One serious problem with tabletop wargaming is just that: terrain that makes the desert look like the Himalayas! I have seen a few tables, including sandtables, that have decent hills, but they are expensive, difficult to change, immobile, and decidedly vulnerable to small children and cats. “Well, how did he know? Can’t you glue it back together or something?” We have four separate types of elevated ground which can be combined to yield virtually amy type of terrain feature desired. Here, then, are the rules we use in order to give ourselves a certain amount of “rolling” terrain. FLAT HILLS: (Plateaus usually made up of sheet styrofoam). 1. No unit may be seen or fired at from low ground unless it is physically touching the edge of the plateau, and vice-versa. 2. Units on the plateau fight as though they were on level ground. 3. Visibility: If the plateau is a one level elevation visibility from a one level hill is treated as though the hill were low ground, visibility from a two-level hill would be treated as a one level elevation to flat ground, and so on. In the interest of simplicity, hills are considered to be 6-7 meters high, while plateaus are 8 meters. This helps alleviate the headache when moving up a slope, of determining exactly when your line of sight will be above the edge of the plateau. CONICAL HILLS: A pin with a colored head is pushed into the styrofoam. Visibility and firing are then determined as follows: A line (A) is traced from the firing unit to the pin. A perpendicular line (B) is then drawn. If the target (#1) falls on the firer’s side of the perpendicular, then it is visible and can be shot at. If not, such as #2, them it cannot be seen. A carpenters square or a large 45 degree triangle is most useful in settling close calls, If any part of the target falls on the line it is considered visible. RIDGES: Simply run a piece of 1/32” or 1/16” black tape between two pins. This immediately establishes what is uphill and downhill. Units on either end sight as per the proceeding rule. Rules pertaining to the ridgelime itself are: 1. You may not sight over the tape with anything less than a one level elevation superiority. 2. Units on the crest (physically touching the tape) may see and be seen from lower level. 3. Units on the crest may engage opposing units also on the crest provided they have a clear line of sight. Naturally, you can run two pieces of tape parallel between the pins to create a small flat area on top, much like Missionary Ridge. OTHER TERRAIN: This includes gentle slopes, hedges, streambeds, or any other type of terrain which hinders visibility, but not movement. A piece of tape is put down where ever desired and only one rule applies: you cannot see or shoot across any portion of the tape. These are extremely good to put out in the middle of am otherwise flat portion of the board. While at first glance this might seem to be biased toward the defender, closer inspection will reveal that the attacker can easily put these to good use. They are particularly handy to screen battered troops and mask the movement of reserves. A hill might look like the figure below, indicating a conical hill with a spur down one side. Double lines can be used on rivers (one on each side) to indicate undergrowth. If so desired, a different width or color tape may be used to indicate significant depressions which restrict movement. These are always used in pairs (unless it is circular) like so: The figure indicates a deep gully. This is of particular use to WWII Eastern Front and Colonial wargamers. You can see across the lines, but not what is between the lines until physically touching the tape. However, from either end of the gully, you see along it. Deep depressions cannot be seen into at anything less than a two level elevation superiority. Movement restrictions across this type of terrain are usually quite severe and are at the discretion of the individual setting up the game. While the board might start looking a bit odd, particularly if overdone, almost any type of terrain is now possible. It is also inexpensive, quickly removed (or repaired) and leaves no (?) room for quibbling. Even though the rules may seem a bit much, they are really nothing more than common sense, and will become second nature after one or two games. They are applicable to all periods and scales and so can be utilized even on permanent tables. We have found them most satisfactory! Back to Table of Contents -- Courier # 91 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com