Sigh, more questions

[rich12545]

Started playing A Bridge Too Far. Wanted to move the Strykers toward the bridge and have the infantry dismount at the end of the move. Impossible. The dismount button was dimmed for the strykers and infantry as soon as I gave the movement order. The button didn't come back on even after movement stopped. Anybody know what I'm doing wrong? Or is this a bug?

Also, is there any way to assign my own buttons to the four categories, M C S A?

[MarkEzra]

1. Click on Stryker and give it's movement orders

2. Click on units IN the Stryker and give them their "movement" orders. You will note that the "dismount" order is not available. That is because the Styrker has an order move.

[rich12545]

That's right. So we get back to my original question in another thread. How can I give a vehicle a movement order with a dismount at the end of the movement? Others have said to give the vehicle the movement and the infantry the dismount but as we just saw that's not possible.

Also, do you know about the second of my questions above?

[Combatintman]

rich12545

Why not stop harping on about it - bottom line - if you play WEGO which is what you seem to be playing - plot shorter waypoints for the vehicles - use pauses - or just find workarounds.

I had this in CMx1 - once I'd worked out that disembarking was never going to synchronise I got around it. Its like pulling birds - they think you're ugly - go to dark nightclubs. Simple really ... its called tactics.

[handihoc]

rich, you don't give the inf a dismount order, you give them a move order. eg, plot your vehicle move to, say, a building. Then plot inf movement (quick, fast, whatever) into the building. The plot/waypoint lines will show from the infantry's current position (inside the vehicle), but they will actually only leave the vehicle after the vehicle has completed its move.

I believe, but am not certain, that the Dismount order is for vehicle crew only. I've never used it, though.

[rich12545]

rich12545

Why not stop harping on about it - bottom line - if you play WEGO which is what you seem to be playing - plot shorter waypoints for the vehicles - use pauses - or just find workarounds.

I had this in CMx1 - once I'd worked out that disembarking was never going to synchronise I got around it. Its like pulling birds - they think you're ugly - go to dark nightclubs. Simple really ... its called tactics.

harping? I'm not harping. It's not tactics, it's how the game works and it's not explained in the manual. I could try stuff for the next month and never figure it out. But it looks like handihoc has the answer.

TO handihoc, thanks for the info. I'll give that a try.

Bailout is for the crew. Dismount is used for passengers and the order can be given to the vehicle (all passengers) or to individual passengers. Not allowing this order after a move order or at a waypoint is kind of weird.

[Field Marshal Blücher]

As an answer to your second question (MCSA buttons), I think you can do that in the hotkeys.txt file. I might be wrong though.

[rich12545]

Nope. That's the first place I looked. There are hotkeys for choosing commands in each section but that's it.

[Huntarr]

Pop-N-Drop this tutorial was written a long time a go on how to deploy troops from a vehicle. I wrote in Oct 07, it answers your question rich

The infantry was given a 30sec pause and a QUICK to the 1st floor, then ASSAULT to the roof

[Huntarr]

At each of the MOVE’s a TARGET is given on a suspected building to laydown suppression fire.

[Huntarr]

The Strykers are moving forward targeting the buildings at each of the waypoints.

[Huntarr]

By setting 2 waypoints very close to the dismount you provide for additional commands to be given such as POP SMOKE then TARGET/ARC it also allows time for the smoke to accumulate. You may also give the vehicle a PAUSE at the POP SMOKE if you wish to give more time to suppression. Also you should always have an Overwatch for the dismount.

This is all accomplished in WeGo

[handihoc]

OK, so I was confusing Dismount with Bail Out. I've never found a reason to use either.

Dismount allows passengers to exit the vehicle, and presumably deploy near it? A move order will have them get away from the vehicle (always a good idea, as if the vehicle takes a major hit it'll incinerate anyone nearby) - which actually makes Dismount redundant.

Huntarr, your tutorials are excellent, and taught me things I wasn't aware of a while ago, such as the fact that you CAN give differing orders at differing waypoints, but you have to click on the waypoint itself, or the line to it. Alot of what you cover is lamentably badly covered in the game manual, as are other aspects of the game.

HOWEVER, back to Rich's main point: passengers will ONLY leave the vehicle at the final waypoint (and I'll be very happy to be proven wrong. PLEASE, someone show me how), which I feel is a big disadvantage that should be addressed as a priority. It'd make a huge difference to be able to dismount a squad and then have the transporting vehicle move on, without having to give new orders.

[Pete Wenman]

Started playing A Bridge Too Far.

