Views, LOS, and unit placement

[Imperial Sardaukar]

Okay... here's one of my biggest difficulties in the game at the moment --- controlling the view. Often times I'll get units in a certain position to cover a particular avenue of approach only to realize that they've got a major blind spot and would've probably been better off on a more-exposed but better LOS position.

My preferred view is they typical RTS-style view, zoomed out with as much of the battlefield in view to get a "big picture," kinda like pre-set view 5. However, I realize now that this has major drawbacks. I would fail to see the terrain elevation changes or appreciate LOS, say over a ridge or between a hedgerow and a building. I'm still finding my way around the pre-set views (1-9) but I was wondering if there was an easier way to "get a feel" of the eye-level battlefield?

My most common method **was** to put a waypoint then make a cover arc, but I realize that the arc is just an arc, it doesn't tell me whether the units can see over an elevation-change terrain feature, such as a small hump in the road or a dip over a field. Watching the Armchair General vids, I realize I should be using the Target command, but feels odd having the line originate at the current unit location but have the calculations done from the waypoint location. This also makes it difficult for me to determine just where the LOS gets "cut off" due to the elevation change.

So, my questions for the more experienced wargamer are:

1. Which views do you use the most?

2. What is the best way to determine LOS or field of view of a particular position?

3. When placed near a useful terrain feature like a ridgeline, will tanks and infantry automatically use that feature for cover/hull-down?

[c3k]

Use TARGET at the last waypoint and sweep it around the areas you want to cover. It gives real LOS information, and the you can delete the line.

[Lt Belenko]

Use TARGET at the last waypoint and sweep it around the areas you want to cover. It gives real LOS information, and the you can delete the line.

Just to clarify:

Use TARGET at the last/ANY waypoint and sweep it around the areas you want to cover.

It gives real LOS information from the selected waypoint, even though the line seems to be coming from initial unit location, and the you can delete the line (cancel the targeting).

[agusto]

So, my questions for the more experienced wargamer are:

1. Which views do you use the most?

2. What is the best way to determine LOS or field of view of a particular position?

3. When placed near a useful terrain feature like a ridgeline, will tanks and infantry automatically use that feature for cover/hull-down?

1. I spend most of time during the command phase on the lower camera levels. For determining an infantry units FOW, i go down to the eye level (lowest camera position). I then use the 'Target' command and the zoom function (x/c) to determine LOS/LOF. For vehicles like Panzers, i use the second lowest camera position ( i dont use the number keys but the mouswhell instead) because that position is at the same height that the vehicles turret is (usually. turretless german TDs are different).

2. The 'Target' command and going down to eye-level with the camera.

3. No. They will only do what you tell them. A way that works rather well to determine if a certain tank will be in hull down at a certain spot is to go to the second lowest possible camera poistion (again, i am usng the mouswheel, dont know where the keyboard commands have their lowest position) and then use the target command and the x/c zoom keys (with zoom i mean zoom, not height control).

EDIT: To get the big picture you mentioned, i watch the movie during the replay phase at least one time on maximum camera elevation.

[womble]

One way I've started using to find good LOFs (it's not perfect but it works a lot of the time) is to plomk a waypoint somewhere that I can definitely get LOS with the "Area Target" tool to where I want to be able to shoot, plunk down an "area target" to that spot, then move the waypoint around to where I think I want to shoot from. This will show me what is in the way, because the target line is maintained, even if the LOS is blocked from where I thought I was going to shoot from. This can either inform me where I need to alter my intended shooting position or to give up on that targeting assignment for that unit, bearing in mind always that the LOS is to the ground at the target point.

If you're trying to shoot something that's just on a "reverse slope", according to the target tool, you can sometimes try setting a target on a point beyond your hoped for target, then eyeball how the line clears the ground, and guesstimate whether your expected target type will actually be visible where you can't target the ground.

[A Canadian Cat]

The important points are that the target line from a way point really is calculated from the way point even though the line drawn comes from the units current position. Personally I would like to see this adjusted in the future but for now we have to just trust it. And that the target line is checking LOF to the ground at the location. This is important to remember because you will get burned by tanks and other AFVs that are higher and can see you when you thought that you cannot see that location.

So, my questions for the more experienced wargamer are:

1. Which views do you use the most?

For checking LOS level 1 for soldiers and level 2 one wheel rotation down for most tanks or two for those that are low such as a Stug.

2. What is the best way to determine LOS or field of view of a particular position?

Using the target tool as a starting point but once I think I have a good place I move the camera to that location and go to camera view as described above. Then I look around and use the magnification tool to get an idea of what the unit will be able to see.

3. When placed near a useful terrain feature like a ridgeline, will tanks and infantry automatically use that feature for cover/hull-down?

Sort of. Infantry will find locations of cover inside their action square. Tanks go where you tell them. If you want them hull down then you need to place the way point where you like. See my comments about camera position and using the camera magnification to see what they see.

I have to add that I am intrigued by @womble's technique. This sounds like a have to try it idea. Thanks

[Imperial Sardaukar]

Thanks for the replies guys and again, thanks womble! That's an interesting technique, I'll give it a try.

[Vanir Ausf B]

In addition to the excellent points made above, a terrain grid mod is very helpful for seeing terrain contour from higher view levels.

[Imperial Sardaukar]

Yep, I got a few of these and will install promptly.