Friendly Fire Bug?

[BeeSting]

Is it just me or has anyone else notice a unit in front being fired on by a friendly unit directly behind it? and I'm not talking about the artillery.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/choiboy73/go.jpg

Note I ordered my units not to fire or their fire at will was off, so AI casualties are sustained from their own in the rear.

You can already see how depleted the unit in front is just from their own friendly fire. It's no surprise since the rear unit was firing volleys into the backs of its own.

[Monk]

If the unit behind is within range of the enemy they will still try to engage even though they can't get a good shot because someone is in the way. Turn off "Fire at will" for the units behind to try and limit friendly fire when you've got two lines. :yes:

[Martok]

What Monk said. :yes:


Friendly fire has always been a feature of TW battles: If a unit is standing too close to a friendly missile unit (*especially* when it's front of the missile unit), it will take casualties.

[SpencerH]

You'd think they would've/could've fixed this by now!

[Vuk]

It is not a bug. It has happened in real life. A commander needs to be careful. If it seems ridiculous, that is just because the player is being ridiculously careless in his placement of units and his orders thereto.

[SpencerH]

You're right it isnt a "bug". Its bad programming that was eliminated to a large degree with viking invasion but re-emerged in RTW. One unit firing point blank into the back of the unit in front of them is ridiculous and totally unreal.

[Beskar]

That's what you would think, but look at recent modern day wars, for example. It happens.

[Sir Beane]

You're right it isnt a "bug". Its bad programming that was eliminated to a large degree with viking invasion but re-emerged in RTW. One unit firing point blank into the back of the unit in front of them is ridiculous and totally unreal.

It's annoying but it isn't unrealistic. Friendly fire incidents happen frequently in combat, even in modern warfare. Poorly trained or nervous soldiers might easily make mistakes such as firing too close to a friendly unit. If you wish to avoid it then it's a matter of organising your army properly. I would rather have friendly fire than have units refuse to fire near a friendly/ have their bullets just pass straight through.

If you don't want your men shot in the back then don't stand them in front of guns, its as simple as that.

[A Very Super Market]

Cute fuzzy slingers. Always killing my FMs.

Keep in mind that muskets are ridiculously innacurate anyways.

[BeeSting]

If the unit behind is within range of the enemy they will still try to engage even though they can't get a good shot because someone is in the way. Turn off "Fire at will" for the units behind to try and limit friendly fire when you've got two lines. :yes:

The problem is not the human player but the AI, I have as you said turn off fire at will (what pain! What micro management!) I witnessed the AI army decimating its own in front with units on the back.

[CBR]

It does seem somewhat bugged. Fire at will should not allow units to fire into friendly units. That should only happen if the player gives a specific target that overrides the "safety"


CBR

[Vuk]

It does seem somewhat bugged. Fire at will should not allow units to fire into friendly units. That should only happen if the player gives a specific target that overrides the "safety"


CBR

Ok, I'll agree with that.

[IlDuce]

Friendly Fire Bug? I swear I got given a book with him in it about playing with matches as kid.

Friendly fire has always got me. Send in my elite troops and I realise they're dying much quicker than they should be. Then I realise it's my own bloody archers. At least my training has turned them into killing machines of sorts.

[Sir Beane]

Friendly Fire Bug? I swear I got given a book with him in it about playing with matches as kid.

Friendly fire has always got me. Send in my elite troops and I realise they're dying much quicker than they should be. Then I realise it's my own bloody archers. At least my training has turned them into killing machines of sorts.

Well at least they were killing someone. It's good practice :laugh4:. Personally I don't mind friendly fire. It's pretty funny when you accidentally blow up your own General just before winning the battle :laugh4:.

[BeeSting]

It does seem somewhat bugged. Fire at will should not allow units to fire into friendly units. That should only happen if the player gives a specific target that overrides the "safety"


CBR

Exactly my point; thank you!

AI was mowing down its own with musket fire. How realistic is it to mow your own down just because it is in between you and your target?

