I prefer fog of war checked but I do not check Extreme Fog of War. My reasoning, especially as a Rebel (where most of these battles are fought in southern territory), Generals had cartographers and locals willing to explain log roads and hills and would often have maps of areas. I like to be able to click on the a hex and know what I would be able to see from that vantage point, and historically I think it would be able to play out that way. If you show me a map, I can tell you that 'this ridge' would give me a good glassing point and what I will be able to see from it. I think Ex. Fog of war takes that away, and I prefer to play without it.

Following up and supporting what General Hecht says: Another advantage of Extreme Fog of War is that it more accurately reflects there is no time to do the more extensive recon that normal Fog of War allows you to do. Each turn is only 20 minutes. You can get a reasonable idea what is ahead by looking at the terrain, but there is simply not enough time to (1) send someone forward to look at every detail of where you are going, (2) have them come back and report what they saw (or what could be seen) and then (3) move your unit in response to that report, all in 20 minutes time. You do your best with the terrain maps (which is already more than they could possibly have had in the 1860s), and if you are sighted or exposed to fire after doing so, such are the fortunes of war. The additional inability to have any idea how big a unit is when larger 100 men in non-clear terrain is another advantage of Extreme Fog of War. IMHO

I'd like to advise caution regarding Extreme Fog of War in regards to terrain. Although you and your opponent may agree to have Extreme Fog of War as one of your selected Optional Rules there is nothing to stop your opponent from opening up the scenario as a separate game and scouting around as much, and as often, as he likes. The knowledge gained can then be used to select useful vantage points.

Also, in JTS scenarios your opponent can also know where your forces are at the start and when, and where, others arrive due to remembered knowledge (having played that scenario before) or by opening that scenario as a separate game. I usually tell my opponent when I have played a scenario before our battle. For example, I have just begun my third battle of the historical Chickamauga (Chickamauga 039) and I told my opponent I had played it twice before (one Draw, one Minor Victory). Hopefully, it'll be 'third time lucky' will do it for me and I can finally get a Major Victory.

If you distrust your opponent you should not play him at all. Effectively that is cheating for me.



I think the fact that there are soooooooooooooooooooooooooo many scenario makes me doubt that one will remember exactly where & when the enemy shows, sure there is a general idea of what will happen just like everyone knows that the Prussians show up in Waterloo but the exact turn & hex is surely only memorized by very very few club members.
High age average in the club might also help.

So basically, WDS v4 forces everyone to use Extreme FoW whether they want to or not?