F7. Sand

7. SAND

7.1 Sand¹³ is a terrain feature of any overlay whose ID letter is an "S", and is represented by golden-yellow terrain.

7.2 Sand is neither a Hindrance nor an obstacle [EXC: Sand Dune; 7.5] to LOS and, except as affected by the presence of other terrain such as scrub (2.2) or a Dune Crest (7.51), is treated as Open Ground (B1) for all purposes other than Hammada Immobilization (3.31), movement costs (7.3), Sand Bog (7.31), the resolution of certain attacks (7.4), Gun Emplacement (7.41), Fortifications (7.42), and when Accessible to Broken Ground (13.10). Sand in the target hex does not negate FFMO or Interdiction unless a Dune Crest TEM applies.

7.3 MF/MP: The following movement costs apply to entering a sand hex: Infantry, one MF + COT (usually Open Ground); Cavalry or Wagon, two MF + COT; full-tracked vehicle, two MP + COT; halftrack, three MP + COT; armored Car or motorcycle, four MP + COT; truck, six MP + COT. [EXC: all these non-COT MF/MP Costs are reduced by one if EC are Wet or Mud.]

EX: It normally costs Infantry two MF to enter a sand hex (1 [sand] + 1 [Open Ground] = 2) however, if EC are Wet or Mud it costs only one MF (0 [Wet/Mud sand] + 1 [Open Ground] = 1). Likewise, a tank normally pays three MP to enter a sand hex, but if EC are Wet or Mud it pays two MP (1 [Wet/Mud sand] + 1 [Open Ground] = 2). If the sand hex also contains scrub, regardless of EC the Infantry MF costs remain unchanged (since Infantry expend the same MF for entering scrub as for entering Open Ground) but the tank must pay one extra MP (2 [scrub] instead of 1 [Open Ground]).

7.31 BOG: A sand hex is also a type of Bog hex. A vehicle (including a Wagon, but excluding a Motorcycle) must make a Sand Bog DR when it enters (or changes VCA in) either a sand hex (even if that hex also contains scrub) or an Open Ground hex that is Accessible to a sand hex [EXC to both: if following a Track (9.1) or road]. The vehicle bogs if the Final DR is ≥ 12. Only the following cumulative DRM can apply:

DRM	Cause
+ 2	If the vehicle has High Ground Pressure
+ 1	If the vehicle has Normal Ground Pressure
+ 1	If the vehicle is not fully-tracked
+ 1	If the vehicle expends MP as a truck, weighs ≥ 4 tons, and is not British-built*¹⁴
+ 1	If the vehicle entered its present hex via a Dune Crest hexside (7.51)
- 1	If the vehicle is in an Open Ground hex that is Accessible to a sand hex;
- 1	If EC are Wet or Mud

*British-built is defined as being a British-color counter without "(a)" [which denotes U.S. manufacture] in the piece name.

Being thusly Accessible to > one sand hex necessitates only one Sand Bog DR. If changing VCA, one Sand Bog DR is required for each hexside changed. A Sand Bog check is made only after passing any required Hammada Immobilization check (3.31). In lieu of calculating the above DRM, players may find it easier to use the following table:

SAND BOG DR^a
Original DR ≥ #^b=Bog
	Non-Brit.-Built truck^c		Brit.-built truck; AC; ht		Full-Track
Ground Pressure	In Sand	In Access OG^d Hex	In Sand	In Access OG^d Hex	In Sand	In Access OG^d Hex
Low	10^e	11	11^e	12	12^e	NA
Normal	9^e	10	10^e	11	11^e	12
High	8^e	9	9^e	10	10^e	11

^a NA available if following a track or road.
^b Increase # by one if EC are wet or Mud.
^c (And weighing ≥ 4 tons).
^d [EXC: hammada; sand.]
^e Lower # by one if the present hex was entered via a Dune Crest (7.51) hexside.

7.311 BOG REMOVAL: Normal Bog Removal procedures (D8.3) apply to a vehicle that has become bogged due to sand.

7.4 TEM: Sand has a 0 TEM, but any ordnance [EXC: use of the Vehicle Target Type; a Direct Hit vs a Gun (C11.4); a Specific Collateral Attack], or OBA, attack vs an unarmored target in a sand hex has its FP halved (FRU) on the IFT after all other modifications [EXC: a CH is doubled, not halved; C3.71]. If hit by Bombardment, units/weapons in sand receive a -2 DRM to their MC. [EXC to all: If EC are Wet or Mud, these penalties do not apply].

