SPMBT - area SAM - bug ?

[Jolly Roger]

Hi folks.

Recently, I´ve purchased area SAM batteries for my
Yugoslavian forces for the very first time.

Not sure, if I experienced a bug, but these batteries refused to
fire on enemy attack helo´s, although they were in range and
already spotted.

Thought area - SAM would fire on the same targets as SP-SAM.



Thanks, Klaus

[seabolt]

If it's a bug, it's not just with your units. I once killed a Soviet area SAM with an Apache chaingun, and the AA unit never opfired. :rolleyes:

SP-SAMs have hair triggers but area SAMs seem to have a much different opfire protocol. They blast away at planes readily enough, but copters ... not so much.

-- 30 --

[Narwan]

Area SAMs can have a very high MINIMUM range for engagement as they are meant to fire on off-board aircraft. Did you check if the choppers were perhaps too close by to be fired upon?

Narwan

[Jolly Roger]

Hi folks,

the helos closed in to a distance of approx. 30 hexes.
But the area - SAM fired on Aircrafts in the same range.

Cheers, Klaus

[Greybeard]

Hello Klaus,

Area SAMS work similar to off-map artillery.. they nearly always have 200+ ranges..

the mechanics are such that the aircraft must at least appear at the map edge.. when it does so, it's not necessarily 'on the map' (even if the map edge is only a few hexes away from the SAM).. but the AREA SAM can see to engage.. if the aircraft stand-off weapons have a greater range than the SAM, the A/C shoots first then the SAM.. otherwise the SAM will engage first..

For Helo's AREA SAMs are relatively useless... the helo has to be outside the minimum range.. and the missle at such short ranges is very easy (in game terms) for the helo to see the launch plume and run for cover.. which is why the hit numbers for AREA sams are generally very low when used against helo's..

better to use radar AAA, or local SAM defense.. IE: those weapons that were developed particularly for use against helos and aircraft that are hiding in the weeds.. usually these units in the game are the SP SAM launchers, not the emplaced ones..

Greybeard

[Jolly Roger]

Hi Steve.

Great comment !

By the way, if you have the choice to purchase a SPAA with
aaa-radar but poor vision or a SP-SAM without radar but good vision,
what would you prefer ?

Cheers, Klaus

[Weasel]

Always go with the weapon with the higher FC.

https://www.theblitz.club/message_boards...?tid=50041

Although the above thread talks of WW2 AAA I think it basically applies to MBT too. The AAA radar will see through the bad weather, like TI.

[klanx171]

I have had Helos taken out with both kinds of SAM (SP and area). I could be wrong but there seems to be something to do with how much a chopper moves before its fired on by SP SAMs but not area SAMs.

I prefer SAMs with radar as non radar SAMs only work better at closer range (sometimes very short range) while radar SAMs can see out to the limit of their radar range no matter what visibility is and against choppers thats important as if they get to close they are trouble.

That said I tend to mix AA and SAMs so not to have a clever Opp draw of my SAM supply before his planes come in.