Scouts & spotting - feature request

[Agua]

This was something I had problem with in CMx1 - breaking off scouts or using snipers to provide instantaneous precise reports from the front. If they aren't within C2, it can't happen. Is there any way that their observations could be delayed until they return within C2?

[womble]

How would you, the player, know when to break off observations and return to the HQ if you couldn't see what the spotter can see? This disjoint between information available to the player and the information available to disparate units is always going to be an issue to be dealt with and about which compromises have to be drawn.

[gunnersman]

How would you, the player, know when to break off observations and return to the HQ if you couldn't see what the spotter can see? This disjoint between information available to the player and the information available to disparate units is always going to be an issue to be dealt with and about which compromises have to be drawn.

So true.

What I like to do is self impose restrictions to make it interesting and fair (if I'm up against the AI). I treat all of my units as if they do not have the benefit of me (the God like being who knows all and sees all ) If I select a unit and that unit does not have any contact reports that other units might have then I will not do commands such as area fire on a location where a contact report has been handed via word of mouth or radio.

[Agua]

I propose you'd make the call to break off the observation by virtue of the time limitation of the game (at a point, you'd have to move on with your advance, intel or no), maybe the intel is timely; maybe you've already committed in a direction you wouldn't have otherwise. Alternatively, the scout goes a little too far and never returns with the info. There'd be an incentive to go to do a little less extensive scouting - perhaps over the top of the rise only, or one past one less clearing in the woods.

[womble]

I propose you'd make the call to break off the observation by virtue of the time limitation of the game (at a point, you'd have to move on with your advance, intel or no), maybe the intel is timely; maybe you've already committed in a direction you wouldn't have otherwise. Alternatively, the scout goes a little too far and never returns with the info. There'd be an incentive to go to do a little less extensive scouting - perhaps over the top of the rise only, or one past one less clearing in the woods.

So it'd be pure fluke if a scout actually returned with information that (remained) relevant and useful? Why bother at all, in that case? Also, if you don't know what contacts your scout has spotted, how can you possibly manage that scout's evasion? Even if you are just sending your scout team over the next ridge, if you can't see the MG team on your screen, you'll never know that you're being chopped to dogmeat until it's too late.

Yes, I know it's entirely possible for a scout to simply not come back, but generally the scout team's leader has at least a chance to use the information his team's senses have gathered to attempt to swing that possibility towards the 'gets at least some of his team home safe'. If you, the player, in your capacity as 'scout team leader' can't see the things the scout team can, what chance does the team have?

[dan/california]

There are some things that only true co-play can resolve. If the scout platoon was commanded by a different player the problem goes away.

However scouts would probably go out with orders about what the battalion commander wanted to know. If you find X, get back here with the coordinates asap. Or return by a given time, or, or... If you wanted to keep yourself a little bit honest you could always write a frago in advance.

[Agua]

So it'd be pure fluke if a scout actually returned with information that (remained) relevant and useful? Why bother at all, in that case? Also, if you don't know what contacts your scout has spotted, how can you possibly manage that scout's evasion? Even if you are just sending your scout team over the next ridge, if you can't see the MG team on your screen, you'll never know that you're being chopped to dogmeat until it's too late.

Yes, I know it's entirely possible for a scout to simply not come back, but generally the scout team's leader has at least a chance to use the information his team's senses have gathered to attempt to swing that possibility towards the 'gets at least some of his team home safe'. If you, the player, in your capacity as 'scout team leader' can't see the things the scout team can, what chance does the team have?

No, it wouldn't be pure fluke. You'd push them to whatever you thought the risk/reward balance lay. When they returned, then you'd see what they observed, which may be nothing. Alternatively, if they were stretched out enough to be within visual / voice range C2 while making the observation, that would resolve the gameyness as well.

[Waaarg]

I am a bit confused on the issue. Are you upset that you are seeing what the scouts are seeing? Because the system has changed. Spotting isn't shared like in CMx1. What difficulty are you playing on?

[Agua]

I'm playing on elite. If you unselect every unit, all spotted opfor units are displayed.