The TOW3 squad, & order of battle structure thread

[Vinnart]

TOW3 SQUAD, and ORDER of BATTLE STRUCTURE concept:

All of these suggestions are designed to give the player better, and quicker situational awareness at a glance. This is especially important for RTS play. The additional icons are images I have made up, but they could be anything suitable. One can mod them to what they want, but they have to be there to begin with.

Assuming that the game maintains some interest, and emphasis on individual soldiers, and the leaders, and assuming that the squads will at least be able to split like in Combat Mission, and have an organizational order of battle like Combat Mission I am proposing the following icons, and structure to add more realism to the game. TOW does do a good job with icons providing information to the player, but adding a few more distinctive ones for leaders would allow for quicker recognition. The purpose is to quickly identify NCO leader from officer leaders, and to maintain a more realistic organizational structure.

To minimize large icons while still allowing the player to easily identify Jr. Leaders, and Sr. Leaders within the squads/sections Jr. leaders would not show full rank icon when attached to a Sr. Leaders squad/section. Rather they would show a small star over the basic infantry triangle icon. Jr. Leaders show larger rank icon when squad is split. If tanks were organized in platoons as in Combat Mission a small distinction in the form of a star in the icon silluette would quickly allow the player to pick out tank leaders.

If an artillery observer were to be added as described in my thread “Artillery Observers”:

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=93855

Artillery Forward Observers would need a distinct icon. I have (1) per battalion HQ, and Company HQ as a standard member the player gets in those type of HQ sections which is where one would more than likely be attached in reality. Other possible ways the player would get an artillery forward observer could be (1) per off map artillery, and (1) per on map artillery battery.

Combat Mission inspires the illustration, and the example is US Army. All nations would have the proper amount of men, and weapon load outs ala Combat Mission. The leader slots are realistic, and offer the player additional leaders, and proper rank structure. This also offers a structure for individual soldiers to advance through the ranks as leaders die. For example; if the squad Sgt. dies the corporal in the squad would automatically be promoted to that squads Sgt., and the most experienced Pfc in that squad would automatically be promoted to corporal. The unit’s designation such 1st Plt HQ/ A Co. would be tied to THAT leader who represents those individual attached to his squad. This keeps the order as men die off, and new men take their leader slots. This is all mirrors realty more, while keeping it a playable game one can easily manage, and understand.