Why is this happening?

[Der Kuenstler]

I'm in a battle where I have a PZIIIn in a good hull down position on a rocky slope. After several turns I'm almost out of AP ammo. This tank has 8 smoke shells, but every time I give the orders to fire smoke so he can move out of there he just ignores the comand and keeps firing regular shells. Why won't he fire the smoke?

[Gpig]

I'm guessing he's over riding your orders in his own (TAC AI's) self-interest. He must feel that he can kill the target (I'm assuming it's another tank). And that firing smoke is not going to save his but, AP fire will . . . ?

You could just REVERSE him, as well. (But I'm guessing you want to fire SMOKE for a reason. Cover infantry movement? Blind the enemy tank?)

Anyways, you *might* try and set a covered arc to the spot where you want smoke, and *then* tell him to fire smoke. Then he'll focus on that spot. But if the threat is still there, he may just ignore your covered arc command anyways.

Others with more info will hopefully add to my guesswork.

Gpig

[Der Kuenstler]

Yeah well I was trying to get him to fire smoke because he was down to 2 AP rounds and he needed to get out of there. But it turned out he was in a good hull down position in rocks and the Russians just kept bouncing rounds off of him until the scenario ended. The covered arc strategy sounds like a good idea, though - I'll try that next time.