Javaslinger Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 Can someone suggest some general tips for effective use of the various level HQ units? Let me start by telling you what little I know of they're capabilities.... I know they can spot for mortars and other onboard artillery. I know they help with morale. Units in contact have a big morale boost and react to orders faster. I believe that the higher the level the HQ unit, the more magnified these effects are?? Uh, that's about it. What have I got wrong and what am I missing??? Thanks, Ken 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevermind Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 First off,they dont always help morale,but they do contribute whatever attributes they do have,like a bonus to stealth or command or combat.A HQ with a plus +2 to combat can significantly increase a HMGs firepower,allowing it to have more of a suppressive effect from a greater distance,or killing power depending on how close the HMG is to the enemy. A +2 to stealth makes units under its command harder to spot(think AT gun and how quickly they can die,or those pesky long range HMGs that you get nothing but sound contacts from). To my knowledge,their effects arent magnified at high experience levels,but IIRC the higher they are in experience,the better chance of them having one or more +2 to attributes. Another thing i like to use them for is general spotting.Keep your squads hiding and let the HQ(that has binoculars)do the spotting. Hope some of this helped. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterk Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 On the attack, keep the HQ's above platoon level close to the action, but a bit back. They can fill in for other HQ's that get nailed. Often makes the difference between getting a platoon back in commission or losing them for the scenario. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanok Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 I have questions about HQs. 1. Can an HQ give its bonuses while hiding? 2. Just what do the bonuses mean? Say a platoon of regular infantry has a regular HQ with a +2 combat bonus. Does this mean the infantry fights as though they were elite? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 Originally posted by Javaslinger: I know they can spot for mortars and other onboard artillery.Mortars only. Other types of on-map artillery can only fire directly at targets they can spot themselves. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevermind Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 Originally posted by Sanok: I have questions about HQs. 1. Can an HQ give its bonuses while hiding? 2. Just what do the bonuses mean? Say a platoon of regular infantry has a regular HQ with a +2 combat bonus. Does this mean the infantry fights as though they were elite? 1.Yes,as long as you see the red line between your HQ and your squads(i think you have to have play aids cut on to see the lines).Or you see the green indicator in the lower left portion of the unit selection window. 2.If they are regular,it is my understanding,that IIRC each + to a attribute will essentially make your attached units(squads,LMG..etc)go up a level of experience in that ability.IOW,your regular squad with a HQ that gives +1 to stealth would then be like a veteran at stealth.A +2 would make the unit crack at stealth. The other bonuses are: Combat Increases the firepower of units under his command.This doesnt,to my knowledge,add speed to the firing and reloading of a IG or ATG.I think there was a post about it giving a plus to the % chance to hit for ATGs.Is this right someone? Command I guess this means that someone in the HQ has a loud mouth,because it extends the range of the HQ. Morale This is pretty obvious i would think. [ January 27, 2004, 11:33 PM: Message edited by: nevermind ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manchildstein (ii) Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 i've noticed that when purchasing a battalion with a weapons company attached.. that often the company hq and platoon hqs in the weapons company will have good stealth if nothing else... as already mentioned, these are a natural fit in and around your gun positions... another use for company and battalion hqs in general is to advance, near the front line with the infantry platoons... these extra hqs can be the glue which holds a force together... at certain points you can attach squads and support weapons to these higher-level hqs... in any event it is usually good to keep the infantry platoon hqs alive for as long as possible.. to accomplish this, when moving to first contact i give each squad or half squad a move to contact order.. and the platoon hq moves up with the platoon, yet 10 or 20 meters behind, and also uses move to contact.. the difference there being that i tack a 'hide' on the end for the platoon hq but not the squad units... my reasoning is that, with both infantry squads and platoon hqs on move to contact + hide, it seems that upon contact they all hide and no one shoots back... by switching to move to contact without the hide on the end for the squads.. this allows the hq with the + hide to actually hide while the squads around it can fire back if not pinned or broken by defensive fire... in a defensive battle where you basically have a reinforced company.. it is probably good to form a battle group around the company hq... made up of at least some of your various support weapons.. in this case the company and platoon hqs are your only hqs.. so it is difficult to get all of your non-hq units under command... without at the same time clustering them 'too tightly'... anyway.. the general idea for me is that company and battalion hqs.. plus the 'freebie' platoon hqs that come as part of a weapons company.. these are the 'glue' that holds the main elements of the force together... one other thing about company and battalion hqs... if one of your infantry platoon hqs die.. the co and batallion hqs are great to have up front to take over command of the dispossessed squads... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 Originally posted by Sanok: 1. Can an HQ give its bonuses while hiding?Apparently. Their spotting ability is reduced (as it is for all hiding units) and their ability to spot for mortars is canceled. 