Legun
Posts: 209
Joined: 4/22/2006
From: Cracow, Poland
Status: offline
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I would like to see an option, allowing to attach one unit to an other one. There should be some coditions, of course - high cooperation level, smaller size etc. The attached unit could have saved own, separated TO&E, but it could have common prof, readiness, supply level and all other unit's parameters. All algorithms of calculating the parameters could be the same as in a case of subunits. Any split of the supported unit causes separation of the attached unit (split forced by combat result, too).
It could save the problem of micromanagement of ant units.
This would be handy for KGs. If the size restriction were based on the size icon, you could have an empty division (or whatever) sized KG unit appear and the player could use it to build up a kampfgruppe.
This would be very handy for corps level scenarios. There are empty corps and divisions as attached units.
The possibility of attaching other units could be depend on number of command group the unit has. One command group allows to attach one one-step-lower unit (company for battalion, regiment for brigade etc.). This is just the second way the command group can be used by a scenario designer. The first makes a HQ more fragile, the second limits the possibility of all units.
I think that it's really easy way to add next level of command structure without an interface revolution.
I've seen some reasons for the solution:
1) Management - a kampfgruppe (or just a main battle unit supported by some lower-size specialized units) consists of 2-5 units, now and needs many, many clicks to move or fight together. It could be much easier to move and set it to attack as a single unit, couldn't it?
2) Perception - such group of units is a group of "counters" now. It's not so easy to recognized their strength, health and just presence when the group is stacking. The composite unit is a single counter with a sum of possibilities shown at once.
3) Performance - if such main battle unit and stacking ant-units fight, prof check is made separately for each of them each time. That means, that there is high probability, that a engineer company is attacking separately, although an infantry brigade the company has to support has failed initial prof check when the company hasn't failed. It usually causes a massacre of the company. It could happen from time to time, but there could be a way to make a distinction between two separated attacks - one made by brigade and one by company - and an attack of brigade supported by ATTACHED, SUBORDINATED company.
4) Simulation - this is just the way some armies acted and act. The Kampfgruppe was an important innovation, as well as American Combat Commands in armoured divisions.
So, the regiment (if full size) should have a limit of 2 command squads, limiting possible attached units to two battalions. In present ACOW, if a designer has included all the sub-units just directly to regiment's TO&E, it remains infantry regiment too, I suppose. With the "command group" solution, a designer can limit size of attached units this way, that there is no doubt that the original type of unit isn't changed. He can always define "regimental KG" unit, with TO&E of 5 command groups only. This way a player can create any ad-hoc unit as "supported regiment" - infantry, tank, engineer, AT etc.
This way you can simulate doctrinal problems of specific armies. Each of DAK regiments should have at least 3 command groups, when a British tank regiment shouldn't have any, at least at 41-43.
Some other possibilities opened by the composite units:
1) temporary motorization
example: - each British 1944 ID has a transport column - a subunit which can be attached to one of its brigades to give it motorized movement rate
2) supply-transport dilemma
example: - the British transport column has some supply squads in its TO&E; if you attached it to divisional HQ, formation supply level increases; if you use it for transport purpose, the supply level falls
3) air transport possibility
example: - the Germans have an empty "airlift" unit and can attach a regiment of 6. Gebirge ID and send it to Crete
4) rearment
example: - each British armoured regiment on the desert consists of basic "mother" unit and independent tank battalions (up to 3) of different types of tank; if you get a Grant battalion as a reinforcements, you can replace old Crusader battalion by the new one.
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Composite units - 
- a little tired. I hope to answer during some hours. 
. I understand, why the designers have put them there and I see a simple solution, giving satisfaction to them and me - I can attach all specialized support units to main battle units. 
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