HarPlonkHQ

Here is a partial list of known “Bugs” for Harpoon 3. Not all the behaviours described below are ‘bugs’. Some are simply an explanation of how the game or scenario editor works. Anomalies were reported by many various players of Harpoon.

If anyone believes that a particular bug has been fixed or is in error, please feel free to notify HarPlonkHQ so that this list can be amended.

Please note: This list is not meant as criticism of an excellent and enjoyable game. The sole purpose of this list is to inform players of currently known issues.

1. AAA fire
   
   AAA guns are not limited by the altitude of the target and can even shoot down satellites.
   
2. AI-Sonobuoys
   
   Sonobuoys deployed by AI are non-functional
   
   Work-around solution: Deploy sonobuoys manually or use units equipped with dipping sonar.
   
3. Aircraft destroyed
   
   Aircraft destroyed on the ground/ship often do not get counted into Victory Conditions.
   
4. ASuW Patrols do not launch AShMs
   
   Aircraft on ASuW Patrol missions are often unable to launch AShMs due to mission parameters. The Patrol altitude of the mission may be incompatible with the min/max release altitude of their ordnance.
   
   Select ordnance that is not restricted by altitude parameters i.e. bombs
   
5. Aircraft Logistics
   
   Aircraft will almost never run out of ammunition. When aircraft land, even if the ammo dump is empty or destroyed, most will almost always be given the same loadout they had upon landing.
   
6. Aircraft ignore Nav Zones
   
   Some aircraft on missions are able to fly through Nav Zones.
   
   Work-around solution: Draw a double-thick Nav zone or draw an additional Nav Zone just inside another Nav Zone.
   
7. Automatic contact classification
   
   The true type classification of a contact is automatically revealed when it is designated hostile by the hotkey.
   
8. Battleset window
   
   When viewing the Battleset loading window, it is not possible to view the orders for individual scenarios. The scenario is automatically loaded if it is selected instead of pausing to allow the player to view the orders first.
   
9. Circling torpedoes
   
   Torpedoes destroy their launching platform. Sometimes this causes a problem for the Victory Condition manager.
   
10. Date
    
    It is not possible to change the year of a scenario once it has been selected.
    
11. Time of day
    
    Night and day are reversed so that daytime is actually 1801 to 0559.
    
12. Edit Aircraft function
    
    Use of the Edit Aircraft function on a group or base that has pre-set air patrols will cause air formation patrols to be cancelled.
    
    Work-around solution: Re-assign the air formation patrols.
    
13. Facility magazines do not re-load
    
    Facilities cannot accept re-loads from their magazines
    
14. Ferry Mission Crash
    
    If you set up a delayed Ferry mission and the receiving/landing facility (revetment/airfield) is destroyed (or deleted by the designer) before the mission is activated, the game will crash when the AI tries to launch the Ferry mission.
    
15. Fire Report
    
    Unit report indicates a fire is present even after a message is received that the fire has been extinguished.
    
16. Fixed unit names
    
    Groups can be re-named but the player is unable to re-name individual units on his side.
    
17. Group Nav Zone Settings
    
    The Nav Zone settings for a Group are not adopted by the individual units forming that Group. i.e. If you order a TF to avoid Ship Threat Zone [A], the Group icon will avoid the Threat Zone but the individual ships of the Group will sail into the Threat Zone.
    
    Work-around solution: Set the Nav Zone parameters for each unit individually.
    
18. Group aerial re-fueling
    
    Groups are unable to perform aerial re-fueling
    
    Work-around solution: Re-fuel individually before endurance level drops below 50%
    
19. Hangar Capacity
    
    Example: The SE allows you to add 2 helos (the maximum allowed) to a ship. If you only launch a single helo, it cannot be manually ordered to land on the ship unless the second helo is also airborne/launched. However, when the helo runs low on fuel, the AI automatically returns it to the ship.
    
20. Identification failure
    
    Sometimes, when you hit the Database button for a unit, only one possible identity is shown but the unit display will still describe it as Unknown.
    
21. In-flight refueling is too fast
    
    Successful in-flight refueling of an F-111 from a KC130 only takes about 1 minute. This seems too fast.
    
22. Initial sub depths
    
    Sub units inserted with the SE start at -100m regardless of the local conditions. This makes them invisible in Shallow waters and they remain at this depth until ordered to change speed or depth.
    
    Work-around solution: Insert subs and immediately order them to change their speed/depth so that they comply with local conditions.
    
23. Invisible ASW attack
    
    Subs under attack from depth charges or ASW mortars will not know that they are under attack becaue no attack warning is given nor is an explosion icon is displayed.
    
24. Invisible units can be detected
    
    Some invisible units whose radar IR and visual signature is -32000 can be detected
    
25. Launch Altitudes
    
    Aircraft instantaneously appear at high altitude without needing to climb to it after launch.
    
26. Launch and immediate landing
    
    Aircraft launched without mission orders automatically land themselves immediately. SE 3.6.2
    
    Work-around solution: Set all A/C on missions or else take control of aircraft IMMEDIATELY after they are finished launching.
    
27. Long ready times
    
    Aircraft with Minimal loadouts will not accept long ready times but will revert to either 30 min. or 0 min. ready times.
    
    Work-around solution: Set aircraft to any other mission for long delay time.
    
28. LongMathError
    
    GE crashes when doing complex calculations involving units moving at high speed. This is due to the integer math system. Problem appears to be most often encountered when SLBMs launched. ICBMs seem to be okay.
    
29. Mount Underrun
    
    Mounts sometimes jammed with high number (6#,###+ in display) when left in weapons-free mode.
    
    Work-around solution: Do not use Weapons-free mode. Control all mounts manually.
    
30. Naval Nukes
    
    The AI is unable to fire nuclear-tipped cruise missiles from naval units. Aircraft, SLBMs, and land facilities are unaffected.
    
    Work-around solution: This only applies to ASuW Area Patrol missions. Missiles will launch on strike missions.
    
31. Nuclear Blast/Implosions
    
    Units destroyed by fire/nuclear blast/implosion may not register in the evaluation or ViConds
    
32. Protect Station ViCond Unreliable
    
    This Victory Condition evaluates erratically and unpredictably usually when losses occur to the units stated in the condition.
    
33. Ready Time glitch
    
    Aircraft are sometimes inexplicibly given very long ready times during aircraft operations. This may have originally been intended to simulate mechanical breakdowns.
    
34. Replenishment at-sea
    
    Non-functional
    
35. Shift+Click does not select multiple units/groups
    
    Shift+Click only works to add units to a single/group of units already selected by the Drag Select function.
    
    Work-around solution: Drag Select at least one unit and then add other units with Shift+Click
    
36. Scenario Editor Incompatibility
    
    Scenarios that have been run in the Scenario Editor (pre-3.6.3 version) and then had their date and time elapsed re-set by the Scenario Editor, cannot be opened by the latest version of the SE 3.6.3 nor by the GE 3.6.03.
    
37. Strange behaviour of a/c in a group
    
    Aircraft in a plotted group whose speed has been manually set lower than the aircraft's normal cruise speed will continue to fly at cruise speed and not at the speed of the group.
    
38. Sub kills not in Evaluation
    
    Submarines are sometimes destroyed without appearing in the evaluation. One theory is that the killing torpedo is not detected and thus the hit and ensuing destruction is not "seen" and cannot be evaluated properly. The unit is removed from play but not recorded in the evaluation.
    
    Work-around solution: Tally sub kills manually OR save often and use the SE to manually verify sub destruction.
    
39. Sub speed
    
    Subs travelling at 35kts at deep depth will not reduce speed if local conditions force it to periscope depth.
    
40. Time Zones
    
    The H3 world revolves in the opposite direction to real life when calculating Time Zones. Game time is listed in terms of Zulu (GMT). If the scenario is one time zone East of GMT, you would normally ADD one hour to Zulu time to find the local time. However, H3 SUBTRACTS one hour instead.
    
41. Units ignore PZ EmCon
    
    Units ignore the EmCon of their patrol station
    
42. Viewing Logistics with ScenEditor
    
    Do not use the ScenEditor with Aircraft Logistics activated if you are editing aircraft missions. The editor will cause all the aircraft at the facility/ship to revert to unassigned status.
    
    Work-around solution: Use the SE only with the Aircraft Logistics function disabled.
    
43. Visual ID
    
    Ships are visually detected at approximately 35nm range regardless of their actual visual signature.
    
44. Aircraft unable to locate Runways
    
    Aircraft directly inserted into a scenario are unable to locate appropriate runways to land on their own initiative. Aircraft that normally require Large runways to launch/land will only land on Very Large runways. If only Large runways are available, they will crash. Aircraft requiring Medium runways will only land on Large runways when directly inserted. This is applicable for all aircraft directly inserted. They need a runway one size larger than the length specified in the database.
    
    Aircraft launching from bases and aircraft ordered by the designer to land are not affected by this bug.
    
45. Facilities cannot be indexed
    
    Subs, aircraft, and ships are indexed in the PlayersDB. Some facilities were indexed for Belarus. However, when using the SE and indexation feature and trying to select facilities for insertion, the wrong facility always appears.
    
46. Individual plane evasion
    
    Lone aircraft will automatically evade when confronted with ANY missiles. Single fighters are unable to approach a stream of TLAM from the front. They automatically dive and attempt to evade. They are able to engage from the flanks. Groups of aircraft do not suffer from this problem.
    
47. Under-ice TLAM launch
    
    TLAM are able to launch when under the ice cap.
    
48. Weapon ranges less than one ignored
    
    Any weapon that has a range less than 1.0 nm, cannot be fired by the AI. However, the player is able to utilize these weapons manually and they appear to operate at the correct range. I do not know if missions created by the player will suffer this restriction, but I suspect that they will since Missions are under AI control.
    
49. Fire and land immediately
    
    Any aircraft that fire while not assigned to a mission, will immediately land even if they have plentiful ammunition / fuel remaining.
    
    Work-around solution: Ensure that all aircraft have at least a Plotted mission before firing.
    
50. Naval Ground Strike Mission
    
    Ships that are grouped together and on a ground strike mission will fire missiles, but will not close on the target to engage with naval gunfire.
    
    Work-around solution: Individual ships do not suffer from this bug. Either delete and re-insert the ships or else the group can be broken down by using the "Detach Unit" function in the Formation Editor.
    
51. Ships sail over land
    
    Ships are sometimes able to sail over land.
    
52. EmCon at Waypoints
    
    Aircraft will obey waypoint EmCon commands if the plane is currently either ACTIVE or PASSIVE (not intermittent). Once the aircraft receives a command to radiate Intermittently, either at the start or at a waypoint, no other EmCon commands will be accepted at future waypoints.
    
53. Hovering group moves
    
    Group of helicopters is given a plotted path and then ordered to hover. When one of them is destroyed, the rest start moving along the path at cruise speed.
    
54. Active sonar at Creep
    
    Active sonar from MCM vessels cannot locate an object while the MCM is moving at Creep speed. However, once the ship starts moving at Cruise Speed, the sub contact magically appears.
    
55. Submarine insertion at Int depth
    
    Submarine are always inserted at Int depth regardless of the actual depth possible.
    
    Work-around solution: Order the unit to change depth right after it is inserted. The unit will then respect the actual depth at that point on the map.
    
56. Max depth determined by engine
    
    Max depth that a submarine can dive to is determined by the engine / propulsion unit and not the depth field in the Sub Data annex.
    
57. Relief patrols launch individually
    
    Aircraft assigned to area patrols may launch as a group when the patrol is first activated. However, relief aircraft arrive as individual units.
    
58. Hidden units killed in a group
    
    Units that are meant to be Hidden / non-auto-detected can be hit and destroyed if they are part of a group and the group is the target.
    
59. Empty sides
    
    All sides in a scenario must have at least one unit in it and one unit must be designated the flagship. If this unit(s) is missing, the scenario will crash when opened by the Game Engine.
    
60. Planes directly inserted
    
    Planes directly inserted into a scenario may not properly re-build and, as a result, may cause a crash when the scenario is run with the Game Engine.
    
61. Firing arcs ignored
    
    When firing manually, weapon arcs are ignored and all weapons may be brought to bear.
    
