XOs, Operations teams et al.

[alex the seal]

I am curious as to what duties you use these guys for and also what duties are they used for in RL. Also HQ units (company and above), what is their use in game? I remember from the CMx1 days they had a thousand uses (spotting for mortars, taking over for KIA platoon HQs etc.) but these days with the new C2 system I am not so sure.

[Pandur]

their best uses are to be 1. "medic" 2. "backup/additional arty spotter" and to be 3. "alive" to pass on info through the C2 chain. other than this 3 i found none for myself.

maybe others found better use.

[Gen. J-sun]

If they're Marines I have'em up front with the guys. Small Recon. As Pandur said, spotters, of course as medics (I use vehicle crews, nothing like the vengeful BMP gunner that now has an RPG). Additional security for crew-served weapons and things of that nature (SMAWs don't have eyes apparently). Occasionally I have them with a Javlin or something of that nature.

Really I view the Syrian HQs as regular infantry, I find the Syrians nearly melt on first contact despite whatever advantage they have. If anyone has any advise on how to run things with the Syrians could I get a PM?

[Apocal]

If they're Marines I have'em up front with the guys. Small Recon. As Pandur said, spotters, of course as medics (I use vehicle crews, nothing like the vengeful BMP gunner that now has an RPG). Additional security for crew-served weapons and things of that nature (SMAWs don't have eyes apparently). Occasionally I have them with a Javlin or something of that nature.

I think, I'm not totally sure, that if the XO or CO is nearby units take less of a morale hit when taking casualties. I'm almost postive it mitigates the morale hit when they lose a leader.

Really I view the Syrian HQs as regular infantry, I find the Syrians nearly melt on first contact despite whatever advantage they have. If anyone has any advise on how to run things with the Syrians could I get a PM?

Defensively, if your first contact with the Americans lasts longer than 30 seconds or doesn't kill a squad's worth of troops or a vehicle right off the bat, you are doing it wrong. Sustaining contact as the Syrians, except in cases where you have some absurd degree of overmatch, is like trading punches with Mike Tyson in his prime. You aren't going to win doing it.

On the attack, I just apply as much combat power I possibly can to whatever critical point I can find. It's hit or miss.

[stoex]

Second that, Apocal!

Defensively, with the Syrians, try to wait until you can't miss, then open up with everything at once.

Offensively, well....close your eyes and pray to Allah? (face eastward to maximize the effect)

[Sergei]

Offensively, well....close your eyes and pray to Allah? (face eastward to maximize the effect)

You're supposed to be facing Mecca, which from Syria would be to south.

http://www.qiblalocator.com/?latitude=33.5162&longitude=36.2933&zoom=10

[stoex]

You're right of course, Sergei...in the case of Gen. J-Sun's measley Syrian troops. But then I guess that is what most of the Syrian units in CMSF seem to be doing most of the time anyway (facing off map somewhere praying), which is why they aren't real effective at spotting the enemy and using their weapons against them .

As for Gen. J-Sun himself, who is the one I really meant should be praying for higher support for his pixeltruppen, since he is located in NYC, a general eastern-ish facing should be fine...

[Sergei]

North-East, to be exact.

http://www.qiblalocator.com/?latitude=40.7473&longitude=-73.9600&zoom=4

If you wonder why a northernly direction when Mecca is at the latitude of Florida Keys, it's because that is the shortest way to Mecca on a non-flat Earth.

[stoex]

Well, if we're going to be precise, its actually a bit closer to East by North-East. But, well, yeah. Whatever.

[BlackMoria]

Pesonally, I try to avoid doing 'gamist' things with the command squads because in reality, your platoon commanders and company commanders are not going to be running around being medics nor are they going to be off in a corner acting as ad-hoc observers.

The platoon commanders are going to be with co-located with one of the platoon sections on the offense or centrally in the defence where they can observe and influence the battle by leadership. The company commander are going to be rear of the platoons in place that likewise grants them observation of the battle and the abillity to influence it.

Platoon / Company Commanders are at the sharp end with the troops as required....as they should be.

[Dietrich]

their best uses are . . . "backup/additional arty spotter"

In small-scale scenarios where you don't have an actual FO, an HQ unit is your best bet to spot for artillery. Just check each HQ and look for a little yellow "+" -- or, better yet, a big green "+" -- in the asset box. (applies to air assets too) Sometimes a company HQ will have a better connection to a given asset than a platoon HQ, and vice versa.

I try to avoid doing 'gamist' things with the command squads because in reality, your platoon commanders and company commanders are not going to be running around being medics

Sergeant: <looking around> "Where's the lieutenant?"

Corporal: "Splinting the CO's foot -- he stepped in a pothole." <impish grin>

Sergeant "The hell?!"

Indeed -- rather than acting as a medic himself, the CO is going to tell someone else to take care of any wounded. That's appropriate delegation.

nor are they going to be off in a corner acting as ad-hoc observers.

Sergeant: <hunkered down in cover> "Whadya see, Cap'n?"

Captain: <peering through binoculars> "A lotta blades of grass."

[tc237]

He wasn't asking about PLT or ompany CO's he was asking about Company XO's or HQ units.

The HQ unit would be helping with casulties, so that is OK, not gamey.

The XO's job?

That is a very big topic and you won't ever get the definitive answer.

Basically he can do anything and everything he wants to help the unit accomplish the mission.

In game terms that can mean:

-Being a medic, maybe not himself personally but certainly his crew would and because there are no actual medic units in the game it can be safely assumed that the company medic is with the XO.

-As an FO, yep he can do that too and they usually are in direct commo with the FO because the CO is to busy to coordinate arty sometimes

-Providing cover for supply or weapons teams

-There really isn't anything gamey when it comes to XO or HQ units, they are the commanders wildcard.

[alex the seal]

Thanks for the replies guys, this has shed some light on the subject for me.

[Pandur]

Really I view the Syrian HQs as regular infantry, I find the Syrians nearly melt on first contact despite whatever advantage they have. If anyone has any advise on how to run things with the Syrians could I get a PM?

i recall steve saying that they where not sure if they should make syrian platoons a "3 squads" + a "one or two man leader team" or if they should do it like it is now.

im my point of view it was the wrong choice as it is now.

if you want to have youre squads in command you actually cannot use the HQ squad for combat as any player will attack it as soon as spotted wich brings the other two squads to their knees too in half a turn(even agains the AI its a big hinderance).

however, if you dont use the HQ squad on the other hand your whole platoon actually consists of 16 to 18 man wich is one and a half marine squads or two army squads in comparison.

means a big bunch of guys is wasted sitting with the leader.

they should have gone for the 3 squads + leader team as for the US side. that way you could let your leader lead and the squads fight. the way its now is more than not optimal in my eyes.