How to area target buildings?

[MarkShot]

I took the Engage platoon command. Then, I set squad orders to target specific buildings. I thought I laid the little box directly on those buildings, but the animation shows the rounds flying over the buildings and off the map.

Did I fail to do it right or is this just a graphic aberration that make the tracers behave like neutrinos?

Thanks.

[Mobius]

You have to fire at individual targets or area fire at ground points.  You can't area fire at buildings.  If something is in the building that you can't get a target lock on you can area fire at the ground they are on by area firing a point outside the building and having the blue area fire box overlap them.  But the target in the building gets significant protection from the building.

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: Mobius

You have to fire at individual targets or area fire at ground points.  You can't area fire at buildings.  If something is in the building that you can't get a target lock on you can area fire at the ground they are on by area firing a point outside the building and having the blue area fire box overlap them.  But the target in the building gets significant protection from the building.

I believe I have area targeted buildings. I float may targetting box until the terrain type in the LOS dialog reads immpassible terrain, that is when the area target is the building.

Rick

[spellir74]

Do you area target in the air of the building or the ground?

If you area target in buildings a the "floor" inside it it should hit inside the building.

[rickier65]

Also, to follow-up. For infantry to fire on tanks (to force them to buton-up), I do use the technique Mobius described of area targetting the ground as close to the tank as possible, as I don't think you are allowed to target the tank itself.

Rick

[Mobius]

ORIGINAL: Rick
I believe I have area targeted buildings. I float may targetting box until the terrain type in the LOS dialog reads immpassible terrain, that is when the area target is the building.
Rick

I think you are just targeting the ground that is in the building. If the building is big enough or if you zoom in close enough you can miss the infantry inside and just hit the ground instead of the infantry inside. That is the inverse of my trick on locking on the mounted infantry (when the blue box disappears).

[MarkShot]

Shouldn't infantry just auto fire at the expose TC?

This makes me think of yet another question. Regarding auto fire is their a hirearchy of preferred targets.

CM puts high priority on ATR crews, zook/schreck teams, MGs, mortars, etc...

Thanks.

[Mobius]

ORIGINAL: MarkShot
Shouldn't infantry just auto fire at the expose TC?

They don't. If infantry just area fire at a tank they will just button up.
There is a small chance that an unbuttoned TC will take a direct hit from an AP or HE hit on the tank. I wish it was better than small for HE but it isn't.

ORIGINAL: MarkShot
This makes me think of yet another question. Regarding auto fire is their a hirearchy of preferred targets.
CM puts high priority on ATR crews, zook/schreck teams, MGs, mortars, etc...
Thanks.

Infantry seems to prioritize 50mm mortar teams, then MG teams. I have yet to have a complete mortar platoon survive a scenario.

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: MarkShot

Shouldn't infantry just auto fire at the expose TC?

This makes me think of yet another question. Regarding auto fire is their a hirearchy of preferred targets.

CM puts high priority on ATR crews, zook/schreck teams, MGs, mortars, etc...

Thanks.

I agree, they should be able to fire at the TC, but I don't think they are allowed to. I think you can only do the area fire as Mobius described and it can force the tank to button up. I know this was how i got through one of the Bootcamp Battles.

I think you can only specifically do individual fire control by using the "hold fire" orders.
Rick

[spellir74]

ORIGINAL: MarkShot

Shouldn't infantry just auto fire at the expose TC?

I was thinking this myself. I don't think PzC AI Inf know how to shoot the TC outside 30meter away.

There is LOTS this game doesn't do.

This makes me think of yet another question. Regarding auto fire is their a hirearchy of preferred targets.


CM puts high priority on ATR crews, zook/schreck teams, MGs, mortars, etc...

Thanks.

AI does prioritize high value targets InMyExp.

[Mobius]

ORIGINAL: spellir74

ORIGINAL: MarkShot
Shouldn't infantry just auto fire at the expose TC?

I was thinking this myself. I don't think PzC AI Inf know how to shoot the TC outside 30meter away.

Danger! Danger!
Verrry, important. 25m is the close assault distance of infantry. Infantry squads that are not suppressed can close assault and kill any tank within this range. Though stronger tanks it is harder. It is still possible.

[spellir74]

ORIGINAL: Mobius

ORIGINAL: spellir74

ORIGINAL: MarkShot
Shouldn't infantry just auto fire at the expose TC?

I was thinking this myself. I don't think PzC AI Inf know how to shoot the TC outside 30meter away.

Danger! Danger!
Verrry, important. 25m is the close assault distance of infantry. Infantry squads that are not suppressed can close assault and kill any tank within this range. Though stronger tanks it is harder. It is still possible.

"25meters"

Yeah, thats what I meant.

[Mobius]

ORIGINAL: spellir74

ORIGINAL: Mobius

ORIGINAL: spellir74

I was thinking this myself. I don't think PzC AI Inf know how to shoot the TC outside 30meter away.

Danger! Danger!
Verrry, important. 25m is the close assault distance of infantry. Infantry squads that are not suppressed can close assault and kill any tank within this range. Though stronger tanks it is harder. It is still possible.

"25meters"

Yeah, thats what I meant.

That sinking feeling when your tanks are running through a city when you notice an enemy infantry unit is actually firing at one of your tanks. Why is he firing at my tank?
Measure the distance and it it is 24m. Run Away! Sometimes you can withdraw in the nick of time.[X(]

[spellir74]

----
regarding AI shooting the TC

The other day I was testing that map I made the template for. So I made an RGB late war high point kessel (G1750HumVsR2000AI) to check placement spacing etc. Great fun (rbg battles are the best ones; stock Kharkov German campaign aint worth playing, sad to say; maybe the first scenario--classic inf tanks against dug in INF--maybe another here and there. They are not balance historically /realistically)

Since it was a kessel I was always surrounded.

I was like "pity the Russians --only like 150 meters behind my tanks --can't shoot these TC in the back of the head".

I could shoot at high priority targets with _maximum sighting /accuracy ability_ since I stayed unbuttoned (so long as I wasn't driving/stopping through/near enemy INF).

[Mobius]

Real unbuttoned TC were a bit hard to hit. They aren't up in the turret like the model TCs are when in battle. The peek up briefly then hide down inside. So firing on a tank would have a small window of opportunity to get a hit.
Though I did lose a Tiger TC to a hit by a lowly 45mm AT gun at like 600m in one game.

[MarkShot]

You make trying to kill a TC sound like a Texas turkey shoot!

[spellir74]

Actually you're right, Mobius.

I'm usually pretty good with seeing the abstraction of this game. This time no.

-------
Note

Those Russians behind my tank firing line were like 100meters.

Generally though what you're saying about the TC-taking-care-in-reality applies.

[spellir74]

ORIGINAL: spellir74

...stock Kharkov German campaign aint worth playing, sad to say; maybe the first scenario--classic inf tanks against dug in INF--maybe another here and there. They are not balance historically /realistically)

"Aint worth playing" is a bit harsh. And "sad to say" should be replaced with "IMO".

In the stock khark German campaign, a couple of times your company of tanks known for Inf duties is in the center of a btn thrust of fresh T34s. Higher-ups would have intel about that and would not have their vulnerables right in the path of fire within a kilo maeder multiple times in a row.

RGB are better force mix: more variable. I haven't played the Stock German Random campaign for Armour but I bet that is good. (And with just a _little_ knowledge of preset files one could make his own presets for all kinds of RBG/RCG.)