Wargame Mechanics Index

Terrain revealed on contact

A feature's difficulty is unknown until a unit first attempts it, then fixed by a roll.

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How games do it 2 games

2env
River CrossingDe Bellis Antiquitatis

A river's difficulty is unknown until the first element tries to cross it, then dice fix it for the whole game.

How it works

The first element to cross a river off-road dices: 1-2 it is too shallow and easy-banked to aid defence; 5-6 every element crossing off-road must also score more than 2 to cross. Otherwise a river is a significant obstacle; it is constant along its length.

A river's nature is constant along its whole length and will not be known until the first player attempts to cross it off-road.
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2env
Streams and other obstaclesWars of Alexander the Great

An obstacle's crossing difficulty is unknown until the first unit tries it, and that roll then fixes it for the battle.

How it works

Unless agreed beforehand, the first unit crossing an obstacle rolls a d6: 4-6 easy (crosses, move ends), 2-3 difficult (cross disordered or wait a turn), 1 very difficult (infantry cross next turn disordered, cavalry cannot cross). The result applies to all later units; light troops always treat it as easy.

The result obtained by the first unit trying to cross an obstacle applies to any other unit trying to cross it later in the battle.
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