Arty Efectivnes and Z-Fire

[Dion]

This subject is very intriguing to me. I didn't know MGs produced indirect fire. Is that statement correct? If it is, it must be abstracted, because you can't fire over intervening obstacles like you could with regular artillery.

[Mobhack]

Direct area fire is what they produce. Which is an HE effect on all troops in a hex, the same as indirect fires. But direct area fire needs LOS (though since I changed the rules in the DOS days, Z fires can fire beyond current visibility levels, unlike with the original SSI game).

Ball ammo is "HE" in game terms.

So, nope - you cannot fire over a hill or woods etc. Unlike reality - long range indirect fires with e.g. Vickers guns was a thing. They were used especially in WW1 to produce "steel rain" on enemy trenches and rear areas. But really only useful for harassing and interdiction level fires. Not worth the effort of writing code for, though perhaps if you made a Vickers gun an infantry gun class it might be plottable - or not, if the existing code invalidates smaller warhead sizes (or any AAMGs etc on SP guns would join in the bombardments?).

[Dion]

Having MG fire produce an HE effect without the explosions sounds realistic to me, because it simulates the effect of a spray of fire throughout the hex, which something what a MG does. I don't think creating "steel rain" is very important, because I feel its suppressive effects wouldn't be any different from what suppression from direct fire weapons already produces.