03. TERRAIN, ELEVATION, REVERSE SLOPES & LINE OF SIGHT

1.0 Master Terrain Classifications & Movement Effects

• [RULE-03-1.1] Terrain Scale & Standard: At the tactical scale of 1 inch = 25-30 yards, terrain features represent actual physical footprint boundaries on the battlefield. Units interact with terrain based on their current formation, base depth, and movement capability.
• [RULE-03-1.2] Master Terrain Matrix: All terrain types are categorized by their impact on movement rates, permitted tactical formations, cover save bonuses, and line-of-sight obstruction:

• [RULE-03-1.3] Entering and Exiting Terrain: Movement penalties are deducted immediately upon the leading edge of the unit contacting the terrain feature. If a unit possesses insufficient remaining movement to clear the boundary, it must halt within the terrain.
• [RULE-03-1.4] Fractional Movement Minimum: A formed unit in command is always permitted to move a minimum of 2.0 inches in its active phase, regardless of cumulative terrain penalties, unless attempting to traverse completely impassable terrain.
• [RULE-03-1.5] Rough Ground & Formation Disruption: When a unit in Line of Battle moves through Dense Woods, Swamp, or Abatis, it immediately receives a Disorder Marker at the completion of its move, representing the breakdown of alignment and dressed ranks among the trees.

2.0 Linear Obstacles, Entrenchments & Sunken Lanes

Example: An attacking regiment charges a defending regiment lined up with its front edge touching a stone wall. The defending regiment receives a heavy cover save of 4+ and a melee defense bonus of +2.

• [RULE-03-2.1] Split-Rail & Snake Fences:
• Crossing Cost: Crossing a split-rail fence costs 2.0 inches of movement allowance.
• Defensive Benefit: A formed unit lined up with its front edge touching the fence gains Light Cover (5+ Save) against fire crossing the fence line from the front 180^\circ.
• Shock Defense Bonus: Defending a wooden fence grants +1 to the Opposed Melee Roll against frontal assaults, as attackers must awkwardly climb over the rails.
• Dismantling: An infantry regiment in contact with a wooden fence may spend its entire movement phase to permanently dismantle a section equal to its frontage, removing the fence piece from the board.
• [RULE-03-2.2] Stone Walls:
• Crossing Cost: Costs 2.0 inches of movement allowance. Formed columns crossing a stone wall must make a Discipline Check (4+ on 1D6) or receive a Disorder Marker upon crossing.
• Defensive Benefit: Grants Heavy Cover (4+ Save) against frontal incoming fire.
• Shock Defense Bonus: Defending a stone wall grants +2 to the Opposed Melee Roll against frontal assaults.
• [RULE-03-2.3] Hedges & Brush Rows: Treated identically to Split-Rail Fences (2.0" crossing cost, Light Cover 5+ save). Hedges do not provide shock defense bonuses in melee.
• [RULE-03-2.4] Abatis & Field Earthworks:
• Abatis (Felled Trees & Pointed Stakes): Costs 3.0 inches of movement to cross. Attackers charging through abatis lose all charging momentum bonuses and suffer a -2 penalty in melee.
• Breastworks / Earthen Trenches: Lined infantry gain Heavy Cover (4+ Save), are immune to flank shock penalties if the flank is anchored to the works, and receive +2 in Melee.
• [RULE-03-2.5] Sunken Roads (e.g., The Bloody Lane):
• Deployment: Regiments deployed inside a sunken road gain Heavy Cover (4+ Save) and +2 in Melee.
• Exit Restriction: Climbing out of a steep sunken road embankment consumes an entire turn's movement allowance (6.0"). The climbing unit cannot fire muskets during the turn it climbs out.

