Smoke and Spotting Mechanics

[RandomJordan]

There are some things in this game that just don't make any sense to me. But the most frustrating has to be the dropping of smoke and the way spotting works around it. Any time I am in my destroyer and I drop smoke, I slow down sometimes even backtrack into my smoke so I'm in it, and don't fire or shoot torpedoes initially. But I am always spotted and remain spotted almost the entire time, even from a distance. Earlier today I was continually spotted through smoke at 7 km in a russian destroyer.

 

But when I play against ships with them dropping smoke. I can be less than 3 km away from someone and they still vanish AND they are shooting me while staying vanished in the smoke... it makes no sense to me. 

[Doutech]

Is your AA off?

[Zyu]

I feel ya. I am no SmokeScreen Ninja by any stretch.

I have no clue how to use, or even exploit, vision mechanics to my advantage.

I also feel like you do quite often - that whatever mechanic or rng or whatever there is with SmokeScreen - I'm more often on the "bad" side of things.

 

Honestly..the only time I am super confident with attacking smoke is when I'm in a BB. Maybe I'm just crazy.

[1nc0mp3t3nt_1]

Press P. There is this thing called AA that automatically shoots any plane near you, which gives your position away.

 

Also as a DD the situational awareness skill is your lifeguard. It will even indicate if you are spotted by a plane or ship

[The_GoDDfather]

Ok, smoke.

Smoke is a curious mechanic. Smoke is deployed in circular "puffs" around your ship, these puffs will keep you hidden. However, you can out run these puffs and become spotted. In order to keep moving and be hidden in smoke, you have to move at a speed of about 7 knots.

If you move at a continuous speed of 7 knots, you can create a short stream of invisibility at the expense of overall dispersion of smoke. Although, this 7 knot speed limit is only for advancement towards enemies or creating a wall between the opposing forces. When moving in a parallel move to your enemies, you can run away full speed while hidden.

 

This smoke will keep you from being detected. However, at the expense of this invisibility, it also keeps you from spotting them. This is where teammates are important. Much like arty, your teammates out side the smoke must spot for the people inside the smoke.

 

Just a few notes there.

[Final_Spark]

Is your AA off?

 

Press P. There is this thing called AA that automatically shoots any plane near you, which gives your position away.

 

Also as a DD the situational awareness skill is your lifeguard. It will even indicate if you are spotted by a plane or ship

 

AA doesn't matter at all. As long as you are in smoke you will not be spotted at all. The only way this changes is if a cruiser gets close enough with Hydro Search or any other ship gets close enough for the auto-spotting range to kick in (2km normally, 3km with the Acquisition upgrade for tier 8+). If your AA range is less than your air detection range, there is literally no point in turning off your AA.

 

If you feel that those spotting situations are not the case, you are not in your smoke. Deal with it. Yes, it can be hard to determine if you are in smoke, as the hazy edges of the screen can be subtle, but we all have to deal with it.

 

Most IJN and USN DDs can pop smoke and still move at 1/4 throttle staying unspotted, but many of the faster VMF DDs have such a high top speed that they exit their smoke puffs even at 1/4 throttle.

 

If you just find yourself getting hit without Situation Awareness popping up, smoke doesn't stop rounds.

[Batwingsix]

 

 

AA doesn't matter at all. As long as you are in smoke you will not be spotted at all. The only way this changes is if a cruiser gets close enough with Hydro Search or any other ship gets close enough for the auto-spotting range to kick in (2km normally, 3km with the Acquisition upgrade for tier 8+). If your AA range is less than your air detection range, there is literally no point in turning off your AA.

 

If you feel that those spotting situations are not the case, you are not in your smoke. Deal with it. Yes, it can be hard to determine if you are in smoke, as the hazy edges of the screen can be subtle, but we all have to deal with it.

 

Most IJN and USN DDs can pop smoke and still move at 1/4 throttle staying unspotted, but many of the faster VMF DDs have such a high top speed that they exit their smoke puffs even at 1/4 throttle.

 

If you just find yourself getting hit without Situation Awareness popping up, smoke doesn't stop rounds.

 

Wrong, AA increases your visibility just as firing guns. Firing AA in smoke increases your spotting range and the aircraft being shot at will keep you spotted. 

[beliy_demon]

 

 the aircraft being shot at will keep you spotted. 

 

No.

[RebelScumSix]

The Problem is with DD's in smoke and firing. They can see me through the smoke and are shooting at me but they are invisible except for the shells being shot.....How is it possible for them to see me and I not see them.....Real smoke (IKR? this isn't real) blinds both ways. Also when I'm using my hydrophones I still can't see through......frustration is the name of the game.

[bad_arcade_kitty]

There are some things in this game that just don't make any sense to me. But the most frustrating has to be the dropping of smoke and the way spotting works around it. Any time I am in my destroyer and I drop smoke, I slow down sometimes even backtrack into my smoke so I'm in it, and don't fire or shoot torpedoes initially. But I am always spotted and remain spotted almost the entire time, even from a distance. Earlier today I was continually spotted through smoke at 7 km in a russian destroyer.

 

But when I play against ships with them dropping smoke. I can be less than 3 km away from someone and they still vanish AND they are shooting me while staying vanished in the smoke... it makes no sense to me. 

 

it's because you leave your smoke

zydrate comes in a little glass vial smoke comes in puffs, if you don't slow down you outrun your puffs and expose yourself

and then, smoke dissipates eventually too

 

 

Wrong, AA increases your visibility just as firing guns. Firing AA in smoke increases your spotting range and the aircraft being shot at will keep you spotted. 

 

wrong

aa doesn't affect your visibility in smoke at all

shooting your guns don't make you visible in smoke either

[1nc0mp3t3nt_1]

wrong

aa doesn't affect your visibility in smoke at all

shooting your guns don't make you visible in smoke either

Are you sure? Because I have spotted Destroyers hiding in smoke by their AA fire, considering the shots went up in the sky. I can't pull a replay up now because there's quite a few to go through

[bad_arcade_kitty]

yes i am sure because i regularly use aa in smoke, also see what beliy_demon said, also it directly follows from the spotting mechanics http://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Battle_Mechanics_(WoWS)#Spotting_Mechanics

[1nc0mp3t3nt_1]

yes i am sure because i regularly use aa in smoke, also see what beliy_demon said, also it directly follows from the spotting mechanics http://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Battle_Mechanics_(WoWS)#Spotting_Mechanics

So would it be proximity that spotted? 

[sushimaster]

 

Wrong, AA increases your visibility just as firing guns. Firing AA in smoke increases your spotting range and the aircraft being shot at will keep you spotted. 

You're a couple of patch behind.