AI choosing smoke? Why?

[Degus]

Talk about frustrating...In a recent PBEM game, after 19 turns I was finally able to make progress against some tough German defense. I had a German Company HQ and two depleted platoons cornered in tall pines with with american infantry on 3 sides. I had a supporting Sherman on top of a hill and gave him orders to target the Company HQ on the following turn...the target was at 126 meters. Perfect target for HE right, NO! Next turn arrives and I'm salivating at the prospect of obliterating all the krauts but the Sherman only fires smoke...not only are the Germans not hurt but they now have concealment!..but its not over..2 turns later, with closer targets in range, the same Sherman begins firing smoke at a MG 533 meters away! Whats the xplanation and how could this be prevented other than deliberately using up smoke rounds in the early turns?

D

[Boo Radley]

Sometimes that's exactly what you have to do. I've been in situations where I've been screaming at the screen, "Don't fire smoke, you big sissy! Shoot the enemy!!!" But if the Sherman perceives a threat close by, he'll fire off smoke.

[Specterx]

I think this has something to do with the tendency of the TacAI to choose less useful rounds for targeting purposes (e.g. AP instead of T) so as not to waste ammunition. This seems sort of pointless when applied to HE vs. infantry since most of the shots will "miss" anyway... especially if smoke is used.

I'd say that it's just an AI quirk.

[Vanir Ausf B]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Specterx:

I'd say that it's just an AI quirk.<hr></blockquote>

It's a well known quirk, and one of the more annoying ones. BTS is aware that it sometimes doesn't work right and will hopefully fix it in CMBB, but your stuck with it in CMBO. Some people will even purposely shoot off all their vehicle smoke rounds early in the game so the AI can't shoot it at infantry at inopportune times.