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Almost everytime I get behind a bunker with an engineer he'll assault the bunker instead of using his satchel charges. I use to think that in a assault engineers would use there satchel charges, until finally I realized that they wern't, due to the amount that they had left after the assault. So finally before attacking a bunker i'd turn off all of there weapons besides the satchel charges, thinking that this would maybe correct the problem. But it didn't, and i'd then have to rally my suppressed engineers and try again. So whats going on? Do I have to really suppress a bunker before useing some sorta demolition?

I've had the same problem with engineers refucing to use their flamethrowers or satchel charges to assault some bunkers, nests or fortifications. I haven't gotten aroud to figure out why though.

Mormegill

You have to do the following:

choose your target first, by hitting the "T" key or the relevant button, and then selecting the wanted one.
Once the target is "aquired", click on "c" key or the relevant button and choose the weapon slot's number you want to fire.

That's all.

This system of course, can be used everytime you feel you need so.

Often, even when assaulting, units will still use satchel charges if they have them. However, the trick to assaults is the supression level of *your* unit. If it is 10 or below, from what I've seen, they will *always* assault. That makes sense, as an assault is not something a pinned unit can really do.

However, if your unit has a supression of 11 or more, they will use normal weapons. So, if you wanna do a non assault attack, use a unit that's slightly supressed. Overall, though, IMO, it's best to smoke and bypass bunkers, or use one engineer squad to assault it until you kill it. It's not worth stressing. Smoke and bypass.

Alex

Yes that is the best tactic. Smoke and pass on by. Come back when you have the time . But they are just sitting there waiting to die. The temptation to destroy is overpowering.[:@][:@]

To use the "c" key(weapons selection). You must have a shot available for the satchel charge. You can also use the "z" key to bombard with out assaulting.i.e. If your shots say 6.2.1.1 fer instance. You have 6 shots of the 1st weapon 2 of next and so on. If the Flamethrowrer is the #4 weapon and your shots say. 5.3.2.0 Then you have no flame shots but the unit wil assault using the FT anyway. You just can't use the "c" key

You can set up a permanent smoke screen with the "z" key (bombardment) and targetting the hex directly in front of the fort or cave or whatever it is, with a unit capable of using a flamethrower. The FT lasy a lonnnnnggg time. Beware of people (like me )[:D]who bail the crew and use small arms to attack your engineeers. If the fort is blinded, no one is going to stay in it.

The problem isn't with weapon selecting or choosing between assault or attack. The problem is that engineer somtimes refuse to assault with their flamethrowers and/or satchel charges. Heck, they even refuse to act as engineer and usually only get the 10% chance that their unit size gives, not anything extra for being engineers.
Example: Russian Steel 1.5 campaign - Tatshinkaya Raid. Engineers assaulting a fortification named as a Gate Checkpoint. The engineers haven't moved or fired previously in the turn and is totally unsupressed. The assault chance were 10%. Several rally and reassaults gave the same chance. A squad of Tankodesantnikis with the same status as the above engineers assaulted with their molotovs for a 90% chance. This in v7.1.

Now, they do behave as they should in most assaults. One idea that I do have is that the fortifications are changed by the campaign or scenario designer. They might have been based on something else than standard fortifications.

Mormegill

By using the "Z" key instead of "F", they will use that satchel charge.

Bel don't you mean "Z" key vice "X" (smoke) key ?

ORIGINAL: chief

Bel don't you mean "Z" key vice "X" (smoke) key ?

OOOPS. [:o] I'm so sorry, blame that one on a tired brain.

Edited the post, which makes your post a little bit more confusing, Chief. [:'(]

I always reduce bunkers with concentrated ATG (towed guns or self propelled guns) fire on them... I reserve engineers as AT infantry in ambushes or defences... Flamethrowers and Satchel Charges can do miracles agains a heavy tank [;)]

ORIGINAL: robot

Yes that is the best tactic. Smoke and pass on by. Come back when you have the time . But they are just sitting there waiting to die. The temptation to destroy is overpowering.[:@][:@]

Robot, you are so right about that last statement. Island hopping is one thing--leaving bunkers behind to wither and die is something else. After repeated island assaults, gaining experience and upgrading weapons, my Marines sometimes suffer from, uh, swollen cojones and, like their commander (ahem, me that is), just say, "There they are--let's smoke 'em and burn 'em out!" Break out the ol' corkscrew & blowtorch. In other words, the Chesty Puller approach. I was never a Marine, but I'm starting to think like one! [:D]

After having used "c" to fire an individual weapon, I do sometimes have problems to return firing normally. The unit continues to fire the weapon selected wiht c several turns ago (unless I select another weapon with c) and not all weapons. And, the turns to fire are consumed as if all weapons were fired.

Why's this (all the weapons are in range and have ammo)? Anybody noticed the same?