Bug - AFV targets wooden MG bunker w/ HE

[Steve McClaire]

I believe this is probably a bug. Did not find any report of it w/ forum search.

I had a Soviet M4A2 Sherman and ordered it to fire on a German wooden MG bunker. The first time I targeted it the game said the hit chance was 10% and the kill chance LOW. The tank then proceeded to fire HE at the bunker, never hit it, and did no damage at all. After a few turns of this I had the Sherman engage other targets. Once it ran out of HE I tried re-targeting the bunker (the tank had not moved) and was told the hit chance was now 40%, kill OK. One turn later the bunker had been penetrated 3-4 times and was knocked out.

It seems the AI is selecting the wrong ammo type here.

[Steve McClaire]

Another note on this -- Soviet AT rifle teams would not fire on the wooden bunker at all.

[Madmatt]

I'll take a look into this.

Madmatt

[Madmatt]

We ran some tests internally and found that by and large HE was more effective on the bunkers than AP. While AP may have scored more penetrations it was HE that usually took out the bunker. Some of this is probably due to the more advanced penetration system we have employed in CMBB.

Madmatt

[Steve McClaire]

MadMatt,

Thanks for your response. I think I understand what you're saying but it does not appear to match up to what I am seeing. Perhaps you are using a different tank?

Try this -- Create a simple scenario with 2 groups of 5 German wooden MG bunkers, 2 green Soviet M4A2 tanks, and 1 elite Soviet sniper (to spot for the tanks). Give 1 Sherman 20 AP ammo and the other 20 HE ammo. Set up the two groups of bunkers and the Shermans so the tanks are roughly the same distance from the targets, and the sniper in between somewhere so he can see both (I can send you a version of this I used if you like). I was seeing the HE tank kill 2-3 bunkers before it ran out, while the AP tank would kill all 5 with a few rounds left over.

Also, any thoughts on the AT rifles firing on wooden bunkers? It seems like the AT rifles think the bunker is a soft target, and won't shoot at it.

Thanks,

Steve

[Madmatt]

We did a similar test and found the HE to be MORE effective on the whole. I will have a look at this once more after v1.01 is released.

The AT-Rifles will not enagage bunkers for two reasons.

#1 They aren't coded to do so

#2 We could not really find much data to support that they would be employed in this fashion.

It would require a pretty big code change to enable it to happen anyway so its not likely going to happen even if #2 could be proven suffeciently.

Madmatt

[Steve McClaire]

I don't have historical accounts to back it up, but it seems like if a soldier has a weapon that can affect an enemy bunker, then he might try and use it. I assume this code issue is also the reason AT rifles will not fire at trucks, jeeps, or other non-armored vehicles?

Thanks for your time. Awesome game, btw.

Steve