Marty Posted July 6, 2000 Share Posted July 6, 2000 I may have missed it, but there doesn't seem to be any command similar to the one in Steel Panthers that allows you to select the lead vehicle in a column on a road, and all vehicles automatically follow that one and stay on the road. I have tried various attempts with the selection of multiple units, but that only works if there are no curves in the road. Any vehicles around a curve automatically move to maintain their vertical/horizontal relationship to the lead vehicle rather than behind along the road. The game then becomes one of trying to guess how much of a curve is going to have an impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mannheim Tanker Posted July 6, 2000 Share Posted July 6, 2000 Yeah - that would be a nice command. I've worked out a fairly good substitute (that at least works if the vehicles are similar - that is have similar speed capabilities): Plot the movement route of the first vehicle. Then plot the route of the second vehicle to the current location of the first, and so on down the line. This seems to be the best way to keep them from bunching up, or falling behind (the "Accordian Effect"). Interestingly, this "Effect" is a real-world problem in armored road marches. It takes a lot of training to keep vehicles spaced properly. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havermeyer Posted August 8, 2000 Share Posted August 8, 2000 What about it? Can we expect such a command? See the newly issued thread "Follow command". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Posted August 9, 2000 Share Posted August 9, 2000 Yeah the "accordion effect" previously mentioned also applies to infantry grunts on road marches.. Unfortunately, it is a lot worse when you're walking, lugging a pack and rifle on a long road march.....Uh the good ole days.......Chris ------------------ Land Soft--Kill Quiet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OberGrupenStompinFeuhrer! Posted August 9, 2000 Share Posted August 9, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mannheim Tanker: This seems to be the best way to keep them from bunching up, or falling behind (the "Accordian Effect"). Interestingly, this "Effect" is a real-world problem in armored road marches. It takes a lot of training to keep vehicles spaced properly. Best of luck!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I reckon Mannheim has hit the nail on the head here. I too would find a "follow" command useful, but at what cost to the game? I don't really want to get into a "realism" vs "it's only a GAME" scrap here, but convenient as a "follow" command would be I think it would detract from the realism of the game, not to mention deprive players of tactical opportunities. As Mannheim points out so nicely, the old "follow the leader" command as exemplified in "Age of Wonders" et al is not what occured in actual combat zones, including roads leading to those zones. There was congestion, "concertina effect" (just like on the highway at rush hour) and keeping a convoy moving smoothly was not easy. CM does a fine job of allowing the player to recreate that chaos! :^) And tactically, if Joe Blow is bunched up trying to get across a bridge and I'm his/her opponent, I'm going to take advantage of that if I can and hit that area with arty, armor, zooks, schrecks and so on. An "Age of Wonders" follow command may well deprive me of that tactical opportunity. Which is more realistic - the Germans escaping the chaos of the Faliase Pocket by utilizing a "follow command", or getting slammed by fighter bombers and Polish Armour and so on because the trafficcongestion was a very real tactical problem for them? So IMHO a "follow" command would subtract from my CM gaming experience more than it woud add to it. And having it as an option which I could choose not to use would not work for me, as my opponent may still be able to get their reinforcements to the front faster than was realisticly possible, or scamper across a bridge in good order unlike a real tactical situation would allow. I've got me thoughts, and that's them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henri Posted August 9, 2000 Share Posted August 9, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by OberGrupenStompinFeuhrer!: I don't really want to get into a "realism" vs "it's only a GAME" scrap here, but convenient as a "follow" command would be I think it would detract from the realism of the game, not to mention deprive players of tactical opportunities. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Well, try the "Allor Nothing" scenario and see if you still have the same opinion after spending 80% of the game adjusting movement on the roads for dozens of units... Henri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OberGrupenStompinFeuhrer! Posted August 9, 2000 Share Posted August 9, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Henri: Well, try the "Allor Nothing" scenario and see if you still have the same opinion after spending 80% of the game adjusting movement on the roads for dozens of units... Henri<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I hear you Henri, I have played it - in a PBEM as the Germans. An excellent illustration of both my points. First, congestion at the bridge, ala "real life". My 88 caused some serious damage. Second, why should my opponent get their reinforcements into the firefight any quicker than would have been realistically possible? To smooth his way with a "follow" command which produced an unrealistic arrival time would have been to my tactical disadvantage. If I want that to happen to me, I can go back to playing Age of Empires or Red Alert. I really do understand the frustration of moving a lot of vehicles along a road in convuy in CM. And a "follow" command would be very nice to have available to ease the tedium and frustration. But what would be the point of having different terrain effects if you could negate them by having auto pilot for the convoys - may as well drive them straight across muddy fields with no danger of bogging in. The point of having terrain which will bog in your vehicles, is to encourage you to keep them on the road. And that introduces a tactical problem for the commander. And a headache for the Player, but if you want the tactical realism I reckon the headaches come with the turf. :^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddball_E8 Posted August 9, 2000 Share Posted August 9, 2000 I just thought id put my 2cents in... I agree with OGSF to some degree, but what i find very annoying is that vehicles that have a higher top speed than the one in front will allways just race right in to the vehicle in front. I think they whould be smart enough to realize (at least after a few tries) that they should abbide to the speed of the front vehicle. [This message has been edited by Oddball_E8 (edited 08-08-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckd Posted August 9, 2000 Share Posted August 9, 2000 The command I think would be nice would be a patrol command. Essentially consisting of just a set of looped waypoints. It would be very useful for units on the defense in low visibility situations. Its just a thought. Chuckd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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