bjarmson

I'd like to understand the various AFVs better. What are their strengths and weaknesses? So explain which AFV you prefer and why you prefer it (more than one, if you have different favorites for different situations). I'll start. I prefer the Apollo 120mm for most scenarios (particularly if there is any space to maneuver). It's quick, so difficult to hit from a distance, yet can gobble up big distances in a hurry. The tracks are able to climb almost anything and it is hard to tip (except on low grav moons when firing to the sides-the recoil flips it over); also the tracks seem impervious to failure, unlike tires. It's front is fairly well armored, and if you can keep it facing an enemy (other than another 120mm or ATGM), it is difficult to kill before it kills its target. Finally, the 120mm gun has immense killing power, you can knock out anything with a single shot, providing you hit it in the right spot. The important thing to remember when using the Apollo is "keep moving" and try to maintain a good deal of separation from your targets. Your sides and back are vulnerable, so limit their exposure, if possible. It is particularly effective in the hunter-killer role, where its speed, maneuverablity, and killing power let it shine.

After further experimentation I've discovered it takes 20 rounds of 120mm HE and about 35 rounds of 75mm HE to destroy an AAD tower. The tower also seems to leave a large mound of debris that is able to tip over a Paladin if you drive by to close (though it doesn't seem to show up visually).

While playing the Archepelago campaign scenario, I had enemy units drive off the bridge (yet not be destroyed) and end up underwater on their sides. Thinking they had been counted as destroyed I finished up with the mission. When I realized they were not being counted as destroyed, I drove one of my vehicles into the water (a 20mm AFV) and shot them till my ammo was exhausted (they seemed to hit and explode, but to no effect). What's with underwater fighing? Doesn't it make sense that disabled AFVs underwater be considered destroyed at the end of a scenario? Particularly when there appears to be no way to kill them underwater. Also I've seen ATGMs being launched by underwater AFVs. Is this realistic? Ballistic rounds seem unable to penetrate water, even when the target AFV in only a few meters deep. What are the rules governing being underwater (given that the AFVs seem to have that capability)?

Possible bug. During some of the scenarios, I get floating, burning AFVs in the sky. Thought they were destroyed dropships at first, but they just stayed in the sky. When looked at with magnification, they turned out to be AFVs hanging in midair. In the Archepelago single player scenario many AFVs get dropped in the ocean for no apparent reason. This leads to AFVs spending a good part of the game underwater and being virtually useless. Dropships should be required to make their drops on land, except in unusual circumstanes.

I think the dropships come floating down a little to slowly . They need a little more speed and evasion to them. I find it unrealistic when a dropship gets killed by a 120mm round from a thousand meters away. What are the odds of this really happening. ATMs, automated guns, etc are different and should be allowed to kill them. In some of the scenarios with relatively flat surfaces (Craters, Low Dunes), it seems like about half the dropships are killed before landing, and a lot of them are killed by 120mms.

The low gravity thing is very interesting. If you watch carefully the front of the 120mm AFVs will lift right off the ground when firing. In fact, you should not fire to the sides, because you are likely to role your vehicle due to recoil (particularly the case with the lighter Apollos, but I've see Thors do it too). I've learned not to fire my Apollo at more than about a 20-30 degree angle, front or back. Nice touch of low grav realism.

Has anyone suceeded in actually destroying an ion/missile tower? In a recent territorial game I shot an ion tower at point blank range with 10 HE and 15 HEAT from a 120mm to NO effect. The manual (if one is to call the tiny booklet that comes with the game by such an exhalted title), infers they can be destroyed by HE fire. I have been unable to do any such thing. Is there some spot on the towers to aim at, or what? Is destroying towers a part of the game yet? Am I missing something here? [ July 15, 2006, 02:27 PM: Message edited by: bjarmson ]