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| + | '''Smoke''' from a variety of sources is common in combat. |
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| + | == Sources == |
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| + | Smoke can be placed on the battlefield from a number of sources: |
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| + | * Smoke shells can be direct fired by most howitzers and guns 60mm or larger, using the [[Target Smoke]] command. |
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| + | * Smoke shells can be indirect fired by most guns capable of it, via the artillery interface. |
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| + | * Many infantry units carry smoke grenades which can be thrown a short distance. |
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| + | * Many vehicles had smoke grenade launchers or smoke pots, which were used to quickly lay a smoke cloud in front of the vehicle to hide from an unexpected threat. |
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| + | * Explosions (from HE shells or cookoffs) create clouds of smoke and/or dust. |
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| + | * Burning vehicles cause a smoke pillar. |
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| + | There are two main kinds of smoke shells represented in CMx2: a normal smoke round, and white phosphorus (WP) rounds. The normal smoke rounds hit the ground and burn, releasing smoke from a point source. |
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| − | Chad Harrison gives his results on SMOKE rounds in CMBN: |
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| − | + | White phosphorus rounds contain a small bursting charge which scatters many small fragments of white phosphorus; white phosphorus spontaneously burns in the presents of oxygen. White phosphorus smoke is preferred for two reasons: the resulting smokescreen forms almost instantly, and the burning fragments themselves are dangerous to any infantry they hit. In CMBN, white phosphorus seems to generate smoke more quickly, and it lasts longer. |
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| − | *Do not assume that all Shermans have WP - in reality only the M4A3(75)W Early and Mid have them, all other Shermans (including 105's and 76's) have normal smoke rounds. The M8 HMC also has WP, as does the US 81mm (on-map or off) and offmap 4.2in mortars. Everything else, including all German rounds, are normal SMOKE rounds. |
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| − | *In CMBN, WP is definitely deadly, as it should be. Dont overlook those shells in your Shermans. In my quick tests, I was seeing casualties against prone, hiding troops in the open up to 125m away. |
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| − | *In CMBN, normal SMOKE is also deadly - at times it appears more deadly than WP. Even against prone, hiding troops in the open, normal SMOKE rounds were also causing casualties up to 100m away. And these are instant casualties - not from moving from the smoke or prolonged exposure to the smoke. |
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| + | All units in the game which fire smoke rounds have normal rounds, or WP, but not both. Only a few American units fire WP smoke rounds: |
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| − | After this quick test, I wonder if there is a bug with how normal SMOKE is working. For instance, make a quick test and drop a single 105mm artillery normal SMOKE round in the middle of about 100 dispersed men moving in the open - so this is not some extreme test where you have 100 guys stuffed into two action spots. A realistic, dispersed skirmish line of squads and support troops. A single 105mm normal SMOKE artillery shell lands somewhat in the middle of these moving troops with the following results:<br />1 KIA (brown base), 6 WIA (red base) and 4 light wounds<br />And that was not one squad that it landed on top of. One of the light wounds was 130m away. I can imagine that a 105mm artillery shell of *any* type would cause all sorts of rocks and debris to go flying in every which direction, and any of these could be lethal to exposed troops. So I do agree that some casualties could be possible from normal SMOKE rounds. But up to 130m away? Didn't troops follow 100m behind a rolling HE artrillery barrage?<br />Anyways, as it stands right now, keep the following in mind: |
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| + | * M4A3(75)W Early and Mid |
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| + | * M8 HMC |
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| + | * 81mm mortar (on-map or off) |
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| + | * 4.2in mortars |
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| + | All other smoke in the game is normal smoke (whether shells, mortars, grenades, or smoke pots). |
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| + | == Effects == |
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| − | 1. Not all smoke rounds are WP. |
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| + | The main effect of smoke is to obscure [[line of sight]]. With line of sight obscured, units cannot do targeted fire, nor is there any way to plot new [[area fire]] commands "into" the smoke. Thus, units behind smoke are nearly totally safe. |
