Jump to content

Do units always face the same way in quick battles with user-designed maps?


Recommended Posts

I'm sure this was asked in these forums about 15 years ago but I can't find an answer and would appreciate some help. 

My question is: When loading a user-designed map into the QB generator, will Axis forces always face east, and Allied forces always face west? Is there a way to change this?

Here's the context that explains my question:

  1. I've designed a map in the scenario editor which I want to load up for a quick battle. In this case, I'm simulating an Axis attack in June 1941 in which, unusually, the German units are pushing west from an setup zone in the east, against Soviet defenders who are therefore positioned on the western side of the map and need to be facing east to meet the advance.
  2. When setting parameters, I've identified the eastern edge of the map as friendly to the Axis, and the western edge of the map as friendly to the Allies. North and South are both neutral.
  3. This is an empty map which I save into the Quick Battle maps folder, and then load from file in the QB generator. I play as Axis against the AI, but 'allow human' selection of units on both sides. Not that it matters, but the reason for allowing human selection for both is that I want the balance of forces to look a certain way.
  4. On starting the game, I find that the German units, on the eastern edge of the map, are all facing east, and therefore pointing the wrong way. No problem: I rotate them towards the west.
  5. After several game minutes hunting for the enemy, I discover the Allied units I meet have their backs to the Axis advance! As you can imagine this gives me something of an unfair advantage as we sneak up on unsuspecting field artillery.
  6. After surrendering in order to confirm this, I find that all Soviet forces are indeed pointing west, and therefore the wrong way!

I've double-checked this by going through the same process but, for example, simulating an attack from north to south. Again, friendly map edges are set accordingly in the scenario editor. Selection process as described above. On playthrough, Soviet units seem automatically to point west - so in the case of a north-to-south encounter they're facing sideways relative to an Axis advance. 

I'm sorry for over-explaining all of this given that there's possibly a simple answer about something I'm doing wrong when creating the map. But I can't work out what it is. Can anyone enlighten me?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Tiresias1980 said:

When loading a user-designed map into the QB generator, will Axis forces always face east, and Allied forces always face west? Is there a way to change this?

I designed a map for CMBB where some German reinforcements would be attacking west and experienced the same issue.  AFAIK one cannot change the friendly map edge so that units arrive facing the enemy/correct direction.

Maybe one has to set up with Soviet Allies attacking west and Axis attacking East and explain in the Briefing why you had to reverse the magnetic poles.  In my scenario, most of the Axis and Allies were attacking in the conventional direction.   However, I had some reinforcements arrive in the rear of the enemy, and those guys arrived facing the wrong direction.  

 

Edited by Erwin
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Erwin said:

AFAIK one cannot change the friendly map edge so that units arrive facing the enemy/correct direction.

I was afraid that was going to be the answer!

Thing is: I've devised an elaborate meta-game on Google maps to give my QB's some context and (just like the real war and that) the Germans don't always advance directly from the west. No matter; I can, as you say, rotate the maps for design purposes!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am experiencing the same thing. I haven't played in quite awhile so I fired up some QB's to shake the rust out.

In the QB"S the majority of the bad guys are on the wrong side of the bocage. Now this has re-occurred in the majority of Q.B. maps I have used. I am quite frankly surprised at this as I do not recall having issues with this before.

I have restarted these QB's and same result. I have tried several things such as going into the Editor selecting the map and changing the direction of friendly-enemy lines in the Data then saving and restart a QB with the same map. Still the same error. I have even gone so far as to try and simplify the A.I. Setup Zones in a attempt to find a solution. Restart QB with the modified map, same fault occurs.

The only cure is to go into Editor and place the enemy units in the direction that you need them to face. But that totally defeats the purpose of trying to keep enemy placement random and unknown.

Hope someone out there has the fix for this problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/9/2020 at 12:49 AM, IronCat60 said:

The only cure is to go into Editor and place the enemy units in the direction that you need them to face. But that totally defeats the purpose of trying to keep enemy placement random and unknown.

Hope someone out there has the fix for this problem.

Sadly, I think that since the game is now 18 years old the likelihood of someone fixing this diminished some time ago!

As Erwin says, when creating QB maps specifically, we'll probably just have to live with it. It does seem an odd oversight in the programming, but for its time (and in my view even now) these games are pretty remarkable achievements overall. Surprised that nobody spotted this and patched it at some point, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...