Ground Forces. Targeting Priority.

[gateisgreen (OP)]

Noob here, don't kick, please.

Finally, I've researched biggest and baddest Ultra-Heavy Vehicle (siege Cyclop-class mech) for my ground forces.. but discovered a quite troubling matter.
It is the heaviest unit in my roster - 536size with 4xSHAV! Which means, I have very few shots in my disposal after deploying those beasts in a standard formation.
I predict: enemy numbered infantry will soak up all the shots rendering siege machines mostly ineffective (assuming their low number in formation due to size).

Question for players: how to ensure that shots will hit enemy heavily armoured targets? Not be wasted on infantry?

Thank you!

[Andrew]

No way to do it.
Targetting is random

[Garfunkel]

4xSHAV is total overkill. Instead, have them carry a mix of CAP, HCAP and LAC and maybe one HAV. It is extremely rare that AI has units with such armour that SHAV is needed. Mopping up the infantry is always needed and always useful.

[nuclearslurpee]

Question for players: how to ensure that shots will hit enemy heavily armoured targets? Not be wasted on infantry?

Deploy infantry-killer units first, kill all the enemy infantry, then deploy the SHAV units in a second wave to kill the enemy armor.

[Aloriel]

If you really want to mop up infantry, equip your SHV with as many HCAP as you can fit on it. I usually call this an "IFV". Infantry shots will almost certainly bounce right off your SHVA. Their anti-vehicle units will have to shoot your SHVs to really have any chance at destroying them, but they too will have a lower chance of destroying your IFVs (assuming you have equal armor and weapons tech to each other) because SHVA is literally "super heavy". It's very hard to break.

I also make a "tank" that includes 1 HCAP and the rest are SHACs. So, these too will mow through infantry while also possessing firepower to deal with heavy armored.

And finally, I make a "tank destroyer" which includes SHACs and 1 SHAV, just in case I need that extra firepower to take out something heavier than I can field due to tech differential or after their infantry have been wrecked by my IFVs and I want to mop up the remaining heavies.

Losing one of these hurts a bit since they take a lot of BP to make. You can either deal with it by having a lot of extra production for ground units, or you can do what other players do and be a bit monstrous by having infantry soak up shots. I prefer to have the extra production.

Don't forget HB artillery in the rear echelon supporting your assault forces.

[gateisgreen (OP)]

4xSHAV is total overkill. Instead, have them carry a mix of CAP, HCAP and LAC and maybe one HAV. It is extremely rare that AI has units with such armour that SHAV is needed. Mopping up the infantry is always needed and always useful.

Oh, but I thought 4 weapons fires independently. Shots are scattered among enemies. The way you say it, it concentrates fire on one single enemy unit, right? If so, I should overhaul my entire army setup then.. eh)
Thanks for advices!

[Andrew]

The weapons do fire independently but as you observed will usually hit infantry, so 4 SHAV is overkill as you will largely be shooting at infantry and if only tanks remain 1 SHAV will still kill a tank per attack.
In practice any SHAV is pretty much overkill as running into something heavier than Medium vehicles is currently almost impossible, I still make super heavy tanks with a SHAV as an RP decision but I do make sure I have a lot of Autocannon and HCAP weapons as they kill infantry. My superheavy tanks carry a SHAV and HAC's which also kill a lot of medium tanks , for pure efficiency HCAPS are better but I overdo it for RP reasons

[Louella]

For my tank units, I create a model of tank with AP weapons, and a model of tank with AT weapons. Think like the WW1 "male" and "female" tanks. "Male" tanks had cannons, "Female" had machineguns.

I then make the tank formations 50% "male" tanks and 50% "female" tanks.

This way when the formation is matched with an enemy formation in ground combat, there's a good chance that half the tanks will be effective against whichever element of the enemy formation they target.

E.g. in a round of ground combat my tank formation is matched with an enemy formation consisting mostly of infantry. The "male" tanks shots are largely ineffective, while the "female" tanks cause a lot of damage.
In a later round of combat, my tank formation is matched with an enemy formation consisting mostly of vehicles. This time, it is the "male" tanks that are most effective.

Having the formation consist of a mix of weapons in this way means that whichever enemy formation it targets, at least some weapons will be effective.

You can achieve similar results with less logistical effort by having a single model of tank with a mix of AP and AT weapons.

But I just like futuristic WW1 tanks