Matrix Games Forums

Having a go at the Barbarossa scenario as USSR

This is screen shot with FOW on and visibility 3

And now with FOW off and full visibility

The 10-1 Inf in Klalpeda (port to the West), the 27-0 Panzer to the NW of Kaunas and the 5-0 and 6-0 Inf directly South of Kaunas aren't showing up at any level of identification (blank counter, unit type or fully identified) in the above screen even though they are out of the (greyed) FOW.

This is just an example, same is happening all along the front.

Because those are more than three hexes from your units.

Then why aren't the hexes covered by the grey FOW ?

I've been doing a bit more experimentation.

Is the intent that enemy units are ONLY visible (without air recon) if within Visibility Range (in my example 3 hexes) of a friendly unit?

Or is it within Visibility Range or within 1 hex (i.e. adjacent) of a friendly controlled hex?

As it stands at present the FOW (i.e. grey hexes) works on the basis of - Hex in enemy control, unless within Visibility Range of friendly unit or within 1 hex of a friendly controlled hex.

Whereas display of enemy units (blank counter or better) works on the basis of - Hex within Visibility Range of friendly unit.

Both FOW and enemy unit display should I think be done on the same basis.

Otherwise (as it stands at present) the FOW display is pretty meaningless, though without it (working properly) air recon becomes a bit of a problem as without the visual lifting of an accurate FOW it is difficult to judge / remember what hexes have been uncovered or need to be uncovered by air recon.

This is WAD. Use your preference setting to see FOG of War Better

Recon is three tier.

One you see a blank icon
Two an icon with some information
Three full information

I have preferences set as follows

Visibility Range - 3
Advanced recon - on
FOW display - on

What do I need to change to get FW = Unit Visibility, i.e. not have the situation where a hex is clear of FOW (though outside Visibility Range) and is shown as empty when there is in fact an enemy unit there ?

Again I would say if you cannot see a hex in enemy territory (i.e. it is outside of your Visibility Range)and you have FOW display on it should be covered by the FOW (greyed hexes) until you air recon it or it subsequently comes within Visibility Range.

And to quote from the Glossary in the TOF Manual "Fog of War (FOW) – Hexes that are not visible. Range of visibility into enemy territory can be setup in the Preferences screen."

It's visibility from your unit, not the border. You know where the border is, thus it is not grayed, but you do not have enough recon or communication to the border area going on to determine the existence of an enemy unit, if you do not have a unit nearby yourself.

I don't have TOW but I find FOW/visibility to be confusing looking at the screenshots above?

I would have thought that visibility and FOW was the same thing but it looks like they are two things?

FOW tells you what to report when something is visible? Visibility tells you at what range something is visible. Is this right?

Looking at the screen above I would have thought the greyed out parts were visibility though? But thats FOW? Or am I wrong?

Very basically what I'm trying to point out (whether or not it id WAD) is:

FOW (greyed hexes) should be present in a hex that will not show an enemy unit when it is in the hex.

Or to put it another way FOW (greyed hexes) should be present in a hex in enemy control (as defined by the borders), unless within Visibility Range of friendly unit (or has been successfully air reconed).

All you see is WAD.

You have got three main settings for visibility and FOW.
1. FOW range
2. Advanced Recon
3. Displaying FOW

1. Decides how far from your units you can see enemy.
2. Sets, how many information about enemy units you can see
3. Allows you to choose display of visible hexes.

If you choose third option to be turned on, you will always have your FOW range uncovered, and also one hex from the border uncovered, however this doesnt means there aren't any enemy active units.

Doomtrader - thanks for the reply

The explanation is exactly how I thought it was working, I just don't agree with what point 3 is doing.

I'll make an addition to the wishlist thread.