How does Bocage work?
Bocage is weird terrain in many ways. Most of it is straight-forward (TEM, movement restrictions, etc.) but where many people become lost is in the interaction of Bocage and LOS. Closely tied in with this is the application of the Wall Advantage rules to Bocage. When a unit is in non-open Ground behind a Bocage hexside, it can theoretically Prep Fire at opposing units through the Bocage and then become immune to Defensive Fire by claiming the TEM of the non-Open Ground terrain in its hex and dropping out of enemy LOS. This seems patently unfair and against the spirit of several rules (reciprocal LOS, “no free lunch”, etc.) to some, but others have noted that Bocage was tremendously good defensive terrain and the designers may indeed have intended the rule to play as it seems to read. Indeed, 1st Edition Q&A (’97 Annual) confirmed this. The Wall Advantage and Bocage rules were rewritten for the 2nd Edition rulebook. An excellent article in J3 by Ian Daglish gives historical background o
