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Does smoke adversely affect units in the same hex? I ask because in a recent game my opponent called smoke onto his units effectively making the invisible to my non-thermal equipped units.

Yes it does.

Thanks for the response but because of my poorly titled question I'm not sure if you are saying that smoke gets in your eyes; adversely affects units in the same hex; or both! What affect if any does smoke have on units in the same hex?

I could be wrong, but I think it affect the unit trying to see into that hex and not the unit in the hex trying to see out.

That's what I thought, and it is a great tactic for units equipped with thermal sites. It almost makes them invulnerable to anything but artillery.

DukeBannon wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 8:18 pm Does smoke adversely affect units in the same hex? I ask because in a recent game my opponent called smoke onto his units effectively making the invisible to my non-thermal equipped units.

it does, a slightly impact

see here.
Before smoke and after smoke
That make sense, and I would argue the penalty should be slightly more serve. Because the AFV in 80era don't have CITV, ( The Commanders Independent Thermal Viewer )

so instead of the whole crew team conduct search & spotting, now you have only the gunner can look through the smoke.





Also, please note non-TI equipped units los will not be blocked if it is sit on the same hex with the smoke screen

DukeBannon wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:04 pm That's what I thought, and it is a great tactic for units equipped with thermal sites. It almost makes them invulnerable to anything but artillery.

Amen to that!
remember how you lost one of the T-64B in CMCW PBEM ? I dropped a smoke screen then drove my M60A3 TTS behind it.




In FCSS smoke will also protect units from artillery, because there is a significant difference on Arty PoK for spotted units and unspotted units.

As a note with the arty, even if unspotted due to smoke, the target unit will still suffer a readiness drop from the attack.

Thanks everyone for your responses. This is very enlightening. This is a HUGE advantage for units with thermals which I assume is reasonably correct for the time period.

I'd like to hear of tactics others are using to mitigate this advantage?

DukeBannon wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 2:40 pm Thanks everyone for your responses. This is very enlightening. This is a HUGE advantage for units with thermals which I assume is reasonably correct for the time period.

I'd like to hear of tactics others are using to mitigate this advantage?

I think it’s just lots of artillery/air strikes and using covered approaches as much as possible.

BRM with its GSR can detect the target behind the smoke.
And if you need to take a critical position that cover by NATO units and smoke, then you have to tolerant huge loss and rush the units through the smoke.

Smoke between units has full effect. Smoke in the target location or in the firing location has a reduced effect.

The CITV is accounted for as a separate sensor.