Guadalcanal: Jungle Rules

[Major Sylvester]

Unless I missed something, according to Guadalcanal rules and terrain chart, jungle is not limiting terrain. Yes you need to be adjacent to spot a unit in a jungle hex but you can still spot unit 12 hexes away in clear terrain through 11 hexes of jungle in between. Isn't it strange?

Shouldn't we consider jungle to be limiting terrain so any LOS traced through jungle should be blocked?

Major Sylvester

[Shad]

I think you've missed something. Visibility is one hex. I don't have Guad in hand so I can only suggest rechecking the special rules in the front of the scenario book and the TEC carefully.

[Major Sylvester]

I checked again: nothing in the special rules but the terrain chart in the last pages says spoting range one hex but it is not limiting terrain (therefor it shouldn't block LOS). My understanding of the rule is that a unit in the jungle can only be spotted by adjacent unit but LOS can pass through like all non limiting terrains. Also nothing is mentionned about jungle height.

Common sense would suggest it is limiting terrain and maybe height should be 20 meters. What should we consider?

[Shad]

I have always assumed it is functionally identical to forest (20m height, blocks LOS) except for the one-hex spotting range bit.

[warstudent]

I checked again: nothing in the special rules but the terrain chart in the last pages says spoting range one hex but it is not limiting terrain (therefor it shouldn't block LOS). My understanding of the rule is that a unit in the jungle can only be spotted by adjacent unit but LOS can pass through like all non limiting terrains. Also nothing is mentionned about jungle height.

Common sense would suggest it is limiting terrain and maybe height should be 20 meters. What should we consider?

That was a good catch. I didn't notice it and just assumed it blocked. In other tactical games I've played, I always took it to automatically mean that if you need to be adjacent (1 hex) to see the target in the hex because of terrain, then you can't see out of that same target hex.

Looking at the Terrain Effects Chart is says this for Swamp:
Swamp- Does not block LOS, but units in swamp may not be spotted by enemy units more than 1 hex away.

The swamp description specifically states that it does not block LOS. I think if the Jungle hex was NOT blocking line of sight, it would say the same thing.

[waynebaumber]

Townsend where are you? Logically Jungle must be limiting terrain but I too can not find confirmation in the rules. I was about make my first step into PG Pacific having randomly rolled my next solo and it was #16 Jungle Fighting, I am now holding off awaiting confirmation of the above

[waynebaumber]

Sorted! Looked at Kokoda rules which state Jungle Hexes are limiting terrain

[joe_oppenheimer]

I couldn't fine anything in my old files, but I'm sure there was a discussion back when Jungle Fighting came out that confirmed jungle terrain should be treated as limiting.

[Brett Nicholson]

The standard rule book states at 16.2 that units may not dig-in at a town or woods hex. I guess my question would be if jungle hexes count as woods for that. In 'Guadalcanal' there is already a first-fire bonus along with a (-1) defensive modifier for jungle hexes. I don't want to just assume that jungle hexes are the same as woods without asking. So far I haven't allowed units to dig-in jungle hexes but if they can then I probably should start soon! I guess I would also ask the same for swamp hexes while on the subject. In the past with 'Airborne' I allowed units to dig-in swamp hexes. So just looking for opinions whather to take the rule book at face value and only apply digging -in restrictions to towns, woods and entrenchments verbatim -thanks!

[Brett Nicholson]

Well, I believe I may have found an answer to the digging-in in jungle hexes by reading another's AAR and that units were allowed to dig-in jungle hexes and am just going to take the core rule book at face value; that only woods and towns verbatim are prohibited. That all terrain hexes in 'Guadalcanal' can be dug-in at except for the few town hexes. I'm not going to even bother asking about cave rules and just wing it with the 'Guadalcanal' SSRs though I read that caves are treated entirely different in 'Saipan 44'. I realize that this is not the most popular game in the PG series but now halfway through the first scenario I believe I have corrected enough errors to where I am satisfied with my interpretation of the many rules here. As I progress through 'Guadalcanal' in it's entirety I will add to the errata list as there is plenty of it but despite that there may be a few things broken I am really liking this different approach to PG. A little more slow moving so far but things are picking up. I think that "Tulagi: The First Day" has a lot to take in for a first scenario but glad that scenarios 1-3 are covered together in #4 for one long mini-campaign, that it's okay to make some mistakes now early on, correct them and proceed on. However, if anyone has any input concerning 'Guadalcanal' and it's many rules I would appreciate any feedback. On my part I will add to the errata list (which as of now is very small considering) as I progress and continue to scan other's AARs for hints or clarifications. Right, back to the caves and jungle ...