HistWar Les Grognards: Friendly Fog of War Delight

Friendly fog of war (FFoW) is the ultimate challenge for simulations of command. It's not easy to implement and it's not easy to present to the player.

I was playing a quick scenario of HistWar Les Grognards (HWLG) and I thought of showing here how FFoW looks in this war game.

This is good ole 2D map showing the situation of my troops (little squares highlighted blue) at the beginning of the scenario. Of particular interest is the strongest formation in my Army, V Corps commanded by Mortier. Before the start of the scenario, Mortier was ordered to deploy in the center (see figure). He received and understood his orders.

It is now 8:35. Note how I started moving towards the center of the battlefield ("Me" in the figure above). The units that are within my sight are displayed lighter than the ones I can't see. The icons of V Corps have not changed position. Also note the little explosion icons in the center. Some units are fighting there, but since I neither received situation reports from those nor I can see them from my position the only thing displayed is explosions. Some of my reconnaissance detachments have reported the Austrian battle line (squares highlighted white).

8:51 and a lot has changed in the battlefield. Some of my units have updated me on their positions. Not V Corps, who is represented as if it were at the start point. I'm approaching a hill and hopefully that will give me a vantage view of my own troops.

Three minutes later I just reached the top of a hill and now I can see that VCorps has been moving all the time. I just wasn't informed about that.

Mortier and his staff supervising the approach march of V Corps. Merde, Mortier! Drop me a line sometime!

If this doesn't teach me that I have to command from the front, nothing will!

Cheers,