8. Rice Paddies

8.1 Rice paddies (hereafter referred to as paddies) are a terrain feature of Overlay 3 and of each overlay whose ID is prefixed by "RP". A paddy consists of two parts: the interior, which is brownish-green on the overlay; and the banks, which are the narrow Open-Ground-color areas along the hexsides of that hex. Units in the interior of a paddy are said to be IN it, while those on (as opposed to just crossing) its banks are placed above a Bank counter (8.21) in the hex. Being "in" a paddy hex refers to being in either/both position(s). Units in a paddy hex are at level 0 (assuming the overlay is on level 0 terrain). Paddies will always be defined by SSR as being Drained, Irrigated or In-Season.19

For DYO situations in which this information is not known, make a dr to determine the state of all paddies in the scenario:

RICE PADDY STATE

Final drStatedrm
≤ 2In-Season-2EC are Dry or Very Dry
3-4Drained-1EC are Moderate
≥ 5Irrigated+2EC are Wet/Overcast/Mud

8.11 DRAINED: The interior of a Drained paddy is Open Ground aside from the cover provided by its banks; see 8.3.

8.12 IRRIGATED: No Fortification [EXC: mines/wire or panjis- 8.7] unhooked non-vehicular Gun (unless dm/being-Animal-Packed-[10.1]) Galloping/Charging Cavalry, Pushed/Ridden motorcycle or ridden bicycle is allowed IN an Irrigated paddy. Unpossessed equipment [EXC: horse; boat] IN an Irrigated paddy is eliminated unless in a vehicle or being Animal-Packed (10.1). The interior of an Irrigated paddy is Mud (see 8.5) and also Bog terrain; in addition to the +1 DRM for mud, the Bog DR of a vehicle IN an Irrigated paddy receives an extra +2 DRM for being IN such terrain. Any SW of ≥ 3 PP manned by Infantry IN an Irrigated paddy has a restricted field of fire as per A9.21. The FP of all DC and ordnance/OBA HE attacks [EXC: one using HE-Equivalency/the-VehicleTarget-Type; a Specific Collateral Attack] vs an Irrigated paddy hex are halved on the IFT. A white SMOKE counter may not be placed in an Irrigated paddy hex. The MF cost of Manhandling a boat in an Irrigated paddy is not doubled as per C10.3.

8.13 IN-SEASON: The interior of an In-Season paddy is Grain; see 8.2, 8.4 and 8.6. However, it is Concealment Terrain only for Infantry (and their possessed SW), Dummy stacks, Fortifications and Emplaced Guns. Mud can exist IN In-Season paddies even though their interior is not Open Ground as defined in E3.65; see 8.5

8.2 ENTRY: A unit enters a paddy hex either onto its banks (8.21) or INTO its interior. Except as stated otherwise (see 8.12, 8.22 and 8.8), the only units that may set-up-lN/enter-INTO a paddy are Infantry, Cavalry, Cycle Riders and fully tracked vehicles. Such Infantry may not be riding bicycles but may be "leading" horses. In addition to the possible cost for crossing a bank hexside, the IN-hex COT of a paddy is dependent on whether the interior is Drained, Irrigated or In-Season: if Drained, normal Open Ground MF/MP costs apply; if Irrigated, the entering unit must expend twice the cost of entering Open Ground mud; if In-Season, the unit must expend grain MF/MP.

8.21 BANKS: A Bank counter does not create a new Location or change stacking limits. The only units that may cross a bank hexside are those allowed to enter INTO a paddy (8.2) [EXC: bicyclists may cross a bank hexside if they are entering either onto a Bank counter or a road]. The only units that may set-up/enter/remain above a Bank counter (thereby avoiding the interior of that paddy) are Infantry (even if riding-bicycles/"leading"-horses, but not if Manhandling a Gun/boat), Cavalry, and Cycle Riders. Unless otherwise prohibited (see 8.2 and 8.211), such units may move (/rout/advance/Withdraw-from CC if Infantry) in any (combination) of the following ways:

8.2101 If the unit is currently IN a paddy or in a non-paddy hex, it may enter directly onto a Bank counter in an adjacent paddy hex provided it crosses a bank hexside as it enters that hex. The normal cost for this is one MF (or three MP for a cycle) to cross that bank hexside plus one MF (or three MP) to enter onto the Bank counter. Mud MF/MP can also apply if EC are Mud; see 8.5.

