Encounter Range

This is the distance at which one group sights another group. The encounter range is governed by the ground cover and terrain; obviously, it’s much harder to sneak up on someone on a flat plain than it is in heavy forest. Tactical encounter ranges are found in Chapter One under Opening the Battle.

These ranges may seem very short, but keep in mind the fact that these distances assume that both parties are trying to avoid being spotted. If one side or the other doesn’t care about being seen, it’s fair to double or triple the listed encounter ranges.

Note that encounter range is always the shortest of two ranges: the visibility from the surrounding terrain, and the visibility from the ambient light. A character may be able to see for miles on an open plain in daylight, but on a moonless night that open land is fairly well hidden. On a dark night in the forest, people can pass within five feet of a patient enemy without knowing that he’s there.

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