Partial Cover Rules Brainstorm

[hextr1p]

While there are many rules 'Scapers would like to see incorporated into the game (true flying, facing, etc.) partial cover seems, to me, to be the easiest custom rule set to implement while still remaining true to the simplicity factor established by the official HS rules.

I'd really like this thread to generate a discussion that allows us to create a community accepted set of custom rules for partial cover. While I know not everyone will agree with what is established here, it would be nice to have some sort of partial cover rule set folks can say is acceptable at local game days or tournaments hosted by 'Scapers, and everyday HS games, as well.

If this discussion goes well, and those participating in the thread can pin down a solid set of partial cover rules, I'll take it upon myself to create an official looking partial cover rule sheet folks can print out at home which matches up with the style of the official HS rulebooks for the MS and expansions.

However, if this thread ends up dying out and no one shows any interest, so be it.

That said, what are some topics which partial cover rules should cover?

[ishbul]

Great idea hextr1p. I believe that partial cover rules must be able to simply differentiate between "mostly covered" and "mostly uncovered".

For example if all you can see is jotuns big toe a large cover bonus should be given -vs. you can see everything but jotun's big toe. this is the only way partial cover maks sense to me.

I have thought about adding two green six-sided dice to my heroscape games for partial cover. They would have 1 sheild per six sides.

This is how it would work. If you can see all of the targeted figure except a limb or two, the defender gets one green die in addition to his normal defense roll. If all you can see is a limb, the defender gets 2 green dice for the partial cover bonus.

This creates the possibility of getting up to two extra shields even though the chances are slimmer than normal defense dice.

[hextr1p]

Yes, what would really help is a simple way to determine the grade of cover a figure has. People have talked about associating a partial cover bonus based on the percentage of the fig which is hidden.

Personally, I would like to see these degree of partial cover defined in three simple categories:

• 25% covered
• 50% covered
• 75% covered

Yes, I like things in threes. Heh heh...

Defining these in a way where the percentage of partial cover is easily determined then becomes the issue.

[jcb231]

Good lord that would be tough to determine.....percentage of the figure that could be seen? That's really sketchy, no offense.

I think cover rules, if added, need to be super simple. The idea of adding green dice....possibly too complex.

I think the figure should either be totally exposed, totally blocked, or in parital cover. Nothing else....no "25% cover" "52.5% cover" etc....

Perhaps if the target figure was standing behind a section of terrain that was half it's height value or more? Like if a 6 height figure stood behind an wall of terrain 3 high, it would get partial cover bonus? Or if there was a tree on a direct line from the shooter to the target....partial cover for the defender. Something very simple, that can be used in every case. Assigning values based on percentage of figure that can be seen is not simple....and will only lead to tricky in-game calls.

[hextr1p]

So then your grades of cover would be:

• No cover
• Partial cover
• Complete cover

I'd be down with that, as I agree with the fact that these rules do need to be really simple.

[reapersaurus]

Yes - there is simply no way to determine 25%, 50%, 75% cover. It's simply partial cover or not.
The game already has no cover and full cover "covered"

I really think this is about as complicated as it can get:

Partial Cover
If a figure is targeted by a non-adjacent figure, and if any (reasonably significant) part of the targeted figure's hit zone is obstructed by terrain or terrain features, that figure rolls an extra die to defend.

"Reasonably significant" is a case-by-case judgement by both parties. It would almost always be very simple to determine - if it is the fig's toe or finger or even hand that is covered, than it doesn;t apply.

Gotta be some portion of torso, or at least an entire leg or arm.

[LilNewbie]

I think we can all see why they didn't include Partial Cover rules in their game since it can get bogged down quickly. We could take a page from CBT (classic Battletech) and use similar partial cover rules. CBT does use center of hex to center of hex for determining lines of fire and any hexside that gets crossed in that line of fire can affect LOS or partial cover. Units that are lower than the attacker never receive Partial Cover bonus but they still receive any cover from terrain in the Hex they are occupying. CBT does use a very simple height for terrain though. Mechs are 2 levels high. A mech behind a level 1 hill receives the PC bonus from any attacker on the same or lower level (no bonus if the attacker is higher.) A mech behind level 2 is not visible from attackers on the same or lower level. Even though this is a simple system there are still gray areas and requires several extra steps to cover the stange situations that occur in every miniature game.

My suggestion is to keep it very simple and state that if any part of a non-adjacent figure is blocked from view the defender receives a PC bonus (adjacent figures would not receive any cover bonus-gives close combat an edge.) The PC bonus could be an extra defense die, the special die mentioned above or allow the defender to reroll one defense die (keeping the second roll.)

Interesting discussion!

Newb.

[reapersaurus]

oh - though I doubt we'd want to, we may want to specify that the extra defense die does not get modified by any other special abilities (like Shields of Valor).

I just don't know about a Sentinel getting an effective extra 2 dice because his arm is blocked with the rest of him wide-open for a shot.

[jcb231]

Originally Posted by reapersaurus

Yes - there is simply no way to determine 25%, 50%, 75% cover. It's simply partial cover or not.
The game already has no cover and full cover "covered"

I really think this is about as complicated as it can get:

Partial Cover
If a figure is targeted by a non-adjacent figure, and if any (reasonably significant) part of the targeted figure's hit zone is obstructed by terrain or terrain features, that figure rolls an extra die to defend.

"Reasonably significant" is a case-by-case judgement by both parties. It would almost always be very simple to determine - if it is the fig's toe or finger or even hand that is covered, than it doesn;t apply.

Gotta be some portion of torso, or at least an entire leg or arm.

I think that even this is too complex. I think it needs to be black and white somehow. Either a figure inarguably has cover or it doesn't, no determination needed.

[reapersaurus]

Originally Posted by jcb231

I think that even this is too complex. I think it needs to be black and white somehow. Either a figure inarguably has cover or it doesn't, no determination needed.

Well, the only possible way to implement that is to have "If ANY PART OF THE FIGURE is not in LOS, than the defending figure gains an additional defense die."

[allskulls]

How about if all you can see is one limb with the head counting as a limb. So any part of torso showing is no cover but if only an arm or leg (or head) is showing then it's parial cover.

[ewards71]

A few instances have come up where partial cover was discused during the game . . . we decide between all the players if the defender gets an additional die or two depending on how much of the defender is blocked from LOS . . . we have even gone as far as to include the material blocking the defender . . . a tree . . . a wall . . . a bridge . . . or even a mountain . . . that can help determine the bonus to defence . . . of course this can make things very competitive . . . but 90% of the time everyone quickly comes to an agreement . . . this can involve both ranged and melee events.

We have even discussed changes to movement depending on grass, sand, rock, water, etc. But those are written in stone . . . easy to deal with . . .