So, my squad can't shoot...

Madhouse · Post by **Madhouse** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 6:25 am

Just started playing 1.4 a few days ago, I'm a longtime CBattletech player and I've played quite alot of Megamek.

I really like alot of aspects of this game and so far my only complaint is the inability to set waypoints.

So far while creating characters I've been getting pummeled by the rookie AI and the highest chance to hit I've seen is 31% with an average of 2% for my missle boats. Anyone wanna fill me in On what I'm doing wrong?

p.s. are there any movement system changes for Warring Suns? I may buy it if it has a way to speed up the b4 contact part of the game.

Silvermane · Post by **Silvermane** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 10:52 am

First of all, I hope your pilots are proficient with the type of weapon they're supposed to fire. for starters, about 50% is probably the best you'll get.

Next, there are a few factors that add to the "to hit" chance, and a lot of things that subtract from it.

Bonuses:
Battle Computer
Successful scans
Height advantage
Target not moving
Target at close range

Maluses:
Target moving
Firer Moving
Target within minimum Range
Target at long range
Target in forest
Forest hexes in line of sight
No line of sight (missile weapons, indirect fire)
Missing or destroyed Battle Computer
Target dodging
ECM
Shields
Flares

There's more, but that should suffice to give you the idea.

As for movement, what's wrong with the old Run -> Wait on Call pattern? Worked for me since way back then in Mechforce.

-Silvermane

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 1:13 pm

Originally posted by Madhouse
p.s. are there any movement system changes for Warring Suns? I may buy it if it has a way to speed up the b4 contact part of the game.

Yep, auto-move. You set the hex you want to move to and your titan will move there at run speed, by the fastest, safest route. Breaking move will still cause a skill check though, so it has to be used carefully.

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 1:27 pm

Originally posted by Silvermane
First of all, I hope your pilots are proficient with the type of weapon they're supposed to fire. for starters, about 50% is probably the best you'll get.

Next, there are a few factors that add to the "to hit" chance, and a lot of things that subtract from it.

Bonuses:
Battle Computer
Successful scans
Height advantage
Target not moving
Target at close range

Maluses:
Target moving
Firer Moving
Target within minimum Range
Target at long range
Target in forest
Forest hexes in line of sight
No line of sight (missile weapons, indirect fire)
Missing or destroyed Battle Computer
Target dodging
ECM
Shields
Flares

There's more, but that should suffice to give you the idea.

As for movement, what's wrong with the old Run -> Wait on Call pattern? Worked for me since way back then in Mechforce.

If you choose only one non-CC weapon skill, you can get it to up to ~60% in WS.

About those bonuses and maluses, some things are wrong. Height advantage no longer provides attack bonus (even in v1.4). Target not moving is not a bonus, target moving is a malus. Target in close/long range is not a bonus/malus. Forest hexes in LoS do not affect to hit, only LoF.
The manual and the guide should provide a list and explanation of all the mods.

That's standard procedure. I think he was asking for even more "speed". Wait on Call will still prompt you every time each of your titans ends his move. Auto-move takes care of that.
To speed up gameplay, you can also use F4 to disable animations and shorten message display times and other stuff (check F1 for keys).

Silvermane · Post by **Silvermane** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 1:57 pm

I stand corrected.

Well, accuracy tends to degrade with range, I admit that the my way of wording wasn't that hot...didn't know about the forst/hill thing, though. You learn something new every day...

But again about the height issue:

So the only thing standing on a hill will provide you is a better view on the things below? No further advantages?

-Silvermane

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 2:07 pm

Yep, accuracy degrades with range. Penalty at max weapon range is -45% to hit, and decreases in a linear way up to min range. A ML for example has -45 at 9 hexes,-5 at 1 hex, 0 at point blank (min). Inside min (for weapons with), it's a fixed -20% (-15 in v1.4) per hex.

Intervening forests may block LoS (depending on height), forests the target is in provide cover (to hit penalty for the attacker).

Right. It's already a big advantage though

Madhouse · Post by **Madhouse** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 5:52 pm

Well I figured out what I was doing wrong I assumed that LRM and SRM type missles had a guidance system.

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 11:36 pm

Originally posted by Thorgrim
Intervening forests may block LoS (depending on height), forests the target is in provide cover (to hit penalty for the attacker).

And then someone sets the forest you're hiding in on fire.

whitefirefox · Post by **whitefirefox** » Mon Jun 09, 2003 6:30 pm

thats when you hightail it outta the forest zig zaggin usin dodge

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 4:30 pm

Fire actually helps you hide

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 8:09 pm

Fire doesn't help you hide once the cover is destroyed. That was what I was thinking. But if it causes your enemy to run out of the cover all the better right? The idea is to keep them from having an advantage.

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 12:29 am

Fire always has a 0.5 HD value.
Cover is not destroyed, it is either burned or reduced. Both still have HD modifiers. And defensive mods.

Madhouse · Post by **Madhouse** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 2:01 am

This thread has officially been declared Hijacked.

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 10:52 am

Originally posted by Thorgrim
Fire always has a 0.5 HD value.
Cover is not destroyed, it is either burned or reduced. Both still have HD modifiers. And defensive mods.

I guess I should have written reduced instead of destroyed. But the Fire goes out eventually. So doesn't its 0.5 HD value go with it?

Thorgrim · Post by **Thorgrim** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 2:54 pm

Yes, but notice that cover isn't *reduced* by fire. It changes to burned status, which is different. Only missiles can reduce cover.
A burned dense wood is still a dense wood, but with lower HD and def mod (offensive mod is still the same). A dense wood that is reduced by missile fire changes to light wood.

All cover (except scrub, if you count it as cover) has a HD value, which only affects hiding, and a defensive mod, which only affects to hit.
Fire, smoke and steam have a 0.5 HD multiplier.
If you set a wood hex on fire from afar, you can actually lose LoS (and lock) on the target because of the reduced sight resulting from the HD value dropping to half.

So, my squad can't shoot...

So, my squad can't shoot...

Re: So, my squad can't shoot...