60mm Mortar - Target Briefly

[GerryCMBB]

Hello All:

Set this command but the mortar (using direct fire) fired for the whole minute. It showed up 00:15 at the beginning of the turn so it looked like I had issued the command correctly. But it just kept firing.

Any thoughts,

Gerry

[skelley]

I have seen this too. I think as long as an actual spotted enemy, as opposed to area target, is in view of the mortars they will keep on firing.

[GerryCMBB]

That's a bummer. This is really the type of weapon it would be handy for as it can go through its ammo in a few minutes.

Does it work better with MGs and main AFV guns?

Thanks,

Gerry

[skelley]

My guess is with AFVs it works better, simply because if you send a couple 75mm shells at a target the target is less likely to stick its head back up to be spotted until next turn. Guess it would also depend on how accurate you fire was for the 15 seconds.

[mjkerner]

That's a bummer. This is really the type of weapon it would be handy for as it can go through its ammo in a few minutes.

Does it work better with MGs and main AFV guns?

Thanks,

Gerry

It is good to know Target Briefly doesn't work (apparently) in situations where you have direct LOS. But in situations where you do have direct LOS, use Target Light. It uses much less ammo, along the lines of Target Briefly.

[Erwin]

Just to confirm... If you TARGET LIGHT with a mortar in direct LOS of enemy, it doesn't merely use the troops' rifles?

[eltorrente]

Just to confirm... If you TARGET LIGHT with a mortar in direct LOS of enemy, it doesn't merely use the troops' rifles?

Correct.

It will fire the mortar slowly - maybe 3 rounds per turn or so. Unfortunately, your rifleman will also shoot at the area. Battlefront stated a couple days ago that they are going to address the rifleman also firing in a future patch.

[GerryCMBB]

I am sorry but I don't understand why the Target Briefly doesn't work for the mortar. When you tell them to fire for 15 seconds, why do they keep going. Even if there is an enemy in LOS. Seems like they are doing their own thing by continuing to fire.

Just trying to understand.

Gerry

[eltorrente]

I am sorry but I don't understand why the Target Briefly doesn't work for the mortar. When you tell them to fire for 15 seconds, why do they keep going. Even if there is an enemy in LOS. Seems like they are doing their own thing by continuing to fire.

Just trying to understand.

Gerry

Troops normally fire at targets that they can see, unless, of course there's a target arc preventing them from doing so. Issuing a target briefly command will negate a target arc, so after they are done targeting briefly, they see a threat in front of them and start firing on their own.

I think Target briefly is most useful for blasting away at an area - like a forest with troops that are hidden or something like that. If they are visible troops that aren't hiding, then I'd want to just shoot the bastards until they are dead or hidden from view.

[Collingwood]

Last night I used target briefly with a 60mm mortar, direct fire, twice. Each time only 1 round was fired - with decidedly unimpressive accuracy. Three minutes later the same crew fired directly on their own initiative, one round perfectly on target.

[akd]

Spotting rounds are still needed with target briefly (it is a normal target order that cancels after 15 secs, nothing else), so if your mortars have not previously fired on the location, you might want to give them a full turn of "target" to adjust fire, then follow with a turn of "target briefly" if more fire is needed.

[mjkerner]

Spotting rounds are still needed with target briefly (it is a normal target order that cancels after 15 secs, nothing else), so if your mortars have not previously fired on the location, you might want to give them a full turn of "target" to adjust fire, then follow with a turn of "target briefly" if more fire is needed.

Good to know. Thanks akd!

[Collingwood]

Yes, thanks akd that makes a lot of sense. What puzzles me is the OP saying the mortar fired for an entire minute. I wonder if they obeyed the 'target briefly' and then decided the target was enough of a threat to take matters into their own hands.

I have experienced that regularly - mortar crews are quite liberal with ammo, raining down death on even the most innocuous truck in the distance.

[GerryCMBB]

It was an infantry-rich target so it looks like they got excited.

Gerry

Yes, thanks akd that makes a lot of sense. What puzzles me is the OP saying the mortar fired for an entire minute. I wonder if they obeyed the 'target briefly' and then decided the target was enough of a threat to take matters into their own hands.

I have experienced that regularly - mortar crews are quite liberal with ammo, raining down death on even the most innocuous truck in the distance.

[black_prince]

If the mortar team was able to see the enemy being targeted I don't seen any reason why they wouldn't fire on the target of their own volition. If you want a unit to fire briefly at an enemy they can already see then you should give them a pause command and then add a waypoint with a target arc or hide command. Target briefly is more usefull for area fire.