Saving Ammo on a Fire command

[Erik Springelkamp]

Yesterday I played a little scenario (my third, I am just starting with this game), where I had a StuGIII and some enemy squads hiding in the bushes.

Putting some HE rounds into the bushes as area fire was great to make the enemy displace themselves.

But the StuGIII went on shooting for the full minute to almost emty it's ammo bay - while a few rounds allready did the trick.

Now I could give a long Pause command before the Fire command in order to save ammo, but if you have a good shot you would rather not wait.

Is there some other way to prevent a gun firing all it's ammo at once?

[Ace Pilot]

Welcome to CM!

The only thing I've come up with to limit the number of rounds put out when area firing is to move the platform after a certain time period. This works well with mortars and MGs since they require some set up time before then can start firing again. For AFVs, you have to move them enough to break LOS.

By the way, a Pause command will not delay firing.

[MikeyD]

Pausing on fire commands doesn't work - just movement commands.

With Stugs you can pivot them out of the firing arc to break contact. Turreted tanks are more difficult. If you're firing around the corner of a building you can back it up out of LOS. If you're stuck in the middle of a field you may just have to live with the ammo expendature. -or refrain from 'area firing' them bushes!

[Ace Pilot]

I've never tried this, but for the tank in the middle of a field, could you put a covered arc that just barely includes the area fire target, and then back the tank up so that the target is then outside the covered arc? Would that cause the tank to cease firing, or would it just negate the covered arc?

[Erik Springelkamp]

I just tried some of these things.

Appears the SP Gun even turns back to continue shooting after a rotation.

So, these gunners really want a go at it

It doesn't seem too hard to implement a bit more nuance in the orders for the next version.

But it's a great game.

I started with The Bridgehead for a little infantry training, had to play it several times before I understood the right way to assault.

Then Gefechtsaufklaerung for combined arms, which surprized me when the Russians gave up when I thought I was defeated (just the Stug was still going strong).

In A Warm Place to sleep I won to my surprise by just peeking forward cautiously, and then I found myself in a perfect ambush position on the Russian advance.

It seems I am blundering myself through some little victories

[Erik Springelkamp]

Ace Pilot.

(Wrote my post while you were posting yours, so I missed it)

I tried your covered arc technique and it doesn't work unfortunately.

The gun keeps on firing outside of it's covered arc (which is moved along with the reversing vehicle), at the previously designated area.