Ground Unit Creation - Avoid Combat checkbox

[Gyrfalcon (OP)]

Hey,

I thought I remembered seeing some information about this, but I just went through the updates thread and did a forum search without getting any hits - what is the exact effect of the Avoid Combat checkbox?

It sets the unit as a Non-Combat class, but what does that mean exactly? I remember something about being less likely to be targeted, but will it still take part in combat?

Basically, should artillery units be set to Non-Combat Class if they are only in the support/rear areas conducting fire missions, or does that prevent them from firing?

So far I use that for headquarter and supply units, but I'm not sure what if anything it does.

[mike2R]

http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10096.330
Is the best info I have:

"When you design a ground unit class, you can designate it as a 'Non-Combat Class'. A class with this designation suffers an 80% penalty to hit and any hostile unit selecting targets treats this unit as 80% smaller. This could be used for supply vehicles, HQs, FFD units, etc. It is intended to simulate the type of unit that will actively avoid combat and is therefore much less likely to be chosen as a target. This applies regardless of field position."

So I don't *think* artillery should have it, since it would destroy their to-hit chance (unless bombardment uses a different system?) What I've been wondering is if it it is meant to be used for STOs - clicking the box does not appear to effect the STOs to-hit chance in the description, but I've been afraid to use it in case I gimp my entire planetary defences...

[Jorgen_CAB]

So I don't *think* artillery should have it, since it would destroy their to-hit chance (unless bombardment uses a different system?) What I've been wondering is if it it is meant to be used for STOs - clicking the box does not appear to effect the STOs to-hit chance in the description, but I've been afraid to use it in case I gimp my entire planetary defences...

Yes... I wondered this too... I think unless Steve comments on this we can only test it our self and see if this is the case. Create a new game with two human player races... place some ships in orbit and create two similar STO... one with the non combat ability and one without that ability and fire away... the log should provide all the answers we need.

[Jorgen_CAB]

It appears that STO weapons fire just fine while set as AC... I just did some tests of that...

As you can see from the image below the 10cm laser shooting at a ship at 30.000km have the same to hit at 91% if they have avoid combat or not set.

So it is fair to assume the Avoid Combat only refer to ground combat to hit rates.

[mike2R]

It appears that STO weapons fire just fine while set as AC... I just did some tests of that...

As you can see from the image below the 10cm laser shooting at a ship at 30.000km have the same to hit at 91% if they have avoid combat or not set.

Thats great, thanks for doing that!  Definitely good to know, and it makes having guards or pillboxes with an STO make more sense, since they only need to go against 20% of its weight in the targeting calculations.

[TMaekler]

Maybe Steve should clarify the use of that tick box; and if your experience is what he intended to have... .

[SpikeTheHobbitMage]

Having STO units stay out of ground combat makes sense since they can't attack surface targets on the same body.  Perhaps the option should be labelled 'Avoid ground combat'?

[Pedroig]

From observational data:

1.  Avoid Combat units don't shoot at other ground units.
2.  Avoid Combat units get a pretty significant selection malus on unit targeting.  (It took over a 3:1 unit advantage before a non-combat unit would get selected with any repeatable frequency, which also implies once an unit is targeted it is harder for another unit to select it over an unit which has not been yet targeted)
3.  Have not done AA v Air testing yet.

[Raaaak]

Adding on to the observational data.

Artillery set to "avoid combat" does fire when supporting other units. But it suffers the 80% to hit malus.

[se5a]

Did you have FFD? I'm wondering if that might offset that for artillery.

[Garfunkel]

FFD does not matter for artillery - only for ground support fighters and orbital bombardment

[xenoscepter]

APCs can also be useful in this manner, as in Light Vehicles w/ CAP set to "Avoid Combat"; I've been pairing them with a set of Small Logistics Modules as "Front line Support". A Standard Logistics Module is 50 tons, so a Light Vehicle with it is 62 Tons, while an APC "loaded up" with 2x Small Modules is 44 Tons. It's less tonnage efficient for supply, but it is proving more robust in battle and I like not having to replace my trucks.

[dag0net]

Anybody actually fought wars using 'non-combat' infantry? Might make sense for a honeypot or lz defense, or when your oob's ground support capability is far superior. Guess I should read more gc aar's.

[Froggiest1982]

Maybe Steve should clarify the use of that tick box; and if your experience is what he intended to have... .

reminder for Steve