Visibility

[WBWilder]

I've noticed something interesting in the scenario editor related to the units.

In the scenario editor I set visibility to 20. When I tested how far the A0 unit could see, it was about 30 hexes. I looked under information as to the unit and it says it has a visibility of 30.

Then I tried an infantry unit, grunts. They have a visibility range of 10.

How do these two coincide. That is, if the scenario allows
me to set visibility at 20, does that affect the units in the game or is their visibility already set in their data?

What is the relationship between the visibility of the scenario editor and the visibility allowances for various units?

WB

[Mobhack]

WBWilder said:
I've noticed something interesting in the scenario editor related to the units.

In the scenario editor I set visibility to 20. When I tested how far the A0 unit could see, it was about 30 hexes. I looked under information as to the unit and it says it has a visibility of 30.

Then I tried an infantry unit, grunts. They have a visibility range of 10.

How do these two coincide. That is, if the scenario allows
me to set visibility at 20, does that affect the units in the game or is their visibility already set in their data?

What is the relationship between the visibility of the scenario editor and the visibility allowances for various units?

WB

The "visibility" rating for units is night fighting capability. 40+ is thermal imaging, or GSR, an can see through smoke.

See:
Manual "unit Information Screen" link.
Mobhack Help - "units Tab" - Vision/TI/GSR paragraph.

NB - any vision ability will tend to see into smoke a little, so a unit with 30 vision may well be able to see a unit with say 20 in daylight smoke, without the 20 vision unit being able to reply. If it is not thermal imaging (40+) - this will be a hex or so, and it also depends on overall visibility.

When map (scenario) visibility is higher, then you can see into smoke a little more (smaller value smoke is less obscuring) and also deeper into tree-lines and so on. In other words LOS penetration into cover is slightly greater in higher (say 60 plus) sunny days than 20 or so claggy days. On really high visibility maps, you may find that tree lines along fields produce little "shadow" behind them, and you may be able to see 2 tree hexes into woods, possibly 3 into an orchard at the same level. Screw visibility down to 20 or so, and the tree line will probably block a lot more of the FOV, you will only probably see troops at the wood edges, and possibly 2 hexes into orchards (which represent also vineyards and similar).

You can experiment with this on a map - try really high (80 or so) and look at the lines of sight into woodland and throug trees, hedgerows and so on, and then screw it down to 20 or so and repeat the experiment.

Another thing - depending on scenario visibility, and desert, or others in high summer, you may get rooster trails from excessive vehicle movement on plain terrain, or only earthen roads, or only on both types of roads, if scenario visibility is high.

Cheers
Andy

[danstudentvcc]

Hello Mobhack.
Is there a limitation to Thermal imaging?
For instance will there be a properties change to smoke that is very high in temperature. Say a flamethrower cloud or partially combusted fuel?
Is there any artificial defense to thermal imaging?
For instance aircraft use chaff to break a lock from a SAM or similar weapon system.

danstudentvcc

[WBWilder]

Ah, that explains it. Makes perfect sense now...WB

[DRG]

danstudentvcc said:
Hello Mobhack.
Is there a limitation to Thermal imaging?
For instance will there be a properties change to smoke that is very high in temperature. Say a flamethrower cloud or partially combusted fuel?
Is there any artificial defense to thermal imaging?
For instance aircraft use chaff to break a lock from a SAM or similar weapon system.

danstudentvcc

Andy's away for a few days but I can answer this. No, there are no modifiers that alter Thermal imaging in the game. You cannot drop fifteen napalm strikes along your front line to prevent the other side from seeing though. The scale of the game assumes you will find a way to see though

Don

[Mobhack]

DRG said:

Andy's away for a few days but I can answer this. No, there are no modifiers that alter Thermal imaging in the game. You cannot drop fifteen napalm strikes along your front line to prevent the other side from seeing though. The scale of the game assumes you will find a way to see though

Don

As Don says - the game uses a simple "over 40 is thermal imaging". TI is "magic" and has no real limitations (e.g. desert days with limited heat differentials, obscuration by foliage, thermal bloom from flares and fires and so on).

Cheers
Andy

[serg3d]

If over 40 is thermal imaging, what is 50, which some modern armor have (Merkava 4) ? Is it ability to see into woods ? Or something more ?

[Mobhack]

serg3d said:
If over 40 is thermal imaging, what is 50, which some modern armor have (Merkava 4) ? Is it ability to see into woods ? Or something more ?

Over 40 is thermal imaging 50 is >=40 so it is "over 40". So thermal imaging.

50+ is usually GSR, the 50 in this case would therefore be a hiccup, but the points will have been paid for it.

Vision of 40+ sees through smoke. It has no flag to say whether it is anything specific, as already noted. It can be TI, GSR.



Cheers
Andy