8.2102 If the unit is currently IN a paddy or in a non-paddy hex, it may enter directly INTO an adjacent paddy hex. The normal cost for this is one MF/MP [EXC: three MP for a cycle] if crossing a bank hexside plus the IN-hex COT (8.2) of that hex. Mud MF/MP can apply; see 8.5.

8.2103 If the unit is currently IN a paddy, it may directly enter an adjacent non-paddy hex. The normal cost for this is one MF/MP [EXC: three MP for a cycle] to cross that bank hexside plus the COT of the non-paddy hex. Mud MF/MP can also apply if EC are Mud.

8.2104 If the unit is currently IN a paddy, it may enter directly onto a Bank counter in that same hex. The normal cost for this is one MF (or three MP for a cycle). Mud MF/MP never apply (E3.64).

8.2105 If the unit is currently on a Bank counter, it may enter directly onto a Bank counter in an adjacent paddy hex provided it crosses a bank hexside as it enters that hex. The normal cost for this is one MF (or three MP for a cycle). Mud MF/MP can also apply if EC are Mud; see 8.5.

8.2106 If the unit is currently on a Bank counter, it may enter directly INTO an adjacent paddy hex provided it crosses a bank hexside as it enters that hex. The normal cost for this is one MF (or three MP for a cycle) to cross that bank hexside plus the IN-hex COT (8.2) of that hex. Mud MF/MP can apply; see 8.5.

8.2107 If the unit is currently on a Bank counter, it may directly enter an adjacent non-paddy hex. The normal cost for this is one MF (or three MP for a cycle) to cross that bank hexside plus the COT of the non-paddy hex. Mud MF/MP can also apply if EC are Mud.

8.2108 If the unit is currently on a Bank counter, it may enter directly INTO that same hex. The normal cost for this is the IN-hex COT (8.2) of that hex. Mud MF/MP never apply (E3.64).

EX: Squad A wishes to enter INTO oM4 and oM3. If the paddies are Drained, as per 8.2102 it will expend two MF (1 [cross bank hexside] + 1 [enter INTO Drained paddy] = 2) to enter each hex. If the paddies are Irrigated, each hex will cost four MF (1 [cross bank hexside] + {½ [Open Ground mud] x 2 [enter INTO Irrigated paddy]} = 4). If the Paddies are In-Season, each hex will cost 2½ MF (1 [cross bank hexside] +1½ [ enter INTO In-Season paddy {grain}] = 2½.

If squad A wished instead to move/rout along the banks of oM4 and oM3, as per 8.2101 its cost to enter onto a Bank counter in oM4 would be two MF (1 [cross bank hexside] + 1 [enter onto Bank counter] = 2), And its cost to then enter onto a Bank counter in oM3 would be one MF (8.2105) regardless of whether the paddies are Drained, Irrigated or In-Season. As it entered each hex it would be placed on a Bank counter.

EX: If the paddies are In-Season and squad B wishes to enter INTO oM3, it can do so in any of three ways: by entering directly INTO oM3 from above the oL3 Bank counter (8.2106), at a cost of 2½ MF (1 [cross bank hexside] +1½ [enter INTO In-Season paddy] = 2½); by entering onto the banks of oM3 (8.2105) and then going INTO that hex (8.2108), at a cost of 2½ MF (1 [enter onto Bank counter] + 1½ [enter INTO In-Season paddy] = 2½); or by entering first INTO oL3 (8.2108) and then INTO oM3 (8.2102), at a cost of four MF (1½ [enter INTO In-Season paddy] + 1 [cross bank hexside] + 1½ [enter INTO In-Season paddy] = 4).

