Matrix Games Forums

BUNKER

- A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people that was built mostly above open ground.

- A bunker's door was at least as strong as the walls.

- Bunkers only could be destroyed with powerful explosives and bunker-busting warheads.

- For the purposes of Heroes and Leaders mod, a Bunker is a Fortified Building from which the units can only enter or exit through the access to the Tunnel network that is represented inside.

- The entry and exit of a bunker through the network of tunnels is governed by the general rules about tunnels.

- Only infantry and artillery units can occupy a Bunker.

- No vehicle or animal may occupy a Bunker.

- Only one artillery unit can occupy a Bunker (but not more than one).

- A Bunker does not have the restrictions of the Covered Arc, so from inside a Bunker the units it can be fire at any target within its LOS.

- The hexsides surrounding a Bunker hex are blocked, preventing the entry or exit of the Bunker through the surface.

- A Bunker is a level 1 obstacle that blocks the LOS.

- A Bunker provides a TEM +5

VEHICULAR PONTOON BRIDGE

- A Vehicular Pontoon is a counter which has some of the characteristics of the vehicles.

- A Vehicular Pontoon counter can only be deployed in those hexes whose terrain has been defined as " Vehicular Pontoon Bridge"

- Operationally, a Vehicular Pontoon is a vehicle without a turret, without movement capacity, without armor, and located in a Vehicular Pontoon hex, without any terrain effect protection (TEM).

- Vehicular Pontoon bridges are always a water level.

- Only Pontoon bridges permit exit/entry of a bridge through a non-road hexside.

- A Vehicular Pontoon bridge can be used by any friendly units with their portaged equipment.

- The Infantry/Cavalry can enter a Vehicular Pontoon bridge hex with a cost of 1 MF, as if it were Open Ground.

- Due to the narrow road of a Vehicular Pontoon bridge, there are MP penalties for vehicles that enter a Vehicular Pontoon bridge hex.

- It cost 2 MP for fulltracked vehicles to enter a Vehicular Pontoon bridge hex.

- It cost 3 MP for halftracked vehicles to enter a Vehicular Pontoon bridge hex.

- It cost 6 MP for vehicles with only wheels to enter a Vehicular Pontoon bridge hex.

- Units may not move beneath a pontoon bridge.

- Each army has its own Vehicular Pontoon bridges, and cannot be transferred to the enemy.

- Units that try to occupy an enemy Vehicular Pontoon bridge hex will actually conduct a Melee attack against an "enemy vehicle" to destroy it.

- Due to the narrowness of the bridge, vehicles that occupy a Pontoon friend also have a penalty in their stacking limits. Only one vehicle can occupy a Vehicular Pontoon bridge hex.

- A Vehicular Pontoon bridge is not an obstacle to LOS.

- A Vehicular Pontoon bridge hex causes a degradation effect for each Vehicular Pontoon bridge hex between the same level target and the firing hexes, due to the presence of the "vehicle" counters of the Vehicular Pontoon bridge.

- Vehicular Pontoon bridges cannot collapse under loads above their weight limit. The bridge never has to verify a possible collapse due to excessive stacking.

- Vehicular Pontoon bridge do not burn.

- No Fortifications are allowed on a Vehicular Pontoon bridge.

- Entrenchments/mines cannot be placed on a Vehicular Pontoon bridge.

FORTRESS

- Fortress was used extensively in World War II for weapons facilities, command and control centers, and storage facilities.

- Fortress is structure, usually concrete, partly dug into the ground.

- Fortresses only could be destroyed with powerful explosives and bunker-busting warheads.

- For the purposes of the Heroes and Leaders mod, a Fortress is a Fortified Building from which units can only enter or exit at the surface level through only one of its hexsides.

- All hexsides surrounding a Fortress hex are blocked except one, which is the only way to enter or exit the Fortress through the surface.

- A Fortress also has a inherent Tunnel Location that allows infantry units to connect to the underground Tunnel network on the game board.

- The entry and exit of a Fortress through the network of tunnels is governed by the general rules about tunnels.

- Only infantry and artillery units can occupy a Fortress.

