What can a unit really see?

[Don Maddox]

When I use the “Check Area LOS” command to see what a unit sees, my LOS is sometimes blocked by smoke from the battle. I take it that this command is talking about basic “visual” LOS, and does not take into account thermal imaging, FLIR, or anything else like that. Is there a command to see what a unit “sees” using these systems? My understanding is that units can “see” things with IR, FLIR etc that wouldn’t be visible using normal observation.

Has anyone discovered more info on how all of this works?

[Don Maddox]

There is a definite display difference between the LOS tool and DF orders mode. Many units show up while using the LOS for a friendly unit, but disappear when you enter DF mode for that same unit. I believe LOS is only showing you HEX line of sight, not LOS to anything particular IN the hex.

You only know what a unit can see and shoot by using the DF orders mode - not the LOS tool.

This is another issue that goes hand in hand with the first. I wondered about this and now...I'm even more confused. :nuts:

Seriously, this does seem to make sense, but I think this information could be presented in a slightly more intuitive way. I didn't think of this until I read the thread.

[Kammak]

My "proof" for that statement is to click through each friendly unit in DF Orders mode - usually only one or two units will actually have a firing solution on the bad guy platoons at any one time.

The LOS tool works on the high-level TF commander "merged" view, which shows all contacts both aged and current...only the DF target mode shows you the actual view from the selected unit, and all spotrep info is hidden at that point.

Now, I don't know if there is a bug or two at work here as well, but I do know that currently the LOS tool is no indicator of whether you can shoot at a bad guy.

Kevin MacLennan
aka Kammak

[HPS]

There is a definite display difference between the LOS tool and DF orders mode. Many units show up while using the LOS for a friendly unit, but disappear when you enter DF mode for that same unit. I believe LOS is only showing you HEX line of sight, not LOS to anything particular IN the hex.

You only know what a unit can see and shoot by using the DF orders mode - not the LOS tool.


This is absolutely correct. The way to think of it is that just because you can see a cornfield it doesn’t mean you automatically also see the infantry lying in it. The LOS tools just show if you can see the cornfield or not. Whether or not you can see the infantry (or know it is there) is determined by the FOW routines.

-Scott