Burning Vehicle Smoke

[Quintus Sertorius]

I'm just wondering why the black smoke from burning vehicles isn't treated more like the smoke from shells and mortars. I know it shouldn't be exactly the same, but it's kind of strange to see a nice-looking veil of white smoke from mortars drifting with the wind while nearby vehicle smoke rises straight up in a perfect column.

FWIW, burning buildings with drifting smoke would be pretty sweet too.

Thanks.

[A Canadian Cat]

Not sure what you mean exactly. Check this out:

The smoke from that burning Stuart is sure blow'n in the wind.

[MikeyD]

I don't think people assign high wind in scenarios much. Just for gameplay sake it messes up your zook shots and disperses your popped smoke too quickly. Yes, that's all a valid parameter for a tactical situation but that doesn't make it any less annoying. Like playing an overcast moonless night in heavy rain is a valid tactical situation too. My 'tactical decision' is to stay home and wait til daybreak.

[para]

I have mentioned this before too.. The black smoke for me seems a little unnatural and either up,left or right.It would be better imo if it drifted aimlessly a bit more

[John Kettler]

Quintus Sertorius,

In still air, you should see both brewed up vehicles and WP smoke pillaring. Wind at various levels would then tend to alter the smoke column accordingly, but I doubt the meteorological modeling is that detailed.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Vinnart]

For smoke I highly recommend Aris's smoke mod. It is one of his best. Check it out.

[A Canadian Cat]

For smoke I highly recommend Aris's smoke mod. It is one of his best. Check it out.

Totally agree - the screen shot I posted is using Aris's smoke mod.

[Childress]

I know it shouldn't be exactly the same, but it's kind of strange to see a nice-looking veil of white smoke from mortars drifting with the wind while nearby vehicle smoke rises straight up in a perfect column.

Because, given the fuel component, it's heavier?

[womble]

Because, given the fuel component, it's heavier?

I think the heat of the smoke source is a better explanation. There's a column of hot air rising over a burning vehicle that's absent when it's a smoke round that's making the obscurant.

[Wicky]

I agree - burning vehicles should act more like smoke screens for a while till they subside to how it's now depicted - shame we don't don't have burning buildings though when they do collapse they let waft a a semi-persistent low level cloud of dust.

Burning vehicle 1

http://wodumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/A-protester-walks-past-a-burning-vehicle-during-a-protest-strike-paralyzing-the-southern-Yemeni-city-of-Aden-on-April-9-2011-as-protesters-kept-up-the-heat-on-President-Saleh-to-step-down.-AFPGetty-Images-960x666.jpg

Burning vehicle 2 (very similar to as is)

http://www.thenational.ae/deployedfiles/Assets/Richmedia/Image/GOT21_LIBYA-_0320_11.jpg

[Quintus Sertorius]

Quintus Sertorius,

In still air, you should see both brewed up vehicles and WP smoke pillaring. Wind at various levels would then tend to alter the smoke column accordingly, but I doubt the meteorological modeling is that detailed.

I've been playing with a moderate wind (I forget the exact term used in the editor) which wafts the WP smoke in a nice leisurely fashion and creates a very effective curtain to obscure vision (especially if you drop a line of mortar shells parallel to the vector of the wind), but the black vehicle smoke appears to rise in perfect vertical columns.

I'm no expert on smoke, but I've been around my share of fires, I guess, and I've definitely seen thick black smoke roll across the ground in waves due to wind. Variable wind with changes in direction is even more exciting. That would actually be a great addition to the game, IMO, or at least something to consider.

I also use Aris's smoke mod, which is indeed spectacular. Even the largest smoke and dust clouds -- like those from a rocket artillery barrage -- look great.

[Michael Emrys]

Variable wind with changes in direction is even more exciting.

I saw an interesting example of that today. There is a paper mill on the outskirts of my town and I happened to be riding towards it. It puts out a considerable cloud of condensed water vapor and smoke, and for the first 300' the wind was blowing it towards the north, but above that level the wind was blowing it back towards the south.

Michael

[Quintus Sertorius]

Just to correct what I said previously, I loaded up my scenario again and the smoke columns do indeed have a slight lean in the direction of the wind -- so slight I hadn't noticed it until I examined them very closely. Still, the black columns look very strange next to other types of smoke and dust.

[Paper Tiger]

Hmm. Where can I find Aris' smoke mod? Sounds good.

edit to add: heh. Just found it!