Am I going crazy? Can't move allies in setup

[Carl Puppchen]

I have designed a few scenarios in CMAK. I posted them in the scenario depot and they are head-to-head PBEM matches with lots of random reinforcements.

In any case, the point of this thread is that when I pick the units for the axis and allies in the scenario editor and then go into the map preview mode to place them in the different setup areas, I get strange behaviors with the allies.

With the axis, I can do the "double click" on a platoon HQ and the whole platoon will get activated and then I can drag them across the map with one fell swoop. Or I can just drag the mouse over a bunch of them, activate them, and then put them where I want them. Since the axis always show up on one map edge and the allies on the other, basically you need to move all of the units somewhere every time.

With the allies, however, I CANNOT seem to "sweep" a bunch of guys. If I double click on a platoon and activate them and then I use the "move" command, only the HQ moves. The rest of the platoon stays there, stuck. And I can't drag a bunch of guys, either.

Am I going crazy or do other people have this same behavior? I have difficulties w/my hand and it is painful to do tons of repetitive moves (that is why I play combat mission rather than first person shooters like call of duty, because there is less mouse action and more contemplation) so I dread moving all the allies across a big board.

[Pzman]

If you are using the scenario editor you must use the "\" key to switch sides.

[McAuliffe]

Don't know if the SHIFT+\ helps in this case. I encountered this problem too and I use now instead of right clicking the mouse, the space bar and select from there the move/place command applying to the whole selected group. Definitely a bug, or maybe they have changed indeed the procedure since CMBO/CMBB and I am not aware.

Talking about bugs, I experienced many times -actually always - that when the tacAI plots waypoints along a road lined with scattered trees, the vehicles tend to hug the road edge and end up in the scattering trees, resulting in very, very slow advance. Would like to know if this was developped intentionally, because it makes it almost impossible to design scenarios where the AI should attack. The AI-armor doesn't make it to the frontline, before the the last turns of your scenario have elapsed. It's also very frustrating when you count on the AI to plot for you the waypoints along a road, to see that your vehicles get stuck in the scatterd trees.

Another inconvience of the present AI is, that fast moving vehicles tend to miss their turns and end up on the roadside in serious trouble.

I am a bad driver myself, but I do think that drivers should have the reflex of slowing down before taking a turn , even when the commander told him to move fast and this should not be penalized by extra waypoints (=delays)

I apologise if above was already addressed.

[ October 18, 2004, 02:41 AM: Message edited by: McAuliffe ]

[Richie]

As posted by Pzman, you need to hit '\'

This swaps sides for set up purposes in the editor. You can then group select that nationality.

[Carl Puppchen]

Thanks a lot for the \ tip. I will try it tonight! Sounds like not a big deal to some but when you are working with a couple US companies it really adds up!

[junk2drive]

Strange, I have the USA BFC version of CMAK and I have never used the / and have moved troops by either double clicking the co or click and drag.

However, if using setup zones, units that may fall outside of their zone, will not move. IOW you double click the co and the last squad box is yellow. If the line for that squad is inside setup zone, make sure that the rest of the platoon will fit inside the zone.

[Brent Pollock]

It sounds like you're discussing Play Mode setup whereas the original post has to do with Editor Mode setup.

Originally posted by junk2drive:

Strange, I have the USA BFC version of CMAK and I have never used the / and have moved troops by either double clicking the co or click and drag.

However, if using setup zones, units that may fall outside of their zone, will not move. IOW you double click the co and the last squad box is yellow. If the line for that squad is inside setup zone, make sure that the rest of the platoon will fit inside the zone.

As others have mentioned, hitting "/" (or is it"\"...I always forget...check the manual or hotkey list). The other important thing to remember is to NOT have an Axis unit selected when you hit the key...or maybe that's just my brain playing tricks.

[junk2drive]

No, I am talking about the editor.

I just converted four CMBB battles to CMAK and had to place all the units for both sides in their original locations.

[DEY]

Actually it's ALT-\ to switch around from one side to the other in the editor.

And the computer player will almost always drive through the scattered tree siding of a road tile,it's by design as far as I can tell, is it a bug???, I don't know, but I know I don't like this behaviour.

[Pzman]

Well I guess its different for Macs and PC's then because I only have to hit the "\" key to switch. The "/" key only does a 360 dagree turn. J2D, I've never had trouble with units outside of setup zones in the editor, sounds odd. In fact I often have units outside them and have to move them in. In CMBO you did not have to use the "\" because the group select did not work the same way. In CMBB and CMAK it does change though.

[junk2drive]

I am only talking about positioning troops in the editor when creating a battle and wanting to move a "mass" of units.

[Pzman]

Oh, sounds like a space issue. You're trying to put too many units in the same place aren't you?

