Suppressive fire command

[spangg 0]

I know it was discussed b4 but without clarity. People said here that it was broken so I am wondering it is still the case. I tried testing in various missions and editor but can't say it is as I assume it should. I understand suppressive fire as lay down hell on those bastards with fire team so assault team can flank or move closer. However when I give the command to my team mates nothing happens, they just keep going to do what they were doing. Can someone explain what I am doing wrong? Is it meant to be a general direction a particular enemy or else?

Thx,

spang

Edited June 8, 2012 by spangg

[jackrabbitslim7 10]

I often use the suppressive fire command, it seems to work for me, when I give the order my units start firing like crazy (and they can run out of ammo quite quickly), but I think they need to see theirs targets at least one time before using suppressive fire and they have to be immobile. If you are moving with your units don't expect them to stay immobile laying down suppressive fire, they will follow you and not be able to fire as much, you should say to one half of your team/or your machinegunners to stop or move to a designated place while you move with the rest of your team to flank the enemy, they will not split on their own.

Edited June 8, 2012 by jackrabbitslim7

[spangg 0]

thx, but do you point to the general direction or it is possible to tell exactly whom/what to fire at?

I test it further in the editor, but I can't see that they would do anything else than without this command? What difference you notice when use it? For me it seems they just carry on ignoring me.

[monotone 3]

Suppressive Fire order is just like a switch which turns your AI's weight of trigger.

Direction or target of suppression is determined by AI itself.

[jackrabbitslim7 10]

Pointing the direction with alt spacebar does nothing special for me either, but when I tell my units to use suppressive fire they tend to increase theirs rates of fire, and they keep firing on las known position. They don't uses suppressive fire on a general direction as long as they don't see an ennemy tough. From what i've read here http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?109112-Suppressive-fire your ai teammates will fire as long as they can remember the presence of a known enemy.

Each time I use this command I only tap 3-9 and let the ai fire, giving a direction doesn't work.

If you want your ai to fire at a designated target the only way I can see is using the target command but you can't design a suppressive fire area.

[Bouben 3]

I would say it used to work but I don't see any effect of it now. Anyway, it does not seem to have any impact on enemy AI. Correct me if I am wrong.

It would be cool to get some clarification on this topic from BIS themselves.

[-Coulum- 35]

I don't see it changing much about friendly ai rate of fire or their willingness to engage area targets vs. point targets, but I think it probably doesn't work like I would expect it to. And suppressive fire has next to no effect on the ai anyways. If you hit within a half a metre of them they will reduce in rate of fire and accuracy but it is very hard to hit that .5 of a metre. It is far easier to just kill them instead. Would be nice if bullets that impact or snap by within a metre and a half or so caused the said effects as well as a drop in stance. Would make suppression, a vital part of a real firefight, at least noticeable in game.

[maturin 12]

it is very hard to hit that .5 of a metre. It is far easier to just kill them instead..

Would you stop repeating that mathematic impossibility of an idea?

No one tries to suppress by avoiding actual hits. But if you intend to suppress, the effective target triples in size even for the AI, allowing you shoot much quicker and at a higher rate.

[-Coulum- 35]

Would you stop repeating that mathematic impossibility of an idea?

No one tries to suppress by avoiding actual hits.

Hehe sorry. I know I sound like a broken record but I believe suppression is really lacking in arma. But what I say is somewhat true no? I know that no one aims to suppress someone, but if I shoot in the general direction of an ai the odds of me hitting him are much higher than the odds of me suppressing him. It should be the opposite way around. It should be hard to hit, easy to suppress.

But if you intend to suppress, the effective target triples in size even for the AI, allowing you shoot much quicker and at a higher rate.

I'm not sure how the target size triples, unless you are shooting at an ai from a high angle. on relatively flat surface that p.5 metre of ground becomes a mere sliver and when shooting at ai on the ridge of a crest it is impossible to suppress the ai.

[Joe98 92]

I know that no one aims to suppress someone,

I disagree. Sometimes soldiers fire at a general area to have the enemy keep their heads down. This allows other friendlies to move to a spot where they can either throw grenades or get a better aimed shot.

I only use:

3-1 Open Fore

3-2 Hold Fire

3-6 Disengage.

.

[-Coulum- 35]

Sorry, I worded that wrong. I was responding to maturin who said "No one tries to suppress by avoiding actual hits." that's what I meant to say. You're absolutely right. Actually, most soldiers aim in the general area of the enemy in order to suppress them. Problem is in arma every one shoots only to hit, and vs the ai, those who try to suppress the enemy aren't actually doing anything, except wasting ammo.