Although it has been heard of with artillery at long ranges... but shooting into the backs of your friendly soldiers directly in front of you so you can get a clear shot doesn't sound right.

[BeeSting]

The AI is messing up its own; that's the problem... I could manage to micromanage my own to not shoot but the AI is not doing so well with it. I can't believe CA testers didn't pick this out already.

This happens on sea battles too.... the AI does not seem to know that firing when the friendly is in front will not hurt the enemy but its own only!

[SpencerH]

It's annoying but it isn't unrealistic. Friendly fire incidents happen frequently in combat, even in modern warfare. Poorly trained or nervous soldiers might easily make mistakes such as firing too close to a friendly unit. If you wish to avoid it then it's a matter of organising your army properly. I would rather have friendly fire than have units refuse to fire near a friendly/ have their bullets just pass straight through.

If you don't want your men shot in the back then don't stand them in front of guns, its as simple as that.

Friendly fire incidents do happen. I know, I was fired upon by fellow members of my own platoon so I think I have a better viewpoint on the subject than most others here. Most incidents of "friendly fire" are due to artillery or aircraft ground attack but despite your strawman, thats not what we are discussing. Incidents of short range "friendly fire" occur because of confusion. Its easy to mistake who's who in the dark or in heavy cover and sometimes the rapidity of movement on the modern battlefield cause errors. OTOH, its totally unrealistic to have a unit armed with a musket or bow, standing in an open field, fire point blank into the back of the unit in front of it.

[Barkhorn1x]

OTOH, its totally unrealistic to have a unit armed with a musket or bow, standing in an open field, fire point blank into the back of the unit in front of it.

I agree here.

[Sol Invictus]

Friendly fire incidents do happen. I know, I was fired upon by fellow members of my own platoon so I think I have a better viewpoint on the subject than most others here. Most incidents of "friendly fire" are due to artillery or aircraft ground attack but despite your strawman, thats not what we are discussing. Incidents of short range "friendly fire" occur because of confusion. Its easy to mistake who's who in the dark or in heavy cover and sometimes the rapidity of movement on the modern battlefield cause errors. OTOH, its totally unrealistic to have a unit armed with a musket or bow, standing in an open field, fire point blank into the back of the unit in front of it.




Agreed. I was an Artilleryman many years ago and it was a very great concern when firing indirectly. Musket era units firing into the backs of their comrades is a very different situation. Like was posted earlier, it is an annowance for the Player to avoid, but the AI could be crippled by this.

[Emperor of Graal]

In M2TW I was against Venice.
The general was standing in front of a cannon as that was the generals unit.
He died.
The friendly fire is defiantly not a bug

[Beskar]

[QUOTE=Sir Beane;2148683]Well at least they were killing someone. It's good practice :laugh4:. Personally I don't mind friendly fire. It's pretty funny when you accidentally blow up your own General just before winning the battle :laugh4:.

I remember that in Rome Total War. I had my Heavy Ongers firing at a group behind the Wall while I was moving my General to get ready to go through the gate and one of the shots miss fired and went flying right into my general, killing him instantly.

Losing him really hurt my army more than I liked.

[CBR]

IIRC RTW demo and first release had horrible friendly fire too but was fixed in a patch. After that individual soldiers refused to fire unless they had a clear LOS to a target.


CBR

[BeeSting]

IIRC RTW demo and first release had horrible friendly fire too but was fixed in a patch. After that individual soldiers refused to fire unless they had a clear LOS to a target.


CBR

This is a serious problem because it gimps the AI big time. I was wondering why AI units were being depleted so fast...

I hope they can get it fixed before the release... I remember in RTW archers were killing archers within its own unit and we had to wait for months before it was patched!

[Sir Beane]

Friendly fire incidents do happen. I know, I was fired upon by fellow members of my own platoon so I think I have a better viewpoint on the subject than most others here. Most incidents of "friendly fire" are due to artillery or aircraft ground attack but despite your strawman, thats not what we are discussing. Incidents of short range "friendly fire" occur because of confusion. Its easy to mistake who's who in the dark or in heavy cover and sometimes the rapidity of movement on the modern battlefield cause errors. OTOH, its totally unrealistic to have a unit armed with a musket or bow, standing in an open field, fire point blank into the back of the unit in front of it.

