Vehicle Breakdowns

V-man · Post by **V-man** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 1:55 am

I like using this feature, but it seems, in my WW II campaign, like it happens all too much to me and I NEVER "come across" an enemy tank that has suffered a breakdown.

In my campaign, I have two full companies of Shermans, augumented by one M-36 Tank Destroyer in each platoon, plus a a platoon of Mech Infantry attached and a Mech Infantry Company separate. I nice combined arms battalion, with a company of Mech Engineers attached.

I see, on average, in a 15 turn game (I rarely take more to beat the Computer), five breakdowns.

Isn't a that a bit high?

V-man

RichardTheFirst · Post by **RichardTheFirst** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 2:13 am

Maybe you are moving too fast or through bad terrain or both.

Go to help and find what is the key for terrain.
There you can find which terrains are worst for breakdowns.

V-man · Post by **V-man** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 2:28 am

Originally posted by RichardTheFirst:
Maybe you are moving too fast or through bad terrain or both.

Go to help and find what is the key for terrain.
There you can find which terrains are worst for breakdowns.

Well, i dunno about going to fast through the wrong terrain, it just seems to me to be a bit one-sided. I have no problem when crossing rough or crater terrain that it happens, but going down a clear slope?

And as I said, I *never* come across broken down enemy tanks. And I'm seeing a LOT of tigers and Panthers and Mk IVs, I *know* they are crossing cratered terrain, I ensure to make a bunch for them to cross.

RichardTheFirst · Post by **RichardTheFirst** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 2:47 am

Well, I don't remember to see brokendown AI controlled units either except for some that crashed against buildings.

But the AI in average moves the vehicles slower and maybe he chooses the terrain better...

Voriax · Post by **Voriax** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 4:52 am

Originally posted by RichardTheFirst:
Well, I don't remember to see brokendown AI controlled units either except for some that crashed against buildings.

Well, yesterday I finished a scenario (north of Psel) that had one enemy T-34 immobilized in the middle of the road..and I didn't fire at it. And 3 T-34's stuck in mud/flooded...so yes, AI controlled tanks break down too.

Btw, I had 3 breakdowns in 30+ turns that were 'honest' breakdowns, not ones caused by fleeing into building.

Voriax

Voriax · Post by **Voriax** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 4:54 am

Originally posted by RichardTheFirst:
Well, I don't remember to see brokendown AI controlled units either except for some that crashed against buildings.

Well, yesterday I finished a scenario (north of Psel) that had one enemy T-34 immobilized in the middle of the road..and I didn't fire at it. And 3 T-34's stuck in mud/flooded...so yes, AI controlled tanks break down too.

Btw, I had 3 breakdowns in 30+ turns that were 'honest' breakdowns, not ones caused by fleeing into building.

Voriax

Khan7 · Post by **Khan7** » Sat Jan 19, 2002 3:32 pm

I dunno, I get nagging feelings like that too, Velovich, but my general rule for them is that I'm wrong. It's really easy to get into the mental cycle of thinking that an annoying feature is "one-sided" and the AI isn't suffering from it. But I can't remember the last time one of these paranoid hunches of mine turned out to be substantiated. So I generally ignore them.

Matt

Capt. Pixel · Post by **Capt. Pixel** » Sun Jan 20, 2002 1:33 am

I'd say the rate of immobilizations seems about right. We actually have it pretty good compared to real-world commanders. At least our forces arrive at the battlefield initially. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

I've never noticed the AI getting any particular breakdown advantages (although his terrain always does seem to be smoother, higher, downhill and more defensable than mine!)

I've had modest success keeping my movement below maximum and avoiding high breakdown terrain. Trucks seem particularly vulnerable when off the road. Huh! Go figure.

I also seem to experience about a quarter to a third of those 'movement-caused' breakdowns will be repaired by the end of the game.

kkb66 · Post by **kkb66** » Sun Jan 20, 2002 3:31 am

Speaking of one sided breakdowns...Soviet tanks blast through hedgerows and brick walls...one breakdown out of a dozen. I send seven tanks through hedgerows and I GET SIX BREAKDOWNS?!?!
Has anyone else had this happen to them? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

richmonder · Post by **richmonder** » Sun Jan 20, 2002 4:10 am

Afraid the breakdown thing is something we have to learn to live with - I as well as others have expressed their sorrow and concern, but...

Anyways, I don't think you'll see the AI armor suffer from high-speed breakdowns too often due to their slow advance rate, but you will see terrain breakdown (mud, forest, rough). As for the walls and hedges, forget it. I am clueless in that regard and don't know what is actually happening.

RichardTheFirst · Post by **RichardTheFirst** » Sun Jan 20, 2002 11:36 am

There was a thread about 2 month ago about breakdowns against walls and hedges and it was very interesting, if someone wants to see this issue in more detail.