62. Subs in groups
    
    Subs joined with groups are automatically assigned a formation patrol zone on the ASW axis that cannot be changed or modified.
    
63. Large scenarios cause crash
    
    Starting large scenarios at high time compression rates may cause a crash.
    
    Work-around solution: Ensure scenario starts at 1:1 compression by hitting the "-" [minus] hotkey to bring the time compression rate down.
    
64. Fixed ranges for bombs/rockets
    
    Maximum range for bombs and rockets is fixed at 2nm regardless of the range a database editor may assign.
    
65. Re-loading
    
    Weapons will re-load the first weapon listed in the magazine and not necessarily the weapon that was recently fired.
    
66. Land-based radar
    
    Land-based radar is able to see through mountains.
    
67. Plane revert to cruise speed
    
    Individual planes always return to cruise speed after they are given new paths. This does not occur for groups.
    
68. Hangar overload
    
    It is possible to land many more aircraft than the hangar capacity allows.
    
69. Damaged fields do not impede landing
    
    When runways are damaged and no long sufficient to allow planes to launch, planes are still able to land once they run low on fuel if they originally launched from that airfield.
    
70. ScenEdit ammo key
    
    The Enter Amount of Ammo button does not accept numbers if the maximum number of weapons is already loaded.
    
71. Planes in the process of launching can move
    
    Plane groups in the process of launching can move before the entire group is airborne.
    
72. ASuW mission altitude
    
    Planes on the ASuW Area Patrol mission are often unable to fire their weapons due to differences between the mission altitude parameters and the weapon release parameters.
    
73. ScenEdit and Vestigal Loadouts
    
    When aircraft loadouts are changed or deleted in the database, it is not always possible to see this in the ScenEditor. The weapons for the deleted loadout appear in the SE, but when the player opens the scenario with the GE, the planes revert to the minimal (unloaded) loadout.
    
74. AI inside Minimum Launch Range
    
    If an AI unit finds itself inside the Minimum Launch Range of its weapons, it is unable to move away in order to fire its weapons.
    
75. LR SAMs have no ASuW capability
    
    Long-Ranged SARH SAMs cannot be given ASuW capability even if they have this ability in real life. Otherwise, they attempt to launch at vessels over the horizon and end up crashing into the sea.
    
76. AI unable to intercept
    
    Aircraft manually ordered to intercept with either the F1 function or the [F6] Air Intercept function are often unable to calculate a course to intercept the target, especially if the target is not perfectly located.
    
77. MAD contact for ground facilities
    
    The MAD detector is able to detect ground facilities.
    
78. Installations bug
    
    When trying to insert an installation, an error is reported: "ios_base failure in clear"
    
79. Sonobuoy battery endurance
    
    Battery endurance for sonobuoys is irrelevant.
    
80. ARMs cause planes to hang
    
    Aircraft armed with Anti-Radiation Missiles and bombs will continue to hang over a target once the bombs are released if they have not fired their ARMs. This will occur even if ARMs cannot be fired at the target in question.
    
81. ASW Weapons ignore depth
    
    Weapons limited to shallow depth are able to attack and destroy targets at VDeep depth.
    
    
82. Weapons ignore range
    
    Weapons can ignore their range and destroy targets further than the maximum allowed range.
    
    
83. Fly off the world
    
    It is possible for aircraft to fly off the edge of the map and crash the game.
    
    
84. Sail over land
    
    It is possible to purposely sail ships over land under certain conditions.
    
    Sample file at StrategyZoneOnline.
    
    
85. Units left in limbo by Mission Editor
    
    Bases and aircraft assigned to a mission can drop out of the network and be left in limbo when said mission is subsequently deleted in the Mission Editor. These units cannot be re-assigned or otherwise used.
    
    
86. Active sonobuoys detected by radar
    
    Sonobuoys that are dropped with Active-Only Sonar sensors can be detected by opposing Radar, Infrared, and visually.
    
87. Sonobuoy deployment altitude
    
    Sonobuoys can be deployed at any altitude.
    
88. Units drop off network
    
    Units are listed on a mission, but none of the individual ships in the group show this mission in their unit display
    

Units drop off network

Units are listed on a mission, but none of the individual ships in the group show this mission in their unit display