I respectfully disagree. In modern times it is unlikely a group of trained soldiers would fire into a friendly group and even now it still happens.

I agree that experienced or elite units would be unlikely to make this mistake. Militia, conscripts and other poorly trained infantry might very well, under the stress of battle, fire in way that caused damage to a friendly group. They might be standing in an open field, but that open field would be filled with the sound of cannon fire, explosions and in pitched battles visibility could be severely impaired by smoke. Add to this the fact that muskets are innacurate and unreliable compared to modern weaponry, and that 18th century troops recieved very little training in accuracy.

If a group of untrained, nervous men in the heat of battle recieved an order to fire then many would probably do so, even if friendly units were in the way.

I do however agree that if the A.I is doing this regularly it is a problem. Occasionally because of poor planning or bad orders is fine. Frequently due to stupidity is not however. Friendly fire in itself is not a bug, but the fact that the A.I does it frequently might be.

[Barkhorn1x]

I respectfully disagree. In modern times it is unlikely a group of trained soldiers would fire into a friendly group and even now it still happens.



I have to disagree up to a point as most modern friendly fire incidents;
1. Happen due to the fluidity of modern combat
2. Communications issues between branches/allied nations compounding same
3. The increase in night battles as that is where Western technolgy has a more pronounced edge
4. Unforms that blend in with the terrain
5. Artillery firing indirectly

- XVIII century warfare was LOS oriented and only point #2 would come into play - and the confusion/smoke/etc. that you mentioned.

Now, given the choice between including friendly fire or not - I would opt for NO if the AI would be impared.

[BeeSting]

You're right it isnt a "bug". Its bad programming that was eliminated to a large degree with viking invasion but re-emerged in RTW. One unit firing point blank into the back of the unit in front of them is ridiculous and totally unreal.

Yeah. A bad programming is how it should really be defined... not a bug.

[Sir Beane]

I have to disagree as:

- Most modern friendly fire incidents;
1. Happen due to the fluidity of modern combat
2. Communications issues between branches/allied nations compounding same
3. The increase in night battles as that is where Western technolgy has a more pronounced edge
4. Unforms that blend in with the terrain
5. Artillery firing indirectly

- XVIII century warfare was LOS oriented and only point #2 would come into play

That might be the case with modern warfare, but war today is not the same as war in the 17th century. Not that it really matters, and we seem to be heading very quickly off-topic.

How common are these incidents of A.I friendly fire? I've fought several battles so far and I haven't noticed friendly fire at Brandywine. Lagos is a different story though, in one battle the French seemed determined to 'accidentally' shoot the Admiral's flagship. Which was useful, because up until then I was losing :laugh4:.

[Hollerbach]

I've only played the demo land battle once, but based on the unit stats at the end it looks like both myself and they AI took out around 50 of our own men each with friendly fire. I have no idea when this happened as I didn't see anything obvious during the battle. Since it was my first battle with a new system things felt pretty chaotic and I didn't know what was going on half the time, so it could have been arty, muskets, grenades... But yeah, 50 out of ~800 casualties seems a bit high, especially when I wasn't trying to do this (In MTW1/2, RTW sometimes I'd fire into a melee intentionally if I only had low level troops involved, kinda like the English in Braveheart...)

[ArtillerySmoke]

The problem is not the human player but the AI, I have as you said turn off fire at will (what pain! What micro management!) I witnessed the AI army decimating its own in front with units on the back.

Micromanagement is what the battles are all about lol.

[Strategy]

I've seen the AI decimate its own units with its artillery (someone in the way... no matter, just fire at will).

