Matrix Games Forums

Are units able to engage enemy contacts when they should not be able to know that the enemy is there ?

For example: an F16A (no Link-16) flies at 19000 ft below thick clouds with radars off. A few miles ahead of it flies an enemy a/c above the clouds. There is no AWACs in the air to communicate data about the enemy a/c to the F16A. Will the F16A acknowledge and execute an order to attack the enemy target, or will it engage offensive if in the context of a AAW patrol?

It would be a lot easier if you posted a save of that example. Otherwise everyone is guessing. The answer is generally no.

I don't identify an issue. It is a question about AI behavior that is important for planing decisions and my understanding of the limitations of the game

The F-16 will engage if any of your units (e.g. ground-based radar) has detected the contact, even if there is no communications link. It will not be able to fire until it has its own targeting solution. CMO does not model separate battle pictures for different units unless they go into the "no comms" state.

caelunshun wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 7:02 am The F-16 will engage if any of your units (e.g. ground-based radar) has detected the contact, even if there is no communications link. It will not be able to fire until it has its own targeting solution. CMO does not model separate battle pictures for different units unless they go into the "no comms" state.

Thanks for the clear answer. Appreciated.

caelunshun wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 7:02 am The F-16 will engage if any of your units (e.g. ground-based radar) has detected the contact, even if there is no communications link. It will not be able to fire until it has its own targeting solution. CMO does not model separate battle pictures for different units unless they go into the "no comms" state.

Correction on this: It does.

If you enable "Isolated POV" mode while having a unit selected, you can see what specifically that unit sees, which of its contacts are held by its own sensors (IIRC an extra square-caret is drawn around the contact icon) and which are known to it from external sources.

This functionality is present even when there is no comms disruption.

That is very very useful to know! I was not aware about this. I will try and understand the feature as suggested - and probably come back with more questions

Hmm, I've never noticed that happening but will try and set up a scenario where it works.

Dimitris wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 7:28 am

caelunshun wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 7:02 am The F-16 will engage if any of your units (e.g. ground-based radar) has detected the contact, even if there is no communications link. It will not be able to fire until it has its own targeting solution. CMO does not model separate battle pictures for different units unless they go into the "no comms" state.

Correction on this: It does.

If you enable "Isolated POV" mode while having a unit selected, you can see what specifically that unit sees, which of its contacts are held by its own sensors (IIRC an extra square-caret is drawn around the contact icon) and which are known to it from external sources.

This functionality is present even when there is no comms disruption.

Yeah, I haven't been able to find any evidence of this being modeled in the current version. In the below scenario, the F-16 has no comms device that would allow it to receive information from the E-3, but it still engages offensive on a target that only the E-3 detected. Also, in isolated POV mode, it still shows the target. Maybe CMO does have an internal battle picture for each unit, but it doesn't seem to be actually used or updated in the way I would expect.