EX: Assume EC are not Mud or Wet. A 105mm Gun using the Infantry Target Type Direct-Fires HE at an Emplaced Gun in sand and gets a non-CH hit. The ensuing IFT DR is made on the 20 FP column to see if a Direct Hit (C11.4) was achieved. If it was not a Near Miss occurred and is resolved on the 8 FP column (using any applicable gunshield DRM). If the 105 hit using the Area Target Type instead, the occurrence of a non-CH Direct Hit would be checked for on the 8 FP column and, if not achieved, the Near Miss would then he resolved on the 4 FP column.

EX: Assume EC are not Mud or Wet, and no CH. An 80+mm OBA HE concentration attacks a sand hex using the 8 FP column of the IFT - but if it were a Barrage (E12.1) it would use the 6 FP column (16 FP lowered to 12 [as per E12.5], then halved). A 100+mm OBA HE concentration attacks a sand hex using the 8 PP column - but if it were a Barrage it would still be resolved on the 8 FP column (20 FP lowered to 16, then halved).

7.41 EMPLACEMENT: A non-vehicular Gun may set up Emplaced in sand (F.1A); however, the Emplacement TEM is halved to + 1 [EXC: if EC are Wet or Mud it retains normal TEM] even vs CH and for determining sniper targets.

7.42 FORTIFICATIONS: No pillbox, trench or sangar (8.2) may be set up in sand. A foxhole in sand has its normal TEM halved (i.e., + 2 vs OVR and OBA; + 1 vs most other types of attack) [EXC: if EC are Wet or Mud it retains normal TEM]. Moreover, if a squad (or its equivalent) that is in a foxhole in sand is eliminated by a HE [EXC: AP HE Equivalency] Final KIA result (or multiple K in a Random Selection tie dr) caused by Direct or Indirect Fire of ≥ 70mm, DC, or bomb attack, that foxhole counter's capacity is reduced by an amount equal to the total number of squads/equivalents eliminated. If < a squad is thusly eliminated, the foxhole counter is not affected. The complete elimination of a Foxhole counter leaves all surviving pieces devoid of foxhole benefits. Elimination due to a sniper attack or failure of any MC has no effect on foxhole capacity.

EX: A squad, HS and SMC are in a 2S foxhole. If, after the proper application of foxhole TEM, one of the attacks mentioned above eliminates the squad (or the squad and the HS/SMC), the foxhole is reduced to a 1S capacity. If instead just the HS/SMC are eliminated, the foxhole is not affected. If the attack has a K result but Random Selection chooses both the squad and the HS, the foxhole is reduced to 1S capacity. If the foxhole instead contained two squads and both were eliminated, the Foxhole counter would be completely eliminated (regardless of whether or not a SMC was beneath it).

7.421 ENTRENCHING: The +2 DRM for Entrenching Attempts (F.1B) does not apply in a sand Location.

7.5 SAND DUNES: Any sand overlay that has darker-yellow hexside markings, and whose ID is prefixed by "SD", contains a Sand Dune (hereafter referred to as a Dune). A Dune can be SSR- or DYO-defined as one of two types: Low or High. A Low Dune comprises normal sand hexes and Dune Crest hexsides (7.51). A High Dune contains Dune Crest hexsides, but its sand hexes are treated as hillock (6.) hexes as well as sand hexes. A Dune hex is any sand hex on a Sand Dune overlay. A High Dune is indicated by placing a High Dune counter on the overlay.

7.51 DUNE CREST: The darker-yellow artwork along certain hexsides of each Dune overlay indicates that Dune's Crest hexsides.

7.511 MF/MP: Any type of unit crossing a Dune Crest hexside must expend one MF or MP to do so, plus the cost of the hex being entered.