- No vehicle or animal may occupy a Fortress.

- Only one artillery unit can occupy a Fortress (but not more than one).

- A Fortress does not have the restrictions of the Covered Arc, so from inside a Bunker the units can be fire at any target within its LOS.

- A Fortress is a level 1 obstacle that blocks the LOS.

- A Fortress provides a TEM +5

BARRICADE

- A Barricade is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction.

- Adopted as a military term, a barricade denotes any improvised field fortification, such as on city streets during Warsaw urban warfare.

- Barricade only could be destroyed with powerful explosives and bunker-busting warheads.

- For the purposes of the Heroes and Leaders mod, the hexside of a Barricade simulate the defenses in the terrain to prevent the passage of enemy units through this hexside.

- For the purposes of the Heroes and Leaders mod, the hexside of a Barricade is a Fortification a long this hexside.

- A Barricade is a counter which has some of the characteristics of the vehicles.

- A Barricade counter can only be deployed in hexes with one of its hexsides defined as "Barricade."

- Operationally, a Barricade is a vehicle without a turret, without the ability to move, without the ability to fire, with strong armor protection and oriented towards the Barricade hexside.

- The barricades are always at the same level of the hex they occupy.

- Enemy units attempting to occupy a hex with a Barricade counter will actually carry out a Close Combat attack against an "enemy vehicle" to destroy it.

- Only the Partisans' side has "units" of Barricades, and they cannot be transferred to the enemy.

- Any friendly unit can occupy a hex with a Barricade "counter," although with some restrictions.

Partizani Tulle South full board

SEWERS

- Sewers represent large drainage systems found beneath ground level in major cities and create new Locations below the ground level of city boards.

- Sewers allow Infantry to move beneath the surface of the playing board free from the effects of enemy presence or fire at higher levels.

- Sewer represent a net found beneath ground level of boards.

- For the purposes of Heroes and Leaders mod, a Sewer Location connect others Sewer Location, Bunkers, Tunnels, and/or Stone Buildings for convenient passage of people and equipment, for military purposes.

- Sewer allow Infantry to move beneath the surface of the playing board free from the effects of enemy presence or fire at higher levels.

- Entrance to and exit from the sewer system are limited to Manhole Locations.

- The ground level Location of any hex marked with a circle representing a manhole cover is a Sewer Locations, as shown in the attached image.

- The entrances/exit must be in separate ground level Sewer Locations.

- A Sewer Location exists beneath each Manhole Location and is a different Location for all purposes.

- A unit in a Sewer Location is at a level one lower than the Manhole Location in that hex.

- While a Sewer Location is one level below the rest of the hex where it is located, a unit in a Sewer Location is at the same level as the hex it occupies, so in the habitual LOS of all enemy units. That is, the units that are in a Sewer Location are not underground, outside the enemy LOS.

- A Sewer Location may never be overstacked.

- Entrance to and exit from the Sewer system are limited to Sewer, Tunnels, Bunker or Fortress Locations.

- Sewer can be connected together in forming Sewer networks.

- Only a Hero, or Leader and all the units stacked with him, may, if they begin their impulse in a hex with a Sewer Location, move to any other hex with other Sewer Location within a range of six hexes.

- A Sewer consists of two entrance Locations which must be within six hexes of each other.

- Only Good Order Infantry may enter and move inside a Sewer net from a Sewer Location.

- The squads and half-squads cannot move through the Sewer network without being stacked with a Hero or a Leader.

- Heroes or Leaders can only move through the Sewer network if they have a "Sewer Rat" Skill Card.

- Furthermore, only those units granted Sewer Movement capability, may enter the Sewer.

- Such movement is considered Sewer movement, and is not subject to Opportunity Fire.

- Sewer movement must start in a Sewer Location and end in other Sewer Location or Tunnel Location.

- Sewer movement must be performed as one combined stack.

- If the destination hex is occupied by enemy troops, the units that made Sewer movement conduct Melee combat as per standard Melee rules.

- The Sewer are also connected to the Tunnels underground network, and the units can move freely from one Tunnel Location to another of Sewer, and vice versa, always within the limits of six hexes of maximum range.