3.0 Structures, Buildings & Town Sectors

• [RULE-03-3.1] Isolated Farmhouses & Stone Structures:
• Garrison Capacity: A single isolated building model may be occupied by up to 2 stands of infantry or dismounted cavalry.
• Combat Profile: Troops inside gain Heavy Cover (4+ Save), receive +2 in Melee, and cannot be flanked or enfiladed.
• All-Around Fire: Garrisoned stands may split their fire dice across any face of the building (360^\circ perimeter defense).
• [RULE-03-3.2] Artillery Destruction of Buildings:
• Artillery batteries targeting a garrisoned building with Solid Shot or Shell hit on a 4+.
• Every 2 unsaved hits scored against the building itself inflicts structural damage. Upon accumulating 4 structural hits, the building collapses into rubble. The garrison takes 1 stand loss, and surviving stands are placed outside in open ground, Disordered. Rubble remains on the board as Light Cover (5+ Save).
• [RULE-03-3.3] Town & Village Sectors:
• Towns are defined by 6.0" x 6.0" square or rectangular sectors containing multiple building models.
• Formation Restrictions: Formed Line of Battle cannot enter a town sector. Regiments must enter in Assault Column, Road Column, or deploy into Skirmish Order.
• Sector Defense: Units inside a wooden village sector receive Light Cover (5+ Save); brick or masonry town sectors provide Heavy Cover (4+ Save).
• [RULE-03-3.4] Melee in Built-Up Sectors: Assaulting a garrisoned structure or town sector is resolved via the standard Opposed Melee Roll . If the defender wins or ties, the attacker is repulsed 6.0" Disordered. If the attacker wins, the surviving defenders must evacuate the structure and retreat 6.0" Disordered.

4.0 Elevation, Slopes & Dead Ground (Reverse Slopes)

Example: A regiment positioned on the crest of a hill (Level 1) has full line of sight to the low ground (Level 0). A regiment positioned on the reverse slope, behind the crest, is in dead ground and hidden from Level 0.

• [RULE-03-4.1] Elevation Levels: Elevation is measured in stepped contours where Level 0 is baseline valley ground, Level 1 is a low hill/ridge (15–20 feet historical elevation), and Level 2 is a prominent high ridge.
• [RULE-03-4.2] The Crestline Position:
• A regiment is considered deployed on the Crest when the front edge of its bases is placed along the physical ridge line of the hill.
• Visibility: A unit on the crest has an unobstructed line of sight across all lower-elevation terrain (Level 0), looking over low obstacles such as fences and standard crop fields.
• Downhill Advantage: Firing or charging downhill from the crest grants +1 to Melee .
• Uphill Disadvantage: Units charging uphill against a crestline defender suffer a -1 Melee penalty.
• [RULE-03-4.3] The Reverse Slope & Dead Ground Rule:
• Any unit positioned more than 1.0 inch behind the crestline of a hill is on the Reverse Slope.
• Complete Concealment: Units on the reverse slope are in Dead Ground. They cannot be seen, targeted by direct fire, or spotted by any enemy unit on lower ground (Level 0) on the opposite side of the hill.
• Firing Prohibition: Units in dead ground cannot shoot at enemy units on the lower forward slopes until they physically move up to occupy the crestline.
• [RULE-03-4.4] Intervening Hills Blocking LOS: A hill contour of Level 1 completely blocks line of sight between two Level 0 units on opposite sides of the feature, unless both units are high enough to see over the intervening peak.
• [RULE-03-4.5] Artillery Plunging / Overhead Fire:
• Artillery positioned on a Level 1 or Level 2 hill may fire overhead across friendly units deployed on lower ground (Level 0), provided all safety clearances are met:
• The friendly unit must be at least 6.0 inches away from the artillery gun muzzle.

• The friendly unit must be at least 4.0 inches away from the targeted enemy unit.

• Canister Prohibition: Smoothbore canister (0–6") can never be fired overhead across friendly units under any circumstances.

5.0 Line of Sight (LOS) & Firing Arcs

Example: A firing regiment targets an enemy regiment within its 45° forward arc with a direct line of sight. Firing outside this arc, or through dense trees or friendly units, is prohibited.

• [RULE-03-5.1] The 45° Forward Arc of Fire: All direct shooting (infantry musketry and artillery fire) is strictly limited to a 45^\circ forward arc extending outward from the far-left and far-right front corners of the unit's formation. Units cannot fire sideways or backward without executing a wheel or formation pivot during Phase 2.

• [RULE-03-5.2] Origin of Measurement: All range measurements and line-of-sight checks originate from the center-front edge of the Color Stand for infantry regiments, or the center gun tube for artillery batteries.

