light woods. Again, the heavy woods hex mech A is currently in does not count for mech A's targeting penalties.
Finally, on the next turn, mech A keeps backing up while mech B obliges the author of this example by standing still. Mech A is now in light woods again; it has heavy and light woods in front of it.
Per the "Intervening Terrain Rules," Mech B now has to see through 2 light and 1 heavy woods hex (more than the 3 light woods needed to block its line of sight). Mech B can't fire on mech A.
Mech A faces the obnoxious penalties of firing through a heavy woods and light woods (+3), but since its current hex of woods doesn't apply to its targeting penalties, it can fire on Mech B - its line of sight is not yet blocked.
So, Mech A consistently has an advantage being a defender in woods.
To clear up its view, mech B could spend the turn smashing down trees (clearing woods hexes), or it could actually move to a better position.
Is that clear? Any questions?
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Greyslayer
10/22/06 06:50 PM
216.14.198.52
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Has this changed? I always thought 1 light and 1 heavy blocked LOS both ways.
Another example would be the +4 for heavy woods in front and standing in a heavy woods. Unless there is some newer rule I haven't read yet a enemy unit will still be able to fire into that?
Also note that this situation would change slightly if Mech B was on a hill above the terrain. The woods modifier for the hex you are in counts as does the modifier for the adjacent hex, plus any modifier for woods on ground at least on the same level or higher than Mech B on the intervening terrain.
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Cray
10/22/06 08:43 PM
66.143.22.137
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Quote:
Has this changed? I always thought 1 light and 1 heavy blocked LOS both ways.
Oh, duh, you're right. I didn't read the whole paragraph before responding. 
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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