Optional Sighting Rules for G.E.V.
by Dave Seagraves
(Note that this was written before the release of Ogre Miniatures.)
8.08 Target sighting.
Normally all units are assumed to know exactly where other friendly and hostile units are located. With these optional rules players know only the general location of enemy units (i.e. they know only what hexes they occupy) and must sight them, directly or indirectly, to attack effectively. They encourage players to make the maximum use of terrain for increased battlefield survivability, to add to the tactical richness of the game.
8.081 Line-Of-Sight (LOS).
At a range of two or more hexes LOS must be established between the attacking and the defending unit for normal fire to occur. If the defender is not within raised terrain (see below) and its entire hex is visible from any point in the attacker's hex without being blocked by raised terrain, then LOS is present and normal fire may take place. When an attacker is within one hex of a target it can see exactly where it is and may attack normally regardless of the terrain each occupies, except in the case of underwater Ogres (Section 6.113). The attacker's own hex never prevents LOS.
8.0811 Raised terrain.
Crater, forest, rubble, town, and swamp hexes all hinder weapons fire by blocking LOS. No other type of terrain or terrain feature blocks LOS.
8.0812 Indirect fire.
Even if an attacker does not have LOS on an enemy unit it may still fire at the hex that the unit is in. Carry out the attack against the terrain (or a terrain feature if desired), then roll for spillover fire normally against every unit in that hex.
8.082 Attack types.
As far as line-of-sight is concerned there are three types of attack. Each type has a different method of treating how LOS works for different units.
8.0821 Straight-fire.
Units which fire nuclear shells, which fly to their target in a relatively flat trajectory, use straight-fire. All attacks from these units are blocked by raised terrain. They may fire into raised terrain that they have in LOS, but it is then considered indirect fire. All GEVs (except the Cub), Light, Heavy, and Superheavy Tanks, Ogre AP guns, and infantry are straight-fire units.
8.0822 Arc-fire.
Other units use long-range missiles or artillery to attack enemy units. They are able to attack anything in range whether or not they have LOS on their target. If they have no LOS, they use indirect fire for attacking mobile units, Command Posts, and Howitzers; but immobile terrain features (such as buildings, bridges, roads, etc.) are attacked normally. Cub GEVs, Missile Tanks, all Howitzers, all Ogre weapons (except AP guns), and Marines are arc-fire units.
8.0823 Other types of fire.
Lasers, laser towers, and Cruise Missiles have their own rules for attacking units, and are used normally as in Shockwave.
8.083 Forward observation.
If a unit has LOS on an enemy unit, it may relay the enemy's exact position to a Command Post, which in turn gives LOS to that target to every friendly unit in range. If the player has a CP, and any friendly unit has LOS on an enemy unit, then all friendly units in range of that enemy unit automatically gain line-of-sight, except for straight-fire units on the far side of raised terrain. If a side has all of its CPs destroyed then they lose the ability to use forward observation.
8.0831 Satellite intelligence.
If a scenario does not call for Command Posts on either side, then players may agree before the game to have satellite reconnaissance available. Satellite recon effectively allows each side to have a Command Post that cannot be destroyed and lost (at least not during the battle).