This is all very interesting, and something I had never noticed before. Also interesting is that units in the cut have a panoramic view through the sides of the cut. My understanding of the disadvantages of being in the cut was the inability to climb up the cut hexsides and vulnerability of units to fire coming from the sides of the cut with extremely limited ability to respond.
As nearly as I can tell, the game deals with cuts by prohibiting movement or melee across a cut hexside, and giving the unit firing into the cut +40% fire, while those firing out of the cut suffer no penalty for the cut itself.
My understanding historically is that the 2nd Miss climbed down into the cut easily enough, but couldn't climb up the other side. That made them a packed target, and I suppose is the justification for the +40% modifier. HPS hadn't invented a density modifier yet when the cut came into being. I think a fire penalty for units inside the cut makes more sense, although there is usually already an elevation penalty (although not for the cut in the example)
Sounds to me that the cut in question should really be a sunken road instead of a cut, or the designer should fudge and lower the terrain in the cut by one level. Hope Rich Hamilton sees this thread.
Also, I never did locate anything about the cut in the documentation. I had to infer most of the above from parameter data and game test. Anyone know where the explanation of the railroad cut is located? Seems like I saw it a couple of years ago.
MG Mike Mihalik
2/3/I/AoMiss/CSA
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