Superior Camouflage...

[Kriegshund]

I posted this in the official rules forum, but I wanted to post it here as well to see if you fellows can see if I am just being dense.....

Superior Camouflage - While this unit has cover, enemy units can't attack this unit at medium or long range.

It is my understanding that "Cover" is the effect of a successful roll. In order for a unit to achieve cover it has to have been attacked in defensive terrain that allows it a cover roll. Also that this roll is made each time a unit in defensive terrain is attacked.

From the rulebook page 24:

Cover-When you attack an enemy unit that is in defensive terrain, the defending player may make a cover roll to try to limit the effect of your attack.

Making a Cover Roll: When you are attacking a unit in a forest, hill, marsh (Soldiers only), or town hex, the defending player may make a cover roll. If the defending player succeeds on the cover roll, the effect of your attack is limited to disruption.

Superior Camouflage is worded in a confusing way.

Now, does the above special ability mean that a sniper in defensive terrain is attacked at medium or long range, succeedes a cover roll, and therefore the attack is aborted altogether instead of being limited to disruption? Has the unit that was firing on the sniper just wasted it's turn in the assault phase or can it choose another target since it really hasn't attacked yet?

Or should it say that a sniper in "defensive terrain" simply can't be attacked at medium and long ranges?

[Pasalades]

Just look at the forest camoflauge for the Ha-Go. I imagine they would work in the same fashion. Without cover, the sniper is boned.

[Kriegshund]

Originally Posted by Pasalades

Just look at the forest camoflauge for the Ha-Go. I imagine they would work in the same fashion. Without cover, the sniper is boned.

Yah, but the Ha-Go says it automatically succeeds at cover rolls in forest.

The question here is if you must be attacked to make a cover roll ( and you roll each attack), how can you not be attacked in cover?

[Pasalades]

Originally Posted by Kriegshund

Yah, but the Ha-Go says it automatically succeeds at cover rolls in forest.

The question here is if you must be attacked to make a cover roll ( and you roll each attack), how can you not be attacked in cover?

I think they reduced the language so they would not have to say, "The sniper succeeds on cover rolls if it's in a town, marsh, forest or hilll hex". It saves space, but yeah it's a bit awkward. I think it's best not to go into linguistic gymnastics over it, and just take the text as meaning that the sniper cannot be attacked at medium or long range while in cover. Perhaps we'll see some rules clarifications on this one after the release.

[Kriegshund]

Originally Posted by Pasalades

I think it's best not to go into linguistic gymnastics over it, and just take the text as meaning that the sniper cannot be attacked at medium or long range while in cover. Perhaps we'll see some rules clarifications on this one after the release.

I am sorry to be kicking the same can, but COVER is the result of a successful die roll AFTER you have been attacked! Units are never just "in cover", they are in "defensive terrain" that afford them the opportunity to roll for cover once attacked. That is the problem. No gymnastics required....

There would be absolutely no confusion here if the special ability read:

Superior Camouflage - While this unit is in defensive terrain, enemy units can't attack this unit at medium or long range.

But it doesnt, it says "While this unit "has cover"......

The only way to "get cover" is to be attacked and succeed a die roll....

It also does not say nor can you just infer from what it does say that this unit automatically achieves cover.

[DocD]

I think the rule makes sense.

Imagine a squad firing on a sniper's position (which can never really be established).

[Kriegshund]

Originally Posted by DocD

I think the rule makes sense.

Imagine a squad firing on a sniper's position (which can never really be established).

So you think that when a unit attacks a sniper at medium or long range, the sniper then makes a cover roll, and upon successfully achieving cover the attack is negated?

Yes, this is a likely explanation, but it still is fuzzy because the way the special ability is worded it would seem that no attack occurs at all. In the above example an attack has to occur to determine if it never happened at all. Fuzzy wuzzy was a bear....

[DocD]

I went back and read the article and it does state that "if placed in cover", then the sniper can't be attacked at all at medium/long range.

However, I will go with what's on the card until something official comes down otherwise.

[gagnon]

When this unit have cover, any ennemi unit cant fire on it, in medium and long range. The rule is clear

[PatrickWR]

I think this is just a case of wording that was not thought through very well. We all agree that no unit can shoot (indeed, opponents cannot even make attack rolls) at medium and long ranges at a Superior Camouflaged unit if they're in a forest, hill, marsh or town hex.