Mobile sensor turret ignores "hold position" command - bug?

[Eugen]

Hello!

The new campaign feature when a mobile sensor turret with assigned indirect-fire units automatically chooses the nearest targets could have been great, however...

It ignores the command "hold position". That means when an enemy unit retreats, a mobile sensor turret begins to pursue it instead of switching to another nearest target. So it gets destroyed very fast because it always pursues the enemy instead of staying at home and acting as an ordinary sensor turret.

At first I thought it was a Hardcore Mod bug only. However I tried in the original WZ 2.3.6 - the same problem.

This happens when a mobile sensor automatically chooses a target.

Is it a bug? Or was a mobile sensor turret designed to pursue the retreating enemy units no matter what commands it was ordered?

Thank you!

[Eugen]

I don't remember if this bug was in 3.2.5 campaign. I think there wasn't otherwise I would have noticed it. However I may be mistaken.

I would like to ask other users of the forum: do you have the same bug? The fact that sensor-turret unit completely ignores the "hold position" command and is constantly pursuing the retreating enemy units makes this unit absolutely useless in combat.

[Outlaw325]

I have a solution: don't use mobile sensors!

Towers have a longer range than the tanks, that and you don't have to assign targets, they just go for whatever's closest

[chobibo]

I hope this gets fixed, the mobile sensor is supposed to save you valuable oil on low power maps.

[NoQ]

Yes, i *do* have the same bug, and it's rather annoying. A lot of mobile sensors died because of it (:

I have a solution: don't use mobile sensors!

Too bad. Mobile sensors are highly effective.

[LZ compromised]

I have a solution: don't use mobile sensors!

Towers have a longer range than the tanks, that and you don't have to assign targets, they just go for whatever's closest

I know this was a joke, and I do hope noone uses this argument seriously. Mobile sensors' whole point over towers is that you can assign targets manually. Sometimes you need to take out that lancer tower first, and not the 4 cyborgs standing beneath it. By the by, towers don't gain exp for assigned-unit kills
That said, it seems only logical that if you tell a sensor to stay put, it shouldn't ignore you and go after the first target it sees.

[Outlaw325]

I have a solution: don't use mobile sensors!

Towers have a longer range than the tanks, that and you don't have to assign targets, they just go for whatever's closest

I know this was a joke, and I do hope noone uses this argument seriously. Mobile sensors' whole point over towers is that you can assign targets manually. Sometimes you need to take out that lancer tower first, and not the 4 cyborgs standing beneath it. By the by, towers don't gain exp for assigned-unit kills
That said, it seems only logical that if you tell a sensor to stay put, it shouldn't ignore you and go after the first target it sees.

I wasn't joking. I NEVER use mobile sensors simply because they're cannon fodder. The most units I ever lost in one game was just sensor tanks because they kept getting nuked. That and I don't have to keep a constant eye on them so they don't go running off into the enemy tanks/defences/insertunithere

[Eugen]

Thank you for your answers!

I noticed this bug in Arizona 1-5 campaign (WZ 2.3.6). Before committing to an attack I had built some MG towers, and placed a mobile sensor turret with assigned mortar-tanks behind them in order to stop the enemy counter-attacks. I have attached a save game file. I played the Hardcore Mod, however this save-file loads in an ordinary WZ 2.3.6 campaign as well. Just extract the archive into My Documents\Warzone 2100 2.3\savegame.

You'll see the bug immediately after loading the game: the mobile sensor turret is targeting an enemy tank. The enemy is retreating and instead of switching to another target, the sensor turret begins to pursue the enemy. Please notice that the sensor turret was given the "hold position" command. Important edit: the sensor turret that was holding the position chose the approaching enemy target itself (this means I didn't order it to attack the enemy, otherwise it would certainly pursue the enemy - that is clear).

So I think the bug is confirmed. Another step could be submitting a bug report. How to do it correctly so that the developers took a look at it and got it fixed when they have some spare time? And where should it be submitted?

Thank you!

[Eugen]

I've created a bug report: Ticket #2391
If it is really a bug (I don't think that a mobile sensor is supposed to ignore the "hold position" command) - then I hope the developers will take a look at it and say whether it could be fixed.

[stiv]

Yes, it is a bug, Eugen. It has been there on and off in skirmish games. Last time I looked, it was on. It needs to be fixed.