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Yes, maybe we should draw up a list of Top Flubs.

It comes on a little white card with a big red circle & slash saying if you are Noob, then read this for your own safety and the lives of those whom you command!

ORIGINAL: MarkShot

[]... if you are Noob, then read this for your own safety and the lives of those whom you command!

Or like ... [:D] "READ this, if you're just another Lt. Dike!"

I sometimes use the fire command for anti-tank guns with HE and infantry guns for direct fire interdiction missions along known or suspected routes of enemy advance when I know the enemy must be advancing up a road in confined terrain especially when artillery assets are unavailable, out of range, or otherwise occupied.  

So, with regard to MarkShot's original question does anyone else use 'fire' for the same purpose as I describe above? It seems to me that the intention of the command is to direct flat trajectory HE firing units with LOS to target an area like one would with bombard. Considering that we don't target individual units the 'fire' command seems best left to the AI when it comes to small arms... Any thoughts? To be honest I have little proof of the effectiveness, though units moving through the direct fire seem to be weakend; just another facet of this game the seems to makes sense when applied from the real world? 

Hi all,

I'm on the same page as you emerson......... and I've no proof of it's effectiveness either.
Certainly I've never noticed any (significant) increase in the yellow/red fire streaks but that needn't be a reliable indicator either. Maybe Arjuna could weigh in??
Would be a nice command for targetting units rather than an area on the map though........

Rob.[:)]

ORIGINAL: Deathtreader

[].... and I've no proof of it's effectiveness either.
Certainly I've never noticed any (significant) increase in the yellow/red fire streaks but that needn't be a reliable indicator either.

I've seen a significant increase, (red tracers), when the command was issued to AT guns firing at enemy tank units, and at inf guns firing at enemy inf. I've even used this method for AA (40mm), heavy flak and arty units. Those heavy flak units are some evil tank busters, and they use to rock for a while if firing at enemy tanks (well, until they get shred to pieces by the tanks, hehee).

You can tell that the engine wasn't developed to simulate tank warfare, though.... I'd love to see the historic abilities of let's say tanks or 88mm flak implemented in the game:

If operated by experienced crews, 88mm-Flak units in North Africa could kill enemy tanks at ranges of up to 1800 meters. The Flak's optics/gun sights and gun specs actually allowed for scoring hits at that range.
Tiger tank crews practicing on shooting ranges were required to hit a given target with their 4th shot - at distances from 1300 meters (1421 yards) to 2000 meters (2187 yards), and could even hit a stationary target (i.e. artillery) at 2800 meters. Well, if they had a clear LOS... they then elevated the gun gradually (in 300 meters increments), to hit with the 3rd - 5th shot.

Anyway, maybe I'm just seeing things, but to me, it looked like it actually did make a difference, if enemy units were close enough (range rings) and if my units had a clear LOS. Sometimes, my units wouldn't start to fire (like madmen) before the enemy hit let's say a distance of 400 meters or even less, well according to the tracers at least. But it seems like some tracers aren't rendered for whatever reasons (ie. AA), because I came across situations where I "fired" at charging enemy units (with my AA unit), without any tracer being rendered, but with the enemy units retreating after a while. I could rule out the possibility that these enemy units may have received fire from other friendly units, as they were seperated, and there was no friendly arty mission available.

ORIGINAL: GoodGuy

You can tell that the engine wasn't developed to simulate tank warfare, though.... I'd love to see the historic abilities of let's say tanks or 88mm flak implemented in the game:

If operated by experienced crews, 88mm-Flak units in North Africa could kill enemy tanks at ranges of up to 1800 meters. The Flak's optics/gun sights and gun specs actually allowed for scoring hits at that range.
Tiger tank crews practicing on shooting ranges were required to hit a given target with their 4th shot - at distances from 1300 meters (1421 yards) to 2000 meters (2187 yards), and could even hit a stationary target (i.e. artillery) at 2800 meters. Well, if they had a clear LOS... they then elevated the gun gradually (in 300 meters increments), to hit with the 3rd - 5th shot.

This is almost off-topic, in the wrong forum, or something. Still, as to the substance of what GoodGuy is saying, I have to agree with him.

I make that comment because it appears that towed, unarmoured anti-tank guns are at a terrible disadvantage when engaged by any manner of anti-personnel fire, at any range, optimal, or otherwise. Conversely, weapons like the Flak 36 don't APPEAR to use their armour-piercing capability on enemy AFV until the range is within 1500m, or so.

The 88mm was the nemesis of the Matilda I/II. However, in CotA, its vulnerable to just about every anti-personnel weapon in the game, including those of the A12, at ranges well beyond those which the 88mm is programmed to shoot back. Because of this, the Flak 36 woefully under-performs in it's anti-tank role, even against vehicles armed with the 2-pounder.

If this has been rectified in BftB, then I salute you.

I thought for sure I posted on this thread... hmm. Goodguy's thread on IG's made me revisit it.

Anyway, I use this command quite a bit, mostly with the German IG's. It seems to be the only way to get some results from these guns besides being chewed up as cannon fodder. Even so it seems to be very selective when firing at a target you select; if the LOS is even slightly impaired then you will be lucky to see it lob 1 shell over a 10 minute period.

Either way, I'm suprised others don't use it as much. Personally, I don't trust the AI to pick all the best targets with all the best weapons (in-game use of the FlaK 88 is a good example) and I appreciate having some control.

Well actually, the use of supporting weapons has been improved with BFTB. They will drop off earlier and provide more fire support in the attack now.

I've never used the command. However, I presume you target a patch of ground.

If this is the case, an obvious use is firing at an area you believe the enemy may be in, but can't actually see (perhaps it's dark, or the unit is in cover). If you can supply some suppression, units that may be able to ambush or otherwise disrupt your activities could do less damage.