Two in one - Pioneers mine clearing and squads riding in halftracks

[Gurra]

1. Having pioneers to clear mines - do I have to select an appropriate target for the squads (say a tile of anti-tank mines) that has been identified beforehand for them to clear it, or can they identify mines on their own and go about their buisiness by themselves? What is the best way of commanding them, making the mine clearing not a struggle against the game engine?

1(. If being nearby wire with a pioneer squad, the very same wire seems to be a valid target for them. I had some three squads throwing demo charges at the wire, but nothing happened. Does it take more than so to achieve results, or have I missed something?

2. Small thing I have never before thought about: you can´t hide squads riding in halftracks, but you can place already hiding squads in halftracks, thus making them hide IN THE HALFTRACKS. Does this have any effect in the game calculations, would you think, or is it just a peculiar "bug"?

Gurra

[AC]

2) I'd guess no effect as passangers in HTs are armor protected. However, it might impact the chance to hit the squad riding a HT... Beats me really, you would have to test this a lot to make sure.

[Kingfish]

1. Having pioneers to clear mines - do I have to select an appropriate target for the squads (say a tile of anti-tank mines) that has been identified beforehand for them to clear it,

Yes

or can they identify mines on their own and go about their buisiness by themselves?

No

What is the best way of commanding them, making the mine clearing not a struggle against the game engine?

Once a mine tile is detected you move the Pioneer unit next to it and leave them alone. After a turn or two they will toss a demo charge at the tile and it will be neutralized.

The only exception to this is with daisy chain mines. These are deployed above ground and are easily spotted, and your Pioneer does not need a demo charge in order to clear it.

1(. If being nearby wire with a pioneer squad, the very same wire seems to be a valid target for them. I had some three squads throwing demo charges at the wire, but nothing happened. Does it take more than so to achieve results, or have I missed something?

Wire cannot be removed, nor can roadblocks.

2. Small thing I have never before thought about: you can´t hide squads riding in halftracks, but you can place already hiding squads in halftracks, thus making them hide IN THE HALFTRACKS. Does this have any effect in the game calculations, would you think, or is it just a peculiar "bug"?

There is no difference between a hiding squad and one that is not when riding in a HT or other vehicle.

[RSColonel_131st]

Actually that "targeting wire" is a pretty useless function...friend of mine had a Maxim MG sitting UNDER a block of wire, and whenever I tried to target it all I got was the pointer jumping to the wire itself. Eventually had to use a narrow covered arc to make clear the target I wanted to be shot...

[Gurra]

Good with clear answers! Thank you.

Regarding question nr. 2:

I discovered while playing tonight that the squads automatically appears non-hiding in the halftracks once the turn starts. So that was nothing...