Question: Terrain For Moving Units

[Warmonger]

When does a moving unit get the benefit of the terrain it enters when it's fired upon? And does that apply to retreating/routing units as well?

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Warmonger

When does a moving unit get the benefit of the terrain it enters when it's fired upon? And does that apply to retreating/routing units as well?

It gets any terrain protection when its in the hex.

Infantry that are halted are better protected than those that are moving - and the more the grunts have moved, the more vulnerable. Routers are moving and so vulnerable.

Andy

[Warmonger]

Since moving makes a unit more vulnerable but terrain with cover protects the unit, is a unit generally better off staying where it is or moving toward better terrain? That is, is the movement penalty more severe than the benefit of the terrain?

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Warmonger

Since moving makes a unit more vulnerable but terrain with cover protects the unit, is a unit generally better off staying where it is or moving toward better terrain? That is, is the movement penalty more severe than the benefit of the terrain?

If it is just a hex away, it may be worth going to the shell hole, rough or whatever from plain open terrain if your infantry have not moved much or at all.

But if you say get opfired on for moving, lose a casualty and get set to a bad status, maybe not. If under direct fire, then the best hex may well be one that is not in enemy LOS, rather than taking a chance on a small factor and attracting fire for trying to go there. Hunkering down is usually the best bet then.

So - it depends on the situation, and your judgement based on past experience, and chance/luck.

[Warmonger]

Good info, thanks.

Where this usually comes up is when units are advancing through what looks like empty terrain in the sense of no visible enemy units. Then they're spotted and fired upon by concealed enemy.

From your reply I get the feeling the movement penalty may be non-linear, where each additional hex adds a disproportionate penalty. By the way is the penalty based on hexes moved or MPs expended? That is, is the penalty the same moving one hex down a road (1MP) vs. moving one hex uphill in clear terrain (3MP)?

Regardless, it sounds like if the unit is fired upon near the end of its turn, it should stop, but if at the beginning of the turn it should seek cover provided it's close by.