EX: Squad C must expend at least two MF to enter onto the oL3 Bank counter, but can do so in any of three ways: as per 8.2101 (1 [cross bank hexside] +1 [enter onto Bank counter] = 2 MF); as per 8.2104 and 8.2105 (1 [enter onto Bank counter in oL2] + 1 [enter onto Bank counter in oM3] = 2 MF); or as per 8.2102 and 8.2104, which would cost it ≥ three MF (one MF to cross the bank hexside INTO oL3, plus the applicable IN-hex COT of oL3, plus one to enter onto the Bank counter).

EX: Since hexside oJ4-oK5 is not a bank hexside, as per 8.2102 squad D may enter directly INTO oJ4 at a cost of one MF if the paddies are Drained, three MF if they are Irrigated, or 1½ MF if they are In-Season. If squad D instead wished to enter onto the banks in oJ4, it would first have to enter INTO that hex (8.2102) and then, in a separate expenditure, pay one MF to go onto a Bank counter (8.2104). If squad D were Riding a cycle and wished to enter onto the banks in Drained paddy hex oJ4, it would first have to expend three MP to enter INTO that hex and then separately spend three more MP to go onto a Bank counter.

8.211 RESTRICTIONS: A unit above a Bank counter may not attempt to Recover/Scrounge anything IN the paddy, nor may it participate in Transfer, Set a DC, Guard a prisoner IN the paddy, or voluntarily become TI (thus prohibiting it from conducting any activity that requires TI status; e.g., Entrenching, Clearance, Searching, [Un]Packing [10.3]). CC Withdrawal onto a Bank counter is NA.

8.2111 INFANTRY: Each Infantry unit above a Bank counter is subject to Hazardous Movement penalties (and thus cannot gain "?") the entire time it is above that counter; should the unit also be engaged in another Hazardous Movement activity (e.g., being in Column; E11.52), these penalties are not cumulative with each other. An Infantry unit above a Bank counter is considered to enter INTO its hex only (and does so immediately) when it expends the applicable IN-hex COT to do so (including during the RtPh/APh) or when it becomes broken or pinned, enters into Melee or its Column Disbands. If thusly forced INTO its hex by becoming pinned or broken during its MPh, the unit is assumed to expend the COT for such entry even if exceeding its remaining MF (this does not force placement of a CX counter), is no longer subject to Hazardous Movement, and unless pinned is subject to the -1 FFNAM DRM until its MPh ends. Low-Crawl onto a Bank counter is NA. Aside from normal APh restrictions, Infantry [EXC: see 8.22] may freely enter-onto/exit-off Bank counters during the APh.

EX: See the 8.2108 illustration, and assume the paddies are Irrigated. If squad B had already expended two MF (even if using Assault Movement) and then been pinned or broken by Defensive First Fire in its present position, it would have immediately entered INTO oL3 at a cost of three more MF (thus determining how many more times it could be Defensive First Fired on) but would not become CX.

8.2112 CAVALRY/CYCLES: Cavalry may Gallop/Charge neither onto nor off of a Bank counter. Personnel may mount a horse/cycle that is above a Bank counter only from above that Bank counter, and may disembark from such a horse/cycle only onto the Bank counter it is above [EXC: they Bail Out directly INTO the hex, and each surviving cycle (see A13.51 for a horse) is placed IN it as well (if that paddy is Irrigated, that cycle would be eliminated instead)]. Likewise, Personnel mounting (or disembarking from) transport that is IN a paddy may do so only from IN (or must disembark INTO) that same hex.

