16. MARSH

16.1: A marsh represents pockets of alternating ankle-to-waist high water and swampy ground overgrown with vegetation. Any hex whose center dot is inside a dark bluish-green background containing black swamp symbols such as 7P6 or 13X7 is a marsh hex. Any unpossessed portaged equipment in a marsh hex is eliminated.

16.2: A marsh hex is a Hindrance to same-level LOS and causes a +1 DRM for every marsh hex [EXC: A6.7] between same-level target and firing hexes.

16.3: A marsh hex has no TEM for fire traced into it, but because it is not Open Ground it negates Interdiction/FFMO for fire traced into it.

16.31: Any HE attack into a marsh hex [EXC: vs a bridge or units on the bridge] is halved due to the muffling effects of soft ground/water on the explosion.

16.32: Only the inherent FP of Infantry, their LATW, any LMG, DC, FT or inherent SW may be used from a marsh hex and are resolved as Area Fire [EXC: A unit on a bridge may fire from a marsh hex with no such detriment].

16.4: Infantry/Cavalry may enter a marsh hex only at the cost of their entire MF allotment (inclusive of a broken unit's RtPh allotment). A marsh hex cannot be entered during the APh, nor can it be entered via Low Crawl (A10.52). Entry of a marsh hex from a lower elevation is a Minimum Move (A4.134).

16.41: No non-amphibious vehicle, towed or pushed ordnance may enter a marsh hex unless on a bridge.

16.42 AMPHIBIANS: Amphibious vehicles may cross any hexside containing Open Ground/water/marsh into a marsh hex during the MPh as if it were entering a water hex, but must pay double the normal amphibious MP (D16.2) cost (i.e., two MP) to do so; such MP expenditure includes the cost of both the hexside terrain and of moving to a higher elevation. Boats cannot be used as conveyance in a marsh hex unless the hex has been flooded (16.6), in which case it is treated as a river hex.

16.43 BOG: Any ground level or level -1 hex adjacent to a marsh/mudflat hex is a Bog hex requiring a Bog Check of any vehicle entering it along a non-road hexside [EXC: 16.8].

16.5: No Fortifications are allowed in a marsh unless on a bridge (6.6).

16.6 WATER DEPTH: The scenario-defined water depth of a stream/river can alter the effects of a marsh. When a stream/river is flooded, all marsh hexes adjacent to or connected to the stream/river by a continuous string of marsh hexes are treated as stream/river hexes instead (16.43 still applies as if they were Marsh). If the stream/river is dry/fordable respectively, they are treated as mudflats.

16.7 MUDFLATS: A mudflat is marsh with a lower water level. All marsh rules apply except where modified below.

16.71: Infantry/Cavalry may enter a mudflat hex at a cost of two MF; 16.4 does not apply. Unpossessed portaged equipment in a mudflat is not lost.

16.72: Amphibious vehicles may not enter a mudflat in the water movement mode but must use land movement capabilities and roll for Bog instead and pay double Open Ground COT.

16.8 WEATHER: Marsh hexes are treated as Open Ground hexes during scenario-defined Snow, Deep Snow, or sub-zero temperatures (16.43 does not apply).