Combat Bonus- only helps Firepower rating?

[Silvio Manuel]

Originally posted by YankeeDog:

[QB]Green or less IAT units seem pretty worthless to me unless (1) they're massed together (at least 3), and (2) hopefully under C&C of a headquarters unit with a combat bonus.

From what I've heard this week on the forum, Combat bonuses only increase a unit's firepower...in an infantry/rifle squad sense. It apparently does nothing for towed guns, AAA, inf. AT teams, etc. that rely on a Blast Rating instead of Firepower Rating. I'm not sure about this, but that would mean no increase of accuracy?

** I hope some CM Veteran could shed some light on this.**

(also posted in tips/tactics)

[ 09-18-2001: Message edited by: Silvio Manuel ]

[Silvio Manuel]

woops. wrong button.

[Redwolf]

You have probably seen the thread about the guns.

It is true that the very special calculation of big arms against armour is not affected by the combat bonus.

But as I replied in that thread, the accuracy of mortar fire is. I would bet that the accuracy of a squad (and that means firepower to a given target) benefits as well, that the armour hit probablity is the exception. This is harder to test than for mortars, though.

[ 09-18-2001: Message edited by: redwolf ]

[Pak40]

As far as I can tell, the combat bonus does not increase your firepower. The firepower numbers do not change when a unit is in command from a leader with a combat bonus. I view the combat bonus similar to a +2 dice roll, much like in Squad Leader. In other words, the firepower doesn't increase but the chance of that firepower doing damage does increase.

What I would like to know from BTS is, what exactly is the Stealth Bonus? Is it a bonus that makes your unit harder to see or harder to kill?

From tests that I've done, a unit with +2 Stealth is just as easy to see as a unit without stealth. But I have not tested if +2 Stealth makes it harder to kill soldiers in a unit. Anyone know?

[Vanir Ausf B]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Pak40:

What I would like to know from BTS is, what exactly is the Stealth Bonus?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

According to the manuel, it has 2 effects. First, it makes units less likely to be seen while moving using the Sneak command. Secondly, it makes hiding units less likely to unhide and open fire on enemy units that are more than 100m away.

I haven't tested any of these myself.

[ 09-18-2001: Message edited by: Vanir Ausf B ]

[Redwolf]

The firepower display does not change, however it also doesn't show the difference between an elite and a conscript squad, while Steve once said that the Elite squad delivers twice as much effect to one single opponent unit (for the same ammo). So if it doesn't change for the HQ bonus, that doesn't tell one way or anyother.

[Pak40]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Vanir Ausf B:

According to the manuel, it has 2 effects. First, it makes units less likely to be seen while moving using the Sneak command. Secondly, it makes hiding units less likely to unhide and open fire on enemy units that are more than 100m away.

[ 09-18-2001: Message edited by: Vanir Ausf B ]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ah, that would explain my tests. I don't think I used the sneak command. I shall retest soon.

The second effect seems like that should be an attribute of Verteran/Crack/Elite squads rather as well as HQ stealth units.

[Vanir Ausf B]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Pak40:

The second effect seems like that should be an attribute of Verteran/Crack/Elite squads rather as well as HQ stealth units.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, according to the manual both experience and HQ bonus are factored in.

[guachi]

Many moons ago, while playing the CM beta demo, I noticed that more experienced squads have a higher FP rating than lower ones.

I believe that the bonus was 10% per experience level.

I never did notice what effect HQ bonuses had, though.

Jason

[Ben Galanti]

Just to clarify Guachi's point, I don't think higher values are shown on the units stat screen (when you hit enter) but if you target an enemy squad with an elite squad and a green squad (at roughly the same place), the firepower number shown over the enemy unit will be different.

Dunno what happens with leader bonuses, but it could be easily checked...

Ben

[Redwolf]

I just checked. The firepower rating as displayed by changes with experience, but not with HQ bonus.

That would indicate that the firepower is in fact not affected by HQs

[Vanir Ausf B]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by redwolf:

That would indicate that the firepower is in fact not affected by HQs<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Then it must be rate of fire. Otherwise it is broken :eek:

[D'arcy Montague]

A couple of observations:-

I believe the combat bonus decreases the area spread of off board Arty (don't know about onboard). I remember trying this ages ago in chance encounter. I was pleasantly surprised by the more accurrate fire that seemed to be brought down by the green german spotter whilst he was under the command of the appropriate officer.

Also, in addition to the abilities outlined in one of the previous posts, the stealth bonus increases the ambush marker maximum distance from 160m to 200m for the commander concerned. Handy for those support platoons.

[gredeker]

I would second the sentiment that the combat bonus increases a unit's ROF. I suspect it may be one additional shot per minute per level of bonus. All I know is that whenever I have veteran squads under a leader with a +2 combat bonus, everyone runs out of ammo wayyyyy too fast.