Conventional buried
Advanced
Advanced buried
Scatter
FASCAM
The various types look the same (especially
the buried types), and they all perform the same functions. The differences
in the various types have more to do with detection and clearance than with
function. Some fields are easier to find than others. Some are also easier
to breach than others. A minefield that has been breached is not necessarily
safe for other vehicles to pass through; a breached field may also need
proofing, depending on the field-type. We’ll talk a little more about breaching
and clearing in a bit.
A minefield looks like this, in the F5 view:
The F5 view doesn’t distinguish between
the various minefield-types, though in the Mission editor if you right-click
on a given minefield it will tell you what type of field it is.
Steel Beams
These are fortifications consisting of three lengths of steel, set
at right-angles to each other and welded together with a reinforcing plate.
The function of Steel Beams is similar to that of other obstacles, to channel
and/or impede movement of the enemy. Steel Beams are like mines in that
they can be breached with the proper breaching assets. Unlike mines, once
you’ve created a breach in Steel Beams other vehicles can pass through without
risk. Steel Beams looks like this on the playing field:
and like this on the map:
Dragon’s teeth
Reinforced, square, tapered concrete pillars protruding from the ground
are Dragon’s teeth. They serve the same function as other obstacles, in
that they are designed to impede and/or channel the movement of enemy forces.
Dragon’s teeth cannot be cleared. On the playing field they look this:
and on the map they look like this:
Abatis
Fortifications consisting of felled trees and wire are called Abatis.
Like the former they too serve to impede and channel enemy progress. Abatis
cannot be cleared, and as noted earlier, infantry cannot traverse them.
On the playing field they look like this:
and on the map they appear as:
As you can see, the various types of obstacles all do about the same
thing. Mines are something of an exception, in that they are also capable
of destroying enemy units. However, as with other fortifications, enemy
units which encounter mines will, if traveling at the right speed and with
the right behavior, seek to avoid them. Enemy non-infantry units will always
seek to avoid all other obstacles, regardless of speed or behavior.
Fortifications
In –ProPE a fortification is anything constructed which is designed
to provide additional protection for a unit. Fortifications come in two
types, Bunkers and Vehicle emplacements.
Fortifications do not make a unit invincible, though in some cases
they may afford more protection than does the immediate environment. Artillery,
for example, can still inflict damage (or destroy, as applicable) a unit
in a fortification.
Bunkers
A Bunker is used exclusively by infantry. Vehicles cannot use Bunkers,
nor will they enter one. A Bunker cannot be affected by breaching vehicles.
Infantry in Bunkers are, as noted, still susceptible to both direct- and
indirect fire. This includes machine-gun fire.
On the playing field a Bunker looks like this:
and on the map looks like this:
Worth noting is how Bunkers appear in normal daylight, and in the TIS.
In normal daylight the bunker will appear as you see it here, a distinct
mound of green with an oblong aperture at its front. In the TIS view, the
mound will disappear and the color of the mound will blend almost perfectly
with the color of the surrounding grass. If you approach a bunker from the
front, the TIS view will show you the black oblong of the Bunker’s aperture,
but if you approach an enemy Bunker from the rear you might pass it without
noticing.
Vehicle emplacements
These are, as the name suggests positions for a vehicle to fight from.
Their primary advantage is that they offer some protection from direct fire,
usually shielding most or all of a vehicle’s chassis and exposing only the
turret.
Vehicle emplacements can be created in the Mission Editor for specific
vehicle-types; the game assumes that if you’re creating a VE for a HMMWV,
for instance, you will be able to use it for either sort of HMMWV. VE can
be created as one- and two-tier fortifications, the difference being that
a two-tier emplacement completely hides the vehicle, while the one-tier
sort hides only the lower parts of the vehicle. VE can also be created with
camouflage.
On the playing field VE look generally similar, like this:
and on the map look like:
Usage
Fortifications and obstacles are placed on the map as if they were
any other playable unit. An obstacle can be placed anywhere on the map,
even in water. You won’t see it on the map if it’s not a minefield, but
the obstacle will be there and an amphibious unit which attempts to swim
through an obstacle placed in water will be affected just as if both it
and the obstacle were on dry ground. This goes for mines, too.
To my knowledge there is no upper limit regarding how many of any particular
obstacle or you wish to place on the map. I say ‘to my knowledge’ because
I’ve heard at least one source state that he wanted to place more mines
than the game would allow. I tried doing the same; I gave up before the
game stopped me, at around 220 individual minefields. Even if the limit
is 221, that’s still a lot more minefields than you’ll find a practical
need for.