Hey - someone's playing one of my scenarios. Hope you enjoy it

[Huntarr]

Thanks handihoc for the praise but as you know that doesn't mean we'll be taking long hot shower till the wee hours of the morning.

I agree it would be an excellent feature to be able to "Pop-N-Drop-N-Scoot", we've been begging for that one for a long time. I just don't know if we'll see that anytime soon. But hey we'll adapt and improvise.

[Combatintman]

rich1245,

Sorry I sounded a bit harsh - but yes it is tactics - look it up in a dictionary - it will come out with something along the lines of 'making the best with what you have' - hence the me going to bars with very dim lighting these days!

[Huntarr]

Started playing A Bridge Too Far. Wanted to move the Strykers toward the bridge and have the infantry dismount at the end of the move. Impossible. The dismount button was dimmed for the strykers and infantry as soon as I gave the movement order. The button didn't come back on even after movement stopped. Anybody know what I'm doing wrong? Or is this a bug?

Rich I think the error was in your details. You said Strykers. If you have muliple vehicles selected they won't all dismount. You need to select each one. Think of it as a safety on your weapon. You don't want to accidently dismount your entire platoon.

You select the infantry in the vehicle and give them the orders. They will carry out the plan at the end of the vehicle plot.

If you need a more detailed tutorial just sound off. Good luck and carry on

[rich12545]

The error was in my explanation. I did select each separately. I'll look at your tutorial more closely but it seems to answer my question and I appreciate it.

Combatintman, no problem. I differentiate tactics (how to play the game) with game mechanics like how the game itself works but I now get your meaning.

Pete, I picked that scenario as my first to play because it was at the top of the alphabetical list LOL. It looks like a lot of fun now that I know how to dismount infantry.

[Combatintman]

rich12545 - No I apologise - my first post was after coming straight back from the bar - not a dark one so obviously I came back alone! The tactics analogy holds true though - I use it all the time ... I've taught a couple of iterations of officers about tactics and the analogy I use is the ugly bloke (me) the dark bar. Bizarrely enough the British Army has no doctrinal definition for tactics - hence I can get away with a lot.

If any offence was caused I apologise - but at least you know how to pick women up now - who cares about dismounting from Strykers eh?

[handihoc]

Combatintman, I can't help feeling that your dark bar tactic contains an inherent flaw, ie the women go there for the same reason!

Me, I dye my hair jet black, add a quiff, gold medallion, some tight trousers, Raybans and a false Mexican moustache, and approach them in broad daylight in the park.

Never fails!

[zmoney]

HOWEVER, back to Rich's main point: passengers will ONLY leave the vehicle at the final waypoint (and I'll be very happy to be proven wrong. PLEASE, someone show me how), which I feel is a big disadvantage that should be addressed as a priority. It'd make a huge difference to be able to dismount a squad and then have the transporting vehicle move on, without having to give new orders.

I don’t see why this is a problem. But maybe you’re talking about WEGO. I only play real time so after I drop the troops where I want them I just command the vehicle to go where I want it.

On that note, I used to play exclusively on wego but now have gotten used to real time and this game works a lot better in real time. You guys should give it a chance.

[handihoc]

Yeah, it's WEGO. Years ago, with CMx1, I prayed and prayed for RT because I found the constant pausing in WEGO irritating. With CMx2 I was so pleased to have RT, and played along quite merrily until I discovered how much I missed the replay aspect of WEGO. I can spend long minutes going over a turn, viewing the action from different perspectives, checking the results of certain manouevres etc. It's not very realistic, but it is absorbing and, for me, part of the fun.

Having said that, even in RT there are moments when you don't have time to keep checking back on every unit and move etc. The ability to move, drop, 'n move would still be very useful

[rich12545]

I've played real time war games before. But not for very long. One of the big hassles for me was moving the view from one area to another to keep checking on what was going on everywhere at once. Or pausing constantly to do this. Imo wego is the best way. Of course, opinions will vary.

[LongLeftFlank]

Combatintman, I can't help feeling that your dark bar tactic contains an inherent flaw, ie the women go there for the same reason!

Me, I dye my hair jet black, add a quiff, gold medallion, some tight trousers, Raybans and a false Mexican moustache, and approach them in broad daylight in the park.

Never fails!

Yes, but do you go league bowling in the same rig and tell people don't f___ with the Jezus!

(OK, now I have to watch that movie again)

Say what you will about National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos. Nihilists.... ugh!

[Huntarr]

ah I might actually have myself a white russian and pee on my rug...