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I was playing around with detection ranges for Spetsnaz recon infantry and noticed that an enemy ground unit could literally be on top of the unit with night vision, all the doodads and not see the spetsnaz recon unit. This is probably by design, since the detection ranges are WAY small, .0001nm from the front. Anyway, is the game saying that these units are basically invisible, as they should be, but there should be some way to see them? Not sure how, but curious if this was the intended game mechanic.

Thanks,

There are some recon units that are marked invisible in the DB. Some others that aren't. Up to the scenario designer to chose how he wants it played.

B

How would I see that Bart, in the DB that is? Is it on ballogan's website? Also, how would I change the visible setting via Lua for the specific unit? Aside from auto-aware or whatever that setting is called.

ORIGINAL: Gunner98

There are some recon units that are marked invisible in the DB. Some others that aren't. Up to the scenario designer to chose how he wants it played.

B

well... thats cool... i didnt know that...

It's in the name only from a quick look. There are others that are invisible as well. Baloogan has them but they don't come up as invisible in the overall list, when you drill down you see it. Anyway DB item 614 is an invisible recon unit. You can change it with Lua by switching it for another recon unit which is not invisible



EDIT: You can also tell because it has no signatures whatsoever, as opposed to the ones where you have .00001

B

Ok, thanks Bart.

The one I'm using is a Inf Spetsnaz Recon Section and it has a detection value of .0001, which is pretty small. I threw a bunch of Seals around them and they finally detected them, but the North Korean, PRC boys couldn't see crap!

The standard SpecOps infantry section with a visual detection range of 0,001 nm is not invisible, it is just very hard to detect. I've approximated detection range at 2m for each level of visual detection zoom level. Given that the best recon cameras have detection zoom 20, this translated to cca 40m.
I don't know if this detection range is too small or not, for a small group of (possibly camouflaged) operators.

I've found only one discrepancy - detection range does not change with target speed. An Inf Sec moving at 1mph has the same stealth as stationary unit. I think this behavior is currently modelled only for radar.

I believe it's meant as a work around to simulate special forces observations posts that remain undetected during the scenario, so basically the whole point of the small detection range is they remain invisible and aren't attacked or destroyed.

There are numerous examples of this in recent conflicts where special forces set up an OP and proceed to direct airstrikes, artillery and other forces onto targets but remain completely undetected, even when locals or the enemy have walked within a few feet of them and yet were completely unaware of their presence. Think of them like a sniper crawling around the battlefield using ghillie suits, camouflage nets and whatever cover is available to their advantage to remain completely concealed.

Without a complete and detailed ground combat model that takes into account things like movement, posture, ground cover, camouflage and a whole lot of other things, it is probably the best solution and an acceptable one as long as you don't try to frustrate yourself and defeat the entire purpose by trying to detect them.

The whole ground combat thing is gona be very hard to do I think.
The game will need to represent Division level and squad level I don't think you can represent the large theaters in the game without doing so.
Only way I see to do give each formation a frontage/radius that it represents and tally losses down to the individual soldier.
So when a squad size unit moves within the radius of the larger unit only a small portion of the larger unit(or maybe none of it) is engaged.
Figuring out the Sighting issues will be very hard as well.
Technically if a large formation holds a town a small SF squad should be able to infiltrate and have a chance to complete an objective within the town.
Perhaps the greater number of opposing troops within a radius, the more likely and greater number of troops will be engaged ?
Some glad I don't have to figure this one out
Will really change the game in a massive way however.
Imagine having to cover a helicopter insertion and extraction or having your battalions hold off an enemy until you can refuel aircraft and evacuate an airbase etc.