27. ENTRENCHMENTS

Entrenchments are manmade holes in the earth, dug by troops for protection from direct and indirect attacks. There are two types of entrenchments in the game: foxholes and trenches. The former was more common in WWII and is used here as the basis for our entrenchment rules. Clarification

27.1 FOXHOLE: A foxhole is a Fortification counter which can be placed either prior to play per scenario OB limits or during play via the Entrenching rules. Foxholes may be placed in any terrain except paved, Sunken or Elevated Road, bridge, runway, marsh, crag, stream, Water Obstacle, rubble or building. A foxhole does not alter the normal stacking capacity of a hex nor does it create a different Location within the hex [EXC: see 27.13]. A unit in a foxhole is placed beneath a foxhole counter, while any other unit in the hex but not in the foxhole is placed on top of the foxhole counter. The only ⅝" counter which may be fired from/Placed beneath a foxhole counter is a mortar (and even it may not enter/exit unless dm); otherwise, only Infantry/SW may be placed beneath a foxhole counter. Foxholes are listed in a scenario OB by their total squad capacity. The player is free to use as many foxhole 1S, 2S or 3S counters in his initial setup as he wishes, provided the total squad capacity of those foxholes does not exceed the OB limit. Q&A

27.11 ENTRENCHING: Any unbroken Infantry squad (or its equivalent) which has yet to attempt an action during that phase (and is not currently in an entrenchment or on a Wire counter) may place a "1S" foxhole counter above itself in its current hex during its PFPh by announcing an Entrenching Attempt and making a Final DR ≤ 5. A single crew/HS attempting to entrench must add a +1 DRM. A similarly unused leader may apply his leadership modifier to all Entrenching Attempt DR in his Location. Labor Status DRM may be gained for Entrenching Attempts as per 24.8. Regardless of the outcome, all participating units are TI. Q&A

27.12 CAPACITY: A foxhole 1S counter has a capacity of one squad (or its equivalent) regardless of how it was created. This capacity is not in addition to the stacking limits of the hex itself. The capacity of a foxhole counter can be exceeded by four SMC. There is a limit of one foxhole counter per hex, with a total capacity of three squads. Should a second or third foxhole be created in the same hex, the Foxhole 1S counter is replaced by a foxhole 2S or 3S counter as appropriate. Any overstacking in the hex occurs outside of the foxhole counter.

27.13 LOCATION: A unit in a foxhole is not in the same Location as a unit outside that foxhole on the same level (not in a pillbox) and in the same hex for purposes of weapon Recovery or TEM, but is considered in the same Location for all other purposes (including CC and LLMC/LLTC).

27.2 A foxhole is not an obstacle/Hindrance to LOS. However, any intervening wall/hedge hexside forming a part of a foxhole hex blocks the LOS of units beneath the foxhole counter to all non-adjacent hexes on the same or lower level.

27.3 Any unit beneath a foxhole counter is entitled to a +4 TEM against any OVR [EXC: an OVR using FT armament] or OBA attack, or a +2 TEM to any other type of attack including on-board mortar fire [EXC: CC, FT]. A foxhole TEM is not cumulative with that of other positive TEM in the same hex but is applicable in combination with the negative TEM of an Air Burst (13.3).

27.4 The cost of entering a hex containing a foxhole is equal to the COT of the hex entered. However, Infantry moving beneath an existing foxhole counter or from beneath a foxhole counter must pay one additional MF separately after payment of the COT to enter the hex and after suffering any Defensive First Fire that MF expenditure may have enticed. Note, however, that the cost to enter/exit a foxhole/pillbox during the RtPh may be combined with the entrance cost of the next hex - thereby escaping Interdiction in the foxhole/pillbox Location (27.41).

EX: A squad moving from a gully hex to beneath an adjacent foxhole at ground level in Open Ground would expend two MF to enter the adjacent hex plus one MF to enter beneath the foxhole.

EX: A squad moving into an Open Ground hex containing an empty foxhole can pay one MF to enter the hex and be placed on top of the foxhole, or one plus one MF to enter the hex and be placed beneath the foxhole. Similarly, a unit in a foxhole must pay one plus two plus one MF to move out of that foxhole and into another foxhole in an adjacent woods hex. In each case the MF expenditure must be announced separately as it occurs (i.e., one MF to enter a hex and one more MF to enter the foxhole within that hex) so that the DEFENDER can intervene to Defensive First Fire at that point if he wishes to do so.

27.41 RtPh: Interdiction possibilities depend on the MF expended in the foxhole hex (A10.531). If a unit expends minimum MF in entering a foxhole hex, it is considered to be moving through the other terrain in the hex and the foxhole has no effect on Interdiction. However, if a unit simultaneously expends an extra MF to move beneath a foxhole counter which has the capacity to receive it, the foxhole nullifies any Interdiction in that hex. The owner of the routing unit must specify all MF expended in the hex entered as he enters the hex; once an opponent claims Interdiction it is too late for the routing player to specify that he wishes to expend further MF to enter that foxhole until that Interdiction is resolved. A unit expending one MF to leave a foxhole in Open Ground is subject to Interdiction in that hex only if the MF is expended without being combined with the MF cost of another hex being entered; if the MF is expended in combination with the MF for entry of another hex, any possible Interdiction must occur in the newly entered hex as per the terrain in that hex.

EX: The broken unit in 4D6 may rout through the foxhole hexes in D7 and D8 on its way to the woods in D9 at a cost of one MF each (shown in red) but it would be subject to Interdiction in each hex. However, if it followed the blue route and expended three MF in D7 (one to enter D7, one to move beneath the foxhole, and one to exit the foxhole) and two MF to enter D8 (one MF to enter the hex and one MF to move beneath the foxhole), it could not be Interdicted - though it could not reach the woods during that RtPh.