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| + | A player can plot [[area fire]] at action spots which will become obscured by smoke, and any such fires will continue even when the smoke has obscured the targeted action spots. Thus, if you want to give suppressive fire through a smoke screen you know is coming, get your fire support elements to start area fire before the smoke screen is laid. It is also possible to start suppressive fire after the smoke screen has been laid if you give the orders in advance. Keep your fire support units back with the [[pause]] command and give them a [[move command]] (and eventually a [[deploy]]) and, by selecting the end point of the command, a [[target]] (or [[target light]]) command to the action spot where you want suppressive fire. This order sequence must be given before the smoke screen is laid, but it will be executed after the smoke screen has obscured the target if properly timed with the pause command. |
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| − | 2. Both normal SMOKE rounds and WP rounds cause casualties - lots of wounds of all types, not just one guy dropping. Up to over 100m away. Do not fire anywhere close to your own troops, especially large artillery smoke. |
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| + | Other than sight obscuration, there is no effect of any kind of smoke on any units which move into it, or which it drifts over. |
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| + | As of CMBN 1.00, both types of smoke shells had significant damaging effect, as if they were a high explosive shell which also causes smoke. See this [http://www.battlefront.com/community/showpost.php?p=1283117&postcount=22 post at the BF forums] by Chad Harrison. (It is expected that WP smoke should cause casualties, but not normal smoke shells. So this may have been fixed in 1.01; this needs to be tested.) |
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| − | I tried to find in the manual different commands for poppning smoke or WP (if available), but found none. Is it basically situational and decided by the TacAi which to use?<br />No vehicle or artillery asset has both normal SMOKE and WP - they have one or the other. So if you use the TARGET SMOKE command, they will fire whichever one they have - SMOKE or WP. If you use the POP SMOKE command, that is the various smoke mortars, smoke pots, or smoke handgrenades that units have - there is no danger to anyone from the POP SMOKE command. |
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| + | |||
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| + | [[Category:Concepts]] |
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| + | [[Category:Rules]] |
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| + | [[Category:Tactics]] |
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Latest revision as of 18:43, 9 December 2011
Smoke from a variety of sources is common in combat.
Sources[]
Smoke can be placed on the battlefield from a number of sources:
- Smoke shells can be direct fired by most howitzers and guns 60mm or larger, using the Target Smoke command.
- Smoke shells can be indirect fired by most guns capable of it, via the artillery interface.
- Many infantry units carry smoke grenades which can be thrown a short distance.
- Many vehicles had smoke grenade launchers or smoke pots, which were used to quickly lay a smoke cloud in front of the vehicle to hide from an unexpected threat.
- Explosions (from HE shells or cookoffs) create clouds of smoke and/or dust.
- Burning vehicles cause a smoke pillar.
There are two main kinds of smoke shells represented in CMx2: a normal smoke round, and white phosphorus (WP) rounds. The normal smoke rounds hit the ground and burn, releasing smoke from a point source.
White phosphorus rounds contain a small bursting charge which scatters many small fragments of white phosphorus; white phosphorus spontaneously burns in the presents of oxygen. White phosphorus smoke is preferred for two reasons: the resulting smokescreen forms almost instantly, and the burning fragments themselves are dangerous to any infantry they hit. In CMBN, white phosphorus seems to generate smoke more quickly, and it lasts longer.
All units in the game which fire smoke rounds have normal rounds, or WP, but not both. Only a few American units fire WP smoke rounds:
- M4A3(75)W Early and Mid
- M8 HMC
- 81mm mortar (on-map or off)
- 4.2in mortars
All other smoke in the game is normal smoke (whether shells, mortars, grenades, or smoke pots).
Effects[]
The main effect of smoke is to obscure line of sight. With line of sight obscured, units cannot do targeted fire, nor is there any way to plot new area fire commands "into" the smoke. Thus, units behind smoke are nearly totally safe.
A player can plot area fire at action spots which will become obscured by smoke, and any such fires will continue even when the smoke has obscured the targeted action spots. Thus, if you want to give suppressive fire through a smoke screen you know is coming, get your fire support elements to start area fire before the smoke screen is laid. It is also possible to start suppressive fire after the smoke screen has been laid if you give the orders in advance. Keep your fire support units back with the pause command and give them a move command (and eventually a deploy) and, by selecting the end point of the command, a target (or target light) command to the action spot where you want suppressive fire. This order sequence must be given before the smoke screen is laid, but it will be executed after the smoke screen has obscured the target if properly timed with the pause command.
Other than sight obscuration, there is no effect of any kind of smoke on any units which move into it, or which it drifts over.
As of CMBN 1.00, both types of smoke shells had significant damaging effect, as if they were a high explosive shell which also causes smoke. See this post at the BF forums by Chad Harrison. (It is expected that WP smoke should cause casualties, but not normal smoke shells. So this may have been fixed in 1.01; this needs to be tested.)
Smoke grenades do not cause casualties or suppression.