[McAuliffe]

Okay...Pzman an DEY are right! I didn't know about this new feature, thanks! But how come that you can group select and move groups using the menu via the space bar without switching sides by clicking ALT GR + \ ? (FYI, that's apparently the HOTKEY for PC's)

Originally posted by DEY:

And the computer player will almost always drive through the scattered tree siding of a road tile,it's by design as far as I can tell, is it a bug???, I don't know, but I know I don't like this behaviour.

What are you telling me, it's by design !?...Who were the beta testers? can I sue them ! :mad:

No, on a serious note, what real world example inspired BFC to include this behaviour?

[junk2drive]

FWIW, on my planet, I never have to "switch sides" in the preview map screen in the editor. I can move EITHER side reinforcemnet flags, trps, trenches, troops, avfs, you name it, one at a time or in groups.

[DEY]

What are you telling me, it's by design !?...Who were the beta testers? can I sue them !

No, on a serious note, what real world example inspired BFC to include this behaviour?

It seems to me, from playing the game and making scenarios for over a year now, that all units follow the same coded algorithm, which is to seek and move through cover whenever possible.

Even AFV's will cower in large open spaces.

[Pzman]

Originally posted by junk2drive:

FWIW, on my planet, I never have to "switch sides" in the preview map screen in the editor. I can move EITHER side reinforcemnet flags, trps, trenches, troops, avfs, you name it, one at a time or in groups.

I know you don't have to J2D, but group select works better if you do. Its a pain to not be able to choose a unit within a platoon for the selected one, which you cannot do without switching sides, unless you are you using CMBO that is.

Originally posted by DEY:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />What are you telling me, it's by design !?...Who were the beta testers? can I sue them !

No, on a serious note, what real world example inspired BFC to include this behaviour?

It seems to me, from playing the game and making scenarios for over a year now, that all units follow the same coded algorithm, which is to seek and move through cover whenever possible.

Even AFV's will cower in large open spaces. </font>

[junk2drive]

Ok, I load CSDT, Lonely Country in editor. My camera is at Axis troops backside. I go to view level 8. I click and drag a rectangle around the units. One unit turns yellow. I can hit P or I hit the spacebar and the window pops up. I can place these units to the forward edge of the setup zone. Now I scroll accross the screen to the Allied units. I click and drag a rectangle around these units. Repeat above and place them anywhere in the setup zone.

That is all I have to do.

At level 8, / key reverses my viewpoint direction. \ key takes me down a view level.

Sorry if you have to switch sides to "place" units. To "move" units my way doesn't work. I can only "move" units one at a time.

Hope this clears it up for the original question for the original post.

No more from me.

[Pzman]

When you switch sides it would change the camara view because that is how the editor gives the player two different start views. (One for Axis, one for allies) Look at the flags in the box, they will switch when you either (Macs) "\" or "ALT \" on PC's. At least that seems to be what people are saying. You should be able to move as many units at a time as you want. I have moved over 30 at one time with no trouble at all.

[Brent Pollock]

No one has to toggle between the two sides to drag-and-select or move units, but if you want to do HQ-driven, double-click group selections instead (which was the concern of the original post), you have to toggle between sides. This is also required to switch to the other side's default view and sound settings.

Originally posted by junk2drive:

Ok, I load CSDT, Lonely Country in editor. My camera is at Axis troops backside. I go to view level 8. I click and drag a rectangle around the units. One unit turns yellow. I can hit P or I hit the spacebar and the window pops up. I can place these units to the forward edge of the setup zone. Now I scroll accross the screen to the Allied units. I click and drag a rectangle around these units. Repeat above and place them anywhere in the setup zone.

That is all I have to do.

At level 8, / key reverses my viewpoint direction. \ key takes me down a view level.

Sorry if you have to switch sides to "place" units. To "move" units my way doesn't work. I can only "move" units one at a time.

Hope this clears it up for the original question for the original post.

No more from me.

[Fredrock1957]

Also the "\" Key can be used at the final editorial session to setup the view the player see upon game startup... Example in a PBEM game you can have each player see the view you want him to (one for each side) at the setup placement turn of the game... I always appreciate the designer who takes the extra time to place units and provide that opening view that puts you into the battle...

I have never really had an issue with moving or placing units in the editor or in the game mode setup turn (as long as there is setup zones)... but I also move units one at a time with a right click...

That is all...

-FR

[Carl Puppchen]

Thanks for everyone's input. I started this thread and went home and switched sides and it worked great! I was able to "group select" by HQ and "corral" a large # of units with the mouse and drag them to different areas on the map, for both allies and axis (I could always do this for the axis, not for the allies). I still have to move each unit individually but not as far as before. This is good for my hand which gets tired quickly, moving individual allied guys all the way across a big map...