Helicopter Movement to Contact

The new Cold War turned hot wargame from On Target Simulations, now expanded with the Player's Edition! Choose the NATO or Soviet forces in one of many scenarios or two linked campaigns. No effort was spared to model modern warfare realistically, including armor, infantry, helicopters, air support, artillery, electronic warfare, chemical and nuclear weapons. An innovative new asynchronous turn order means that OODA loops and various effects on C3 are accurately modeled as never before.

Moderators: WildCatNL, cbelva, IronManBeta, CapnDarwin, IronMikeGolf, Mad Russian

Post Reply
Chisai
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:49 am

Helicopter Movement to Contact

Post by Chisai »

Searched for info for elevation but could not find. If this needs to be in a different Forum please advise.

My Apache units were getting shot at when moving (Deliberate) around hills and forests by a SAM launcher on ELEVATION 2 map hex. I was moving the Helo on the same HEX/Elevation when I checked MAP Editor.

Went into the MAP Editor and saw that ELEVATION was 2 for BOTH the ground and trees in the same HEX. Elevation was 3 for the hill with trees on top of them and so on. Shouldn't the trees = 3 since they are taller? Hmm

I changed the Elevation of the Trees in HEXES/Elevation 2 to = 3 to HEXES/Elevation 3 to = 4; did the same for Buildings and so on.

Now my Apache is masked during approach to contact!!!! YaY

BUT my GROUND UNIT occupying a HEX/Elevation 2 with a TREE in it is now at Elevation 3.... Doh.

SHOULD I have changed Observation Values? But since the Apache is flying above a TREE, not in it... that doesn't help.

Any ideas is greatly appreciated!
Robert Trajano
User avatar
WildCatNL
Posts: 779
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 5:21 pm
Location: Eindhoven, the Netherlands

RE: Helicopter Movement to Contact

Post by WildCatNL »

Hi Chisai,

it's been a while since I looked at the FC: Red Storm implementation, but this is what I remember:
- elevation indicates ground level
- elevation steps are significantly higher than buildings / trees; think 30-50m / 100-150ft per step, vs 10-15m / 30-50ft for objects (trees, houses) in the hex
- helicopters are modeled to fly above the objects in the hex, which is, if I remember correctly, a fixed height, regardless the type of objects in the hex for Red Storm
- forests reduce but do not completely block line-of-sight
- SAMs are fairly deadly against helis, even at long range
So, yes, the SAM could detect (RADAR) and target a heli. And, no, you're better off not changing the map.

We're working on the next game, FC: Southern Storm, to handle this situation with a bit more detail.
Specifically, we aim to have helicopters fly as low as the hex's contents allows, so lower for fields than for urban terrain. This so the helicopter can use the presence of taller objects in hexes between itself and the SAM system to mask itself.
More details to follow when are a bit further along with the game.

William
William
On Target Simulations LLC
User avatar
CapnDarwin
Posts: 9254
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 3:34 pm
Location: Newark, OH
Contact:

RE: Helicopter Movement to Contact

Post by CapnDarwin »

To add to William's information, helicopters are considered to be utilizing masking for the hex they are in if in deliberate movement mode. Hasty movement has the helos more exposed as they fly over the terrain.
OTS is looking forward to Southern Storm getting released!

Cap'n Darwin aka Jim Snyder
On Target Simulations LLC
Post Reply

Return to “Flashpoint Campaigns Classic”