2. Just what do the bonuses mean? Say a platoon of regular infantry has a regular HQ with a +2 combat bonus. Does this mean the infantry fights as though they were elite? No it would fight as a unit two steps up on the experience ladder: in this case, Crack. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 Originally posted by nevermind: Command I guess this means that someone in the HQ has a loud mouth,because it extends the range of the HQ.It also reduces the command delay when giving movement commands. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 Another good use for company and battalion HQs, especially if they have a morale bonus, is to station them in covered terrain a ways behind the lines. Then if any of your squads break and route, hopefully they will route towards this HQ, which will then rally them. This way, your platoon HQs are able to stay in the fight rather than trying to chase down fleeing squads. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidFields Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 Any of you purposely pull back a platoon HQ (ie-one that has no bonuses) so as to make certain platoons connect with a company HQ instead? I have done it, though it feels a little too micromanaging. I suppose, though, that in real life there were times when a company HQ basically had to run a poorly functioning platoon. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted January 31, 2004 Share Posted January 31, 2004 One key attribute HQ units have that people have not mentioned is the fact that they have binoculars, which is key in spotting and identifying enemy units. If you are taking fire from unkown sources, try to get as many units with binocs to spot the bad guys. A second point is that units in command and control are harder to break. So avoid having your HQ units at the very tip of the spear to maintain C&C and rally routing units. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonxa Posted January 31, 2004 Share Posted January 31, 2004 IIRC the bonuses of the HQ work on themselves in that a regular HQ with plus one in morale will act as a veteran HQ in that respect. The squads under it's command don't become veterans in the morale aspect, they are still regulars but with a "veteran" HQ. I think someone made a table over reaction times with different experience levels for squads and HQs. It confirmed this. And I don't think Coy HQs are better than platoon HQ other than that the toon HQs are "locked" to their own squads plus support weapons. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevermind Posted January 31, 2004 Share Posted January 31, 2004 The squads under it's command don't become veterans in the morale aspect, they are still regulars but with a "veteran" HQ. Im not sure i fully understand what you are saying here,but if i am to take it as it sounds,i will have to disagree with you.Regular squads under command of any HQ with a plus one to morale will respond as if they are veterans when it comes to morale.They have to stay under command at all times though. The best example i can give is that in summer wheatfields a regular squad(with no HQ)can not sneak unnoticed through it.A veteran squad(with or without a HQ)can.A regular squad with a HQ that provides plus one to stealth can.A green squad with a HQ that provides plus two to stealth can.Now all this is dependant on where exactly the spotting unit is,and possible its quality,as well as how big the wheatfield(etc.),but it works. If i am wrong,i would really like to know.Thus far i have been playing and believing this way,and it has worked.If i am wrong(and to answer another question from an above post)then it will be even more of a reason to seperate a low experience HQ from his platoon and replace him with a higher experience(company,or battalion)HQ.Even if he doesnt have as many attributes. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abteilung Posted January 31, 2004 Share Posted January 31, 2004 Very good info! Much of which is covered in the game manual, I must add, so if you lose this thread or forget how to find it in the future, the command bonuses are covered. They were covered back in the CMBO manual, iirc (very cool manual, too). In the back of the CMBO manual, you'll notice that Steve and Charles made us a promise. They kept it, and delivered in spades. Major Kudos there! Another thing, place in a trench: a regular MG (med or hvy is best), AT gun, and platoon HQ with stealth and combat attributes. This is a cornerstone defensive module that I've had much success with thus far. Hard as heck to spot, accurate, and when placed in mutually supporting positions with other similar trenches form a defense which only the most tenacious attacker can overcome. Add TRP's in the most likely infantry attack routes and some decent arty (150-155mm seems to be best, if affordable), and you are left with a nightmare for any attacker. Remember extreme fire discipline is necessary in many cases to prevent losses from shooting out of effective range. Pin his forward infantry (recon, etc) with MG's and then let the AT guns eviscerate his armor once he moves it close to take on the MG's that are pinning his troops. He will then try to reconsolidate his forces, and push on a perceived weakness. Let down the arty for a turn (all spotters fire as one) when you have located the main body of his infantry assault. This will smash the infantry and rout them, strip the remaining armor, and leave you to contemplate a counter-attack or more hammer blows as he regroups and tries again (if rally is possible for him). This is all stuff I learned from reading JasonC's excellent posts and much historical information from books like Tank Combat in N. Africa, Panzertruppen, etc. These defenses are really hard to break when placed properly. I haven't managed to break one of my own defenses yet (setup for AI) without suffering grevious casualties. This is with me KNOWING where the things are, having set them up myself. Map fire, at best has allowed me to roll up one flank by eliminating a position or two. Which incidentally, I knew the location of from having made the scenario myself. edited for grammer and spilling [ January 31, 2004, 06:44 AM: Message edited by: Abteilung ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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