Something you MUST utilize...

[Crni vuk]

I actualy made as well good experience in giving control to the AI, particularly in shooting moving targets. The aim of the PC is quite good in that with long range guns. I also tend to use snipers on the flanks of my infantry and let them stay there unoticed. Officers in direct control are very usefull. Tanks as well when you have to fight crucial situations. But I find it more usefull to just target a moving Puma / T34 with a T34 85, Panzer IV or anything biger. Works quite well for me. Particularly since you can use with soviet vehicles the heavy 12,5 (or 14mm even?) Dshk anti craft gun. Its more the combination in my eyes that makes the difference. But thats just my experience.

[FM_Von_Manstein]

Well, thanks for stating the obvious. Direct control mode is obviously the single most important thing in the game. I find that my tanks sometimes don't shoot unless I use DC. Don't know why...

[KnightFandragon]

Originally Posted by FM_Von_Manstein

I find that my tanks sometimes don't shoot unless I use DC. Don't know why...

Lolz, looking in the weapon files and such, there is a Aim range, which from what ive figured out is the range in which your guys actually fire back, basically thier awareness level and the actual weapon's max range.....The reason im guessing is that the Aim Range isnt very far so they just sit there unless you give them a direct order to fire or go to DC. I figured this one out b/c I wanted to know why there was 2 ranges. I then set my guns to Aim Range 20, and Max Range like 60....went into Crete and couldnt, for the life of me figure out why my G3 guys were sitting there while my other guys were shooting, come to find out ther was a direct link between the 20 I had put and my guys only engaging within 20...So yeah, I think the Pzr IV H has a aim range of 70, max range of 90 so only within 70 will it fire on its own. The rest of the range it has to be DC'd or give it an order to fire. Weird but meh..

[insolent1]

Direct control is the thing that has made this game series stand out ever since I played the SHoWW2 officer demo and used a timed grenade on the first truck that appears full with infantry.
The sniper AI needs some work as they have poor target selection(they should go after high value tagets first ie MG's flamethrowers other snipers before targeting cannon fodder) and they don't use their range advantage. I find they don't start shooting till 60m instead of 69.9m.

[kane1]

Originally Posted by insolent1

The sniper AI needs some work as they have poor target selection(they should go after high value tagets first ie MG's flamethrowers other snipers before targeting cannon fodder) and they don't use their range advantage. I find they don't start shooting till 60m instead of 69.9m.

That was something that I was disappointed in too. I once made a squad with mostly snipers. I set them up with good cover and waited for the carnage. You could see them sighting in on guys but they hardly ever shot. On the other hand whenever there is a enemy sniper around it's stick your head up and you get one between the eye's. It's not a big deal I was just looking forward to it(the carnage). Without DC these games would be nearly impossible for me.

[KnightFandragon]

Yeah, snipers only work on guys who stand basically still. They only will fire if they complete the whole sight circle and most the time the target mysteriously knows hes being zeroed in so he ducks, breaks the circle, runs, ducks....so yeah....snipers just out on their lonesome are screwed. Also line of sight is screwed up to.....some of the flattest hills in the game can obscure the vision of even the tallest tanks that can clearly see over it....So yeah Kane1, your right if this game didnt have DC it would basically be impossible. I love DC =D First Person Realtime Strategy Game...totally wicked