Mark Mines

[SlowMotion]

There is this new command Mark Mines. According to manual p.57 it's only available for engineers.

I tried to make a scenario where first US engineers would mark mines in a mine field and then some vehicles could pass through. Didn't work quite as expected. When things were done according to an AI plan, Engineers could get through the mines with very few casualties, but AI controlled vehicles just drove to mines. So either those engineers didn't mark mines or the vehicles just weren't smart enough to drive according to marking. I tried this same task so that I played the US side, but Mark Mines command was always disabled.

So does anybody know more about this command? Are there some undocumented restrictions on when it can be used or is it just broken at the moment? Is there a way to make it work in AI plans?

[tc237]

Thanks SlowMotion,

I've run a few tests also. (Veteran level)

After a unit hits a mine, a red warning sign pops up.

Units will continue to walk into the minefield and take casulties.

If an Engineer unit "Marks Mines", the warning sign turns green.

Other Units will now bypass the marked minefeild and attempt to walk around it.

Looks like Engineers units don't breach the minefield, they simply mark it for other units to bypass.

If there are unmarked mines flanking the marked field, units may take casualties when trying to bypass. So make sure your Engineers mark all the minefields in an obstacle blet.

Anyone else have info on this?

[SlowMotion]

But when I tried to use Mark Mines command, it was always disabled. I really wonder if all engineers can do this? Or is it that it's not possible in all situations?

The same way I was wondering why Target Light did nothing when given to a Stryker. Found out I had to use Open Up command first. After this the gunner started using the MG.

So far the best way to mark anti-personnel mines I've found is to drive a Stryker into suspected area. If there are mines, they'll explode yet cause no damage. Then you'll know their position

[tc237]

Originally posted by SlowMotion:

But when I tried to use Mark Mines command, it was always disabled. I really wonder if all engineers can do this? Or is it that it's not possible in all situations?

I've found that the Engineers have to be fairly close to the minefield for the "Mark Mines" command to become active.

Try that.

[SlowMotion]

So first you must know where a minefield is, then you can use this command? If that's how it works, I must say it would be much more useful if it worked like Hunt command - you could give a unit at least one way point and it would search for mines from this path and mark all it finds.

Must test more...

[SlowMotion]

This is what I found out:

I placed one anti-tank mine to a map tile.

When playing I moved an engineer squad to this tile and waited some time. The squad never detected any mines and Mark Mines button was always disabled.

Then moved the squad away from the tile and drove a Stryker over the tile often enough that it hit the mine. Then moved the engineer squad near the immobilized Stryker. Now when close enough to the Mines sign Mark Mines command became enabled. Gave this command to the squad and waited. After some time the Mines sign changed colour.

Then I was wondering what the effect of this marking command was. I gave a Humvee move commands so that it would drive close the marked mine. Maybe it would be aware of the mine and avoid this area? Nope, after a couple attempts it drove straight to the mine and exploded.