- Units in a Sewer may not portage more than their IPC nor push a Gun.

- Sewer movement cannot be used to move beneath any Water Obstacle hex.

- Broken units may enter a Sewer and use it to rout.

- Routing units are immune to Interdiction while in a Sewer and may use it to move adjacent to or towards a Known enemy unit, provided that when they emerge they are no closer to any armed enemy unit that was Known when they entered the Sewer, and that they don't become adjacent to a Known, unbroken armed enemy unit.

- No Fortifications are allowed in a Sewer Location.

- A Sewer Location covered by Rubble or Blaze is treated as if no Sewer exists therein, but the Sewer Location beneath it still exists.

- A Sewer Location has no TEM.

RUIN

- For the purposes of the Heroes and Leaders mod, a Ruin represents the shattered remnants of a building and is represented by a generic image of rubble that includes both the ruins of the wooden and stone buildings.

- A Ruin Location is no longer a building Location and a building totally reduced to rubble is no longer considered a building.

- A Ruin is not generated during the game, and it already exists when a scenario starts.

- A Ruin only exists in a hex and it is considered that has not expanded to adjacent hexes.

- Ground level Ruin is a one Level LOS hindrance through the entire hex (including hexsides but without negating any hedge/wall).

- A Ruin hex is a Whole hex for the purposes of the LOS drawn through it.

- In buildings with intermediate floors, the Ruins affect all levels of the building.

- The Ruins have a TEM +3, regardless of the type of building (wood or stone) from which they come.

- Entrance/exit of a sewer through a Ruin Manhole Location is not allowed. Sewer restrictions also apply to the Tunnels.

- Vehicles may not enter a Ruin Location unless they are fully-tracked, and must expend 4 MP.

- Infantry units spend 3 MF to enter a Ruin Location.

- No Fortifications, wire, minefield, barricades or roadblock, are allowed in a Ruin Location.

- During a scenario, a Blaze or Smoke is not allowed to be declared at a Ruin Location, although it is possible that a Blaze or Smoke exists in a Ruin Location from the beginning of a scenario.

- It is not allowed the clearance of a Ruin in a hex during the course of the scenario.

ROADBLOCKS

- Roads offered the enemy fast routes to their objectives and consequently they were blocked at strategic points. Many of the road-blocks formed by Ironside were semi-permanent.

- The simplest of the removable roadblocks consisted of concrete cylinders of various sizes but typically about 0.91 m high and 61 cm in diameter; these could be manhandled into position as required.

- One common type of removable anti-tank roadblock comprised a pair of massive concrete buttresses permanently installed at the roadside; these buttresses had holes and/or slots to accept horizontal railway lines or rolled steel joists.

- For the purposes of the Heroes and Leaders mod, a Roadblock represents a fortification in a hex.

- A roadblock is a Fortification that may be set up only prior to the start of play and only in a road or open ground Location.

- A Roadblock is not generated during the game, and it already exists when a scenario starts.

- A Roadblock Location is no longer a road or open ground Location.

- Ground level Roadblock is a zero Level LOS hindrance through the entire hex (including hexsides but without negating any hedge/wall).

- A Roadblock hex is a Whole hex for the purposes of the LOS drawn through it.

- The Roadblock have a TEM +2, regardless of the other terrain in his hex.

- Vehicles may not enter a Roadblock Location unless they are fully-tracked, and must expend 4 MP.

- Infantry units spend 2 MF to enter a Ruin Location.

- It is possible that a Blaze or Smoke exists in a Ruin Location from the beginning of a scenario.

- It is not allowed the clearance of a Roadblock in a hex during the course of the scenario.

New Core release Coming soon

The release 4.0 of Heroes and Leaders mod is already available in this same "thread", in the post # 1:


tm.asp?m=4354865#


The main news contained in current release of Heroes and Leaders mod are:

Partisans Army

New German units

New Soviet units

New terrain file for the "Großdeutschland" Historical Module and the "Partizani" Expansion

New Sprites file

New event file

New folder "Hexes"

New Units file

New rules

Complete scenarios of the historical modules "American Eagles" and "Omaha"

Complete panels for "American Eagles" and "Omaha" Historical Modules

Errata modifications and corrections.

