Modern use of minefields

[Tartantyco]

-Having served as a Combat Engineer I disapprove greatly with the way mines are used in PR as it is hardly realistic and removes a lot of strategic and tactical elements, as well as opportunities for teamwork. However, I don't have a good idea of how to more realistically portray the use of mines in PR so while I'm thinking a little I'll just share with you how they are actually used.


-In modern warfare the role of mines/minefields is rarely to destroy/incapacitate enemy vehicles, but rather to deny access. In accordance with international conventions anti-personnel mines are illegal and minefields are to be clearly marked and mapped as mines kill indiscriminately, are on the whole ineffective at killing enemy soldiers or destroying vehicles(In relation to other methods), kill mostly civilians, and make land unusable for decades.

-Minefields are to be clearly marked with bright tape surrounding the area and signs at regular intervals. Minefields come in several "flavors," including, but not limited to, full minefields with a large amount of mines covering the entire field, either on the ground or buried(These take a long time to deploy and use up a lot of material but means the enemy will take a long time clearing a passage), minefields with few mines scattered across the field(Using up less material to deny access but can be breached more quickly), and dummy minefields where only the marking has been set up(Little material used but will be breached quickly).
-They often have at least one passage going through them for friendly units to pass through and these are marked with easily removable markings to quickly remove any trace of it. In addition they will be covered, at the very least with MGs, as Combat Engineers can quickly clear a passage through an undefended minefield.

-The main purpose of minefields is to deny access to an area(Flanks, strategic locations, etc.) or funnel enemy units into certain areas where they will be at a disadvantage.
-Mines are often fitted with anti-handling devices that detonate them if they are opened or moved, some have booby traps underneath or integrated into them and many booby traps mimic standard mines which are intended to kill deminers. As such the standard procedure is to destroy mines on site instead of defusing or moving them(With explosives or .50 cal sniper rifles). Various tools are used, from metal detectors to simple prods, to locate mines but this is very time consuming and so other alternatives such as Mine Clearing Explosives are also used which are long ropes either partly or completely filled with explosives, varying in range from 25 to 150m for quick passage clearance through minefields.

[[PR]CATA.Mobius]

Trouble is, with the limited scope of Project Reality, it's impossible to muster enough mines or minelayers for a large area denial type minefield. Instead, the only truly effective use of mines in the game is for immediate tactical area denial (such as blocking off a single road or on-ramp) or as an ad-hoc close range anti-tank weapon.

[Tartantyco]

-Well, I'm thinking some kind of CO asset that would be deployed and built by engineers. Right now it's a bit to akward but I'll try to refine it.

(Maybe I should have posted this in the suggestions forum...)

[[PR]CATA.Mobius]

It sounds plausible, although I'd definitely consult with a developer on its in-game feasibility.

[Tirak]

If it's a CO deployed asset though, is it possible to deploy multiple objects that are independant of eachother in the way that the CO Asset system works currently? I like the idea, but let the Engies keep their mines too.

[Ghostrider]

Originally Posted by Tartantyco

(Maybe I should have posted this in the suggestions forum...)

Done.

Your idea sounds good; it would be nice for engineer-type classes to deploy/clear mine fields. Instead of deploying individual mines they could be able to mine areas which could show up in friendly minimaps (sort of like rally points).

The fields could be made to explode when anyone goes through them or they could be tagged/changed to terrain that is not accessible, so vehicles and players cant go through without clearing it first.



~xghost();

[3===SPECTER===3]

Its kind of like how FH2 sets up static minefields on their maps.

[Waaah_Wah]

One engineer can set up 8 mines and they will last for 10 min. To me thats good enough If you get some guy to ressuply you, you can lay down a whole lot of mines in an area

[gclark03]

Perhaps we should allow the Commander to place 3 mines in a diamond formation. These mines would stick to the ground, like Field Dressings, but be just as visible as a current landmine. With shovels, these Commander minefields would be conveniently hidden below the ground and marked with a special smoke grenade, much like the old order marker grenades from Vanilla.

[Viper5]

Perhaps something like a CO Deployable Minefield (about 15 mines in a staggered column covering ~15m) that must be shoveled/wrench to make active?