How do you use MGs to suppress?

[Jimmy Yarbrough]

If I target an HMG to zone fire between inf. separated from one another by 10-30m, will it have any suppresive effect? How large is the beaten area of the MGs in the game?

The reason I ask is, I constantly find myself needing to choose between targeting a unit and area fire. It sure seems like a HMG firing into a tree line at 200m should suppress inf. over a fairly large frontage.

I hope I expressed myself clearly.

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Your Most Humble, Obedient Servant,

Jimmy

[109 Gustav]

Area fire covers a 15m area. Not really enough to suppress a treeline. 75mm or 81mm arty will be perfect, though.

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[chrisl]

If I want an MG to suppress, I let it deal with targeting itself. If you area fire it will be pretty sticky on the area target unless threatened. If you target a squad it will be pretty sticky on that squad. If you let the TacAI do it, it will tend to switch targets more effectively.

In general I try to leave at least one unit in each small firefight to do its own targeting in case a surprise pops up.

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[Matt the Paladin]

Artillery and mortars are definately better at suppresion than MGs are. If you are firing the artillery for treeline suppresion it will inflict heavy casualties as well. MGs should primarily be used to massacre any attacking infantry, or at least break up the attack.

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[jasoncawley@ameritech.net]

I second chrisl's answer. For this task, let the AI do the targeting. It will fire on the enemy that has it's head up, and is firing, more than one ducking. It will switch between them when one ducks and the other recovers. That is just what you want if the idea is to suppress them.

In game mechanics terms, just pick "cancel target" and then leave 'em alone. They will pick the more active target, though with some biased toward the closer one too.

[Ksak]

Some early beta threads on this topic suggested runnng the area target line beyond the specific area you want to suppress. For example, run the target line into the woods as far as you can and not just to the edge of the wood line. If any enemy troops pop up they will targeted individually. The area of suppression is alleged to be 25m.

Other threads suggested that MGs do have a grazing fire effect and will cause casualties beyond the troops being targeted. I have not experienced this phenomenon so can't speak for it beyond what I've read.