(Answered) Half-Levels, LOS, and Partial Cover

[pokefan548]

On p. 29 of TO:AR, the notion of half-levels is introduced; however, not much is said about how they interact with LOS , cover, and several movement rules.

• Say for example a BattleMech is adjacent to a hill 1.5 levels higher than the 'Mech's underlying terrain; if another 'Mech draws LOS to them through that adjacent hill, does the 'Mech benefit from partial or full cover?
• Can a 'Mech ascend a hill 2.5 levels higher than the 'Mech's underlying terrain?
• Does ascending a hill 1.5 levels higher than the 'Mech's underlying terrain still only cost +1 MP?
• Can a 'Mech perform an intentional fall from above on a unit 0.5 levels below it?
• Do VTOL units lifting off from half-level hexes retain their half-level elevation offset (ascending to an elevation equal to level 1.5, 2.5, etc), or do they "snap" back to whole number elevations once they take off, or can VTOLs under these rules opt to ascend or descend in half-level increments at any time? If the latter is not the case, how should one handle landing on a half-level hex?
• Similar to the last question, if an airborne WiGE unit flies over a half-level hex, does it attempt to stay exactly one elevation above the underlying terrain (thus hovering at, for example, an elevation equal to level 1.5), or does it remain "snapped" to whole-numbers (thus remaining at elevation 0.5, equivalent to level 1).
• Considering that a level is 6 meters tall, would it be appropriate to treat infantry as a half-level-tall unit when playing with half-level rules in effect?

[Xotl]

Half-Levels only provide the opportunity to go Hull-Down.  They are otherwise the same as a terrain a half-level below.

1. Partial-Cover, because the underlying terrain is 1 lvl high.
2. No, because a BattleMech cannot change levels by more than 2 per hex.
3. That's what the chart on pg. 30 of TO:AR says.
4. No, because the Intentional Fall from Above rules modify the Accidental Fall From Above rules, which preclude falls of 1 level or less.
5. As an optional rule, players can decide whether the half-levels may be maintained by a VTOL or not, but as there is no benefit to not simply rising full levels that's a lot of extra book-keeping to take on for no real advantage.
6. WIGEs cannot gain elevation, only maintain it.  Ergo, they may choose to remain a half-level off the underlying terrain after moving out of a half-level hex, but the cost is inefficient.
7. No