The irritating thing is that since your own artillery will also select its targets automatically, it will happily turn its guns to rake the units just beside it. I actually tried setting up my cannons in position, only to have the cannon pivot right to fire at an enemy, with the result that the rearmost cannon gave the unit to its right a pointblank dose of roundshot. Instant kill. Unless this is fixed, cannons will need constant micro-managing.

It seems to me that turning off fire at will doesn't always work; whenever I unlimber the cannons, it always automatically turned on.

[ArtillerySmoke]

I've seen the AI decimate its own units with its artillery (someone in the way... no matter, just fire at will).

The irritating thing is that since your own artillery will also select its targets automatically, it will happily turn its guns to rake the units just beside it. I actually tried setting up my cannons in position, only to have the cannon pivot right to fire at an enemy, with the result that the rearmost cannon gave the unit to its right a pointblank dose of roundshot. Instant kill. Unless this is fixed, cannons will need constant micro-managing.

It seems to me that turning off fire at will doesn't always work; whenever I unlimber the cannons, it always automatically turned on.

Ah ok, I see what you guys mean about micromanagement now. Hopefully this is something that's ironed out before retail ships. I would imagine it's a quick fix on CA's end.

[BeeSting]

Unless CA has already been working on this, I doubt we will see a fix before the release.

[ArtillerySmoke]

I haven't played the demo myself. I need to see this artillery in action before I decide if it's "too much" micromanagement.

[Sir Beane]

Unless CA has already been working on this, I doubt we will see a fix before the release.

There is a patch being released on the release date, so maybe that contains a fix?

[BeeSting]

I haven't played the demo myself. I need to see this artillery in action before I decide if it's "too much" micromanagement.

It's not just the artillery; when there are two lines of infantry, one in front and one in back, they both fire when enemy is in range and in line of sight. So you see two lines of musket smokes. The rear line units shoot almost point blank into the back of their own units in front.

[BeeSting]

There is a patch being released on the release date, so maybe that contains a fix?

Ah, I didn't know about that. I hope CA had caught this early enough to implement it on the first patch.

[ArtillerySmoke]

Ah, I didn't know about that. I hope CA had caught this early enough to implement it on the first patch.

If it's a legitimate issue, let's HOPE that it's ironed out in the day 1 patch - or else what is the point of the day 1 patch?

With the majority of combat now focused on skirmishing with gunpowder units, this needs to be not only working as intended, but perfect.

[quadalpha]

You can turn off fire at will for arty, you know. It's the same button as for infantry, though it turns itself back on next time you unlimber.

[A Very Super Market]

Never mind

[ljperreira]

tell that to the american army

Oh, here we go, knocking the U.S. and its military again....im pretty doggone sure that the U.S. Army is not the only one experiencing friendly fire. It happens all the time, in every war, by every nation....its just the nature of the beast.

[Fisherking]

Friendly fire has always been something of a problem in the TW games, but it has also been a fact of life on the battle field.

There should be some sort of check to see if friendly units are in the line of fire but this is a double edges sword. You may be able to fire over their heads. Without some kind of system that tells friend from foe and checks line of sight/line of fire you won’t fix it. Even with that it will not eliminate accidents, nor should it actually.

I agree that cannon should not select targets through your line units, but can they tell the units are in the line of fire.

It may be best to individually target your cannon when placed among troops. It is easy to let them select targets but not always wise. Troops have been killed by friendly fire as long as there have been projectiles.

The programming aspects of the problem are not that easy to fix. It means that each unit must be aware of its coordinate, the coordinate of every other unit and distinguish whether it is friend or foe. It is a 3d coordinate with a height range. Units have to be able to sense if a part of the target is occluded by friendly units within their arc of fire. The cone of fire also play a part (some rounds will be lower or higher). If it doesn’t work perfectly the unintended consequence is that your long range units won’t fire over the heads of your troops from a hill top.

Obviously there is some aspects to the problem they have not solved. It had occurred in each game and if it were that straight forward it would have been eliminated in STW.

It just might be a little difficult to program each unit in the game to be as humanly aware of benefits and consequences as the player is.

