Help with New Terrain

[GerryCMBB]

Hello All:

Is the new terrain explained in the manual in terms of what units can cross it, etc.? Couldn't see it.

In a training battle (#1 in Advanced Training) I noticed that scouts would not go though what looks like a vineyard. It looks like a vineyard but the vines seem very low so maybe it is something else.

In this battle there is also something that looks like a hedge. I assume tracked vehicles can cross this. IOW there is nothing bocage-like in Sicily/Italy?

Thanks,

Gerry

[theFightingSeabee]

There are no bocage-like walls. Now that we're all masters of bocage fighting, we've got to rethink our tactics. Its really interesting to me.

As far as I know, any unit can go through grape vines. Vineyards sit on rough terrain tiles, so I think it's the same as traveling over rough terrain.

[Sergei]

I believe infantry can only run along the vineyards, so be aware.

Bocage is very specific to the fields of Normandy, you're not going to find it in Italy or even in other parts of France.

[GerryCMBB]

Did a test on the same map. Previously I had given a Scout Team a move order to the other side of the vineyard. The unit went around the vineyard to the other side.

In the test now, I put a waypoint in the vineyard and they did go into the vineyard. So it seems one needs to control the pathing near vineyards or they will take the long way around.

Gerry

[MikeyD]

Vineyards are on a rocky base plus the strung wire for the vines rapidly messes up tracks, so vehicles tend to avoid driving through vineyards unless you force them (plant a waypoint in the middle of the field). Soldiers don't much like moving perpendicular to vine rows either but again you should be able to force them to with waypoints. Though the soldier will object.

The Hvy Rock is the big bad new terrain tile that will block vehicles. It works rather like swamp - infantry can pass with some difficults, vehicle's can't pass at all.

[Michael Emrys]

BTW, is there any place that has illustrations of all the basic terrain types? I confess that even after all this time I am very mediocre at recognizing certain types and knowing precisely what their effects are.

Michael

[MikeyD]

Huh! I do believe terrain types may have fallen between the cracks in the two manuals. I don't think anyone realized that. I'll post a bug report, maybe get that addressed in a manual update.

Generally, the terrain is intuitive. If it looks like short grass then its short grass, if it looks like red dirt its red dirt. The two tricky ones are heavy rocks and hvy forest, which are both impassible to vehicles, and also both difficult for the untrained eye to distinguish from mere rocky and light forest. Also the only way to spot fords is their gravel banks (and ability to accept a waypoint), there's no way to visually distinguish shallow fords from deep ones.

[Michael Emrys]

Huh! I do believe terrain types may have fallen between the cracks in the two manuals. I don't think anyone realized that. I'll post a bug report, maybe get that addressed in a manual update.

Thanks, Mikey, that would be helpful.

The two tricky ones are heavy rocks and hvy forest, which are both impassible to vehicles, and also both difficult for the untrained eye to distinguish from mere rocky and light forest.

Yeah, the heavy forest thing is the one that gives me the most trouble.

...there's no way to visually distinguish shallow fords from deep ones.

I don't know if it is still the case in FI, but in BN there was a way. And that is to put the camera on level 1 pointed upstream or downstream. The camera actually goes underwater and you can visually determine if a ford is present and how deep it is. I used to travel the length of waterways I intended to cross, mentally noting the locations of fords and their depth.

Michael

[Steven482]

Any chance for a brief Overview of the terrain, its movement, visibility and defensive effects?

[George MC]

Thanks, Mikey, that would be helpful.

Yeah, the heavy forest thing is the one that gives me the most trouble.

I don't know if it is still the case in FI, but in BN there was a way. And that is to put the camera on level 1 pointed upstream or downstream. The camera actually goes underwater and you can visually determine if a ford is present and how deep it is. I used to travel the length of waterways I intended to cross, mentally noting the locations of fords and their depth.

Michael

Even easier is plot a vehicle movement then run the waypoint up and down the length of the water course you are searching for fords. If you can cross it'll let you place the waypoint if not well it won't. Way quicker.