Malta Auto Turrets in ambush - Apparent unlimited range

[RikOz]

In the final mission of the "Operation: World-wide Red" arc (where you have to defeat the second Kronos Titan, on the outdoor forest map), there are some ambushes that usually consist of a Sapper and an Operation Engineer. Often, an ambush will spawn immediately upon zoning into the mission.

 

Several times, I have noticed that I zone in, and almost immediately start getting hit with automatic weapon fire. I look around to find where it's coming from, and there is nothing in sight at first. But then I eventually see the ambushers running at me, usually at the maximum draw distance at which enemies can be seen.

 

It appears that these ambushes are actually spawning halfway across the zone. And yet, somehow, the Operation Engineer's Auto Turret is accurately firing on me from an absolutely ridiculous distance, long before I can even see the thing. I know this is not normal Auto Turret behavior, as under normal circumstances I can run (if I choose) far enough away that the Auto Turret will stop firing and move to close the distance before firing again.

 

It would appear that the Auto Turrets are unintentionally taking advantage of the fact that ambushers automatically target a character's location, and are opening fire even though they're technically well out of range.

 

On one occasion, I was killed seconds after zoning into the mission. Two ambushes spawned simultaneously: one right at the zone-in location, and the other far far away. So I was fighting the nearby ambushers, not realizing that I was being shot at by the second group that was out of visual range. I was surprised that I died, because I absolutely should not have been taken out by a single ambush. I only realized what had happened when the second group finally rolled up a moment after I was killed.