Range Circles

[postfux]

I guess this has been brought up before but I am new to the game. The range circles seem to show a wrong (greater) range than they should.

The black range circle seems to be the extended range while the red range circle has no meaning at all since everything between black and red is out of range. Setting max range to normal range draws the blue circle at the black one, but the true max range is now shorter.

Is there anything that can be done about that? Thanks for your help.

[Trugrit]

The black range circle is never extended range it is always normal range.
The red range circle is the limit of extended range. Extended range is between the black and red circles.

The text on the air group display means the maximum player set range the air group will fly to.
This is for setting the air group under max range. The air group will default to extended range.
Setting air group range to max sets the group to extended range which is the maximum attack
range possible.

The air group will not fly out greater than the set range (blue circle) unless you order it to strike a target beyond this range; then they will ignore your range settings and go there if they can out to extended range.

Note that in this example if the maximum range is set to 4 the blue circle and the black circle will be together.
When set this way the air group will not attack an enemy task force outside the blue circle.

[Alfred]

There is nothing to be done, because you have misread what the colours mean.  Refresh your memory by reading s.2.5.4 of the manual.
 
With the aircraft range circles toggled on (short cut key F#):
 
Black = squadron's aircraft model's designed normal range for operations
Red = squadron's aircraft model's designed extended range for operations
Blue = squadron's aircraft model's player selected range limit for operations
 
It is therefore quite incorrect to state that
 
"the red range circle has no meaning at all since everything between black and red is out of range"
 
as aircraft can and do fly operations beyond the red circle and up to the black circle.  Furthermore I draw your attention to s.7.2.4 of the manual which outlines certain actions which can be undertaken beyond the black circle range.
 
Alfred
 
 
 
 

[postfux]

Thanks for your helpfull answer. This confirms my suspicion about how the system should work (as well as giving me lights up about the meaning of the reduced load).

My problem is that i cannot target ahm targets between the black and red circle because they are out of range. Mouse hovering and hex counting confirm this is in compliance with the ranges as given in the unit data.

I tried out setting max range from extended to normal range. That brought the blue circle from the red one back to the black one as expected. Now I did choose a target within black (and blue circle) which was valid but did reset the max range to extended range.

I will backup with a screenshot if and when I find out how to do.

[postfux]

Thanks for helping but I dont think I am guilty of premature posting (at least I hope so). Please see my other reply as to the nature of my problem.

Edit: To be clear, the black circle marks the extended range as given in the unit data.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: Trugrit

...The air group will not fly out greater than the set range (blue circle) unless you order it to strike a target beyond this range; then they will ignore your range settings and go there if they can out to extended range...

Technically they have not ignored the player selected range settings.[:)]

The player determined range settings are meant to tell the AI the area within which it will look for an automatic target selection. When a human specifies the actual target, the AI will attempt to fly to that destination. If in doing so that causes the air unit to exceed it's currently human selected range, the game automatically resets the range in order to comply with the human's intent. After the mission is completed that turn the AI reset range does not default back to the original range on the following human orders input phase.

It is simply your friendly AI trying to accommodate it's human master's muddled orders.[:)]
Alfred

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: postfux

Thanks for your helpfull answer. This confirms my suspicion about how the system should work (as well as giving me lights up about the meaning of the reduced load).

My problem is that i cannot target ahm targets between the black and red circle because they are out of range. Mouse hovering and hex counting confirm this is in compliance with the ranges as given in the unit data.

I tried out setting max range from extended to normal range. That brought the blue circle from the red one back to the black one as expected. Now I did choose a target within black (and blue circle) which was valid but did reset the max range to extended range.

I will backup with a screenshot if and when I find out how to do.

What is your target? Have you read s.7.2.1.7.1 of the manual? Enemy Task Forces can never be selected as a target by a human.

Alfred

[postfux]

I am happy for anything the AI is doing to clear my undoubtly muddled commands.

I will try a different approach:

Are the bases in Guadalcanal (at least the closer one) to invade in the Scenario within normal B17 range from Noumea.

If yes I will be silent in shame. If no the range circles are wrong.

