Illumination Rounds

[CavDo]

Typically, illumination rounds are not fired at a specific target (therefore do not have to be a "spotted" hex) but "over there" to see if there is any enemy about. I, for one, never thought that the hex in question should be spotted in the normal manner. 

In reality, potential illumination points are typically pre-planned during daylight hours so that one is firing them at a specific map grid reference point that is within the range of the mortar or artillery piece firing the illumination mission. For OBA, at this scale, this should mean that illum rounds may be placed wherever you chose, with no need for an observer to actually spot the proposed target hex.

Both point are valid so far as they go. My question though, and hopefully driving toward consensus, is how do illumination round work in the context of the 4th edition rules?

So far I glean that (based on the wording and example given) that an illumination round may be placed in a hex which can be spotted once an illumination round has be placed. In functional terms that would be within 8 hexes of the spotter, barring other potential LOS blockers.

That interpretation is also philosophically practical. A star shell placed within a hex of spotter is more to detriment of the owner's side than than the other, and definitely not how they were intended to be used in reality. On the other hand, what is the interest in illuminating hexes too far away to be seen? Placing an illumination round more than 8 hexes away means nothing in the 4-hex visibility band can be seen and everything from the placement hex and beyond is equally invisible. So yes, you could place an illumination round anywhere on the map, but why would you?

I like the idea that placement of an illumination round (on a 2D6 roll of 5 or higher) in a hex which may be observed by a leader once the illumination round has been successfully placed. This would need to be within 8 hexes of the spotting leader.

This sounds like a house rule we should play test. I volunteer to try it in shared play.