EX: Unless Bailing out, Cavalry on a Bank counter can dismount only onto its bank counter, and expends the normal one MF to do so. Infantry IN any type of paddy can mount a horse or cycle on a Bank counter in that hex only by first expending one MF to enter onto that Bank counter and then expending the normal one MF to mount. If Infantry on a Bank counter wish to mount transport IN their In-Season paddy hex, they must expend 2½ MF to do so (1½ [enter INTO in-season paddy] + 1 [load] = 2½.

8.212 ATTACKS: Infantry above a Bank counter are subject to Hazardous Movement (8.2111), and may use only Inherent FP/SW, LMG, LATW [EXC: 20mm ATR], FT and/or Thrown DC. Each non-CC attack conducted by a unit above a Bank counter is treated as Area Fire [EXC: Thrown DC], cumulative with other such penalties. A unit above a Bank counter receives a +2 drm to its Ambush dr (A11.4), a +1 DRM to its CC attack (limit of +1 per attack) and a -1 DRM to each CC attack made against it. An unbroken Japanese Infantry unit above a Bank counter may detonate its DC as per 1.424, but vs its target(s, if any) beneath that Bank counter the attack is resolved as a Thrown DC.

8.2121 UNDERBELLY HITS: An AFV is subject to Underbelly Hits as it crosses an unbreached (8.8) bank hexside.

8.2122 MINES/RESIDUAL-FP: Mines/Residual-FP in a paddy hex attack in the normal manner regardless of whether or not their target is IN the paddy.

8.213 SW/GUN: An unpossessed SW above a Bank counter is placed IN that paddy (eliminating it if that paddy is Irrigated; 8.12) unless it is being Animal-Packed (10.1). A Gun above a Bank counter (note that this can occur only if it is being Animal-Packed) remains there if it becomes unpossessed.

8.22 AERIAL: All parachutes and gliders landing in paddy hexes land directly IN them. A ⅝ parachute landing IN an Irrigated paddy must immediately take a NMC as per E9.42. Paratroops appearing onboard as per E9.6may not enter onto a Bank counter during that same APh. A glider landing IN any paddy receives the + 1 "hedge" Crash drm if it lands across a bank hexside as per E8.231.

8.3 TEM: A bank hexside is treated as a hedge for TEM purposes [EXC: in addition to the effects of Indirect Fire (B9.34), its + 1 TEM is reduced to zero if the firer is at any elevation ≥ the target's, if the target is above a Bank counter, and/or if the target unit is not Infantry (though Direct Fire vs an "empty" hex across a bank hexside would not itself negate bank-hexside TEM)]. A bank hexside cannot confer HD/Wall-Advantage status. The interior of a paddy hex is Open Ground (thus allowing FFMO/Interdiction) if its bank-hexside TEM is zero [EXC: if In-Season, its interior is grain; 8.13]. A Bank counter is Open Ground even if the paddies are In-Season. See also 8.5 and 8.7.

EX: See the 8.2108 illustration and assume the paddies are Drained. None of the squads shown can claim a bank-hexside TEM vs Indirect Fire (B9.34). However, if squad A were an enemy unit and attacked squads B, C and D with other than a mortar/FT/Set-DC, squads C and D could claim the bank-hexside +1 TEM (and thus could not be subjected to FFMO/Interdiction) but squad B could claim no positive TEM and would be considered in Open Ground. If squad A were at ≥ level 0, then even squads C and D would be considered in Open Ground vs its attacks. If the paddies were In-Season, regardless of squad A's elevation its attacks would treat squads C and D as being in grain but would still treat B as being in Open Ground. If squad D were to use its Inherent EP vs squad A, the latter could claim a bank-hexside TEM if it were not in a building. Squad C could claim a bank-hexside TEM vs squad B's Small Arms attack, but squad B could not claim it (and would be considered in Open Ground) vs such an attack by squad C Vs a FB strafing hexrow oL, neither squad B nor squad C could claim bank-hexside TEM.

