Mines

[Nemesis]

Is there any way to tell if a mine is mixed mines vs antipersonnel just from looking at the mine marker?

I am curious if there is a way to tell them apart by looking at the marker. Other than by stepping on one or driving over it.

 

[Herroberst63]

Not sure, suppose answer is the longer the engineers admire the minefield the more information is gleaned.

 

[A Canadian Cat]

I don't think you can tell. Once engineers have marked them infantry can move throught them at a walking pace fairly safely. But vehicles will set them off - both kinds - if they drive through.

 

[Butterblümchen]

Mines? How barbarous! :whistleo:
Honestly I don't know either. I suppose you can't tell the difference.

But with 15 points each, they're not really cheap and not 100% reliable. I was watching in eager anticipation as one of your HQ squads was running right into one of them, but I didn't see any explosion.

 

[Bulletpoint]

The sign doesn't show if it's AP, AT, or a mix. No way of knowing in reality either, short of picking through the entire thing with a steel prod.

 

[rocketman]

I don't think you can tell. Once engineers have marked them infantry can move throught them at a walking pace fairly safely. But vehicles will set them off - both kinds - if they drive through.

So there is no safe way for a vehicle to pass through marked mines? That make mines on forest roads through heavy woods a very effective road block. Too effective?

 

[Badger73]

So there is no safe way for a vehicle to pass through marked mines? That make mines on forest roads through heavy woods a very effective road block. Too effective?

Apparently not. Engineers "mark" mines but don't seem to de-fuse them during CM battles. Mines don't always detonate, though. Sometimes a vehicle can pass through a minefield unscathed. That seems to be by pure dumb luck.

Here's what the CMBN manual says.

CMBN Manual - page 57​

MARK MINES​

This command enables engineer units to detect and mark hidden minefields so that other units are aware of them. Other units can then move through the marked minefield, albeit slowly. Mark Mines is a very slow movement command that takes the unit’s full attention and reduces awareness and returning fire. See the Encyclopedia chapter for more details about Mines.​

Restrictions - only Engineers can mark mines.​

Example - Marking mines under fire is suicidal unless you have other forces suppressing the enemy or call for a large scale smoke screen.​

​

CMBN Manual - page 195​

MINES​

There are three “flavors” of minefields in the game: anti-personnel, anti-tank, and mixed (meaning: a mix of both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines in the same field). Obviously, anti-personnel mines are meant to harm infantry primarily, while anti-tank mines are usually bigger and pack more punch, and are intended to disable or at least immobilize vehicles and tanks.​

Note: Anti-tank mines cannot be set off by infantry on foot, but anti-personnel mines can be set off by vehicles.​

Troops moving through minefields have some ability to notice the mines without exploding them. This is much more likely when:​

.......................................... - The soldiers are crawling or walking (and to a lesser extent, “hunting”)​

.......................................... - The soldiers are engineers​

.......................................... - The soldiers are experienced​

.......................................... - The minefield has already been discovered (e.g. by setting off a mine)​

Engineers have the ability to mark known minefields. After a minefield is marked by an engineer unit, other units may safely (but slowly) move through it without running the risk of setting off additional mines. See the Mark Mines command in the Command chapter for more details.​

 

[Bulletpoint]

So there is no safe way for a vehicle to pass through marked mines? That make mines on forest roads through heavy woods a very effective road block. Too effective?

Could happen in real life I guess. Would be a bad situation if you had to drive down a narrow track and it was mined. What could you do if you didn't have a flail tank?

In game, it's up to the scenario designer to make maps that are realistic and fun to play. It's the easiest thing in the world to design an impossible scenario.

 

[Nathangun]

Here's an interesting PDF on engineering workings, there's a section on mines.

http://ows.psgtech.edu/ncc/documents/ep_syllabus.pdf

 

[A Canadian Cat]

Apparently not. Engineers "mark" mines but don't seem to de-fuse them during CM battles. Mines don't always detonate, though. Sometimes a vehicle can pass through a minefield unscathed. That seems to be by pure dumb luck.

Could happen in real life I guess. Would be a bad situation if you had to drive down a narrow track and it was mined. What could you do if you didn't have a flail tank?

In game, it's up to the scenario designer to make maps that are realistic and fun to play. It's the easiest thing in the world to design an impossible scenario.

@Badger73 and @Bulletpoint have things correct.

 

[rocketman]

In game, it's up to the scenario designer to make maps that are realistic and fun to play. It's the easiest thing in the world to design an impossible scenario.

True, but this can become an issue in H2H play in a designed scenario (mines aren't bound by set up zones right?) or Quick Battle H2H. So maybe an additional house rule like no arty on set up zones?

 

[Bulletpoint]

True, but this can become an issue in H2H play in a designed scenario (mines aren't bound by set up zones right?) or Quick Battle H2H. So maybe an additional house rule like no arty on set up zones?

They are limited by setup zones. Sometimes in scenarios, the designer puts mines in their own, separate setupzone., limiting where the defender can place them.

In QB, it's important for the map maker to realise that if he gives the defender the option to deploy around, say, a bridge, then chances are he will mine that bridge. (if playing with map preview)

 

[Wastemoreland]

Apparently not. Engineers "mark" mines but don't seem to de-fuse them during CM battles. Mines don't always detonate, though. Sometimes a vehicle can pass through a minefield unscathed. That seems to be by pure dumb luck.

Here's what the CMBN manual says.

CMBN Manual - page 57​

MARK MINES​

This command enables engineer units to detect and mark hidden minefields so that other units are aware of them. Other units can then move through the marked minefield, albeit slowly. Mark Mines is a very slow movement command that takes the unit’s full attention and reduces awareness and returning fire. See the Encyclopedia chapter for more details about Mines.​

Restrictions - only Engineers can mark mines.​

Example - Marking mines under fire is suicidal unless you have other forces suppressing the enemy or call for a large scale smoke screen.​

​

CMBN Manual - page 195​

MINES​

There are three “flavors” of minefields in the game: anti-personnel, anti-tank, and mixed (meaning: a mix of both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines in the same field). Obviously, anti-personnel mines are meant to harm infantry primarily, while anti-tank mines are usually bigger and pack more punch, and are intended to disable or at least immobilize vehicles and tanks.​

Note: Anti-tank mines cannot be set off by infantry on foot, but anti-personnel mines can be set off by vehicles.​

Troops moving through minefields have some ability to notice the mines without exploding them. This is much more likely when:​

.......................................... - The soldiers are crawling or walking (and to a lesser extent, “hunting”)​

.......................................... - The soldiers are engineers​

.......................................... - The soldiers are experienced​

.......................................... - The minefield has already been discovered (e.g. by setting off a mine)​

Engineers have the ability to mark known minefields. After a minefield is marked by an engineer unit, other units may safely (but slowly) move through it without running the risk of setting off additional mines. See the Mark Mines command in the Command chapter for more details.​

You mentioned that" Other units can then move through the marked minefield, albeit slowly"
A vehicle is a unit able to move slowly. Has anyone tried driving slowly through a marked minefield?

 

[rocketman]

You mentioned that" Other units can then move through the marked minefield, albeit slowly"
A vehicle is a unit able to move slowly. Has anyone tried driving slowly through a marked minefield?

It goes boooooom...
Seems like moving slow through marked mines is as likely to set off mines as moving slow through unmarked/undetected mine fields.

 

[Wastemoreland]

It goes boooooom...
Seems like moving slow through marked mines is as likely to set off mines as moving slow through unmarked/undetected mine fields.

Affirmitive.