There are two instances where large caliber HE rounds are effected, to a significant degree, by terrain. These effects have never appeared in any modern wargame rules, they occur in the real world. In areas of deep sand the incoming rounds plunge into the sand before detonating. This resulting a larger amount of the force of the detonation than normal, to go straight up. In addition, because the round explodes a significant depth below the surface, much of the shell casing ends up buried in the sand. Thus, it is suggested that artillery fire on such an extent of ground rates a -1 modifier on the HE Modifier Chart. ICMs, FAEs, and direct fire HE hits are excluded from the modifier. In area's of heavy woods, incoming rounds are often detonated from 15 to 20% of the time above their intended victims by impacting either on the tree itself or its limbs. This has a two fold effect on the the target below. First, unless the target has overhead cover on their position, there is a greater chance that they will be hit by a round that normally would not have effected them. Second, shattered pieces of wood are now hurtling through the air with the same deadly effectiveness of the shell fragments already there. If a round plunges straight into a large tree the results are really horrific. A simple +1 on the HE modifiers chart for director indirect HE vs personnel in heavy woods. Again, ICMs and FAEs are excluded, but the later, in the fight condition, could start at forest fire. A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: One might consider also adding a -1 modifier to HE fire into conditions of mud as well. The HE effects on woods has been built into the system, as that is the reason why woods don't give any modifier to HE, but do give a modifier against direct fire. Back to Table of Contents -- Command Post Newsletter #5 To Command Post Quarterly List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1991 by Greg Novak. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com