Welcome to the LnLP Forums and Resource Area

We have updated our forums to the latest version. If you had an account you should be able to log in and use it as before. If not please create an account and we look forward to having you as a member.

LOS question

Bah

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
7
Points
3
Age
47
Location
Switzerland
Hi there,

I have a LOS question regarding height. In the following picture (don't look at the bunker arrows, I place them upside down), there is an english soldier at level 0 and an argentinian one at level 2.

IMG_20191006_211120.jpg

I know that the english soldier can't be attacked because he's right next to the hill and he's gonna be protected by terrain all along the red arrow. What I can't turn my head around is : would he be in LOS if he were 1 hex to the right (like in 02)

I know he wouldn't be if the argentinian soldier were at level 1 instead of 2, because it would cast a shadow of 2 hexes. But as the argentinia is higher isn't the shadow of the hill only 1 hex long ? That's what I thought, but someone told me that the length of shadow isn't governed by the amount of level difference (here 2) but just by the fact that levels are different. What's the right ruling ?

I can see 2 rules that would apply. English is not my language, so sometimes I mess up subtleties.
The first would be

- Consecutive Hill hexes at the same level block LOS to a lower level up to as many intervening hexes are in between the r- er’s hex and the drop in hex level.

which seems to be in favour of the fact that it casts a shadow regardless of actual height difference (but would, in my opinion, defeat the quite precise height system as it's presented in the rules)


But this one

- Units in a hex at a level HIGHER than the total obstacle height of a blocking/ degrading-terrain hex can see and re over it into hexes at a lower level than the total obstacle height of said blocking/ degrading terrain. Since the LOS in this situation is traced OVER the blocking/de- grading terrain obstacle, it is not blocked/ degraded in any way; but Level-1, -2 and -3 blocking/degrading-terrain obstacles cast a one-hex shadow that blocks/de- grades LOS to units located behind them.

Seems to indicate that it would only cast a 1 hex shadow as the argentinian is higher than the blocking terrain (like if we had a house instead of a hill for instance). Which would make sense as he's quite higher.

So yeah, I'm confused... I would be really glad if you could help !
 

Stéphane Tanguay

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 2, 2013
Messages
1,269
Points
63
Age
56
Yes, the British soldier would be in LOS if he was one hex away from the hill. The level 1 hill hexes (M1, m2, etc.) only project a 1-hex blocking shadow for a unit on a level-2 hex looking at a target on a level-0 hex. And if K4 was a level 1 hex, the blocking shadow projected by, for example, M2, would be 3 hexes long
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bah

Bah

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
7
Points
3
Age
47
Location
Switzerland
Thanks a lot for your really clear answer ! So I'm happy I understood this rule the first time. I'm gonna be able to explain it correctly to the person with whom I was talking about it.

Thanks again !
 

TerryB

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
135
Points
28
Location
Spain
When I was learning I made this aid for myself. Maybe it will help you visualise things..

Have fun!
Terry
 

Attachments

  • LOS Examples_v2.pdf
    349.3 KB · Views: 26

Bah

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
7
Points
3
Age
47
Location
Switzerland
Oh ! I'm definitely gonna print that. It's just as I imagined it, but way faster to take a look at that than trying to recreate the height in my head. Thanks a lot !
 
Last edited:

Stéphane Tanguay

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 2, 2013
Messages
1,269
Points
63
Age
56
Note that a unit in K2 would be in LOS of K4 because when LOS is traced from a Hill hex to a lower-level hex through only Clear Hill hexes of constantly diminishing level, like a staircase, this is considered to be a clear slope and LOS is not blocked along such a slope.
 

Bah

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
7
Points
3
Age
47
Location
Switzerland
Yes thanks ! It's one of these rule that I know but often forget to use... Like the hero generation.
 
Top