weather effects on spotting

[A_B]

Originally posted by Mike Wood

It was assumed that if you can see them with your eye, the bullet can hit them. Although it is true that atmospheric humidity, barometric pressure, wind direction, ambient temperature, phase of the moon, sun-spot activity

what is barometric pressure, anyway? As for the random factor for the rest, that is fine by me. My question is more along the lines of a sherman tank, firing in support of an infantry assault, aims at enemy muzzle flash, the origin of enemy tracer rounds, where friendy tracer is 'bouncing' off of enemy postionts, etc. The Sherman can and will shoot, its penetration won't be affected, but it's hit percentage should be reduced. Prefereces should be able to handle this, i'm just trying to get other opinions, and to see if there is enough interest to put weather into CA/CL. It would be nice, in some of those Close Combat games of paratroopers vs. tanks, to be able to wait till nightfall to attack...

[A_B]

For those interested, i've come up with a table of recommended preference setting to create a more accurat simulation of night and poor weather fighting. I am working on two Inf. campaigns, which will use these, or something very close, as the default. Feel free to comment.

Day
WN Search Hit R/R Spec
1 100% 100% 100% 100%
2 100% 100% 100% 100%
3 90% 90% 100% 100%
4 80% 90% 100% 100%
5 70% 80% 90% 90%
6 60% 80% 80% 80%

Night (Full Moon)
WN Search Hit R/R Spec
1 50% 70% 80% 80%
2 40% 70% 80% 80%
3 40% 60% 70% 70%
4 30% 60% 70% 70%
5 30% 50% 60% 60%
6 30% 50% 60% 60%

WN = Weather Number
Search = Seaching
Hit = Hitting
R/R = Rout/Rally
Spec = SpecOpFire

Weather Number corresponding weather (from Manual)
1 Clear
2 Hazy
3 Foggy
4 Rain
5 Hvy Rain
6 Thunderstorm

Manuals Recmended Visability (max hexes)
Good Weather Bad Weather
No Moon 2 2
Half Moon 6 2
Full Moon 15 2
Dawn/Dusk 28 8
Noon 45 20

New Recommended Visability (max hexes)
Good Weather Bad Weather
No Moon 20 Depends
Half Moon 24 on
Full Moon 24 how
Dawn/Dusk 30 Bad
Noon 45

With new setting, visability takes on a new meaning. It is no longer a max realistic spotting range, but a max engagement level, shooting at muzzle flash or enemy marked by flares or tracer fire.
Example, good weather, no moon - you can engage enemy up to 1000 meters, but enemy must expose themselves by firing, or be spotted from very close.

[Paul Vebber]

Excellent work! This is the sort of use of the pref settings I have been pushing folks to do!

I hope as many as possible will try these guidelines out and give feedback!

Again Excellent work!!

[Nikademus]

Originally posted by A_B:
For those interested, i've come up with a table of recommended preference setting to create a more accurat simulation of night and poor weather fighting. I am working on two Inf. campaigns, which will use these, or something very close, as the default. Feel free to comment.

Day
WN Search Hit R/R Spec
1 100% 100% 100% 100%
2 100% 100% 100% 100%
3 90% 90% 100% 100%
4 80% 90% 100% 100%
5 70% 80% 90% 90%
6 60% 80% 80% 80%

Night (Full Moon)
WN Search Hit R/R Spec
1 50% 70% 80% 80%
2 40% 70% 80% 80%
3 40% 60% 70% 70%
4 30% 60% 70% 70%
5 30% 50% 60% 60%
6 30% 50% 60% 60%

WN = Weather Number
Search = Seaching
Hit = Hitting
R/R = Rout/Rally
Spec = SpecOpFire

Weather Number corresponding weather (from Manual)
1 Clear
2 Hazy
3 Foggy
4 Rain
5 Hvy Rain
6 Thunderstorm

Manuals Recmended Visability (max hexes)
Good Weather Bad Weather
No Moon 2 2
Half Moon 6 2
Full Moon 15 2
Dawn/Dusk 28 8
Noon 45 20

New Recommended Visability (max hexes)
Good Weather Bad Weather
No Moon 20 Depends
Half Moon 24 on
Full Moon 24 how
Dawn/Dusk 30 Bad
Noon 45

With new setting, visability takes on a new meaning. It is no longer a max realistic spotting range, but a max engagement level, shooting at muzzle flash or enemy marked by flares or tracer fire.
Example, good weather, no moon - you can engage enemy up to 1000 meters, but enemy must expose themselves by firing, or be spotted from very close.

Great work A_B. I have to apologize for being a little obtuse and not catching on to the full meaning of what you asking about.

It did'nt even occur to me to question how the mechanics of spotting and searching might be affected by the weather conditions. I was locked into the train of thought that the default weather conditions will spit out a 'maximum range' which should adequately reflect the weather being experienced.

Did'nt stop to think that 'fog' or drizzling rain might in addition to reducing "maximum" visibility reduce a unit's ability to spot offending parties. Great idea!

Gonna save those preference recommendations.

[Charles2222]

I'm not too sure what A_B is doing or where this will lead, but I would like to add something. There have been a number of us who got sick of the one example I brought to mind, that is playing campaign in 9/39 (summer) where the blasted visibility averaged like 5 hexes. To further add to the frustration, one has to realize that this required many night batt;es, not something too terribly common in Europe in WWII (with the exception of artillery battles). The visibility has been increased in some manner, and I have had visibility on one occassion in 9/59 of either 56 or 59, so that 45 max. is no longer in effect.

[A_B]

These new preference setting WILL BE MANDATORY.

well, maybe not. But they seem to give a much better feeling for night fighting. They won't work very well with computer generated campaigns or battles, because the visibilty in hexes will be made very low (by the computer).

They should work well in custom battles and campaigns - especially my Pacific and WWII Airborne campaign. I know that most battles in WW2 were daylight. But US paratroopers almost always went in at night (except Market-Garden), and many infantry attacks used darkness. If i'm going up against a tank - as an infantry man - you can be damned sure i'd want to do it on a dark, drizzly night. I might even sneak close enough to use a 'sticky bomb'.

[Tombstone]

I'm in full agreement. I just wish there was a way to make campaigns change their settings automatically from battle to battle then. As it stands, it is impossible to have a night battle part way through a campaign because the player wont realize the settings are wrong and be playing with 1000 yard visibility in the night with all the preferences at 100%. For scenarios and self-controlled playing I think its perfect.

Tomo