CoolColJ Posted August 22, 1999 Share Posted August 22, 1999 One of the things that annoyed me about West Front, was that with the larger senarios, there were just too much clutter, too many units to process. I guess CM would have similar problems? Would it be possible to assign Platoons/Squads to computer control (virtual subordinate? ). I've always like the idea that you were just one cog in the wheel Which also reduces the burden of ordering too many units. Say you could give it priorities/ objectives and leave them to their own devices. Just a thought CCJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted August 22, 1999 Share Posted August 22, 1999 A scenario designer could certainly make an annoying scenario. For example, give the US a Heavy Weapons Company would be a real PAIN if it were on the attack. I forget how many MGs it has, but the list seems to go on for EVER You can not pass off control to the AI as such. However, you can leave units with a standing order and they will happily sit there until they need a new order. If nobody bugs them, they would never ask for something else to do In general the big task is the Deployment Phase and the first turn. After that things are easier because units remember orders from the previous turns. And since you are penalized for chaning orders that have already been issued (movement ones only), you won't be tweaking every guy every turn. So far the biggest battle I have played was about 2 companies on each side. I played both sides, so had about 4 companies worth of stuff to do. No problemos at all. Since 4 companies is probaly the MAX for any one side, things should be OK even for largish games. However, if you have 4 US Heavy Weapons Companies to command (totally unrelaistic!), good lord! Someone should slap around the scenario designer Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolColJ Posted August 22, 1999 Author Share Posted August 22, 1999 Actually now that I think about it, CM won't be too bad, since it has tactical AI. West Front was a pain, since you had to order every unit every turn. So I assume you'll be able to say to a tank move to the village, and it will over a few turns do just that? And fire on anything it spots on the way there? WIll the unit ever stop going to the village and try to fight it out with an enemy tank that just popped from nowhere? If so, will it then resume its journey to the village after the firfight , assuming it has survived and is mobile? CCJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted August 22, 1999 Share Posted August 22, 1999 Well, from what I know of movement types from previous discussions.. You can order a tank to move fast to the village (by plotting waypoints along the road to the village etc). If moving fast it will not engage enemy units (since its fire would be too inaccurate.. this is before the days of stabilisation). You can order it to move at normal speed (which is roughly walking speed)... At this speed its chances of spotting enemy units are much better and it can return fire whilst moving.... Hunt: This is a very slow movement but once it spots the enemy it will halt and engage it until the enemy is destroyed so proper usage of these various commands would result in exactly what you are describing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted August 22, 1999 Share Posted August 22, 1999 Steve, "US a Heavy Weapons Company would be a real PAIN if it were on the attack." I would assume in real life that these types of units would most likely not be deployed as a whole, but instead be broken up into platoons and assigned to other rifle companies, etc., as necessary for heavy weapons support. If so, I would hope that you guys could shed a little light on such matters in the manual. I.e. how should heavy / special weapons companies, AT companies, etc., be employed by the scenario designer in a realistic manner. From what I understand deploying such units "en masse" is totally unrealistic to begin with. "In general the big task is the Deployment Phase and the first turn." My question here is in regard to the turn timer (there is still going to be one and it is optional to use, right?) that was discussed some time ago here on the board to prevent folks from taking all day to plot the perfect set of moves durning the plot phase (especially annoying, and for that matter pretty unrealistic in general, when someone does this and you are playing over the net head to head). In any event, if the first turn is going to take an inordinate amount of time to plot one's moves relative to the following turns in the rest of the game my question is will the timer automatically give us some extra time during this first turn to be able to properly and realistically give our units their orders on turn 1? I would think if it doesn't it might very well end up being detrimental to the game. Especially for an attacker who should be allowed the needed time to properly order his units on turn one to reflect prior operational planning and jump-off orders given to his units prior to the battle beginning. In fact, I would go so far as to say maybe there shouldn't even be a time limit on turn one, perhaps the timer should only "kick-in" from turn 2 onwards….? Regards, Mike D. aka Mikester [This message has been edited by Mike D (edited 08-22-99).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted August 23, 1999 Share Posted August 23, 1999 Fionn is right about the movement stuff. Mike, you are correct about the Heavy Weapons company would be busted up. Generally it was designed to be split up into thirds, so that each rifle company in the battalion could have support. Of course, this is just a general guideline, but you get the picture Same thing goes for all specialized companies (like the AT companies and Heavy Weapons Platoons). Good point about the timer. I'll pass it on to Charles. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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