Nick DelCorpo
Member
I have been throughly enjoying my new copy of Heroes of North Africa. With that being said the dust rules are a little confusing (at least to me). To remedy this , I have done a little research on the few other squad level tactical games, and of course taking into what I think Jeff Lewis's intentions are after reading the rules as they are (considering those written for smoke as well) and came up with the following house rules.
As a vehicles moves across sand it generates dust. While moving on hexes designated sand (which is all desert terrain unless stated otherwise by S.S.R.) place a "Dust 1" marker into the hex as the vehicles enters it. The vehicle will continue to generate "Dust 1" markers in sand hexes provided the hex entered from was also a dust hex. Thus a vehicle will have two dust markers with it at all times, 1 marker occupying the hex it is currently in, and one from which it entered, again provided it too was sand. If a dust marker occurs in a hex already containing a dust cloud, place a "Dust 2" marker, this acts exactly as "Dust 1" excepts effects are doubled, to 2. A "Dust 2" is the most dust which can occur in a single hex.
Anytime an ordnance weapons that uses a 'To-Hit' weapon fires in a hex containing a "Dust" marker, immediately remove the "Dust 1" marker at the conclusion of the fire (the dust still effects the attack unless conducted by a currently 'Assault Moving' and firing vehicle). The exception would be 'Assault Movement', which if you fired after moving would dissipate the cloud(before the attack is calculated), otherwise it would stay, giving the -1 to any OF conducted from the hex later on in the turn.
The rest of the rules are pretty clear, Dust is degrading terrain, level 1 height, and has a negative effect on fire not only going through or into a hex that contains it, but also attacks that originate from it (-1 DFT, +1 to OFT to Hit rolls, per Dust marker, either 1 or 2).
Finally the markers would be removed at the conclusion of the Operations phase before beginning the next turn. The only exception would be those vehicles marked with 'Continuous Movement' which would remain with a "Dust 1" marker until they moved in the following turn. This is of course my two cents only and I welcome any critiques or thoughts.
Thanks.
As a vehicles moves across sand it generates dust. While moving on hexes designated sand (which is all desert terrain unless stated otherwise by S.S.R.) place a "Dust 1" marker into the hex as the vehicles enters it. The vehicle will continue to generate "Dust 1" markers in sand hexes provided the hex entered from was also a dust hex. Thus a vehicle will have two dust markers with it at all times, 1 marker occupying the hex it is currently in, and one from which it entered, again provided it too was sand. If a dust marker occurs in a hex already containing a dust cloud, place a "Dust 2" marker, this acts exactly as "Dust 1" excepts effects are doubled, to 2. A "Dust 2" is the most dust which can occur in a single hex.
Anytime an ordnance weapons that uses a 'To-Hit' weapon fires in a hex containing a "Dust" marker, immediately remove the "Dust 1" marker at the conclusion of the fire (the dust still effects the attack unless conducted by a currently 'Assault Moving' and firing vehicle). The exception would be 'Assault Movement', which if you fired after moving would dissipate the cloud(before the attack is calculated), otherwise it would stay, giving the -1 to any OF conducted from the hex later on in the turn.
The rest of the rules are pretty clear, Dust is degrading terrain, level 1 height, and has a negative effect on fire not only going through or into a hex that contains it, but also attacks that originate from it (-1 DFT, +1 to OFT to Hit rolls, per Dust marker, either 1 or 2).
Finally the markers would be removed at the conclusion of the Operations phase before beginning the next turn. The only exception would be those vehicles marked with 'Continuous Movement' which would remain with a "Dust 1" marker until they moved in the following turn. This is of course my two cents only and I welcome any critiques or thoughts.
Thanks.
Last edited:
