Warzone 2100 features a complex and intricate sensor system used to coordinate attacks with efficiency. There are many kinds of sensors available in Warzone, which include:
Sensor Turret
-Assigns: Artillery
-Range: 1536
-Targeting: Line-of-Sight Manual Lock
The basic sensor is used to designate targets for assigned artillery. It can be used by selecting your artillery units and then clicking on a Sensor Turret vehicle. Once this is done, you can command the Sensor Turret vehicle to attack an enemy target, and it will attempt to establish a line-of-sight lock on that target. Once it has locked on, the assigned artillery units will open fire on that target from long range, firing over any obstructions between themselves and the target.
Sensor Towers work somewhat differently. Artillery emplacements are automatically assigned to all Sensor Towers within their weapon range, and artillery units can be assigned to a Sensor Tower by selecting them and then clicking on the Sensor Tower. A Sensor Tower will automatically lock on to any ground target within it's range and assigned artillery will open fire on this target.
Sensor Turrets/Towers are fitted with a basic radar and coordinate relay system. Assigned artillery may be exposed to a Counter-Battery(CB) barrage when operating via Sensor Turrets/Towers.
VTOL Strike Turret
-Assigns: VTOL Units
-Range: 2048
-Targeting: Line-of-Sight Manual Lock
The VTOL Strike sensor is used to designate targets for assigned VTOL aircraft. It can be used by selecting your VTOL air units and then clicking on a VTOL Strike Turret vehicle. Once this is done, you can command the Strike Turret vehicle to attack an enemy target, and it will attempt to establish a line-of-sight lock on that target. Once it has locked on, the assigned VTOL units will commence an aerial attack against that target.
VTOL Radar Towers work somewhat differently. VTOL air units can be assigned to a VTOL Radar Tower by selecting them and then clicking on the Radar Tower. A VTOL Radar Tower will automatically lock on to any ground or aerial target within it's range and assigned VTOL aircraft will scramble and attack this target.
Alternatively, VTOL aircraft can fly independent strike missions using patrolling scout/decoy aircraft to reveal uncharted territory, targets, and air defenses beforehand, leaving VTOL Strike Turrets at a slight disadvantage. VTOL Radar Towers, on the other hand, have a distinct advantage over standing air patrols in that they automatically queue up targets, whereas patrolling aircraft return to rearm after each target is destroyed, even if they have not expended their full payload.
VTOL Strike Turrets and VTOL Radar Towers are fitted with an extended-range radar and aircraft coordination datalink. Assigned aircraft may be exposed to Anti-Aircraft(AA) and Surface-to-Air Missile(SAM) fire when operating via VTOL Strike Turrets.
CB Turret
-Assigns: Artillery
-Range: 2048
-Targeting: Automatic Counter-Battery
The CB Turret is used to retaliate against enemy artillery attacks by returning fire from assigned artillery. It can be used by selecting your artillery units and then clicking on a CB Turret vehicle. Once this is done, if any enemy artillery rounds are fired at a location within the CB Turret's range, the CB Turret will calculate the position of the attacking enemy artillery and assigned artillery units will attempt to return fire against the attacker.
CB Towers function similarly, and artillery emplacements are automatically assigned to all CB Towers within their range. If the attacker also has CB Towers defending his/her artillery, a Counter-Battery exchange can start with both sides trying to destroy the other's artillery before getting destroyed themselves. Players can make strategic use of geographical features to try and minimize damage done to their artillery during a CB exchange.
CB Turrets/Towers are fitted with an extended-range precision tracking radar, ballistics trajectory computer and coordinate relay system.
VTOL CB Turret
-Assigns: VTOL Units
-Range: 2048
-Targeting: Automatic Counter-Battery
The VTOL CB Turret is used to retaliate against enemy artillery attacks by counter-attacking with assigned VTOL aircraft. It can be used by selecting your VTOL air units and then clicking on a VTOL CB Turret vehicle. Once this is done, if any enemy artillery rounds are fired at a location within the VTOL CB Turret's range, the VTOL CB Turret will calculate the position of the attacking enemy artillery and assigned VTOL units will commence an aerial counter-attack against it.
VTOL CB Towers function in the exact same manner as VTOL CB Turrets. If the attacker has Anti-Aircraft(AA) defenses and/or Surface-to-Air Missile Sites(SAM Sites) defending his/her artillery, VTOL CB sensors may prove to be problematic as aircraft may have to overfly uncharted territory, and can suffer significant losses if enemy air defenses are not suppressed.
Alternatively, a regular CB Turret/Tower can be used to expose the position of attacking enemy artillery, and decoy aircraft can be deployed against this position to test enemy air defenses and aid in their suppression. Decoy aircraft can also distract enemy SAM Sites long enough for bombers to destroy the enemy artillery positions, given that SAM launchers have a very long reload time.
VTOL CB Turrets/Towers are fitted with an extended-range precision tracking radar, ballistics trajectory computer and aircraft coordination datalink.
Wide Spectrum Sensor
-Assigns: Artillery, VTOL Units
-Range: 2260
-Targeting: Non Line-of-Sight Manual Lock
The Wide Spectrum Sensor is a combination of the Sensor Turret, VTOL Strike Turret, CB Turret and VTOL CB Turret all into one package. It can assign both artillery units and VTOL aircraft, designate targets for both, and coordinate Counter-Battery attacks for both. Unlike Sensor Turrets and VTOL Strike Turrets, however, the Wide Spectrum Sensor can establish Non Line-of-Sight(NLOS) locks on targets whose position has been revealed already by other sources, so the sensor unit itself does not need to come into harm's way.
Like in the cases of the VTOL Strike Turret and VTOL CB Turret/Tower, aircraft can alternatively operate independent of a designating sensor, and can attack any target whose position has been revealed already. In a role reversal, patrolling aircraft can overfly uncharted territory and reveal target positions, which the Wide Spectrum Sensor can lock on to using it's NLOS capability to direct artillery strikes.
Wide Spectrum Sensor Towers are simply a combination of the Sensor Tower, VTOL Radar Tower, CB Tower and VTOL CB Tower all into one package. Unlike it's turret equivalent, it is not capable of NLOS operation. It is very useful, however, since it is capable of simultaneously assigning artillery units, artillery emplacements and VTOL aircraft, and can singlehandedly defend a region from ground, air and artillery attacks.
