Artillery Barrage into hex with allies

[DIVM]

Hi, I'm not sure if I have a setting ON that doesn't allow my artillery to shoot into hexes with friendly units or is it a built-in mechanic (I remember I wasn't allowed in FCSS either? ) ?

I often find myself in the situation of a single subunit making a bottleneck of the enemy units at the same hex (normally urban or forests) but unable to use that advantage with the artillery. I know in most real cases scenarios people in charge shouldn't take this risk (I hope), but I wonder if the ratio is 1:100 and your guy is supposedly safely holed-in, wouldn't it be logical to barrage the area?

Like the workaround isn't much better: get my subunit to move next hex and get killed instantly, so I can use artillery.

[CapnDarwin]

At the moment, the game does not allow danger-close fires. We have had on-and-off discussions about it, and we may still add an option for them, but it comes with the risk of hitting friendly units in the hex. The issue lies in the conditions under which this type of fire is allowed and whether a nation would use it in combat situations.

[DIVM]

At the moment, the game does not allow danger-close fires. We have had on-and-off discussions about it, and we may still add an option for them, but it comes with the risk of hitting friendly units in the hex. The issue lies in the conditions under which this type of fire is allowed and whether a nation would use it in combat situations.

I think I would rather have it. I believe my units have got into friendly artillery hex by mistake when their path goes through a hex where there is a barrage already happening. So if that's a possibility, I'm not sure why should it limit the artillery barrages for friendly units in a hex. It's fairly common to have a subunit of scout team holed in somewhere while dozens of units passed by or look for him. The current options are either to make him move （probably dying in the process） or shoot the barrages around or with some delay in the hopes that the enemy troops move or that by the time the barrage is about to be fired the scout is dead.

Maybe a points penalization (like doubling or tripling the penalty) for units killed by friendly fired would be an easy way to keep it constrained?

[Stelteck]

A thing related is that the fact of artillery barrage being cancelled when a friendly unit enter the target hex, make quite easy (too easy ?) to use artillery very close to your units. There is no risk of catastrophic mistakes.
You do not have to stop artillery barrage before assaulting a target with your troops.

[MauriceB]

Maybe a points penalization (like doubling or tripling the penalty) for units killed by friendly fired would be an easy way to keep it constrained?

It's already constrained. You just don't do it. A real life Fire Control team would never consider dropping arty when there is a chance they will hit friendlies. Only Wargamers put a "point value" on lives.

[rsallen64]

I would like it if the FSCC would stop targeting enemy units in hexes with friendly units, which results in cancelled barrages and wastes the barrages for the turn. What the FSCC does is keep trying to target the same hex, with a continuous loop of targeting and cancelling instead of selecting another target. Sometimes I really need that artillery...

[Argyll]

I would like it if the FSCC would stop targeting enemy units in hexes with friendly units, which results in cancelled barrages and wastes the barrages for the turn. What the FSCC does is keep trying to target the same hex, with a continuous loop of targeting and cancelling instead of selecting another target. Sometimes I really need that artillery...

This was reported during beta and I'll remind the team. I also find it annoying!

[DIVM]

Maybe a points penalization (like doubling or tripling the penalty) for units killed by friendly fired would be an easy way to keep it constrained?

It's already constrained. You just don't do it. A real life Fire Control team would never consider dropping arty when there is a chance they will hit friendlies. Only Wargamers put a "point value" on lives.

I mean, sure, but to be fair the game allows for barraging to hell urban areas without any thought to civilian casualties. Not sure how "that wouldn't be a consideration" would be an argument here. My take on this would be allowing it when units are holding in a high %cover area, surrounded (several enemy units in the same hex) and can't put up a fight. Or, as way out of this, give the option to surrender the unit after some time... (the enemy is stuck there bc of it and being watched, while you can't shoot artillery or move the unit).

A thing related is that the fact of artillery barrage being cancelled when a friendly unit enter the target hex, make quite easy (too easy ?) to use artillery very close to your units. There is no risk of catastrophic mistakes.
You do not have to stop artillery barrage before assaulting a target with your troops

100% agree. Even though I did hit on occasion my own units when the sync went of for a minute (or I believe I did) and walked into a hex being bombarded by my own artillery, having a longer reaction time when friendly fire could hurt you would indeed keep things more real.


Probably this would be a subject for a separate thread, but a good and fairly simple way to include the "civilian" element into the game would be to keep some urban areas off-limits for artillery and air strikes (besides smoke/illumination). I guess the hexes could keep their visibility % the same, but reduce their cover % to both compensate the lack of artillery options and to represent the lower number of availble options for a full defense without risking the civilians there.