EX: See the 7.513 illustration and assume Dry EC. It will cost squad C five MF to move K2-J2-I2 (2 [enter Open Ground sand hex] + 1 [cross Dune Crest] + 2 [enter Open Ground sand hex] = 5), regardless of whether the dune is High or Low and regardless of whether K2/I2 might contain scrub. It will cost tank D seven MP to enter those same hexes if the dune is Low (3 [enter Open Ground sand hex] + 1 [cross Dune hexside] + 3 [enter Open Ground sand hex] = 7) or eight MP if the dune is High (1 [ascend hillock] + 7=8). If J2 contained scrub, the tank's cost to move K3-J2 would be four MP for a Low Dune (2 [enter sand hex] + 2 [scrub COT] = 4) or five MP for a High Dune. In all cases, the tank must undergo a Sand Bog DR in J2 and, if it does not bog, another in I2 (this time with a greater chance of bogging, due to having crossed a Dune Crest hexside). Moreover, the tank had to undergo a Sand Bog DR when it entered K3, due to being in Open Ground and Accessible to a sand hex; this would still be true if K3 contained scrub, but if it contained hammada the tank would nor have been subject to Sand Bog in that hex since hammada is not considered Open Ground for this purpose (3.2).

7.512 LOS: A Dune Crest hexside/hexspine (including its artwork) is a Half-Level Obstacle above the Dune, thus creating a total obstacle height of one level for a High Dune (i.e., making it a One-Level Obstacle) or of a half-level for a Low Dune. A Dune Crest hexside/hexspine affects LOS just as if it were a wall rising from the topmost height of that Dune. [EXC: An entrenched/Emplaced unit can see past a Dune Crest that forms a hexside or hexspine of its own hex to non adjacent hexes.]

7.513 TEM: In addition to any halving of IFT FP as per 7.4, Non-PRC unit(s) may claim a + 1 TEM (or HD status) vs Direct Fire that is traced across/along a Dune Crest hexside/hexspine/artwork as it enters their hex, provided their elevation is ≥ that of the firer. A Dune Crest provides no TEM (or HD status) vs Indirect Fire.

EX: Assume that both dunes are Low and EC are Dry. Squad A has a LOS to all hexes in the illustration except for K2 and K3, because the Dune Crest hexsides of the dune squad B occupies affect LOS like a wall (but allow LOS to/from an entrenched unit adjacent to them; 7.512). Thus, where squad A's LOS crosses a Dune Crest hexside of squad B's dune, it can also see past those hexsides but only to Locations at ≥ Level ½ (where reciprocal LOS would apply; 6.41). Squad B can see all hexes in the illustration except for B1, B2, C1, C2, C3 and D1. Squad C can see all hexes in the illustration in hexrows I-K, only those numbered ≤ 1 in hexrows E-H, and hexes D0, C1 and B0. If squads A and B use Direct Fire vs each other, both receive a + 1 TEM - Squad A for being directly behind the Dune Crest when fired on from no higher than that Crest's topmost height, and Squad B for being in a foxhole in sand (7.42). If they could use Indirect Fire vs each other, only squad B could receive a + TEM, squad A's TEM would be zero, thus possibly making it subject to FFMO/Interdiction.

EX: Now assume that both dunes are High. Thus squads A and B are both at Level ½ (7.5). Using hillock LOS principles and 7.512, all statements un the preceding EX still hold true except that squad C can no longer see hexes B0 and C1, nor entrenched/Emplaced units in D0, H1, I1 or I0 (6.44).

EX: Now assume that squad A is on a Low Dune while the dune squad B occupies is High. Squad A at Level 0 now has a LOS to all hexes in the illustration except for K2 and K3 (though it could not see an entrenched/Emplaced unit in K1; 6.44). Squad B at Level ½ can now see all hexes in the illustration (6.41). Squad C can now see all the hexes listed in the first 7.513 EX as being in its LOS, except for entrenched/Emplaced units in H1, I1 or J0 (6.44). If squads A and B use Direct Fire vs each other, only squad B receives a + 1 TEM -and even if it were not entrenched it would receive a +1 Dune Crest TEM (7.513).

7.514 WALL ADVANTAGE: Wall Advantage (B9.32-.321) does not apply to Dune Crests.

7.515 UNDERBELLY HITS: Underbelly Hits (D4.3) are possible while crossing a Dune Crest hexside.