Newbie: Which PzC game to begin?

[Drakken]

And these 100 hexes in line were ALL occupied contiguously by at least one unit?! Or where they spaced with each of their ZOCs covering one another's ZOC?

It's hard for me to visualise it, yet.

They were spaced, but the ZOCs connected. It only takes a ZOC from a unit to block supply and so force isolation. And yes, an enemy ZOC occupied by one of your units will allow supply through that hex anyway, if that opens up a supply route.

Thanks. Now I understand.

Another newbie question: I'm currently playing the Operational situation no.2 as the Germans. Several of my infantry units are in neighboring hexes holding the higher ground to Soviet enemy troops. When I want to open direct fire, however, nothing happens and I get the following message "Maximum range exceed by 1 hex", even though they have no fatigue, full movement, no travel mode, and A quality. I've checked the weather; normal and clear.

What causes this? When I put "Maximum range" under the Shade category the unit I want to fire upon lies indeed within their range. I've searched the manual, but found nothing on the subject. So I am very confused.

The current situation below, the units are in red circles :