How can I make my units pause at waypoints?

[CM1fan]

When I'm advancing scouts and forward observer teams, I'd like to do so cautiously. You know, move about 10 m, pause to look around for 10 sec, and, if the teams don't spot anything of interest, move another 10 m, pause another 10 sec, and so on.

Whenever I plot out a path with waypoints and pauses, CM:BN totals my pauses and counts them down to zero before it moves my guys at all. When my guys finally start moving, they follow the plotted path without pausing.

What I really want is for these units to advance cautiously until they spot enemy units and then hide for the rest of the turn so I can give them the commands I choose to deal with the situation. How can I do this?

[Pete Wenman]

This should tell you all you need to know,

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=82035

Or you could read the manual

P

[Rocky Balboa]

You have to click on the waypoint first then issue pause command .... lots of commands can be issued like this such as facing and area fire at certain waypoints

[noxnoctum]

Yep it's super useful. One of the biggest advantages of the CMx2 UI over CMx1's is the ability to add pauses and fire commands from waypoints.

For what you want sounds like you need a string of Hunt commands with 10-15 second pause intervals to give them time to see an enemy and so ignore further movement orders.

You need to make sure you're clicking on the white triangles that signify each waypoint before adding time to the "pause clock". Or you can click on the waypoint bars in between triangles. Either works. Notice how you can highlight different times parts of a series of waypoints by clicking on them. Highlight the desired one > add pause.

If you do it only by clicking on the unit itself without clicking on the waypoint you want to add pause time or a fire order to, you're just adding delay before the unit starts moving at all. (i.e. pause just like in CMx1).

[CM1fan]

For what you want it sounds like you need a string of Hunt commands with 10-15 second pause intervals to give them time to see an enemy and so ignore further movement orders.

You need to make sure you're clicking on the white triangles that signify each waypoint before adding time to the "pause clock". Or you can click on the waypoint bars in between triangles. Either works. Notice how you can highlight different times parts of a series of waypoints by clicking on them. Highlight the desired one > add pause.

If you do it only by clicking on the unit itself without clicking on the waypoint you want to add pause time or a fire order to, you're just adding delay before the unit starts moving at all. (i.e. pause just like in CMx1).

I don't like hunt commands, particularly for forward observers, because I expect HUNT will cause them to reveal their locations with rifle shots at enemy units they see. I want my scouts and FOs to be inconspicuous rather than attracting enemy attention.

[Sergei]

I don't like hunt commands, particularly for forward observers, because I expect HUNT will cause them to reveal their locations with rifle shots at enemy units they see. I want my scouts and FOs to be inconspicuous rather than attracting enemy attention.

Hunt just means to move to contact. Whether they open fire is not dependent on the movement order type.

[Michael Emrys]

Hunt just means to move to contact. Whether they open fire is not dependent on the movement order type.

And you can prevent them from firing by giving them a very short (say 25 m) 360° covered arc.

Michael

[noxnoctum]

Ya it's not the hunt from CMx1. And like mentioned above use an arc(s) if you don't want them to fire even if they see something.

[Broadsword56]

Another good scout tactic when approaching a terrain feature with your lead team (like an opening in bocage, crest of a hill, etc.) when enemy location is unknown but contact expected:

1. HUNT order to the safe side of the feature + HIDE + cover arc 15m.

2. "Unhide" the unit on the safe side of the feature + 15 sec PAUSE in place (to peer across and spot potential threats).

3. SLOW order 1 action spot to the enemy side of the terrain feature + PAUSE 15 sec + SLOW back to the safe side of the feature + HIDE at the safe spot.

[if you haven't seen any threats by now, then...]

4. HUNT across to the enemy side of the feature and patrol as normal (HUNT commands with 15 sec pauses every 30 meters or so).

5. Every 100m or so or before every new terrain feature: Take a listening halt and rest the team with HIDE + PAUSE for 1 minute and a 360 degree cover arc.

Another tip: On US side, that HQ Support unit you get with the jeep and a senior NCO is useful in a recon role. Have him "acquire" lots of ammo and/or a bazooka, dismount the NCO, and have him lead a foot patrol with an infantry team or two. He's got a radio, so if your patrol runs into trouble or sees a good indirect artillery target, he can call it in.

[YankeeDog]

And you can prevent them from firing by giving them a very short (say 25 m) 360° covered arc.

Michael

To be clear, HUNT + COVER ARC will mean that the unit only stop if (a) they get fired upon, or ( they spot an enemy INSIDE the cover arc. If they spot an enemy outside the cover arc but do not get fired upon, they'll keep moving (which is often not what you want).

If you want the unit to HUNT forward, and stop on contact but not open fire if they spot a distant enemy unit, the best way to do this is give them a HUNT order with no cover arc and a HIDE command on the waypoint. With this order, if they spot an enemy unit (regardless of range) or get fired upon, they will immediately go to ground where they are and go into hide mode. This often means they will lose the enemy contact, but you can always then unhide them and they'll usually regain the contact.

This is one of the most common SOPs I use for scout teams, actually.

[Lt Belenko]

The Death Blossom, I had forgotten about it - but I do use unit control similar to that. The Death Blossom ranks as all time #2 best posting at BFC -ever. The explanation of M4 nomenclature being best.

[Broadsword56]

To be clear, HUNT + COVER ARC will mean that the unit only stop if (a) they get fired upon, or ( they spot an enemy INSIDE the cover arc. If they spot an enemy outside the cover arc but do not get fired upon, they'll keep moving (which is often not what you want).

If you want the unit to HUNT forward, and stop on contact but not open fire if they spot a distant enemy unit, the best way to do this is give them a HUNT order with no cover arc and a HIDE command on the waypoint. With this order, if they spot an enemy unit (regardless of range) or get fired upon, they will immediately go to ground where they are and go into hide mode. This often means they will lose the enemy contact, but you can always then unhide them and they'll usually regain the contact.

This is one of the most common SOPs I use for scout teams, actually.

Aha! HUNT + HIDE with no cover arc is the effect I wanted. That is much better. I had always thought (don't know why) a HIDE at the end of the HUNT waypoint only applied once they reached that waypoint.