[Strategy]

There should be some sort of check to see if friendly units are in the line of fire but this is a double edges sword. You may be able to fire over their heads.

It wouldn't be a problem if the AI understood geography, which unfortunately it doesn't seem to do.

The problem is not friendly-fire as such; but rather the instances when the AI automatically does something blatantly stupid that it has not been given orders to do. Such as unlimber and immediately unloads cannister through its neighbouring artillery unit (happened to me again when I experimented with the game yesterday) firing at god knows what (there wasn't any enemy unit within range).

Personally, I don't think this should be that hard to fix. All it needs is a sensible heuristic - such as, for instance, taking the decision to auto-target fire based upon the (effective distance of the enemy from your unit - number of friendly units in line of fire).

Personally, I would rather have the cannons require me to manually target enemy units to force overhead fire than having to do what I do now - manually target every single unit the cannons fire at (and having to turn off fire at will every time I unlimber a battery).

But that's primarily an irritation (and one that could be fixed if they'd just make the fire at will setting persistent on artillery units). The bigger problem is that the AI - 1. will be exploited (even if you don't want to exploit it, you can't prevent it from unloading on its own units), and 2. sets up artillery in poor positions given the terrain (though one pro - it does seem to seek high ground).


Obviously there is some aspects to the problem they have not solved. It had occurred in each game and if it were that straight forward it would have been eliminated in STW.

Obviously. I code AI myself - I have a healthy respect for the difficulties involved in getting a game AI to do ANYTHING sensible. :laugh4:

But it's rather unfortunate that they haven't fixed this aspect in a game where 95% of the units are missile units. :thumbsdown:


Regarding infantry firing into the back of units in front of them, though, I have to say that I have not noticed this happening to any devastating effect (I have seen it happen, but the front line didn't appear to suffer any significant damage from it). What I have seen is that if a firing line at the back overlaps the firing line in the front, then the infantry who have a line of sight to the enemy on the flanks will open fire (while the rest of the line won't). Perhaps what people are seeing is that as gaps are opened in the foremost firing line (by casaulties, etc.), the rear firing line is opening fire through those gaps?

[BeeSting]

Regarding infantry firing into the back of units in front of them, though, I have to say that I have not noticed this happening to any devastating effect (I have seen it happen, but the front line didn't appear to suffer any significant damage from it). What I have seen is that if a firing line at the back overlaps the firing line in the front, then the infantry who have a line of sight to the enemy on the flanks will open fire (while the rest of the line won't). Perhaps what people are seeing is that as gaps are opened in the foremost firing line (by casaulties, etc.), the rear firing line is opening fire through those gaps?

To prove the AI friendly fire issue:
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/choiboy73/go.jpg

Note I ordered my units not to fire or their fire at will was off, so AI casualties are sustained from their own in the rear.

You can already see how depleted the unit in front is just from their own friendly fire. It's no surprise since the rear unit was firing volleys into the backs of its own.

[Hollerbach]

Hmm, doesn't look pretty. I hope this doesn't become a major issue in the full game, it could really be a downer. At least with AI problems in the past (such as the pin-cushion problem where they would just sit and wait until your archers had killed them to a man) could be circumvented by consciously not exploiting them, but it is a bit hard to tell the AI not to shoot itself!

[BeeSting]

It is a huge downer... I can't even play the demo anymore and having second thoughts about buying the game.

CA has never mentioned this problem and I don't even know if they are working to solve this issue.

[Sir Beane]

It is a huge downer... I can't even play the demo anymore and having second thoughts about buying the game.

CA has never mentioned this problem and I don't even know if they are working to solve this issue.

It's possible it has already been solved. A guy at TWC who got to play the game in Germany at an open day mentioned that after playing the full game the demo seemed like really old cold and that the proper game was much better.

[BeeSting]

It's possible it has already been solved. A guy at TWC who got to play the game in Germany at an open day mentioned that after playing the full game the demo seemed like really old cold and that the proper game was much better.