BARBED-WIRE

- In the military science of fortification, wire obstacles are defensive obstacles made from barbed wire, barbed tape or concertina wire. They are designed to disrupt, delay and generally slow down an attacking enemy. During the time that the attackers are slowed down by the wire obstacle they are easy to target with machinegun and artillery fire.

- Depending on the requirements and available resources, wire obstacles may range from a simple barbed wire fence in front of a defensive position, to elaborate patterns of fences, concertinas, "dragon's teeth" (which serve a similar purpose as wire obstacles, but for combat vehicles instead) and minefields (both anti-personnel and anti-armor) hundreds of metres thick.

- For the purposes of the Heroes and Leaders mod, a Barbed-wire represents a fortification in a hex.

- A Barbed-wire is not a permanent terrain on the game board, but is created using a specific key that generates a kind of virtual terrain.

- The characteristics of Barbed-wire virtual terrain add to those of the base terrain where it is installed.

- It is not necessary that the hex where a Barbed-wire is located has to be specifically defined as Barbed-wire.

- The image of a Barbed-wire is isometric and can be combined with other Barbed-wire in adjacent hexes.

- The key used to insert a Barbed-wire is [r].

- A Barbed-wire is a Fortification that may be set up only prior to the start of play.

- A Barbed-wire is not generated during the game, and it already exists when a scenario starts.

- Barbed-wire cannot be moved, and does not affect normal stacking limits.

- Only one Barbed-wire counter is allowed per Location.

- Barbed-wire can be set up in any terrain except buildings, rubble, sewers, marsh, or Water Obstacles (unless frozen).

- Barbed-wire is not an obstacle or LOS Hindrance.

- Barbed-wire has no TEM; the TEM of a Barbed-wire Location is that of the other terrain in the Location.

- It is not allowed the clearance of a Barbed-wire in a hex during the course of the scenario.

- A unit on a Barbed-wire cannot use Sewer/Tunnel Movement.

- A Placed DC on a Barbed-wire Location don't remove the Barbed-wire like a bangalore torpedo.

- Concentrated aerial or artillery bombardment couldn't clear a Barbed-wire.

- The units may routing in a Barbed-wire Location.

- There is a additional cost of 3MF for Infantry to enter a Barbed-wire Location.

- Routing units must pay Barbed-wire movement costs during rout in the same manner.

- Cavalry, motorcycles, vehicles with only road wheels (trucks), or horse-drawn vehicles must pay 1 MP extra to enter a Barbed-wire Location.

- Armored Cars, halftracks, and Fully-tracked vehicles may enter a Barbed-wire Location at a not extra cost.

- It is possible that a Blaze or Smoke exists in a Barbed-wire Location from the beginning of a scenario.

SHELLHOLES

- A Shellhole is produced by an exploding shell, specifically, a craterlike depression in the ground.

- For the purposes of the Heroes and Leaders mod, a Shellhole represents a hex.

- Shellholes don't occur during scenario play.

- A Wreck can only exist from the beginning of the scenario.

- Isn't allowed the clearance of a Shellhole in a hex during the course of the scenario.

- There can be two types of Shellholes: Hard or Light.

- The Hard Shellholes are those that have occurred on hard ground as on a paved road.

- The Light Shellholes are those that have occurred on soft ground, such as on a dirt road or in open terrain.

- Shellholes can be created to a maximum of one per hex.

- A Shellhole isn't a permanent terrain on the game board, but is created using a specific key that generates a kind of virtual terrain.

- The characteristics of Shellhole virtual terrain add to those of the base terrain where it is installed.

- It's not necessary that the hex where a Shellhole is located has to be specifically defined as Wreck.

- The key used to insert a Shellhole is [f] + [w].

- Shellholes can be placing in Open Ground, orchard, brush, or grainfield.

- A shellhole presents no obstacle or Hindrance to LOS through its hex.

- The infantry can enter a shell hex at a cost of three MF, regardless of whether it is a Shellhole Hard or Light.

