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Clear summer day, a line of infantry approaches from the right. They can't see any trenches yet..
This series of test pics show how trenches are always spotted at around 200m (closer in dull weather or night) even if they're in terrain so long as there's LOS to them.
(Incidentally the grid is 20-metre squares)
Once spotted, an attacker can rain artillery or tank area-fire on them to try to flush out the occupant even though he can't see if anybody's even in there. (In fact leaving a few trenches empty is a common CM tactic to make an attacker waste time and ammo shooting at them or avoiding them)
Also note the excellent cover trenches give to the occupant, the enemy can't see him until he closes to inside about 20 metres.

Cool, funny that even at 200 meters 'all' trenches are spotted... I wood've (geddit?) thought that the one in the woods wood have been harder to spot.

you would think wouldnt you

I would add one thing to the trench topic. They offer the best cover in game (7%), and units in there can absorb a tremendous fire.

In a current game I kept area firing into a trench with several T34/76 for several turns. I thought no one could survive that but I was wrong. The trench itself a small patch tough, but when it comes to the dice rolls it behave like it would be a normal tile with super properties. So close hits aren't simulated as a devastating explosion in the trench, but as an explosion in a super-coveraged tile.

Ardennes

One thing that isn´t modelled is pieces of overhead cover for trenches when placed in woods. Normally if there´is enough time at all to build trenches or improved foxholes, there would be something build as well that provides bits of overhead cover, mostly 1 or two layers of logs, covered with earth. So in CM "trenches" don´t protect vs. tree bursts which makes them almost a waste when placed in woods.

PoorOldSpike Wrote:

Obviously a connection trench with an exit pit.

PoorOldSpike Wrote:Ardennes

..rather a road ditch, flat and filled with snow.