Slope & Terrain Defense

[Alexei]

Hi,

I have a dummy question that I wanted to ask for quite a long time... Suppose that I have one Infantry Sqd that is being fired at by another Infantry Sqd.
The ennemy is at ground level (heigth = 0). My sqd is on a hill. Will it be more protected on flat top terrain (10m) than in slope? I saw that slope adds good protection, but if I had the choice as a soldier being fired at, I would find myself more exposed on a slope than on the top of the hill...
Finally, does the relative height bring additional protection? Are my MMG more protected on a (height = 15) slope than on a (height = 5) one ?

Thank you,

[Jim1954]

Boy, don't have a clue on your first question but it's a good point. Think I'd rather have been on top of Little Round Top , for instance that on the side of it.

I think that that relative protection for that MMG is relative to the height of what's shooting at it. For example MMG at height of 15 being fired on by AFV at height of 5 seems like same as MMG at height of 10 being fired on by AFV at height of 0. Put that AFV at 5 and maybe the equation changes?

[Belisarius]

From what I know, if you have e.g. a tank on a hillslope, chances for a top hit is increased - both for your tank being hit, and that tank firing on another tank below it. I think

Don't know if infantry is treated similarily.

[Alexei]

Looks like it's a tough problem !
Belisarius, Jim1954, thanks for your replies !!!

[Scharfschütze]

I dont know how slope affects infantry, except for the fact that slope hexes give better defence that clear hexes.

As for tanks, the effect is significiant. Shooting upwards from a valley to a hill increases the angle at which the shell will impact, and hence armour thickness. The opposite effect takes place vice-versa. Starting a shoot-out with a decently gunnes, well sloped tank on a hilltop is courting disaster. I once shot up a company of Pershings with four IS-3s sitting on top of a lvl 3 hill(with ammo carriers sitting on the reverse side of the hill to keep them supplied with AP). Due to the angle of the shots, the IS-3s had effective armour ratings between 300-500, while the M26s got totally creamed. I didnt lose a single tank to their fire, and was secure all the time I wouldnt.

Okay, the IS-3 is ideal for this purpose, since it already has good slope and thick armour, but the effect is the same for all tanks. Use it, and fear it when this is employed against you (And use smoke to prevent it).

[vahauser]

As far as I know, there is no height advantage for Inf vs. Inf firefights. I'm not sure there should be, either. Or, if there should be, then I don't think it should be a big one.

[Tomanbeg]

In the real world there was a technique called plunging fire used by HMG's. They would shoot up in the air and let the bullets fall like rain. Sort of an indirect fire for MG's. I'm not sure, but it seems like SP simulates this only, since the Mg's don't make fire lanes like in the real world. No beaten zones in our little hex worlds.
T.