- Cavalry, wheeled vehicles, and horse-drawn vehicles must enter in a Shellhole at the two MF extra rate if it is a Shellhole Hard and only one FM extra if it's a Shellhole Light.

- Shellholes do not increase the normal stacking limits of a hex.

- The Hard Shellholes affords a 1 TEM cover benefit.

- It's possible that a Smoke exists in a Shellhole Location from the beginning of a scenario.

TRENCHES

- Entrenchments are manmade holes in the earth, dug by troops for protection from direct and indirect attacks.

- With the development of the armored war and the combined weapons tactics, the importance of the Trenches diminished during the Second World War, but they still existed when the battle lines were static or if the battle fluidity allowed to dedicate efforts to the entrenchment of the troops.

- These rules have been included to reflect the fact that in a fortified line (which is what trenches usually represent) communication trenches linked the various defensive positions. It wouldn't make much sense to fortify a hilltop but not provide a protected access route to it.

- For the purposes of the Heroes and Leaders mod, Trenches represents a fortification in a hex.

- A Trench is not a permanent terrain on the game board, but is created using a specific key that generates a kind of virtual terrain.

- The characteristics of Trench virtual terrain add to those of the base terrain where it is installed.

- It is not necessary that the hex where a Trench is located has to be specifically defined as Trench.

- The image of a Trench is isometric and can be combined with other Trenches in adjacent hexes.

- Trench counters are automatically connected to any adjacent Trench not separated by a cliff or Water Obstacle.

- The key used to insert a Trench is [t].

- Trenches may be placed in any terrain except paved, Sunken or Elevated Road, bridge, runway, marsh, crag, stream, Water Obstacle, rubble or building.

- A Trench is a Fortification that may be set up only prior to the start of play.

- A Trench is not generated during the game, and it already exists when a scenario starts.

- Trenches cannot be moved, and does not affect normal stacking limits.

- It is not allowed the clearance of a Trench in a hex during the course of the scenario.

- Only one Trench "symbol" is allowed per Location.

- A Trench does not alter the normal stacking capacity of a hex nor does it create a different Location within the hex.

- The Trench normal stacking capacity is not in addition to the stacking limits of the hex itself.

- Teams can be deployed inside a Trench.

- A unit in a Trench is in the same Location as a unit outside that Trench on the same level.

- Trenches are not an Obstacle (blocking) or an Hindrance (degrading) to LOS.

- Any intervening wall/hedge hexside/hexspine forming a part of a Trench hex blocks the LOS of units inside the Trench to all non-adjacent hexes on the same or lower level.

- Any unit in a Trench is entitled to a 2 TEM against any attack.

- A Trench TEM is not cumulative with that of other positive TEM in the same hex.

- The beneficial TEM of a Trench applies even if enemy units are in an adjacent, connecting Trench.

- The Infantry can enter a Trench hex at no additional cost.

- The cost to enter a connecting Trench hex is always one MF (unless doubled for a move to higher elevation) regardless of the other terrain in the hex.

- The cost of entering a hex containing a Trench is equal to the COT of the hex entered.

- Wheeled vehicles or halftracks may not enter a Trench hex.

- Fully-tracked vehicles may enter a Trench hex at the COT of the other terrain in that hex plus 1 MP additional.

- The units may routing in a Trench Location.

- Routing units must pay Trench movement costs during rout in the same manner.

- Interdiction in a Trench depend on the MF expended in the foxhole hex.

- A unit on a Trench cannot use Sewer/Tunnel Movement.

- It is possible that a Blaze or Smoke exists in a Trench Location from the beginning of a scenario.

WRECKS

- During the battle, a Wreck is created whenever a vehicle has been eliminated.

- For the purposes of the Heroes and Leaders mod, a Wreck represents a "Object" in the hex.

- Depending on the impact of the shell on the vehicle, it's possible that the Wreck is surrounded by smoke.

- Depending on the impact of the shell on the vehicle, it's possible that the vehicle crew isn't eliminated automatically but instead manages to survive and leaves the vehicle.

- A Wreck can also exist from the beginning of the scenario.