8.31 AFV/WRECK: A unit above a Bank counter cannot claim the TEM of an AFV/wreck IN that hex.

8.4 LOS: Entrenched Infantry treat all bank hexsides as hedges for LOS purposes (B9.21) [EXC: Wall Advantage rules are NA; 8.3]. Reciprocity applies. LOS to/from a unit on a Bank counter is drawn to/from that paddy hex's center dot. A Bank counter does not affect LOS to/from/through its hex. An AFV/wreck IN a paddy retains its normal Hindrance effects. The Hindrance effect of an In-Season paddy differs from that of grain in that the normal + 1 per-hex Hindrance (A6.7) is halved (FRD) and the grain is considered Inherent Terrain (B.6) [EXC: a Bank counter in that hex remains Open Ground (8.3); a Sighting TC (E7.3) vs a vehicle/Gun in an In-Season paddy never receives the +1 DRM for a target in grain].

EX see the 8.2108 illustration and assume the paddies are In-Season. Squad A's LOS to squad C incurs a + 1 Hindrance (+2 [Hindrance effect of hexes oM4t and oL3] * ½ = +1), as does its LOS to oK2 (+3 [Hindrance effect of hexsides oL4-oM4 and oK3-oL2, and of hex oL3] * ½ = + 1½ FRD = +l). Squad A's LOS to oJ1 incurs a + 2 Hindrance (+4 Hindrance effect of hexes oL4, oL8, oK3 and oK2] * ½ = +2), but its LOS to squads B and D is unhindered (+1 [Hindrance effect of hexside oL4-oM4 or oL4-oL5 respectively] * ½ = + ½ FRD = 0). The LOS from squad B to oJ1 (and vice-versa) receives a + a Hindrance (+2 [Hindrance effect of hexes oK2 and oK3] * ½ = +1). If squad D were entrenched it would have no LOS to the other squads.

8.5 MUD: Mud can exist in/lN paddy hexes in two ways: they may be Irrigated (8.12), and/or EC may be Mud. Irrigated paddies are mud only IN those hexes, unless EC are Mud. Whenever EC are Mud, all mud rules (E3.6-.65) apply in (as well as IN) all paddy hexes even if they are In-Season (note that the extra MF/MP cost of mud is already included in the IN-hex COT of Irrigated paddies as given in 8.2). The extra MF/MP cost of mud (E3.64) applies to entry onto a Bank counter only if EC are Mud and the unit is changing hexes. Whenever mud is in effect for any reason in/lN paddy hexes, its extra + 1 TEM applies in the normal manner (E3.62) in and IN those hexes, cumulative with all otherwise-applicable TEM.

EX: See the 8.2108 illustration, and assume the paddies are Drained and EC are Mud. Squad B begins its MPh by declaring Double Time and moving INTO oL3 at a cost of one MF (the extra ½ MF for EC mud does not apply; 8.2108). Next it moves INTO oM3 at a cost of 2½ MF (1 [cross bank hexside] + ½ [EC mud] + 1 [enter INTO Drained paddy] = 2½). It then enters onto a Bank counter in oM3 at a cost of one MP (again the extra ½ MF for EC mud does not apply), and lastly it moves onto a Bank counter in oM2 at a cost of 1½ MF (1 [enter onto Bank counter] + ½ [EC mud] = 1½)
If squad B had instead begun its MPh by exiting the Bank counter directly INTO oM3 and from there moving directly onto a Bank counter in oM2, it would have expended 2½ MF to enter each hex: (1 [cross bank hexside] + ½ [EC mud] + 1 enter INTO Drained paddy] = 2½) for oM3; and ( 1 [cross bank hexside] + ½ [EC mud] + 1 [enter onto Bank counter] = 2½) for oM2.
If squad B had never left the banks as it moved to oM3 and oM2, it would have expended 1½ MF (1 [enter onto Bank counter] + ½ [EC mud] = 1 ½ in each hex

EX: See the 8.2108 illustration, and assume that mud is in effect in/IN the paddies because they-are-Irrigated/EC-are-Mud. If squads B and C are attacked by Indirect Fire HE, both will receive the + 1 TEM for mud (but neither will receive bank-hexside TEM; 8.3). However, if squad A were an enemy unit and attacked them with Direct-Fire ordnance HE, squad B could claim only the +1 mud TEM while squad C's TEM would be +2 (+1 for mud and +1 for bank-hexside TEM). Note that if the paddies are Irrigated those HE attacks will also be halved on the IFT (8.12).