[Alfred]

Time for the penitant's garb to be displayed in church in shame.[:)]
 
Noumea to Lunga is a distance of 22 hexes.
 
No B-17 model has a normal range of 22 hexes.  Only the B-17D, which was deployed to the Philippines in December 1941, has an extended range of 22 hexes.  The other Flying Fortress models have an extended range of less than 22.
 
All these aircraft ranges can be seen in the ingame aircraft database.
 
Alfred  

[postfux]

No Sir, I may burn on the stake but wont take back what I have said [:)].

The first base is displayed as being in normal range and is acceptet as target, while the second one is displayed as being in extended range if my memory is to trust.

I started to wonder (and count) when i got told targets within the red circle are out of range getting the result that the black circle shows extended range and the red one is beyond extended range.

[HansBolter]

As Alfred has pointed out you can't hit the Canal from Noumea with B17s no matter the model.

To hit the Canal you need to develop Luganville to handle 4E squadrons.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

As Alfred has pointed out you can't hit the Canal from Noumea with B17s no matter the model.

To hit the Canal you need to develop Luganville to handle 4E squadrons.

Will add, although it is not clear this is in play here, that the size of the AF the bombers are operating from can prevent extended range operations.

[postfux]

Since I am already in the process of making a complete fool of myself or perhaps have already passed this point I dont care anymore:

How can I make screenshot?

I will bring proof of some strange rangecircles or of my lack of sanity as soon as I am at home.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: postfux

Since I am already in the process of making a complete fool of myself or perhaps have already passed this point I dont care anymore:

How can I make screenshot?

I will bring proof of some strange rangecircles or of my lack of sanity as soon as I am at home.

Many ways with add on programs.

Easiest way with OS is to hit Print Screen button.

Image is saved to clipboard.

Open Paint.

Paste image.

Save as .jpg.

PS....in fairness to the OP he may be seeing a graphics glitch of sorts I have noticed in the past.

I have played on quite a few different platform builds and I swear that on some of them the range circles didn't display properly.

I didn't always get properly centered circles like the example shown above. My circles were often times off center creating a confusing image of the range.

[Trugrit]

I think what to OP wants to show is this. Graphics glitch.

I did not know he was in the Guadalcanal scenario. Some of the small scenarios are a little strange.
I think because of the boundary clip the range circles are not always in the right place.

The B-17E shows 19 normal but the range circle shows about 22 on the map.

[postfux]

That was exactly what i saw. Made me wonder because the normal range was about fitting with the extended range from the plane data.

Btw it is not only a problem in the small scenario. Midway is nearly in the reach for B17s from Pearl Harbour (no pictures allowed for me since I am too junior to play with the grown up).

I am playing on a laptop, guess I have to live with it.

Thanks to all for the input. I am happy to have found a great game and a nice forum.

(Had to google "OP", was a relief to see it has nothing to do with my mental state [:)])

[HansBolter]

OP:

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

As Alfred has pointed out you can't hit the Canal from Noumea with B17s no matter the model.

To hit the Canal you need to develop Luganville to handle 4E squadrons.

Will add, although it is not clear this is in play here, that the size of the AF the bombers are operating from can prevent extended range operations.

Pretty much this... if you don't have a big enough airfield to handle the full operations of a bomber, the game won't let you set a target outside of Normal range.

Although that seems not to be the case here.

[postfux]

Thanks for the hint, but my problem evidently is only an error in the graphic representation of the radius.

If I got my maths right I need level 5 for the B17s, making Noumea adequate. I just bombed the hell out off the miserable guys opposing my invasion on extended range.

Since there are so many helpfull veterans involved it might be allowed to ask some other newbie questions:

When there are several groups on an airfield by clicking on the airfield symbol a menu pops up showing the # of supported groups and planes. This menu is missing when there is only one group at the airfield. Is there a workaround?

How is the # of groups already present on a certain airfield calculated? Seems way too low in many cases. (Hope this is not in the manual, but I dont have it at hand)

[postfux]

[:)] So there is another meaning to Opie. I will stick with the Sons of Anarchy (no picture allowed).