AI Mech Infantry Assault - AFV/IFVs

[shahadi]

I'm moving the discussion of AI mechanized infantry assault to this TO&E thread from Campaigns, Scenarios, & Maps as it appears to me, at least that my understanding of the AI and unit classes is not sufficient to model an AFV unit that can fire HEAT at ranges up to 1000m at non-vehicles targets in support of advancing infantry.

I have used the Syrian OOB003 as a base since I'm authoring the Red Line Syria series depicting a USMC BLT in a fight against a Syrian brigade. I modified the BMP-2 (unit 60) setting the Carry Capacity to 0 (in the Editor), increased Fire Control to 30, Range Finder to 22, Stabilizer to 5, Vision to 40, Radio to 91, and Speed to 6 (to match speed of Mech Infantry, in the Editor.) Four BMP-2s supporting Mech Infantry section x3, PKM MMG team x2, and a AGS-17 GL team assaulted a USMC infantry platoon.

The BMPs from a starting position 200m behind the Mech Inf sections, advanced towards an objective protected by USMC Fire Team x4, SMAW team x1, USMC FO x1, M240 MMG team x2, USMC Pl HQ (the A0.) However, the BMPs did not fire on targets until within 300m.

I changed the Unit Class of the BMP-2 from APC to, MBT, CS Tank, Medium Tank, and a host of the various clones without the BMPs firing at ranges in the 800-1000m. They continued to fire at close ranges within 250 - 350m. I noted this behavior with the 30mm AC at 40 HE or the 7.62 CMG at 120 HE as the main weapon. I concluded the main weapon HEAT loadout was not a factor.

But, I noticed the AGS-17 team did fire from ranges around 800m. So, I changed the Unit Class of the BMPs to 7 and they did fire at ranges between 800 - 1000m. However, this Unit Class must be hard coded as the Survivability is set to 0 and the icon can not be changed, as I tried to do in Mohack and in Scenhack. So, back to the CS Tank.

In the Game Guide, from patch 5.5 it reads: "Reaction fire with HEAT being used as HE against non-vehicle targets was previously restricted only to close range targets (about 250 metres). Now, units will occasionally reaction fire HEAT as HE out to longer ranges of 1km (20 hexes). This is especially likely for the CS-Tank classes." However, this has not been my experience using the AI to assault. Reaction fire did occur in cases of the infantry, MG, and AGL units at ranges up to 700m and higher for the AGL unit.

Suggestion: A tweak of the Tank, Armored Car, and Medium Tank Unit Classes, and in particular CS Tank classes would give AFV/IFV units a better infantry supporting model where HE fires occasion at ranges up 1km. Or, review the GG HE reaction fire routine to enable the CS Tank classes, at least, to lay HE fires at non-vehicle targets as discussed in the GG as noted above.