TEST: Blowing Tank-sized Hole in Bocage

[Wolfe]

After struggling to reliably make a tank-sized hole in a series of successive bocage rows in a scenario using only 1 Blast, I decided to see if how the Blast command is plotted makes any difference.

For Bocage that lies N-S or E-W:

* For bocage where an opening already exists: Blast Thru is most effective, followed closely by Blast To.

* For bocage where no opening exists, Blast Along (sideways along the bocage) is best.

Details:

In each case a hole was opened in the bocage that's good for infantry, but not always large enough for a tank to get through.

* With an existing Opening:

Blast Through: 43/50 (86%)

Blast To: 36/50 (72%)

Blast Along (sideways): 31/50 (62%)

* Without an Opening:

Blast Through: 2/50 (4%)

Blast To: 18/50 (36%)

Blast Along (sideways): 29/50 (58%)

The image below shows the 3 different methods. The leftward Blast Through didn't open the bocage enough (though it usually does when an opening is present), while the middle Blast To did. The rightward Blast Along just made another hole, not sufficient for a tank.

For Diagonal Bocage:

* Always blast ALONG the bocage (not through it) to reliably make a tank-sized hole. Either from triangle-to-triangle or from square-to-square.

If the first Blast doesn't open it up enough, a second one always seems to get it.

- Chris

[pagskier]

Thanks for that info!

that should be stickied or something

[Boo Radley]

Very nice. Thanks!

[Boche]

very intersting indeed!

funny what some poeple come up with testing, good on you jajaj!

[gunnergoz]

We definitely need a wiki with all these gems in it.

[Plastic viking]

We definitely need a wiki with all these gems in it.

That sounds like a great idea, how about a Wikia section? Unless someone wants to set-up and maintain a Mediawiki installation.

[Mattias]

Interesting stuff! And you ran the test 50 times... One wonders what parameters are factored in, and to what extent the result is based on the roll of a die?

I real life there is a great number of factors influencing the outcome, the skill level of the unit placing the charges being very important indeed. Any chance of you running a test on that too

M.

[ClarkWGriswold]

Very nice! It's a shame that we have to worry about stuff like this, though. You would think the blast command would give roughly the same results regardless of how you plot the actual blast.

[Wolfe]

I real life there is a great number of factors influencing the outcome, the skill level of the unit placing the charges being very important indeed.

I actually didn't think about that one, but it does seem to make a difference. From a quick test blasting Along the diagonal bocage, Conscript succeeded in making a tank-sized hole with the 1st blast 48% of the time (31/65) and Elite 71% (46/65).

- Chris

[JonS]

You would think the blast command would give roughly the same results regardless of how you plot the actual blast.

Why would you think that?

[c3k]

Thanks for posting this!