It seems he might have missed this issue too since this is the only thread pointing to the problem. Who knows... I just want some confirmation from CA that this is being worked on and that it will be patched at the release of the game before I spend my money only to be disappointed fighting the self-destructive AI.

[Sir Beane]

It seems he might have missed this issue too since this is the only thread pointing to the problem. Who knows... I just want some confirmation from CA that this is being worked on and that it will be patched at the release of the game before I spend my money only to be disappointed fighting the self-destructive AI.

Well those of us who have pre-ordered (like me) will very quickly be able to tell you if it is still a problem once the game ships. So you will no in a week or so :2thumbsup:. If you aren't sure about buying the game a review from an Orgah should help you decide. :yes:

[ArtillerySmoke]

omg...does a major bug have to make it's way into EVERY PC game that hits shelves? I mean EVERY one?

[BeeSting]

What gets me is that there's not a single thread or anything out there on the web mentioning this issue. So does CA know?

[Sir Beane]

What gets me is that there's not a single thread or anything out there on the web mentioning this issue. So does CA know?

Several staff members read this forum, so it's likely this thread has alerted them.

[ArtillerySmoke]

Several staff members read this forum, so it's likely this thread has alerted them.

Let's hope so...this could be a huge immersion/realism killer.

[ArtillerySmoke]

any further word on this? Is CA aware?

[BeeSting]

I, too, am pretty anxious about this as the release date draws near.

[ArtillerySmoke]

A lot of videos and screenshots are out today on our forums here. Anyone see evidence of this occurring in the core game?

[BeeSting]

I'm thinking maybe we should spread the word till we hear something about this like on other websites.

[ArtillerySmoke]

I'm thinking maybe we should spread the word till we hear something about this like on other websites.

I really don't think it's something that's going to be a problem. There will be some friendly fire casualties, as there should be, but I really doubt that CA is going to go through all of this development and then release a game where the AI shoots ITSELF.

I just don't see it happening. In all honesty man - I've never seen any evidence of there being a problem other than in this thread. I really doubt EVERYONE missed this but you.

Even in those screens you posted, there was nothing tremendous. With their units firing through another unit, some friendly fire casualties are to be expected. I don't see anything drastically different than there has ever been in a TW game.

I've been watching videos basically all day. I don't see ANYTHING that would lead me to believe that this is a problem.

[BeeSting]

I really don't think it's something that's going to be a problem. There will be some friendly fire casualties, as there should be, but I really doubt that CA is going to go through all of this development and then release a game where the AI shoots ITSELF.

I just don't see it happening. In all honesty man - I've never seen any evidence of there being a problem other than in this thread. I really doubt EVERYONE missed this but you.

Even in those screens you posted, there was nothing tremendous. With their units firing through another unit, some friendly fire casualties are to be expected. I don't see anything drastically different than there has ever been in a TW game.

I've been watching videos basically all day. I don't see ANYTHING that would lead me to believe that this is a problem.

Test it for yourself. Just run up and park your guys in front of their front rank units through the ford and see how they mow down their own. Trust me... I don't want to believe this either. I tested it with other ways to see just so that I can prove myself wrong. The problem is pretty bad... AI units route much too early because of this.

[ArtillerySmoke]

Test it for yourself. Just run up and park your guys in front of their front rank units through the ford and see how they mow down their own. Trust me... I don't want to believe this either. I tested it with other ways to see just so that I can prove myself wrong. The problem is pretty bad... AI units route much too early because of this.

Again, it's a scripted demo.

There's really nothing to worry about man. If this is in the game, we'll know in 5 minutes. It's not something that's going to go unnoticed.

Trust me - The AI is not going to decimate itself. That's not something that could be missed in development. Besides, as I've said: Go watch all of the videos that are rolling out today. It's just not something that I see happening. I see everything looking phenomenal.

[BeeSting]

I pray you are correct.

[ArtillerySmoke]

I pray you are correct.

