For a long time, there's been a thorny issue locally, with regards Skimmers and Pop-Up attacks, and how terrain affects it.

I've been using a literal interpretation of the rules, which isn't that well received.

Take the following situations between Unit A (Skimmer) and Unit B (target/overwatcher). For each character, assume approx 5cm of distance.

1) AXXXXX__________B (Obviously, LOS)
2) A__________XXXXXB (Obviously, no LOS)
3) A_____XXXXX_____B
4) AXXXXX___B
5) XXAXXX_____B
6) A_XXXXX_B
7) A___XXXX|X_______ B
A_______X|XXXX___ B

1-2 are obvious, according to the rules. The problems with 3-8 are the way the Skimmer Rules are written.



The problem, for the most part, is reconciling this with the LOS rules which state you can see 10cm into a terrain feature, but you can't see THROUGH a terrain feature. So if the midway point is in a terrain feature, does it matter which side of the equation it's on? Examples 7 and 8 show situations where LOS terrain is an issue.

It might be intended that you track LOS (but not firing distance) from the midway point, and I'd be fine with that. But that's not how the Rules As Written seem to be intended. And can lead to some wonky situations (moving closer to LOS blocking terrain to get LOS, or further away to deny LOS, which seems contradictory).

Morgan Vening

My understanding is that you would measure from the closest edge of the terrain for purposes of pop-up fire.

Therefore 1,4,5, and 7 would have LOS. 3 and 6 would have LOS, but with cover modifier applied. 2 and 8 would have no LOS.

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SG

Ghost's Paint Blog, where everything goes that isn't something else.

There's absolutely nothing in the updated LOS rules about "midway" point, it's all just "closer" or "further" to the terrain feature as a "whole", essentially, "nearest edge" to the various units involved; the pop-up rules are an exception to the "seeing through" terrain restriction, though the 10cm in rule would apply to targets within terrain, but *not* attackers.

Simply put: ignore terrain that is closer to the popped-up attacker, give cover modifier of -1 for terrain that is equidistant, terrain closer to the defender blocks LOS. Being in terrain is the "closest" a unit can get to it, so an attacker that pops up while in a terrain feature can ignore it completely.

SG is correct in all his responses.

Concur.