Op fire filtering

[rfisher]

I've only just started dabbling with this feature, and I can see that it is very powerful, but consequently I find it a little overwhelming in how detailed it can be. It has been around for a while now, but I don't remember seeing it discussed much before.

Therefore I was just wondering if anyone out there was willing to say how they use it? (or if they don't why not)?

Cheers!

[Imp]

90% of the time there is no need to use it the standard game filtering is pretty good..
Exeption is I nearly always try to buy ATGMs seperatly as a section & set for them.
Reason not good vs soft targets & only a few shots.
So one slot is set
With vs soft range 4 vs infantry range 3.
Other uses
You only really need to do if the situation arises dont go mad setting everyone.
Infantry in ambush with long range RPGs set armour engage range to 4-6 instead of 10 to increase hit chances if need to.
Armour sometimes usefull in open like dessert to restrict infantry engage range so they dont get distracted.
If short on stuff that can kill his can set minimum armour so ignore APCs remembering to leave someone to shoot at them.
If your opponent has gone helo mad switch off AA fire on some tanks so they do not give position away.

Basically set for ATGMs at start & for the odd unit as needed to suite the situation.
If you are playing someone who uses silly tactics like running jeeps APCs helos round to draw fire this is when you set it & give them a nasty surprise.
Several people over use setting everyone, this often works in your favour letting you do silly things so dont as not as flexible as standard routines.
Its very powerful if used right but can get you in trouble if abused, bonus over using the Y key to set ranges is unit is highlighted (text in yellow I think) so can remember to switch back if want to.

[gila]

Originally Posted by rfisher

I've only just started dabbling with this feature, and I can see that it is very powerful, but consequently I find it a little overwhelming in how detailed it can be. It has been around for a while now, but I don't remember seeing it discussed much before.

Therefore I was just wondering if anyone out there was willing to say how they use it? (or if they don't why not)?

Cheers!

I never used this feature.
It's mostly a stealthy tool for small unit's,
i'd rather turn off some main weopon's on armour when getting low on ammo,until a better shot.
Or turn off long range rifles or smg's on an AT team to keep them stealthy for example.
A hidden MMG can mess up your opponents plans,
Never deny an op fire when in good position and in range and not moved,because enemy can come in range whenever

[Imp]

Never deny an op fire when in good position and in range and not moved,because enemy can come in range whenever

Thats exactly why you use it instead of turning the weapon off.

It's mostly a stealthy tool for small unit's

Not really assume you are talking turning down range here.
For infantry only real time I use is if want to engage armour at shorter range but infantry at normal range.
For armour is when you use it the most.
A platoon of say 4 tanks in diffrent situations if need to do the following.
Minimum armour set above APC or IFV level for 2 tanks
Now 2 engage everything & 2 engage tanks only.

Facing nearby infantry with tanks in support set 2 to ignore the infantry so engage vehicles others leave or set to engage infantry only.

In rare cases can set overwatch hex I dont bother with as have to reset when move but can be handy at times.
Assume set tank to just fire at near targets so protecting itself but you have seen a threat somewhere. Place the overwatch & select to cover that threat in that area only.

Its like the Y key you dont use it much but it can setup a situation.

[gila]

Guess i'm just speaking in terms in having not to bother with all that mess, i think just got blindsided by technolgy

[gila]

Maybe also a good reason to drift away from MBT getting too complicated

[Imp]

Maybe also a good reason to drift away from MBT getting too complicated

Thats why I only use it & Y key if needed who wants to micro manage their units I like the fast pace of SP & the normal routines of the game are good enough to cover most situations. Its one of the things that elevates it above most games.

[rfisher]

It does feel almost a little too fiddly, but I'm finding that being able to stop my tanks shooting at distant infantry, or wasting valuable ATGMs on light vehicles is often worth the effort.

Just to be clear, am I right in thinking that I don't have to specify a target hex? I can just use the filtering on its own, and only use the target hex and radius option if I want to be really specific?

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by rfisher

It does feel almost a little too fiddly, but I'm finding that being able to stop my tanks shooting at distant infantry, or wasting valuable ATGMs on light vehicles is often worth the effort.

Just to be clear, am I right in thinking that I don't have to specify a target hex? I can just use the filtering on its own, and only use the target hex and radius option if I want to be really specific?

The target hex is there for specifying an ambush. e.g. you are only interested in overwatching what is coming out of the road from town, say. I can't say as I have ever really used the overwatch hex feature other than testing the code worked (but some folk will love it to death).

The normal range is a circle round your unit, just like for the Y key. It is the only range I use in practice.

The ambush would be to have the circle round own unit very small (self protection only), and the circle round the target area of interest reasonably so. Idea being to shoot the units that fit the criteria in the overwatch circle only. Too much bother (to me) to set that up in a one-off game. However - likely it could be very a nasty, horrible tool for a scenario designer with a cunning imagination to lay out a defensive trap! .

I find it most useful to set up the 3 filter policies in e.g. my Iran v Iraq long campaigns.

Iraqi target vehicles can be split by threat:
1) Highest priority - T72. Nasty things, in this time-frame!. Set any TOW and Chieftains to engage these. (Front armour 30+)
2) Medium priority - T55s and similar. Set lesser medium tanks and Dragon teams, 106 RCL jeeps etc to deal with these. (Front armour 15+)
3) Light junk - PT76, APC, scout cars. Let your Scorpions, M41, Foxes deal with those. Front armour 1. (Perhaps initially set to front armour 3 to prioritise any BMP that appear and ignore BTRs)
4) everyone else - leave as standard

So I set up the 3 filter buttons for each scheme first, and then assign each platoon in my army by type the appropriate firing scheme "policy". The only thing that differs in the 3 schemes really, is the frontal armour filter - Infantry and AT weapon etc opfire engagement ranges are the same (~500m for infantry as nasty little RPG-7s can be lobbed that far).

Cheers
Andy