Combat Mission:Battle for Normandy question

[JudgeDredd]

Tanks with Smoke...how do you get them to use it sparingly?

My Sherman has 5 smoke shells. I want ONE to be fired at a location...so I gave it a pause command of 45 seconds and a Target Smoke command hoping at the very most, only 2 would be fired...but it started firing right away!

Any ideas on how to get it to fire one smoke shell? Seems incredibly wasteful to fire all 5 (which it did within a minute turn).

Ta

[Sir Slash]

When I want my troops to shoot sparingly, I give the "Target Light" command-- the 'Y' key. But I think the "Smoke" command cancels this out. I know of no way to just use a single smoke shell. You could try giving the smoke command to a point you want and a "Pause" command to wait 15 sec. and then a "Reverse" or other move command to where the target spot is out of sight. Might work.

[JudgeDredd]

Thanks

I did try a pause command and then a Target Smoke command - but it just fired right away. I don't want to make my tank go somewhere I don't want to just because I don't want to fire all 5 smoke shells.

That's a bummer. It does show the limitations of the system. I mean, I'm not bothered if I give a Target command and my tank fires for the entire minute. There's enough shells there to not worry too much about that...but smoke? I only have 5 shells. I don't need them all to be used at the same location.

So a Target Smoke command to fire just one shell would be welcome. Also, whilst I'm mentioning it, if I did want to fire all 5 shells, I'd likely want to do a linear spread instead of the same point...to maximise the limited shell use.

Oh well... :-\

[Father Ted]

JD - I think that the pause command only applies to movement, though others may know better.

Also, if I was to play Devil's Advocate, I would say that one smoke shell wouldn't have much effect, so you may as well fire all five.  Might explain why you can't limit 'em?  As to the linear spread, check the wind direction and aim accordingly.

[Pete Dero]

Thanks

I did try a pause command and then a Target Smoke command - but it just fired right away. I don't want to make my tank go somewhere I don't want to just because I don't want to fire all 5 smoke shells.

That's a bummer. It does show the limitations of the system. I mean, I'm not bothered if I give a Target command and my tank fires for the entire minute. There's enough shells there to not worry too much about that...but smoke? I only have 5 shells. I don't need them all to be used at the same location.

So a Target Smoke command to fire just one shell would be welcome. Also, whilst I'm mentioning it, if I did want to fire all 5 shells, I'd likely want to do a linear spread instead of the same point...to maximise the limited shell use.

Oh well... :-\

You could try this (posted on the Battlefront forums a few years ago)

Use the pause command.

For example:

Give the tank 20sec. pause and a fire smoke command.

Then a reverse command as close as possible with a covered arc....

He will fire smoke rounds for 20 sec. then go to the next waypoint which is on the same spot anyway so he will not move and stop shooting smoke rounds.


The pause command indeed applies to movement.  In this case it is used to delay the reverse command that will stop the smoke command.

[JudgeDredd]

Ok - thanks all.

Kind of makes sense now - but still a limitation imo.  O0

[Yskonyn]

AFAIK the smoke dispenser system on a tank was a one shot thing.
The smoke tech wasn't as sophisticated as later grenades and thus for it to have any effect you need several grenades to go off to get any kind of effect.

Historically German infantry was much less equipped with smoke grenades than US troops where ammo reserves were plenty usually. Just a sidenote.

[Boggit]

It's a pity there isn't a "fire briefly" equivalent for smoke shells.

I think you are correct that it is a limitation of the system, but I think Pete and Sir Slash have a good workaround to get the "right effect".

[Father Ted]

AFAIK the smoke dispenser system on a tank was a one shot thing.
The smoke tech wasn't as sophisticated as later grenades and thus for it to have any effect you need several grenades to go off to get any kind of effect.

Historically German infantry was much less equipped with smoke grenades than US troops where ammo reserves were plenty usually. Just a sidenote.

I think that firing smoke shells is not the same as defensively popping smoke.  JD's talking about throwing the smoke some distance from the AFV using the main gun.

[Michael Dorosh]

AFAIK the smoke dispenser system on a tank was a one shot thing.
The smoke tech wasn't as sophisticated as later grenades and thus for it to have any effect you need several grenades to go off to get any kind of effect.

Historically German infantry was much less equipped with smoke grenades than US troops where ammo reserves were plenty usually. Just a sidenote.

BFC noted in the original CMBO notes that infantry smoke grenades were usually used for signalling, not for tactical bounds. The array of small mortars (50 to 60mm) may have served that purpose instead.

[JudgeDredd]

AFAIK the smoke dispenser system on a tank was a one shot thing.
The smoke tech wasn't as sophisticated as later grenades and thus for it to have any effect you need several grenades to go off to get any kind of effect.

Historically German infantry was much less equipped with smoke grenades than US troops where ammo reserves were plenty usually. Just a sidenote.

I think that firing smoke shells is not the same as defensively popping smoke.  JD's talking about throwing the smoke some distance from the AFV using the main gun.

This.

It's a pity there isn't a "fire briefly" equivalent for smoke shells.

I think you are correct that it is a limitation of the system, but I think Pete and Sir Slash have a good workaround to get the "right effect".

Yep - thank you both.

But perhaps little "frustrating" things like this could be looked into. I mean, you can give multiple move commands....why not multiple fire commands.

Example...I click the Target Smoke button and I click the target area. I then do the same again...2 times, 3 times or 4 times. I might not. But if I do, I get multiple smoke shells at the places I want. If I don't, then I get one smoke shell. And ONLY do this for the smoke shells. All other target commands work as they currently do.

[Michael Dorosh]

I think that firing smoke shells is not the same as defensively popping smoke.  JD's talking about throwing the smoke some distance from the AFV using the main gun.

It's a pity there isn't a "fire briefly" equivalent for smoke shells.

But perhaps little "frustrating" things like this could be looked into. I mean, you can give multiple move commands....why not multiple fire commands.

Example...I click the Target Smoke button and I click the target area. I then do the same again...2 times, 3 times or 4 times. I might not. But if I do, I get multiple smoke shells at the places I want. If I don't, then I get one smoke shell. And ONLY do this for the smoke shells. All other target commands work as they currently do.

It may be a case of clunky UI, but I think it also manages to reflect the 'reality' of the situation. A single player giving commands to multiple sub-units will always have an advantage in being able to coordinate his own activities. His transport will always arrive exactly where he wants it to, when he wants it to, a tank 500 metres away from an infantry squad will telepathically know when the squad is advacing and needs cover fire, etc.

It could be argued that allowing greater fire control would only further give the player advantages the real life counterparts the game is portraying never had.
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[PanzersEast]

I played the demo of CM:BfN last night and have to say I really enjoyed it.  I am strongly considering picking it up now.  Playing on Veteran I barley squeaked out a victory and on higher setting it was tough going.  Being the attacker there were some tough decisions to make as I had to keep moving...... can't turtle and SMOKE is your best friend.  I thing the UI is fine, however the camera seemed a little wonky at times.


PE

[Father Ted]

I thing the UI is fine, however the camera seemed a little wonky at times.
PE

You can use different modes for the camera (under options from the main screen).  I use the default, but you may find that that "RTS" or "FPS" mode might suit you better.  Note that the latter is not you assuming the viewpoint of one of your pixeltruppen, merely moving the camera with mouse-and-keyboard as you would in a FPS.  My technique with the default settings is to use the mouse to get around the battlefield quickly, and then fine-tune movements with W,A,S,D,Q,E keys, plus the up and down arrows.

[Yskonyn]

^ I do exactly the same.

V-key to quickly turn the camera around 180 deg to see 'what the enemy might see' is very valuable at times as well.