The yellow clock, dot and plus sign buttons in the UI

[Bahger]

I am embarrassed to ask this, especially since I used to know what they are for, but it's been a long time since I last played CM and I have forgotten. I scoured the manual but am sure there is no explanation. Thanks in anticipation.

[Chops]

Instant Command Buttons

 

Pause - Cancel - Evade

[gunnersman]

Evade or withdrawal...as in right now. And there is a morale hit when your guys retreat.

[Bahger]

So they apply to RT gameplay more than WeGo? Or will they intercede in previously given orders in WeGo too?

[Bahger]

Sorry, double post.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Bahger

[womble]

So they apply to RT gameplay more than WeGo? Or will they intercede in previously given orders in WeGo too?

I use them all in WeGo.

Pause is for either cancelling a preexisting Pause at whatever point the element has reached in its wait at the orders phase, rather than having to hit the hotkey umpteen times, or for stopping a unit where it is "indefinitely" if I don't want it to be going any further in the next minute, again without having to hit the hotkey 7 times.

Cancel clears the entire preplotted movement path of the unit. Sometimes very useful, even if you just have a "better idea" during the command phase when you're plotting what they're doing. Saves Backspace key spam.

Evade is useful in WeGo because it's a "Just effin' do it!" command: even Pinned or Cowering troops will attempt to obey it. The initial waypoint that it generates is placed by the TacAI but you can move it and add further movement legs. I remember someone saying that the "morale hit" is a myth, and I've certainly not seen even "Rattled" Pinned troops degrade to "Shaken" when I've told them to get the flock out of Dodge. Even if it did have a negative effect on their state of mind, some worried troops who're still alive because you got them out from under a mortar strike is better than cooling corpses that you left where they were.

[Baneman]

...

Evade . I remember someone saying that the "morale hit" is a myth, ..

 

Yes, I think the concept is a leftover from CMx1 when the Withdraw command DID give a morale hit. I agree with Womble, I have never seen it occur in CMx2 and the command is therefore very useful.