• [RULE-03-5.3] Strict Prohibition on Firing Through Friendly Units:
• Formed battle lines cannot fire through other friendly formed units under any circumstances.
• If a friendly formed line blocks the direct line of sight to an enemy target, the firing regiment must either select a different, unblocked target or reduce its firing dice pool to represent only the individual stands possessing an unobstructed view.
• [RULE-03-5.4] Skirmish Screen Sight Exception:
• A parent regiment may fire through its own detached Skirmish Screen . The skirmishers are assumed to drop prone or step into the intervals between firing files.
• The Smoke & Obstruction Penalty: Firing through a friendly skirmish screen imposes a -1 to-hit penalty on the parent regiment's volley.
• [RULE-03-5.5] Blocking Terrain & Vision Limits: Line of sight is blocked immediately when passing through:
• Dense Woods / Wilderness: Blocks LOS beyond 3.0 inches.
• Cornfields / Tall Crops: Blocks LOS beyond 4.0 inches.
• Orchards / Light Woods: Blocks LOS beyond 6.0 inches.
• Town Sectors & Stone Buildings: Completely blocks LOS through the structure footprint.
• Intervening Hill Crests / High Ridges: Completely blocks LOS to lower ground beyond.
• [RULE-03-5.6] Target Priority Rules: A formed unit executing ranged fire in Phase 3 must target the closest unengaged enemy unit within its 45^\circ forward arc, with the following mandatory exceptions:
• If an enemy unit is actively declaring an assault or charging the firer, that enemy becomes the mandatory target.
• If an enemy regiment exposes an open flank within effective range, the firer may bypass a closer frontal target to deliver raking enfilade fire against the exposed flank.

• Artillery may bypass closer infantry skirmishers to engage formed battle lines or counter-battery enemy artillery within medium range.

• [RULE-03-5.7] Flank & Enfilade Definitions:

• An enemy unit is in an Enfiladed / Flank Position only if more than 50% of the firing unit's stands (or its physical center) is positioned behind the line projected outward at 90^\circ from the target's front corner.
• Raking fire down the length of an enfiladed line grants a +1 to-hit bonus and denies the target all light cover saves from split-rail fences.

6.0 Worked Tactical Examples & Spatial Diagrams

Tactical Example: Reverse Slope Defense & Plunging Fire

Example: A Confederate assault line advances at Level 0. On the Level 1 crest of the ridge, Union Battery B has full visibility to fire. Two inches behind the crest, the 2nd Wisconsin infantry is safely positioned in dead ground on the reverse slope.

Step-by-Step Scenario Analysis

1. Initial Dispositions:

2. Battery B, 4th US Artillery (Union): Deployed directly on the Crestline of Oak Ridge (Level 1) with 3-inch Ordnance Rifles.

3. 2nd Wisconsin Infantry (Union): Deployed in Line of Battle 2.0" behind the crestline on the reverse slope.
4. 4th Virginia Infantry (Confederate): Advancing across the valley pasture at Level 0, currently 8.0" away from the base of the ridge.

1. Line of Sight & Targeting Assessment ( / ):

2. Can the 4th Virginia see or shoot at the 2nd Wisconsin? No. Because the 2nd Wisconsin is deployed more than 1.0" behind the crestline, it is in Dead Ground . The Confederate Virginians have no line of sight to the Wisconsin infantry and cannot target them.

3. Can the 4th Virginia see Battery B? Yes. Battery B is positioned on the crestline, making it fully visible.

1. Overhead Firing Resolution :

2. Battery B wishes to fire long-range shell over the heads of friendly troops. However, because the 2nd Wisconsin is tucked safely behind the crest on the reverse slope, Battery B has a completely clear field of plunging fire into the valley without violating friendly safety clearance rules.

3. Battery B rolls its 2D6 shell dice pool against the advancing 4th Virginia at Level 0 with zero obstruction.

4. Springing the Trap (Active Phase Maneuver):

5. On the following Union turn, the 2nd Wisconsin spends 2.0" of movement to advance from the reverse slope onto the crestline. It delivers a devastating close-range volley with downhill bonuses, catching the advancing Confederates in the open valley below.

7.0 Designer Commentary & Historical Context

The Tactical Reality of Reverse Slopes & Line of Sight

One of the most glaring defects of traditional miniature rules is the "God's-eye view," where every miniature on the table is visible to every other miniature as long as a cardboard tree isn't directly in between them.

Historically, Civil War commanders understood the immense defensive power of Dead Ground and Reverse Slopes. At the Battle of South Mountain (1862) and along Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg (1863), Union commanders frequently positioned their infantry regiments 20-50 yards behind the crest of a ridge. This protected the men from Confederate artillery counter-battery fire and kept the regiment invisible to oncoming assault columns until the attackers were within 40 yards of the crest.

The 1.0-inch Reverse Slope Rule (25–30 yards ground scale) mechanically replicates this tactical doctrine with zero bookkeeping. By simply placing your stands slightly behind the ridge marker, your units are completely immune to direct ranged fire from the valley floor.

Furthermore, enforcing the strict prohibition against firing through friendly formed lines eliminates the unrealistic practice of stacking lines three ranks deep to generate massive dice walls. In this system, positioning, frontage intervals, and terrain exploitation are what win battles—just as they did in 1862.