TOW used dismounted

[snake_eye]

I was rather disappointed by the TOW Humvee, attracting like a magnet the enemy fire, resulting in its destruction in less than a minute after having acquired a target..

Unable to browse the BTF site this late days because of their informatics attack, I played my scenario "A AT 14 Avoidance Range" ( in the Marines repository ), just to cool down, while my desktop HDD was being scanned for an eventual virus.

So, I got to my scenario and had the Tow’s moved behind the last berm and I tried to have them acquire targets. That was to no avail, they were shot to pieces in less time that it takes to write it down.

I had a recollection of having seen a dismounted TOW in one of the adds of BTF a long time ago.

I then thought that in another scenario “Defend Jsir Al Doreaa” (in the Marines repository), I had advised the players to have the Humvee’s MK19 crews dismount with their grenade launcher, by using the Bail Out Order.

I did that with the TOW crew and they left the Humvee carrying the tube and setting it in a trench chosen nearby.

They were able to avoid some shots from the BMP’s to fire one Tow (it slammed in the ground) and they got the Tow knock out.

The end of it is that you can avoid your Humvee to be shot at and have the crew, offering a smaller target, move into a place where they can target with less risk of being pinned.

It takes, however, some time for them to deploy. Look at the time on the shots almost 5 minutes and the grunts are still alive

I don’t know if some of you had thought of that possibility, since I did not read anything about it, in the past posts dealing with the use of the TOW ?

Cheers

[souldierz]

I tried dismounting the TOW a few times.It took I think 10 minutes to pack it up,a lesser amount of time to deploy,but it was time consuming both ways so most of the time I leave it on the Humvee.It can be moved around much quicker that way.I'm not sure if there is much of a difference in game when the TOW is used on the ground,I haven't played around with it enough to notice the difference,if any.

[snake_eye]

I tried dismounting the TOW a few times.It took I think 10 minutes to pack it up,a lesser amount of time to deploy.

Hi, Souldiers

Actually, I used the bail out key and the crew got out right away with the tube being carried. Then, I cancelled eventually the move being generated and moved them were I wanted them to deploy the TOW (don't forget to use the deploy key). All of this took a minute at the most. However, I agree with you on a point. That is, that it takes some time (deploying time 3 minutes) to shoot at the registered target. But during that time, they offer a lesser target than the Humvee and that is a change.

Another thing annoying is to see a TOW shot going to ground instead on a target.

No need to pack up again, since you have to use it once for all during the game from a vintage point, since it takes time and endanger the crew to move again some other place.

Try the AT 14 avoidance range and you will be surprised to find that the Humvees are shot right away and not the dismounted TOWs even if rounds fall around them and finally knock out the tube, pinning down the crew.

Cheers

[snake_eye]

I went further in my trials with the TOW's being dismounted, this time in "A Crossroad at El

Derjine".I had the 2 Humvee's crew TOW dismount and had them move just on the edge of the berm crest. Usually I did it with the Humvee's and they were wiped out in a matter of seconds.

The following 10 pictures are centered on the TOW positioned on the left of the map.

Look at the sequences: Moving, Deploying, Aiming and Reloading and the time it took.

You will see the 3 Tows missiles being expended and then a near miss close to the crew.

In one picture you will see the rear glow of the Tow inbound to the target while being guided. Unfortunately it seems from the Zoom being made on the following picture, that it hit the ground behind the tank.

At the end of that trial being done in real time, I had one Tow having fire 3 missiles. One went to ground near the destroyed tank from the air strike at the bridge, mentioned in the briefing, another as said near the tank close to the town and another in the same area with unknown result. That Tow’s crew survived and took cover behind the berm.

The other dismounted Tow crew positioned on the right berm, fired one shot that went to ground, maybe another one, then got shot at and ended wounded with the tube knocked out. No BDA could be made.

Besides the miss, the Humvee’s were undamaged where they stayed out of view and a full crew out of the two survived. Better anyway from the previous results firing from the Humvee’s.

Cheers

5 first pictures out of 10 to come

[snake_eye]

Cheers

[Erwin]

Helpful. Thanks...

I encountered the same problem with the Brit MMG's and Mech Grenade launchers on their wheeled TUMS. One has to dismount them and they carry the 7.62 MG or Grenade Launcher with them. And this way you can even resupply from the Brit Landrover that seems to have a lot of ammo!

Can't seem to dismount the 12.7mm HMG's (or any mounted weapon from the Jackals) for some reason. Strange inconsistency seems par for the game.

[snake_eye]

Helpful. Thanks..........Can't seem to dismount the 12.7mm HMG's (or any mounted weapon from the Jackals) for some reason. Strange inconsistency seems par for the game.

To get the MK 9 and 50 cal HMG Humvee's crews to carry along their heavy weapons, I use the BAIL OUT order and not the DISMOUNT one. Should be the same for the Brits.

When they bail Out, assign them a position and don't forget the DEPLOY order for setting up their heavy weapons. Within 1 to 2 minutes, usually, 3 at the most, they should be fully deployed

Cheers

[flamingknives]

The .50 (L111A1) HMG on top of the TUM WMIKs and Jackals (NB, Jackal = upgraded HMT400. TUM = Land Rover) are very rarely used dismounted while the GPMGs are very commonly used, so the team takes the GPMG when they dismount the vehicle.

Jackals are most commonly seen from the Recce platoon in Light Infantry Battalions. They cannot, IIRC, dismount their heavy weapons.

If you set the equipment quality to high or Excellent then the fire support sections will turn up in Jackals (otherwise they are in TUM WMIKs) and these Jackals can dismount L134 GMGs or L7 GPMGs.(but still not L111 HMGs)

[Erwin]

I will double check this, but I don't recall having the option between bail-out or dismount in the game I just played with Jackals re the 12.7mm MG's (L111's?).

[snake_eye]

ERWIN,

Try using the space bar and look at the different order shown

Cheers

[flamingknives]

Yes, L111 is the 12.7mm HMG (technically L111A1). Specifically it's a Browning Heavy Machine Gun with a Quick Change Barrel (QCB) in British service.

That weapon can never be dismounted in game - if the crew get out they'll take a 7.62mm GPMG with them instead.