baldrick0712
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Spotting Distances

Thu 02 Dec 2021, 22:25

I'm doing a solo campaign and my group of guys in a Humvee just encountered a settlement consisting of 7 buildings surrounded by barbed wire and sandbags, 6 guards with AKMs plus 1 RPG and 1 mortar, 35 civilians in total. They were approaching in the open and got an encounter range of 560m. I'm now supposed to roll Recon for my guy who's on watch manning the M240B on top of the Humvee. He's got no binoculars. Would he really be able to spot the encounter at that range? It seems a little far to me.
 
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omnipus
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Re: Spotting Distances

Thu 02 Dec 2021, 23:37

In theory, sure. That's half a kilometer, and under clear conditions it should be easy enough to spot a settlement and perhaps also movement around it. Anyone stationary or that doesn't want to be seen? What exact weapons/gear/uniforms they have, or maybe even if they're armed at all? Forget it. That's where the binos and such would come in very handy.

In practice, there are lots and lots of places where 500m of flat ground just doesn't exist. Even in relatively flat Poland. A small hillock could completely conceal the little village right behind it, unless there's smoke or something. Even light rain or fog could make seeing anything beyond silhouettes of buildings impossible beyond 100-200m.
Author, Central Poland Sourcebook -- now available on DriveThruRPG
 
baldrick0712
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Re: Spotting Distances

Fri 03 Dec 2021, 00:12

The encounter distance roll for "Open" is 2d10x4 hexes (80-800m) so there is leeway in that roll for your little village behind a small hillock. (Edited for appalling math error!)
 
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Ursus Maior
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Re: Spotting Distances

Sun 05 Dec 2021, 23:50

Yeah, 0.5 km can really mean all or nothing, when it comes so visibility. If the road under that HMMWV is just a bit on the bumpy side, that guy on top will loose focus so easy, it'll be impossible for him to see human-sized targets in half-cover, if they're wearing somewhat concealing colors.
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baldrick0712
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Re: Spotting Distances

Mon 06 Dec 2021, 02:51

I guess we need stats for the "Mk1 Eyeball"! Maybe Range 8. That would mean no penalty up to 80m, -1 penalty up to 160m, -2 up to 320m and -3 up to 640m. This is only half in jest - the point being that there's no reason why you couldn't impose penalties to any Recon roll if the distance is far.

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