Matrix Games Forums

ok my infantry unit sees the oppenent infantry unit coming and fires weapons 1 and 2 (rifle and mg). at close range ive seen infantry fire all 4 slots (grenades and bazooka HE). BUT when a halftrack moves up to 2-3hexes away and starts shooting, why doesnt the infantry fire back to suppress with rifle/mg or how about the bazooka/pzfaust!?? is there something i need to do on my turn to get a better chance of firing those weapons?

what happens if i turn off weapons 1+2, will it fire 3/4 on opfire? what about a tank turning off the gun, will it fire the gun or mgs for opfire? thanks

They probably failed the experience check, if you turn off slots 1&2, 3&4 should be available to be used during op-fire, but don't forget to turn them back on when the opponents turn is over. During op-fire if you choose the right mouse button and or the ESC key, this may allow to save your op-fire for another more deadly unit that approaches.

Truckeye: The first thing you should know is that the AI tempts you to OP FIRE, it baits you with inf etc. and after all weapons have expended their ammo he then send in a heavy unit to mop up. Now if you shut any weapons off they will not op fire at all leaving you in a bad spot so to say. The best way I've found to get around this is set the range of the weapons to a low number (0 to max range) thereby not OP Firing and giving your position away when he baits you, you are basically waiting for a better Oportunity to get a kill. Mgs used for suppression fire should have a higher number unless you want an ambush. You can set any or all weapons to fire at any range (below max) you desire....Hope this helps:)

Why don't you set Opfire Confirm preference ON ?
You'll choose what to and when to fire, then: much simpler, no?

i should have been more clear. this is a pbem game. sorry.

What I suggested should work without problems in PBEM game.

I think Chief hit it on the head, the AI will try and bait you to waste your shots. Be patient, don't give in to first temptation wait for the best shot especially if you can see the deadlier forces approaching behind the inital units.

figured out part of the problem. crappy pzfst 30 range 1! cant fire at the halftrack at range 2-3. but would be nice to send some suppressive fire at it. seems vulnerable hits happen fairly often.

Originally posted by Truckeye
figured out part of the problem. crappy pzfst 30 range 1! cant fire at the halftrack at range 2-3. but would be nice to send some suppressive fire at it. seems vulnerable hits happen fairly often.

You really should consider setting opfire range to '1' or '0' for infantry units in an AT role (Engineers, Bazooka, flame squads, what-have-you).

This way, as Chief noted, your unit will only fire when it has the best chance of accomplishing something.

Setting range to '0' has the added benefit of saving that units shots for YOUR turn. Then you can decide, on your turn, what to shoot and what to avoid.

Another trick is to only fire the potent weapon (oh, like a bazooka). During your turn fire a 'selected weapon' ('c' key). A unit firing only a single weapon has a much lower chance of being spotted than a unit firing with everything they've got.

All this works equally well against AI or PBEM human opponents.

Thank you, Capt Pixel. I had not considered the reduced visability of the single weapon vs. all the weapons available. I'm about to go into an on-line game and that may be a useful bit. We have the Op fire selection off, and this may save both ammo and crew from being wasted.

Is there an advantage to turning down OpFire ranges against the AI, other than saving yourself a lot of right-clicking?

Apart from the obvious that if you don't fire you're harder to spot, yes. Accuracy and pen numbers improve as range decreases, so you hit more with less waste of ammo.

What I meant was, if you have the opporunity to fire but don't, do you become visibe as you would if you DID fire?

You shouldn't but it could also depend on the experience of the enemy unit whether they here the rustling in the trees or not.

keep in mind that when you range down a unit, and it is spotted and shot at anyway, the program moves the range back up to max, or what ever the range to the unit that shot at you is.
So if you move and want to stay hidden again, you have to reset your range. And on offense, if you are approaching a choice anbush site, spraying it with area fire will cause the ambushing unit to range up, and sometimes even blow the ambush.
T.

"Ah, to shoot or not to shoot,
That is the question."

A quote from Shaky S Peer, English Sniper at the battle of Den Mother.

I know its BAD, but I dood it anyways.

:rolleyes: :p

One german inf squad had at least 10 opfire opportunities... I had to spent resources of half of my army to crush that unit. My shermans just keeped firing wherever but not on germans, the inf squad precisely maneuvered between my units, making 10 square journey and then running another 5 into the forest when I tried to override them... wish I had the same kind of heroes in my army!

Lets say its a defend. I set my inf to range 3 my tanks to range 7 my anti tank guns to 7 mgs to 5 88s to max want them to fire at enemy as far away as posible then move as they get with in 20 to new loc. aas are at max to stop any planes coming in. 150 inf guns are at 15 to again hurt befcore gettinclose. Never op fire till the enemy is with \in those ranges. scouts and snipers and ops are always at 0 never op fire with them. On advances i double all ranges. seems to work for me. Never get suckered by inf are long range shots that way. My tanks and atnti tank guns are always ready for when he moves his tanks.

Is there a way to set an opfire range for all units of a type or do you have to change each one manualy?

Leave optfire OFF