I do too but again, I would find it really hard to believe considering how obvious it would be every single time you had a battle. If it was in the retail, it would be a case of CA saying "Ok, this is our biggest release ever, but we're going to just ignore the fact that the enemy kills itself, and patch it later".

I just can't fathom that.

[BeeSting]

If you already have the game, would you be so kind as to let us know if the friendly fire issue still persists?

[Greyblades]

Who are you talking to Beesting?

[BeeSting]

Anyone who already has the full version

[BeeSting]

So I guess they fixed it, no?

[pevergreen]

All bullets are individual. If you order a unit to fire, and a friendly one is in the way, it will get hit. As for if it happens while fire at will is on, my guess is yes. They can see the unit, its in range, they fire.

[BeeSting]

It's the AI I'm worried about since it shoots itself to pieces, at least in the demo.

[TB666]

Well I haven't seen the AI do that, neither in the demo or in the full game so far.

[pevergreen]

Well I haven't seen the AI do that, neither in the demo or in the full game so far.

QFT.

[Fisherking]

I ran into it in the demo for the first time today.:balloon:(for BeeSting)

Prior to yesterday I had not been able to do the land battle other than twice the first day.

I had my artillery units together and no enemy in range. I was busy elsewhere and when I looked one of them was routing off the board at half strength.:oops:

It could only be that its partner unit fired on it!:embarassed:

I will see if it happens when I get my game…but hopefully it is fixed by then.:sweatdrop:

[caravel]

It does seem somewhat bugged. Fire at will should not allow units to fire into friendly units. That should only happen if the player gives a specific target that overrides the "safety"


CBR
Precisely. Friendly fire is one thing but there is no way a friendly unit should shoot at a nearby and visible friendly unit. Most friendly fire during the period came from artillery anyway.

It's a bug and a horrible one at that.

:bow:

[Strategy]

I had my artillery units together and no enemy in range. I was busy elsewhere and when I looked one of them was routing off the board at half strength.:oops:

It could only be that its partner unit fired on it!:embarassed:


Presumably some enemy unit came within range of your artillery (however briefly). The lesson is to turn fire at will off at all times when your arty are not active and keep constant watch over them. :no:

Won't help the AI, of course.

[Fisherking]

Presumably some enemy unit came within range of your artillery (however briefly). The lesson is to turn fire at will off at all times when your arty are not active and keep constant watch over them. :no:

Won't help the AI, of course.

Turning off the fire at will is the only option.

However the unit fired on was nearer the map edge and could not have been in the line of fire of the other unit.

It had to be deliberately targeted by the other artillery unit.




......................................... to enemy




.... X dead horses
.................................................. to enemy

........ A





.

[Strategy]

First impression from the full game: this is going to be an issue.

Constant vigilance is required, if your units are not to shoot each other in the back. This results in lots of manual switching off and on of the fire at will button (setting them to attack a unit is not very effective, as they then often start maneuvering or pursue the enemy after routing them).

And, as in the demo, the AI will deploy cavalry units to defend its artillery. Which it will then, all too readily, kill itself with its own friendly fire.

[Major Robert Dump]

You'd think they would've/could've fixed this by now!
nevermind

[Arasaka]

If you overlap your units then be prepared for friendly-fire casualties.

You really need to micromanage your units. If you select a few units and right-click on an enemy, they will bunch up and start shooting each other. You have to keep them in formation, or redeploy.

The same happens if you have untis in a line formation. the ones in the rear will shoot the unit in front of them, not the enemy unit beyond the friendly one in front. More micomanaging the "Fire at Will" button. I always forget to turn it back on again, especially since I'm trying to manage 20 units involved in 2 or 3 different skirmishes at the same time.

[ArtillerySmoke]

I am getting the game today (Yesterday turned into a nightmare day for me...had no time to pick the game up) but from what I'm reading here, this looks like another really minor bug being blown out of proportion.

I'll certainly see tonight though...

[Fisherking]

I can live with keeping an eye on units in the line of fire. That is not so bad.

I just hope the friendly artillery is not targeting it’s sister batteries…that would be a bigie.