quote:

ORIGINAL:  John B.
Alfred,
I had a chance to look through the thread you posted (and thanks for all that detailed info.) but I have a couple of follow on questions. First, if combat is taking place in a non-objective hex (let's say one hex outside of Chittagong) will the HQ bonus have any effect or does the bonus only apply in objective hexes?

None.  The combat bonus applies only to objectives.  All combat outside of a base is not eligible of a combat bonus.  Combat at a base which is not the specified objective of both the combat unit and an HQ, is also not eligible for a combat bonus.

Second, I saw in your thread that if there are multiple HQ of the same level within command range the LCU will pick one and ignore the rest. Is there any priority that the LCU will use when making its choice? I have stacks of Chinese HQ wandering the map and I've always wondered which ones have any effect and if I would be better off splitting them up.

The tie breaker method employed by the code has never, and never will be, been disclosed by the devs.  I listed a few possible candidates for tie breaker.

In practice this is not really an issue as only in the Chinese theatre is there a plethora of HQs; elsewhere there is a scarcity of HQs.  In China there are so many viable bases warranting nomination to become an "objective", that you don't really have that great a surfeit of HQs.  The best practice, which I have recommended in the past but which is generally disregarded by players, is to physically group together the Army HQs (which are really Corps HQs)  with their subordinate combat units.  IOW implement the chain of command.  Do that and you will soon find your problem largely disappears.[/I]

Third, does the HQ bonus apply to artillery bombardments?

Not really and it has never been disclosed by the devs.  But .... [:)]

The combat bonus ultimately is applied to the Assault Value for odds calculation purposes.  With an artillery only bombardment attack, where no AV is involved, the possibility does not arise of a direct benefit.  However when a deliberate or shock attack is ordered and some of the participating units are only capable of contributing an artillery bombardment, there will be an overall indirect benefit to the attack.  It would be similar to the benefit of having support squads on the defence fighting at the objective.

Thanks again!
John