Area Force-Fire / Bombardement

[Golan2781]

Subject:
Force-fire commands can be assigned an area to be randomly bombarded.

Description:
This is an expansion to the force-fire command ([ctrl]+RMB*) similar to how formation move (RMB+LMB) expands the basic move command (RMB).
When holding [ctrl], the player may designate a circular area by holding RMB and dragging the mouse to decide the size of the area, the center being the initial mouse position. All units currently selected will then continuously attack random positions inside this are, bombarding the area. Regular scattering still applies in addition.
Alternatively, the player could chain 3 to 4 force-fire commands using [ctrl]+[alt] to designate the target area by painting the vertices of a triangle/quadrangle.

Positive Effect:
-Players can use bombardment and suppression tactics
-Easier spam-control

Negative Effect:
-Adds a small luck factor
-AoE weapons become more spam-able

Media:

|
Def. force fire | Area force fire

*The description assumes the RMB-command style. Reverse buttons for LMB command style.

[RightHandOfNod]

Yes. This is a great idea. It would especially be useful for ordering groups of artillery units to cover an area. Currently, if you select a group of artillery units and force fire on an area, they'll all attempt to fire on the exact same spot. It would be nice if you could use this idea to make them spread their fire out evenly over the target area.

[GeneralSGJist]

indeed, yes nice idea,
some people use force fire ti line up all their units a a big clump, if they all fire on one spot. Well mainlly used in Tib blood, ahh good old days.......

[generals_addict]

That's a good idea! Correct me if I'm wrong, but your "chain fire" mode is so the artillery alternate through a series of specific locations on which to fire? If so, that'd be nice. One thing that would be really convenient is to have a button to choose between "group bombardment" and "timed bombardment". For group, every artillery unit would fire simultaneously to increase firepower on given targets in the area. Alternatively, timed would allow for art. to fire one after the other to create a "wall" effect, such that there is a constant stream of at least one unit firing on the given area. You could think of this as chain fire on the same location over time, with units firing sequentially. Hope that makes sense!

[Richierpw]

Nice idea and nicely explained Golan...would definitely open up tactics for the artillery units.

[MILINTarctrooper]

So you are aiming for a concept of area effect artillery.

Okay if I am reading this correctly you are going for a "Blitzkrieg" series...artillery system?

In the videogame "Blitzkrieg"...artillery had two methods of fire. zero-in...meaning artillery was fired into the fog of war, or within friendly line of sight...and once enemies were detected would fire within a fairly accurate radius of the targeted zone. Now the other setting was suppressive fire, artillery would fire rapidly into an area consistently until ordered to stop...useful for taking out suspected enemy artillery positions, or counter battery fire. However, rocket artillery...could only fire suppressive, which was interesting. However, the only short coming for this system was the fact you had to consistently keep the guns resupplied with ammo.

Now in the CnC universe artillery has been...hit and miss. CnC1, RA1, and TS artillery could be used but generally required alot of micro and required spotting forces. RA1 and CnC1 artillery was ludicriously short ranged due to coding...and usually got killed for its efforts. Now in Generals artillery does make a comeback...in many forms. Nuke, Flame, Cruise-missile, Scud, Howitzer, and Rocket Buggy. You could fire blind by force firing and the area effects of artillery was rather surprising.

However, CnC3 + KW artillery got interesting both Nod and GDI gained fairly good artillery units Juggernaught and Spectre...but the weakness of this artillery was the fact that the spotter units...revealed themselves as soon as a bombardment started, instead of the other way around...where you have to hunt them down! Although the area-splash damage of said units was considerable...and frightening if you got them to Heroic veteranization.

RA3 did bring in some unusual artillery...lasers from space, rocket barrages, and laser cannons, but most of it was direct fire LOS.

Now if you play the RTT-RTS Men of War...artillery attacks increase scatter the further away you are from the target area, which decreases accuracy, but increases area of effect. The same effect is noted in the Atari Act of War series as well. With longer ranges artillery scatters...if you get closer it becomes more accurate and devastating.

So instead of setting the scatter radius...you let the range set the scatter radius. Because if I were to implement your idea, it would be too easy to exploit...because I could instantly laser home my artillery on a structure in the fog of war, or swap out to a very large area radius.

[Golan2781]

As mentioned earlier, the natural scattering effect of all projectiles would still apply, whatever the devs decide to set it to.
You can already "instantly laser home" your artillery in the fog of war using regular force fire. You can also already assign random targets and cycle through other attack positions, thereby shelling a very large area. This suggestion is merely meant to make the later more user-friendly.

[R315r4z0r]

It should be possible to force fire into shrouded areas. That would make this type of attack much more useful. But it is an excellent idea regardless.