Commanding squad with Javelin to target a tank causes all squad members to fire at tank

[Pericles]

I recently commanded a squad of US engineers in possession of a Javelin to engage a Russian T-90. All squad members with small arms fired on the tank, giving away their position before the soldier with the Javelin could fire. 

Does this happen with a normal infantry squad as well? If so, it is a design glitch. If not, it is a sort of clever way to penalize players who choose to have their engineers acquire Javelins from the AFVs of mechanized infantry battalions. 

[akd]

Distance?  Was the tank unbuttoned?

[Vanir Ausf B]

I don't know if that's intended behavior or not, but my SOP in every iteration of Combat Mission is to think of the Target command as a "everyone fire all weapons at that target/spot" command and therefore use it sparingly. Infantry with anti-tank weapons typically do not need to be ordered to use them if an armored vehicle is within effective range.

Edited February 11, 2017 by Vanir Ausf B

[exsonic01]

Separate the AT team, and give them target vehicle range (or just target), while hide others or move them a bit behind. This is usually what I do. 

Edited February 11, 2017 by exsonic01

[John Kettler]

Pericles,

Sounds annoying, but exsonic01 has given you excellent advice and beaten me to the very thing I was about to tell you! In my very limited experience with Javelins, I had them configured as discrete teams which were part of the overall defensive scheme. I never had any issues as a result. Strongly recommend you have your Javelin teams in command--unless the leader is an incompetent!

Regards,

John Kettler 

[Erwin]

Also, generally the AI does a good job deciding when to fire with highest hit likelihood.  Best is to have a small arc covering the target and let the unit's AI do the thinking.

[Pericles]

I normally separate the AT team as well, but engineer squads cannot be split. 

So the conclusion is not to have engineers wield Javelins, because effective use of Javelins requires small AT teams (which cannot be split from engineer squads). 

If engineers do have Javelins, or you have not yet split off a Javelin team from a parent infantry squad, perhaps a target armor arc would succeed in restricting fire to the AT weapons. 

[akd]

13 minutes ago, Pericles said:

I normally separate the AT team as well, but engineer squads cannot be split. 

 

Engineer squads can be split like any other.  Do you mean a breach team?

[Pericles]

Just now, akd said:

Engineer squads can be split like any other.  Do you mean a breach team?

No, I mean an engineer squad. Maybe there are different types of US engineer squads, but the ones in the "Cry Havoc!" battle cannot be split. 

[akd]

Just ran the scenario and they were able to split, at least as they were when they arrived as reinforcements.  I think you can take casualties to the point where a squad can no longer split.

[Pericles]

You're correct akd. I checked from an earlier save game file and the full engineer squads can split. I later took too many casualties, and so was no longer able to split.