LOS question

[rfdoane98]

10.3 seems crystal clear: "Any silhouette (artwork) of blocking terrain crossed by a LOS blocks it (except as otherwise noted). Degrading-terrain silhouettes don’t block LOS, they degrade it."

In Heroes of the Nam, the artwork for huts includes a depiction of a small tree or some other kind of vegetation next to the hut. In the attached screenshot, LOS is being traced through hex K4 where it touches a branch of one of those trees, but not the hut itself. A literal reading of the rules seems to suggest LOS is blocked. Is it really the case that this single tree branch blocks LOS, whereas an entire hex full of light jungle, for example, only degrades it?

 

[Barthheart]

Since the majority of that hex is hut, noted because the center dot is in/touching a hut, the hex terrain is considered hut. Since the LoS line does not touch any hut type graphics, I would rule that a clear LoS.
The LoS is degraded by hex J5 however.

 

[Ty Snouffer]

Ha. That is a good one to noodle over. Partial hex terrain was the biggest adjustment I had to make from other games I've played when learning LnLT.

My gut would have told me to count that hut hex as blocked or at least roll for it if I was playing it with a live opponent. "Hell, I dunno. I'll roll you for it."

Taking nothing away from Barthheart's POV.

 

[rfdoane98]

Since the majority of that hex is hut, noted because the center dot is in/touching a hut, the hex terrain is considered hut. Since the LoS line does not touch any hut type graphics, I would rule that a clear LoS.
The LoS is degraded by hex J5 however.

I would definitely play it that way. It's just that this case seems to require a judgment call since the rules don't really talk about blocking terrain that includes artwork that is not actually part of that terrain type, which is what we seem to be saying here.

Another question would be, what if instead of that leaf, the LOS only touched one of the little brown circles next to the hut (I think they're supposed to be rice bins) Do they block LOS?

 

[Barthheart]

Again since the hex is terrain type "Hut", the baskets would not affect LoS. This is not ASL and things are usually kept as simple as possible. There is only one type of terrain per hex. Anything else in the hex is just art to make the map look good.

But it is your game. It might be fun to make that tree and the baskets degrading if the LoS only crosses those. Good old war movie style where the bad guys can't shoot straight and huge men can be completely protected behind skinny trees.

 

[rfdoane98]

Makes sense, thanks for your help.