- A Wreck that exist from the beginning of the scenario isn't a permanent terrain on the game board, but is created using a specific key that generates a kind of virtual terrain.

- The characteristics of Wreck virtual terrain add to those of the base terrain where it is installed.

- It's not necessary that the hex where a Wreck is located has to be specifically defined as Wreck.

- The key used to insert a Wreck is [v].

- A Wreck doesn't increase movement costs for Infantry, Cavalry, orVehicles unless it is a burning wreck (due to the attendant smoke.)

- Wrecks don't contribute to Overstacking penalties.

- A non-burning Wreck affords a 2 TEM cover benefit.

- A non-burning Wreck is a LOS Hindrance (Degrading).

- Wreck cannot be moved, and does not affect normal stacking limits.

- Only one Wreck counter is allowed per Location.

- Wreck can be set up in any terrain except buildings, forest, or water obstacles (unless frozen).

- It's not allowed the clearance of a Wreck in a hex during the course of the scenario.

- It's possible that a Smoke exists in a Wreck Location from the beginning of a scenario.

- A Wreck Location is a Whole hex for the purposes of the LOS drawn through it.

- It's not allowed the clearance or pushing of a Wreck in a hex during the course of the scenario.

- It's not allowed weapons scrounging of a Wreck in a hex during the course of the scenario.

Incredible work, asl3d. You've taken an otherwise great game and turned it into a thing of beauty. I was a beta tester for this game and it was such a huge disapointment that support faded out so soon, when ongoing development could have ensured endless possiblities. Your efforts have recharged my interest in this game after laying dormant in my collection for a few years, so on that note alone I really appreciate what you've done and am looking forward to anything you produce in the future.

BTW, using the JSGME manager makes installing Heroes and Leaders super easy while still being able to revert back to the original game, without requiring multiple copies of HoS on the same machine. Further, I like this as I can't make up my mind over which I prefer more: using your sprites or the counters version of Heroes and Leaders.

ORIGINAL: jtcourtne

Incredible work, asl3d. You've taken an otherwise great game and turned it into a thing of beauty. I was a beta tester for this game and it was such a huge disapointment that support faded out so soon, when ongoing development could have ensured endless possiblities. Your efforts have recharged my interest in this game after laying dormant in my collection for a few years, so on that note alone I really appreciate what you've done and am looking forward to anything you produce in the future.

BTW, using the JSGME manager makes installing Heroes and Leaders super easy while still being able to revert back to the original game, without requiring multiple copies of HoS on the same machine. Further, I like this as I can't make up my mind over which I prefer more: using your sprites or the counters version of Heroes and Leaders.

Thank you very much for your kind words, jtcourtne.

I totally agree with you that Heroes of Stalingrad (HoS) is a great game. I am a Squad Leader (SL) and Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) player and I consider HoS a great approach to SL/ASL, even overcoming it in some aspects. In this regard, I congratulate you for your contribution as a beta tester.

Many friends of this forum prefer the counters in the classic format of "cardboard cards" (the version adopted by HoL) over the "silhouettes" counters of Heroes and Ledaers mod (HoL). A friend of this forum (CHINCHIN) has developed a thread that adapts the HaL mod original counters to convert them back into classic HoS counters.

Lock ‘n Load: Heroes of Stalingrad >> Mods and Scenarios >> Counters Mod for Heroes and Leaders mod

I prefer silhouettes, especially vehicles and teams. They adapt much better to the terrain and don't have so much visual impact. I think they make the game more "realistic." Regarding the infantry units, they're a compromise solution, naturally debatable.

Finally, the future. I have read your comment about the announcement of the new expansion of HaL "PACIFIC." This will be next, the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO). The Imperial Army of Japan will appear as well as the Marines and the remaining material of the battle order of the American army of World War II.

More news: the Battle of the Ardennes. I am thinking of making a Historical Module that develops combat in the snow and it's possible that the Battle of the Ardennes is a good operational environment. I want to develop a first test taking a scenario of the Grossdeutschland Historical Module as a first evaluation test. In this same Historical Module I have already tried the mud, in an upcoming scenario called "Tula as soon as possible", and it works very well ........