8.6 FIRES: No Terrain Flame/Blaze can occur in a Drained/Irrigated paddy hex. In-season paddies are treated as grain for Fire purposes; however, Fire Spreading from one In-Season paddy to another does not qualify for the -2 "directly attached" DRM (B25.62) if their common hexside is a bank hexside. Burning Wrecks occur IN paddy hexes in the normal manner.

8.7 FORTIFICATIONS: Except as otherwise prohibited, all types of Fortifications may be set up IN Drained/In-Season paddy hexes. No Fortification may be set up above a Bank counter, and none other than minefields/wire or panjis (9.) may be set up in Irrigated paddy hexes. Mines are considered to occupy both the interior and banks of a paddy hex (see also 8.2122). The use of a Bank Counter is NA in a paddy hex that contains any Wire or Panji counter. Each unit/SW/Gun above a Wire or Panji counter in a paddy hex is considered to be IN that hex; however, Infantry above that Wire or Panji counter can claim neither bank-hexside TEM nor the paddy's non-Open Ground status, and are subject to all the provisions of 8.212 (only) just as if they were above a Bank counter [EXC: Thrown DC use is NA]; these provisions apply together/cumulative with those for being above that Wire or Panji counter.

8.71 TRENCHES: Infantry ignore the Cost of crossing a bank hexside when entering one Trench counter directly from another. The provisions of B27.4-.41 apply unchanged IN paddies. See also 8.4.

8.72 SHELLHOLES: Shellholes can occur IN Drained/In-Season (only) paddy hexes, in which case the terrain characteristics IN those hexes will change accordingly (the banks in those hexes would be unaffected).

EX: Shellholes IN an In-Season paddy allow Infantry to enter both that hex's interior and the shellholes simultaneously, at a cost of two MF plus any cost to cross a bank. In addition, the grain in that paddy hex is considered non-existent for all purposes.

8.73 SUBTERRANEAN: No type of subterranean passage may exist in an Irrigated paddy hex.

8.8 BREACH: A Mobile dozer may breach a bank hexside of a Drained/In-Season (only) paddy, just as if it were breaching a bocage hexside (B9.541) [EXC: it expends only ¼ (FRU) - not all - of its printed MP allotment to do so]. Thereafter, crossing that hexside is treated as per B9.541 unless entering-onto/exiting-off a Bank counter. All unit types may enter INTO a Drained/In-Season paddy via a breached or non-bank hexside.

EX: See the 8.2108 illustration, and assume that the paddies are Drained and hexside oL2-oL3 is breached. Squad C may enter INTO oL8 by expending just the one MF for the IN-hex COT of that hex; i.e., it does not pay a MF to cross that bank hexside. However, if instead wished to enter directly onto the oL3 Bank counter from IN oL2, it would still have to expend the normal two-MF cost to do so (8.2101). The breach would have no effect on squad B's entry into/INTO oL2, since in all cases squad B would be entering-onto/exiting-off a Bank counter. If hexside oL4-oM5 were breached, squad A would expend one MF to enter directly INTO oL4. If hexsides oL4-oM5 and oL4-oK5 were breached, a truck Bypassing oM5 at vertex oM5-oL4-oM4 could enter directly INTO oL4, then INTO oK5, then INTO oL4, at its normal Open Ground expenditure of four MP per hex (8.2).