Air Support Question

[c3k]

Gents,

Right now, in order to call in air support in an area target mode, the observer needs LOS to the center point and a perimeter point. The resulting line creates the radius of a circle used for the area target. However, here's a quote from an AAR: "The Apaches immediately began gun runs into the dead ground to the north and east of the OP, suppressing the insurgents lying under cover in these areas engaging the OP, and driving the insurgents back from the OP." Now, the mentioned dead ground was totally out of LOS of any friendly unit.

Would it be possible to allow area targeting for air support on dead ground? This could simulate passing map coordinates or verbal descriptions to the air element.

Ken

[Lanzfeld]

Maybe.

But it is also possible that the center point and radius point are visible but the area between is not in LOS so that might be the "dead ground". Just a guess.

[Paper Tiger]

Ken

Now, the mentioned dead ground was totally out of LOS of any friendly unit.

That's not strictly true because the air support is a friendly unit. So the Apaches/Cobras,/whatever, are able to spot for themselves and are therefore able to spot their own targets within that radius. They don't share that info with you though so you don't get to see little RED '?'s magically popping up all over the place.

Would it be possible to allow area targeting for air support on dead ground?

You can already do this at the start of a mission. This represents pretty much what you're suggesting. Once the mission starts, you need to have LoS as you've outlined above and I can live with that restriction.

[c3k]

Lanzfeld,

Yes, I've been using that sort of workaround right now. However, if, as in the situation I quoted from (but didn't include all the details), the dead ground was a ravine running parallel to the US position. The length was far greater than the width. The length was also longer than the distance from the center of the ravine to the friendly lines. An Apache gun run parallel to the ravine was called for and successfully executed; an area target circle in CMSF could not replicate this without including the friendly positions in the target circle. The prospects of friendly fire (in game) would be too high compared to the real world situation.

Paper Tiger: True, this could be targeted at the start of a mission. However, the Apaches didn't arrive until 45-65 minutes after the attack on US forces started. Giving US forces air support at the outset would not adequately model this battle.

The ability to "blind target" air or artillery is certainly within the realm of all modern combatant forces. That's one reason why units use map coordinates. The game allows us to use this targeting at the beginning of a battle (assuming the assets are available then). DURING a battle would be nice. Add a delay or a greater spread for ordnance.

Just me waving my "I have a wish" wand.

Ken