On entrenchment

[ftgcritt2]

I recently fought my first battle using entrenchments, and I have a number of questions. I noticed that when a unit entrenches, it only throws up a visual representation in the direction that it is facing. Sometimes I have to tell it several times to entrench before this visual confirmation appears, and sometimes it will not appear no matter how many times I tell it. I also noticed that I can change the facing of a unit and tell it to entrench again. This will cause another visual representation extend the existing trench in the new direction, but sometimes it will not extend the entrenchment at all. Why is it that sometimes I see the trench appear on the first try, sometimes on the second try, and sometimes not at all? Does a unit only receive a defensive bonus for entrenchment if there is a visual representation of the trench between it and the enemy unit? Also, can units use enemy trenches?

[Kielec]

As I see it, a unit gets the breast works done in/against a specific direction (one side of a hex). At a time.
Then, again, clicking "entrench" does NOT guarantee the result. The men may prefer palying cards, or having a smoke, to hard manual labour, you know... As long, as there is no "trench" on the map, you had your men prefering other activities to digging in - the order was not fulfilled.
Having changed facing, you will have to dig in again to protect the face, but I understand that the breast works already done provide protection from the direction they cover.
I agree that the whole issue is asking for a more thorough explanation, especially when we are talking fire from, say, 5 hexes away - which hexes are "covered" by the breast works, and which are not?... bugs me. Same for the enemy's entrenchments captured, and your own abandoned and then re-entered.
Anybody of the veterans with any clear view on these?
 

[GShock]

It's likely the unit is fatigued. Fresh units make it at the first try, non-fresh not always and fatigued units can't at all. Sometimes you can build the entrenchment and STILL move the unit. At that point u see that the unit appears in the target hex without actually moving. It's a problem of visualization but trenches luckily work (U can see in the detailed report that they do affect combat) it's all about experience. When you find the way you won't need to think twice. I do agree though that they should be a bit more clearly visible. If the hex is not an open one (stones or forest) then they are hard to spot and since you've got to build them on 2 and sometimes even three sides and the units get tired, you can't make mistakes. A little more visibility would help a lot here.