Description of Unit Condition

[Guest kevi]

I tried to find this via search for a while

hence this post. Is there a table or description of the following states ...

alerted

panic

broken

shaken

all others etc.

Is there a parameter a unit fall above or below to enter these states?

I am pretty sure this has been discussed,

but can not find it so far.

- Kevin

[Moon]

The different states a unit goes through are (usually in this order):

alerted, shaken, pinned, panic, broken, routed

There are no fixed parameters (like morale minus X means this or that), CM is way too dynamic for this. The fuzzy logic used in CM means that every situation will develop differently.

Alerted means normally that something is shooting at that unit, and is the first sign of trouble and that the TacAI might take over.

Shaken means that the unit will take cover or for example re-evaluate the order it has been given (e.g. if ordered to move, it might choose a different path with more cover, or it might simply disobey any orders and hunker down)

Pinned means that it will go for the next cover and hit the ground. This also has an impacton its ability to return fire.

Panic means that you cannot give the unit any orders, it will react on self-preservation only (and usually try to run away). Panicked units can recover once out of harms way.

Broken means that the unit has had enough and it will do whatever is necessary to get out of trouble. Broken units can also get so seriously shaken that they will panic much quicker even after they recover (which takes much longer), this is indicated by the "!" in the unit window.

Routed units get the heck out of there and remain useless for the rest of the fight most of the time. They always get seriously shaken, i.e. get the "!".

That's only some rough guidelines of course.

[Guest kevi]

Moon -

Thanks, that's what I needed.

I heard of but do not understand the math in fuzzy logic (sounds a lot like my wife sometimes). Could fuzzy logic produce a broken squad at the initial sight of the enemy even without any fire or casualties? Other than keeping moral high, casualties low HQs nearby, are there any guildlines to keep squads from going from shaken -> panic -> broken.

Thanks again.

- Kevin

[billcarey]

kevi,

I've noticed that squads that are being fired on from multible directions (60° arc or more) tend to panic much more often. Also, shermans will panic infantry in a matter of seconds. The HE is deadly. Conscripts and Green troops also panic at the drop of a hat, so keep them out of the thick of it. Basically, just common sense.

- Bill

[Doug Beman]

I've noticed that Conscript troops will show "alerted" or even SHAKEN if they are moving around for long periods out of command radius. That zapped me in a recent game of CE; I was redeploying and 2 of the conscript PS teams decided they'd rather hunker down and wait out the end of the game than move through the big, scary forest wihtout a sergeant to hold their hands.

DjB

[This message has been edited by Doug Beman (edited 12-30-99).]

[guachi]

Scenario: Riesberg

Situation: Assaulting the corner 88 with a platoon.

The platoon was the one with a couple of green squads in it. 88 fires one shell at a green squad dashing across open ground to the cover of scattered trees. Distance was maybe 150 meters or so.

Result: Shell explodes and causes one casualty to a squad that was in good order and taken no casualties yet. Squad immediately becomes 'Broken' and runs away.

Now I've got an eleven man squad running around with that '!' and I'm afraid of what will happed if he sustains any incoming fire.

Morale of the story: Some guys just aren't meant for combat.

Jason

Oh, the poor unsupported 88 got massacred the next turn.