The "infantry problem"

[varangy]

ORIGINAL: nikolas93TS

Current infantry speed is in line with military average. When it comes to sprint standards, with or without 16kg of equipment, 60m in 8sec and 100m in 12sec is both reasonable and essential in combat. Translated to speed, that is anywhere between two and three times faster than current infantry maximum speed.

Maybe, once we are done with spotting rework, we can see how to improve infantry tactical combat. Maybe if infantry unit gets under fire while moving, it can sprint up to two squares, then it will have a slowdown period before it can do it again. The issue is how to implement this without having player micromanaging or having new commands, and how distance to the next waypoint will influence this.

New spotting chance will be increased, but there will be no Borg spotting, but it is too early for me to say how this will influence infantry combat. Maybe some kind of "cowering" will be needed.

Thank you for working on this.

My opinion on the speeds is that it should be rather realistic than "gamey". I think infantry shouldnt be able to keep fast speeds for a long time. they should become winded, so implementing a tiredness value that changes the movespeed would be fine. This would recharge when they stop.

the other thing is they should really be able to hide and take cover for example in buildings from small arms fire. While they take cover, they wouldnt shoot back of course.

[nikolas93TS]

Fatigue is already implemented, and units can get winded and tired. But this is not evident unless they have marched for some distance or are under heavy duty.

Increased infantry flexibility is certainly needed.

[JamesHunt]

Infantry is definitely somewhat on the less-use side in AB

[jason oates]

In other games Infantry once spotted, disappear rapidly and are very deadly when they are un-suppressed and in close proximity to armour. In order for Armour to overrun Infantry They had to call in suppressive fire or do the job themselves while maneuvering for an assault. In AB that would require more combined arms co=operation which might not be a bad thing rather than unloading every available weapon at a single Squad. (we were trained to direct appropriate fire at a given target for suppression and to prevent the enemy from returning fire or tactical movement and to retain the bulk of ammunition for the assault.) Infantry should be more ghost like. I hope that helps the debate.

[RockinHarry]

Got to agree with most the mentioned issues here. To me main annoyance is units giving up on ordered engagement ranges when receiving any direct enemy fires. After these resets to MAX(H) and MAX(S) units not just keep selecting unwanted return fire targets, they also forfeit a chance to regain hide status again. Any newly ordered engagement ranges get overridden again instantly. From this point battles go out of hand entirely, unless one gives up selected defense position without real needs.

I hope AB V2 will then provide some better solutions and SOP´s. RE engagement ranges I´d also wish for sectored areas and not full circle ones. Selectable threat engagement/reaction SOP would be another nice one. The current SOFT - HARD distinction needs more granulation, as is selection of ammo to use. No need to waste any AP rounds on thin skinned vehicles, when HE does just as well.

[83Reforger]

My argument would be that organic infantry shouldn’t be there anyway unless they have ATGM capabilities. The Russians seemed to use their forward infantry in that capacity… organic infantry, or infantry armed with standard weapons, were typically with an armored vehicle or followed closely with its BMP’s and BTR’s.

US Army FM 17-15 calls out that any infantry seen in an enemy forward lead element is most likely ATGM equipped and is a direct threat to the crew/tank and therefore should be destroyed ASAP.

[83Reforger]

I’ll also add that your Cav Scout recon element would typically spot enemy tanks, quickly and briefly engage, and then hastily retreat to allow MBT’s to engage. The recon element would then engage with ATGM’s if the unit was still viable.