Target Briefly and mortars

[Baneman]

Having used this order to good effect from some stationary tanks, I gave such an order to an on-map mortar.

I expected them to get off one, maybe two rounds - seemed a good way to get "harassing fire" without blowing through the ammo load.

Well, they did nothing for the 15 seconds of the timer ... then they commenced firing and sent off 8 rounds before the end of the turn.

Possibly I've "created" this effect if the 15 seconds isn't long enough for them to lay the mortar on target ( although they've fired at that location before - which is probably why they fired so many rounds in the 45 seconds ), but then I would hope they wouldn't fire at all

[stikkypixie]

Yes, I have noticed this as well. I wish this could be changed.

[GerryCMBB]

I have also seen this. I started a thread on it a while back. Someone thought it might work OK as area fire but when there is a target they might keep firing. I didn't want that as I wanted to save ammo for later.

Gerry

[WriterJWA]

I've seen it go both ways. I've given Fire Briefly orders to sixty crews only to have them do nothing, and then the next time they blow through 45 seconds of ammunition. I hate assuming, but I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with whether or not the crew can get the spotting rounds on target withing the 15 seconds.

That said ... mortars in direct fire are WAAAAAY too quick to blow through their ammo at targets in LOS. I've had to have crews take down the tube to get them to stop firing.

(.... user-defined SOP's would solve this, Battlefront.)

[thejetset]

There was a thread. I think the conclusion was that mortars can't "Target Briefly" on targets that they can see directly. However, I'm not sure why. Maybe the AI takes over and decides to unload on the visible target.

Team BattleFront - Will this be an issue that is addressed in a future patch?? Or is it something that is buried deep down in code and would be a major overhaul to fix??

[womble]

There was a thread. I think the conclusion was that mortars can't "Target Briefly" on targets that they can see directly. However, I'm not sure why. Maybe the AI takes over and decides to unload on the visible target.

Well, in another thread about setup times, it takes about a quarter of a minute from the mortar's state changing to "Deployed" to first round fired. So if "Target Briefly" doesn't let them target for at least that long (or maybe less if the unit is better trained or led, I dunno, just guessing) it seems logical that they won't fire.

As to them firing off a good wodge of their ammo, I would guess that there's a "Unit of fire" that they'll shoot, assuming they start shooting before the "Target Briefly" command expires.

One way to apply some control to the rate at which they fire is to use "Target Light" for direct lay shooting. An 81mm gets around 3 rounds per minute off at that setting.

[slysniper]

I have not noticed this, likely because I have been playing the Italians, so I just let them little HE chuckers go since they have about 50 rounds and it takes a dozen rounds to do anything anyway.

But since this is the case, the old method is still in order.

just pause them and then fire after the pause or fire them with the pause, then assign a move command after that to get them to stop firing.

maybe not perfect, but there is ways to get that short volley.

It is to bad the command does not work.

So far, I am not impressed with that command. It would be better if it let you select the time, just like you do with pause.

15 seconds is not enough time for many things. For tanks that likely is only 1 round. I would like 3 rounds, not a ?? as to how much time it might take to get my tank to fire 3 rounds.

So in other words, the command would let you request how many rounds to fire.

So the mortar has 10 rounds, I want the crew to fire 4. now that would be nice.

BF likely thinks that would be giving us too much control. Bull.

If a crew in battle has 10 rounds, they will do just what I want to do, they will fire what they think it will take to kill the target, then stop, wait and see if they need to fire more.

[Baneman]

Sorry, I didn't see the other thread, I only found the one about tanks and TargetBriefly.

In this case, Womble, the mortar had been deployed for several turns already, so I didn't think there would be any explicit delay.

Unfortunately, it appears that Target Briefly for mortars is the same as Pause 15 seconds.

I hope it can be addressed or at least explained more precisely how it works.

[eltorrente]

Don't bother with Target Briefly - use Target Light for mortars.

I use this all the time. Target Light area fire fires about 3 rounds or so every turn. Ammo lasts a long time, and you can cause a lot of damage. After each turn, adjust aim slightly and keep up the fire as long as they are still alive.

