COVER SYSTEM (HALF/FULL)
A positioning system where terrain grants defensive bonuses, typically at two tiers: half cover (partial protection) and full cover (stronger protection).
- SOLO-DEV COST HIGH
- TIMING REAL-TIME / TURN
- COMMON IN TACTICS · SHOOTER
Attackers' hit chances or damage are reduced against targets in cover, making the battlefield's geometry the core tactical resource. Designers use it to make movement decisions meaningful — every tile has a defensive value, so positioning becomes a puzzle rather than a race to close distance. It also gives level designers a vocabulary for tuning difficulty through layout alone. The main implementation challenges: cover must be readable at a glance (players need icons or silhouettes showing what protects from which direction), the AI has to evaluate cover competently or the system collapses, and destructible cover — a common variation — forces re-evaluation mid-fight. Flanking rules that negate cover are the usual pressure valve preventing turtling.
SEEN IN
- XCOM 2
- GEARS OF WAR
- VALKYRIA CHRONICLES