Best way to eliminate bunkers

[minefield]

That's what I thought too. I just ran a test in v8.3 with GE FT Engineers against a heavy fort, cave, etc. and they would not assault 'with flamethrower'. I do not understand it. Tried it with IT Flamethrower sections and got same result.

Of course you can always attack with any weapon with any ammo type by using C key.

If you run a test and get different results explain the setup and I will try to duplicate.

[minefield]

Ok so there is some other condition I missed. Low armored fortifications like log bunkers can be assaulted with flame thrower while heavy structures cannot.

More tests:
log mg yes
at pillbox yes
lt pillbox no
log rifle yes
mg nest yes
hvy pillbox no
gun emplacement yes
gun casement no
obs post no

Looks like anything with least base armor over 51 is not subject to flame thrower assaults.

[robot]

I dont understand what your saying either. I have assaulted all kinds of bunkers with target fire buttons and they always cycle thru using flame and mine. Also have used the c key for just the flame and it has always gone off except when heavy surpressed. And of course when they have run out of ammo they dont use it. My flame tanks also have always used there flame on all type of bunkers.

[minefield]

Ok let me start from the beginning. I reread my post and I believe I was pretty clear that I was talking about assaulting only. I am not talking about when you attack (cycle through weapons) or when you press the c key to attack with a certain weapon (to avoid triggering an assault). I am only talking about assault. Assault is when the animation plays, a sound plays, and you see a message in the lower right saying that the unit is assaulting.

Now if you have noticed these messages you will see that with the right conditions it will append the usual message so it appears as, "GE FT Engineer is assaulting Log MG Pit with flamethrower". What I was talking about in my post is when this occurs. I focused on this subclass of assaults because the evidence I found was in direct contradiction to MarkIV's statement that a failed assault doesn't use ammo. What I found was that any assault that has the 'with (weapon)' message uses up ammo. If it is a regular assault without the message indicating a weapon was used to bolster the attack or if the assault falters (no animation, no sound) then no ammo will be used as well.

Where I went wrong was in using only type of fortification in my testing. However I did learn something after FlashfyreSP pointed out my error and insinuated that I'm crazy. The assaults that are bolstered 'with (weapon)' are triggered when the penetration value of the weapon is sufficiently higher than the armor value of the target. The reason why this information is important is because in some cases you are better off using the c key to use the weapon in direct fire (pen higher than armor but not high enough for bolstering assault) rather than assaulting. If you are able to assault 'with (weapon)' your chances for success are much higher and assaulting might be preferred to direct fire.

For more information see http://spwaw.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4140 .

As always you can c key fire a select weapon. I never said you couldn't. As always, if you are pinned and next to an armored unit or fortification you are going to fire as you normally would rather than assault. If you are greater than one hex away the infantry will fire normally. Flame tanks aren't infantry, can't assault, and have nothing to do with what I said.

[robot]

SorrryI the way i got it was not about the use of the weapon in assault but that they didnt use the flame thrower at all on certain bunkers. My mistake. I have never looked to see what weapon goes off in an assault. It is always a big boom I just assumed they were using explosives and not the flame any way. And when they dont assault is usually because they are shaking in there pants and suppresion jumps up in the 20 something and it is a failed attempt.

I like taking on the bunkers so if i see them we assault them. And i try to use engineers for the job if they are close enough. They always seem to do the job some times not to well tho. Most of the time i let them assault but some time use the c key and the flame they carry. Just have never looked to see how they do it or which weapon.

[minefield]

Well no apologies needed. If I sounded remonstrative or angry, that was not the case. Any hostility was coming from another source I assure you.
I agree with you that there is a certain satisfaction in blowing those strongpoints sky high. If your engineer isn't spotted, has a weapon powerful enough to use against the bunker in the assault, and is ready, then his percentage could be as high as 80% (you might've seen some higher). However if he is out of ammo and spotted (usually the case after several assaults this round already), then his percentage could be as low as the number of men in the squad. When you are only seeing 8% chances to succeed, you might as well just use a regular squad or start c firing on it.