Urban Combat and Distance?

[AlbertN]

Greetings,

There is something here that looks odd to me. I was experimenting with the latest patch and Urban Combat (but I am not sure if that is of the latest patch), with combat detail 7.

The first things shooting were the Russian defenders with carabines, hand grenades and other heavy rifles...

It's like the combat started right off the bat in a kind of melee situation. Through the tinkering and trying I even got around to use the heavies of the Germans. (like the Karl Mortars)
Even so, the Soviet soldiers got to hurl grenades before a Karl Mortar even got to shoot once.

So where is the preparing artillery barrage in Urban context? The Siege Artilleries are meant to be used for fortified, urban zones; or for Clear Terrain since they'd get to shoot there due to ... combat starting normally at distance?

I feel it's very wrong as it is now - and I understand the desire to have a more vicious close combat should be there, in Urban. But the present way does not sit right.

[Joel Billings]

The preliminary long range bombardment phase is not shown in detail. If you start a battle at detail 7, you'll likely see that there are a number of losses that immediately show up before the first hit is recorded in detail. You'll then see the artillery units have engaged at ranges way beyond the first reported direct fire shot. This is true against urban terrain as well. Since only kills are displayed for overall losses, you're missing the damage and disruption done by the artillery.

[AlbertN]

Thanks for the explaination.

I am puzzled at the loss of some of the big calibers too - as they should fire from out of range of enemy artilleries or so too. It does not happen always though!

But indeed when the combat detail starts, there are some casualties already marked. I imputed them as the current ongoing phase having been calculated already and then simply 'narrated' to me via the 'This shoots at that' and 'That shoots at this' process.