Col Deadmarsh Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Are they assigned to guard the Company HQ or something? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Officially, the XO is there to take over if the CO gets aced. I avoid placing the CO anywhere where harm might befall him, so that leaves the XO free to do whatever I can find for his team. This includes performing buddy aid (which is useful in preventing some portion of my WIAs from becoming KIAs), and just being another set of eyes and guns on the line. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 If you are asking what the XO does in the CM2 game, the XO is supposed to be able to take over from the Co HQ if that CO individual is out of action. I can't recall losing a company commander individual, so not sure if the XO function works as advertised or how long does it take for the XO to rebuild the C2 links. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 In CM the XO/2iC doesn't really have a role, so they tend to get used/abused as either medics or an extemporised rifle section. I real life the XO/2iC tend to be extraordinarily busy with admin tasks. They'd typically be in a static, stable HQ position with good radio and road comms, probably located off the back of most CM maps. They ('they' being that rear HQ commanded by the XO/2iC, and which includes the battalion staff and other hangers-on) act as the conduit for all info and requests flowing back and up from the rifle companys and battalion commander to the regtl/brigade HQ, and similarly act as the point of entry for any orders coming down from higher, and also the initial reception point for incoming supplies and reinforcements and replacements. And, of course, the XO/2iC also provides the next person in the chain of command, which is why you don't really want him hanging around too close to the CO, nor too close to the shooty pointy bit of the battlefield. Since none of that is simulated in CM it can often make sense to delete the XO/2iC and a few other similar odds and ends, like the A&P Platoon, in the editor or purchase screen to avoid giving the player too many warm bodies to play with. But that does depend on the specifics of the scenario. In a 'standard' attack or defence scenario he really has no business being there. But in some kind of extremis or surprise situation then, sure, leave him in. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warts 'n' all Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I can't recall losing a company commander individual, You're lucky. I've just played the updated "La Fiere Causeway" battle. My US company commander is in the manor house a long way back from the action. Gerry mortar round sails through the roof... Bye bye to the commander and all his mates. Luckily the XO Team were in a hedge about 200 yards away. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akd Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 If you lose the CO, the XO will form a new HQ. I believe within a turn or so. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H1nd Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I tend to command my companies from the front so I have had a lot of Company CO's bite the dust and the XO does indeed turn into new HQ and takes over. You might ask why have the dude in danger in the first place but the idea is that he can take over and direct any and all of the platoons if the platoon commander(s) die. Having the Company co just behind the forward platoons allows him to quickly reach platoons without leadership and then restore c2. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George MC Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I do the same Hind. Coy CO just behind lead platoons to ensureC2 as and when platoon Commanders go down. 2ic sweeps the rear attending to wounded and if need be take over from Coy CO if he gets taken out. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 My men lead from the front like they are supposed to you gamey bastiches. I even heard one of my commanders exclaim, "there are only two kinds of pixeltruppen in this game, those who are buddy aid fodder and those who are about to be buddy aid fodder". 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 If you lose the CO, the XO will form a new HQ. I believe within a turn or so. Tru dat. Unfortunately most XO teams lack a radio, so will need to find a radio-equiopped vehicle they can use to get on the net in order to command any platoons (that have radios) that are at all distant. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holman Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 The XO's role is to shake his head sadly at the CO's tactical blunders and prima donna arrogance. In pure-simulation terms, he smirks with the lieutenants. In my games, anyway. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H1nd Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I do glamour for a possibility of one of the surviving squad leaders stepping up as platoon leader with some penalties. I have always found it rather odd that platoon c2 is totally destroyed along the single platoon leader (germans and russians are most affected since they usually have no secondary platoon leader) when historically infantry platoons might have to do without officers for quite some time if they became casualties early on in the operation. Ofc there is bound to be national and doctrinal differences here as well as game mechanic limitations but for the germans at least it would make most sense since 2/3 of their platoons are already commanded by senior nco. Like wise it would make sense for one of the platoon leaders to take CO position even in the middle of battle (and leave the platoon for his secondary or nco) if both CO and XO are gone. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 In any case, the leadership effects of HQ's in CM2 are so subtle, that one's tactics can usually overcome the effects of sub-units being out of C2. I miss the way the CM1 command attributes made a clear difference. Altho' now that we have those CM1 style command lines in CM2, it does make it a LOT easier to keep in C2. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazing 88's Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I tend to command my companies from the front so I have had a lot of Company CO's bite the dust and the XO does indeed turn into new HQ and takes over. You might ask why have the dude in danger in the first place but the idea is that he can take over and direct any and all of the platoons if the platoon commander(s) die. Having the Company co just behind the forward platoons allows him to quickly reach platoons without leadership and then restore c2. I do the same Hind. Coy CO just behind lead platoons to ensureC2 as and when platoon Commanders go down. 2ic sweeps the rear attending to wounded and if need be take over from Coy CO if he gets taken out. I do the same. This scene from Cross of Iron has always stuck with me when commanding my pixxeltruppen... http://www.yourepeat.com/watch/?v=Ye9J4nQrz5s 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfhand Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 My men lead from the front like they are supposed to you gamey bastiches. I even heard one of my commanders exclaim, "there are only two kinds of pixeltruppen in this game, those who are buddy aid fodder and those who are about to be buddy aid fodder". I consider this post irrefutable proof that you, Ken, have a sock puppet account here on the forum. (and a sock puppet Beta Tester account as well) Now lets watch as your 3rd sock puppet account is revealed swearing by all that is good and holy that it has seen you and this "sburke" fella in the same place at the same time. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburke Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I consider this post irrefutable proof that you, Ken, have a sock puppet account here on the forum. (and a sock puppet Beta Tester account as well) Now lets watch as your 3rd sock puppet account is revealed swearing by all that is good and holy that it has seen you and this "sburke" fella in the same place at the same time. Rotflmao. Just saw a shirt saying "I'm not saying I AM superman, but no one has ever seen he and I in the same room at the same time". However I can say with certainty I have not the skill at spinning a tale as Master Ken. I just have him as a mentor. And if ken ever tries to put his hand up my bum to make me talk like a sock puppet I will certainly have cross words for him (in a high squeaky voice). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFF Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 I can't recall losing a company commander individual, so not sure if the XO function works as advertised or how long does it take for the XO to rebuild the C2 links. It does work. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooper117 Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Glad to hear the XO function actually works 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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