27.42 MPh: The FFMO penalty applies only if Defensive First Fire is announced after the MF expenditure for entry of the hex and prior to the MF expenditure for entry of the foxhole or, conversely, for exit of an Open Ground foxhole if the First Fire is announced prior to the unit's expenditure of another MF to enter another hex.

27.43 Foxholes are not a movement obstacle to tracked vehicles, but do slow down other vehicles and Cavalry as per the Movement Costs Chart.

27.44 A unit may move/advance beneath a foxhole if otherwise able to enter that Location even if an enemy unit exists in that foxhole. The capacity of a foxhole counter is per side; i.e., two opposing squads can both occupy a 1S foxhole during CC.

27.5 TRENCHES: All rules pertaining to foxholes apply to trenches except as modified herein. Q&A

27.51 Trench counters may only be placed one per hex prior to play as per scenario OB. A trench may never hold more than three squads and four SMC or their equivalents. Any counter may start a scenario beneath a trench counter, but ⅝" counters may not be removed from that trench counter during play [EXC: dm mortars]. Clarification and Q&A

27.52 Any vehicle beneath a trench counter is considered HD, but may not change its VCA. Q&A

27.53 The beneficial TEM of a trench applies even if enemy units are in an adjacent, connecting trench.

27.54 Trench counters are automatically connected to any adjacent trench counter not separated by a cliff or Water Obstacle. Infantry already beneath a trench counter may therefore move to a connecting trench without paying the extra MF to enter/exit the trench which would normally apply. Consequently, Infantry moving from one connecting trench to another are never subject to the FFMO DRM or Interdiction. The cost to enter a connecting trench hex is always one MF (unless doubled for a move to higher elevation) regardless of the other terrain in the hex [EXC: SMOKE]. Even Wire, walls, or hedges have no effect on movement between connecting trenches (see also 30.8). Units may move between connecting trenches without loss of concealment. Q&A

27.55 Wheeled vehicles or halftracks may not enter a trench hex. Fully-tracked vehicles may enter a Trench hex at the COT of the other terrain in that hex but are not considered beneath the trench and must chance a Bog DR.

27.56 ANTI-TANK (A-T) DITCH: A SSR may specify placement of trench counters as an A-T Ditch or obstacle in order to simulate extensive anti-armor defenses. An A-T Ditch is treated the same as a trench except that no vehicle may enter an unbridged A-T Ditch and Infantry must pay two MF plus COT to enter/leave an A-T Trench. Q&A

27.6 LOWER-LEVEL LOCATIONS^3A: Infantry beneath a Trench or Sangar (F8.) counter may move/rout/advance/Withdraw-from-CC directly to any Accessible, non-Crest-status lower-elevation Location without having to first exit to above that trench/sangar. Such a move/rout/advance/CC-Withdrawal in the opposite direction, from a non-Crest-status position to beneath an Accessible higher-elevation trench/sangar, is also allowed if that Infantry unit and trench/sangar are in the same side's OB and/or the unit's side Controls the trench/sangar. In addition, if a Trench counter and Sangar counter are Accessible to each other, Infantry may move/rout/advance/Withdraw-from-CC from beneath one to beneath the other as if both were trenches (in the same manner as a Bunker; see B30.8) regardless of which side set-up/Controls the one being entered. A Snap Shot taken at a unit that is utilizing the movement benefits of such a trench/sangar/bunker is subject to Trench TEM. If a sangar already contains its maximum stacking capacity, a unit wishing to enter that sangar hex must first exit to above any trench it may currently be in and may not utilize trench/sangar movement/TEM benefits to enter that hex. This rule does not apply to Infantry Pushing equipment.

EX: An entrenched Infantry unit in M3 can, if not Pushing a Gun move/rout/advance/Withdraw-from-CC directly to beneath either sangar at a cost of one MF without losing the protective benefits of the Trench/Sangar counter(s), or it can thusly enter any lower-level Location adjacent to M3 without first having to exit above the trench. If the unit is sangared in L2 it can enter M3 (two MF), L1 (one MF) or K2 (one MF) without first having to exit above the sangar (though it could be subject to FFMO/Interdiction in K2); however, it would have to exit above the sangar before it could enter K3, L3 or M2 (and once in M2 would have to expend another MF to enter beneath that sangar). If the unit is sangared in M2 it can enter L1 or M3 in the same manner as entering them from L2, or it can enter M1 at a cost of two MF without first having to exit above the sangar; it must, however, exit above the sangar before it can enter N1, N2 or L2. An Infantry unit in K2 which wishes to move/advance, etc. beneath the sangar in L2 can, if that unit's side had set up and/or presently Controls that sangar, expend two MF and enter L2 going directly beneath the sangar; and the same would hold true for Infantry in M1, or non-entrenched Infantry in L1, wishing to enter the M2 sangar - but Infantry entrenched in L1 could enter the L2/M2 sangar regardless of which side set-up/Controls that sangar. If the L2/M2 sangar already contains a squad, an Infantry unit wishing to enter beneath it must first exit above the trench it might be in, cannot claim Trench movement/TEM as it enters the sangar hex, and once in the sangar hex cannot go beneath the sangar. An Infantry unit entrenched in M3 can enter INTO N3 (three MF) without first having to exit above the trench (and could be subject to FFMO/Interdiction IN N3), but would first have to exit above the trench if it wished to directly enter Crest status in N3 without first going INTO it; conversely, only from IN N3 can the unit enter M3 (four MF) going directly beneath the trench - and even then only provided that unit's side had set up and/or presently Controls that sangar. The preceding sentence would still apply if M3 were level 1 hex (though the MF costs would then differ).