The Commander Series Forum

What does it do?
I cannot seem to find any rules in the rulebook for what amphibious does exactly.

Does it simply mean that amphipious units ignore water and moves over it like normal?

Take a look at page 18 "Water Obstacles".

Thanks.
I guess it was one of those cases where you cannot see the forrest for all the trees...

But to elaborate on that. The wording is a bit unclear. At least to a none native.

It states that it requires a separate action to move into the water and to move out of the water. And that you can move 5cm in water.

So how manny actions does it take to cross a 5cm wide river?

2 One action to move into the water and one to move out.

3 One to get in, one to move and one to get out.

I'd read it as 3.

IanS

What Ian says, IMO.

One in, one to cross, one out.

We've also played it that whilst in the water the vehicle counts as hull-down (so harder to hit) but if it gets suppressed it turns back or heads to the nearer bank (if it's a wide waterway)- this represents the urgency of a crew wanting to reach dry land underfire. It then ends up suppressed on the bank and exposed to enemy fire. But it stays were it is if it's a marsh or swamp.

Also any MBT cannot shoot whilst crossing a waterway (barrels are usually sealed and the MBT is often snorkling anyway#), but IFVs and APCs can fire turret mounted weapons (e.g. chain guns or machine guns*) but not ATGWs. This prohibition doesnt apply in Marsh or Swamp.
[# there is an arguement that a snokling MBT is probably almost impossible to hit ... but that might lead to all sorts of game abuses - I can just see entire tank divisions snorkling up the centre of major waterways!!!]

Generally - canals or embanked waterways are considered impassable - you can get in but cannot get out !!!

It might be 'fun' to set up a game where there's a lot of waterways & ditches and even some flooded farmland or large tracks of marshes - such as northern Holland or maybe the southern marshes in Iraq/Iran.

BI raises another couple of good points, you generally need to improve the banks of a river to get in and out. Also you don't swim or snorkel across major waterways. Using a local example the Mersey at Woodside/Pier Head is flowing at between 5-10 kts. This is far too fast for all except specialist ampibs, and even some of those would be pushed, I'm thinking of a Stalwart as an example.

Forgot to mention ... any passengers bailing out of an IFV or APC whilst in a river/waterway get no saving throws - they are 'toast' like their vehicles.

We've not yet played a game with a mined river or one with anti-tank obstacles in the water ... that would add an extra element of surprize

Paddy fields are classed as marsh/swamp when wet - but remember that most SE Asian rice farms produce 2 crops per year and for a good part of the time under cultivation the rice crop is actually dry.

Fall backs from multiple suppressions do not apply as usual - as an amphibious vehicle will take a go to exit the shore-line (this does not apply to marsh /swamp) - multiple suppressions will effectively destroy the vehicle as if it had to fall back into impenetrable terrain. This may seem harsh but at that point it is on the bank of the river/waterway so the passengers can dice to bail out.

On a beach assault I'd suggest that falling back is far too difficult and the IFV/APC/MBT should effectively fall-back forwards towards the beach and end up supressed on the shoreline and exposed to enemy fire.