Also, it's best to use Target light area fire rather than targeting an enemy directly. You don't want to stop shooting because they lost sight of the enemy when he cowers behind a wall or something. Also, if he loses sight of a specific target while targeting light, then he sees someone else (ANYWHERE else), he'll start shooting full speed and burn through his ammo quickly - because you lose your target arc as soon as you issue a target command. Best to just area fire when direct firing.

I rarely use normal Target anymore, unless the target is juicy and fleeting.

[Baneman]

I never realised Target Light for Mortars meant they actually fired the mortar. I assumed it was "use other weapons than the main one" - that's how it seems to work for everything else.

You live and learn, I guess, but why have an exception to the rule, just for mortars ? Seems odd.

[womble]

In this case, Womble, the mortar had been deployed for several turns already, so I didn't think there would be any explicit delay.

Aye, understood. I suspect that there's a "sighting" delay whenever anything with a "screw thread" sight begins addressing a new target; it certainly makes some sort of sense, to me.

[eltorrente]

I never realised Target Light for Mortars meant they actually fired the mortar. I assumed it was "use other weapons than the main one" - that's how it seems to work for everything else.

You live and learn, I guess, but why have an exception to the rule, just for mortars ? Seems odd.

Keep in mind that the mortar crew will also fire their rifles if they can see the target - both with target and target light. For this reason, it's best to area fire just behind an obstacle or wall or whatever. Mortars can target JUST out of LOS, which enables them to hit behind walls and bushes and stuff, down a slope, etc, and when you do that, the rifleman can't see the target so they'll stay quiet.

[MikeyD]

The last time I targeted briefly with a mortar they got all of one round in the air - but they weren't targeting identified units. Mortar teams definitely have a mind of thier own, you tell them to do one thing, they decide on thier own to do something else instead, then eventually return to the original orders. Really, its partially our own fault. If we're foolhearty enough to put our mortars within LOS rifle range of the enemy they start thinking about self preservation instead of the mission.

[Baneman]

Hmm, in my case, the mortar was area targetting about 350m away. No incoming.

[slysniper]

Don't bother with Target Briefly - use Target Light for mortars.

I use this all the time. Target Light area fire fires about 3 rounds or so every turn. Ammo lasts a long time, and you can cause a lot of damage. After each turn, adjust aim slightly and keep up the fire as long as they are still alive.

Also, it's best to use Target light area fire rather than targeting an enemy directly. You don't want to stop shooting because they lost sight of the enemy when he cowers behind a wall or something. Also, if he loses sight of a specific target while targeting light, then he sees someone else (ANYWHERE else), he'll start shooting full speed and burn through his ammo quickly - because you lose your target arc as soon as you issue a target command. Best to just area fire when direct firing.

I rarely use normal Target anymore, unless the target is juicy and fleeting.

Ecxcellent tip - this is one I sure did not know, cannot wait to give it a try.

[slysniper]

they decide on thier own to do something else instead,

That is not just mortar crews. lately I have been running a bunch of bad luck with units making all sorts of decisions that make no sence. From tanks, to half tracks , to whatever I am playing with.

I hardly ever saw a unit disobey my commands, untul lately. I have seen more than I want to, not only disobey, but no logic to them and cannot figure out what might have triggered them. So the mystery of playing the game, it is odd at times.

[thejetset]

Don't bother with Target Briefly - use Target Light for mortars.

I use this all the time. Target Light area fire fires about 3 rounds or so every turn. Ammo lasts a long time, and you can cause a lot of damage. After each turn, adjust aim slightly and keep up the fire as long as they are still alive.

Also, it's best to use Target light area fire rather than targeting an enemy directly. You don't want to stop shooting because they lost sight of the enemy when he cowers behind a wall or something. Also, if he loses sight of a specific target while targeting light, then he sees someone else (ANYWHERE else), he'll start shooting full speed and burn through his ammo quickly - because you lose your target arc as soon as you issue a target command. Best to just area fire when direct firing.

I rarely use normal Target anymore, unless the target is juicy and fleeting.

Wow. This is a great tip. I will play around with it tonight. I've had some successes with the "Target Briefly" command with mortars. (mostly with targets that they already had dialed in) .... but I've had many more failures with "Target Briefly".

I'd never used Target Light with mortars assuming that it just turned the main gun off.

[womble]

In case you mortar-heads missed this thread:

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=106327

Mortars in direct far are currently magic superweapons.