ORIGINAL: asl3d

Many friends of this forum prefer the counters in the classic format of "cardboard cards" (the version adopted by HoL) over the "silhouettes" counters of Heroes and Ledaers mod (HoL). A friend of this forum (CHINCHIN) has developed a thread that adapts the HaL mod original counters to convert them back into classic HoS counters.

Lock ‘n Load: Heroes of Stalingrad >> Mods and Scenarios >> Counters Mod for Heroes and Leaders mod.

I prefer silhouettes, especially vehicles and teams. They adapt much better to the terrain and don't have so much visual impact. I think they make the game more "realistic." Regarding the infantry units, they're a compromise solution, naturally debatable.

Thank you, that's what I meant. I like both versions of HnL, which is why I am grateful for JGSME which makes it very easy to switch back-and-for between the two versions.

Finally, the future. I have read your comment about the announcement of the new expansion of HaL "PACIFIC." This will be next, the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO). The Imperial Army of Japan will appear as well as the Marines and the remaining material of the battle order of the American army of World War II.

More news: the Battle of the Ardennes. I am thinking of making a Historical Module that develops combat in the snow and it's possible that the Battle of the Ardennes is a good operational environment. I want to develop a first test taking a scenario of the Grossdeutschland Historical Module as a first evaluation test. In this same Historical Module I have already tried the mud, in an upcoming scenario called "Tula as soon as possible", and it works very well ........

An Ardennes module would be awesome. Would you be adapting some of the material from the ASL Kampfgruppe Peiper modules or is this completely new stuff that you are developing from scratch? Either way, looking forward to it!

An Ardennes module would be awesome. Would you be adapting some of the material from the ASL Kampfgruppe Peiper modules or is this completely new stuff that you are developing from scratch? Either way, looking forward to it!

Yes, this is the idea, to use the two historical modules ASL Kampfgruppe Peiper as a source of inspiration. However, I also had this same idea when I started the Barrikady Historical Module, taking the excellent work of Charles Kibler in Red Barricades but, when I progressively introduced myself in the historical context, and due to the big amount of historical sources that I had disposition, they made me change my mind. That is, it was more difficult to try to create a parallel with the historical ASL scenarios than to create totally new ones. In the end, all 19 Barrikady scenarios have been created especially for this historical module of Heroes and Leaders mod.

The same could happen with the Battle of the Ardennes .....

FROZEN CROPS

In winter weather conditions, the crop fields remain frozen and are closer to Open Ground characteristics. The Russian, winter covers roads, countryside, and vehicles with a crippling coat of ice and, when sand is not available, entire columns are forced to halt. Snow crust is sometimes strong enough to bear the weight of small groups. Snow in bushland, draws, and ditches support more weight. Movements on foot or with wheeled vehicles are impossible in snow depths above forty inches. The Russian peasant stores his winter supplies in advance and digs in to spend the winter completely cut off from the outside world. The obliteration of landmarks in snow-covered terrain makes orientation difficult. Russian villages are hard to identify from a distance, and often a church built on high ground or a church tower is the only visible sign of an inhabited place. If neither is present, woods filled with screeching birds usually indicate that a village is near by. Finally, cold reduces the efficiency of men and weapons.

A Frozen Crops hex is a hindrance to same-level LOS and causes a degradation effect for every Frozen Crops hex between same-level target and firing hexes.

A Frozen Crops hex has no TEM for fire traced into it.

The Infantry/Cavalry can enter a Frozen Crops hex with a cost of 2 MF.

It cost 1 MP for fulltracked vehicles to enter a Frozen Crops hex.

It cost 3 MP for halftracked vehicles to enter a Frozen Crops hex.

It cost 4 MP for vehicles with only wheels to enter a Frozen Crops hex.

Frozen Crops hex is open terrain for LOS purposes.

A Frozen Crops hex is a Whole hex for the purposes of the LOS drawn through it.

Wow! This is great work! Is there a way to retain the counter graphics or somehow make the units easier to see? They blend in so well, I have trouble seeing them at times.