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Tzar007 -> RE: Tips thread (2/19/2004 2:46:58 AM)
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From MarkShot:
I would like to cover two small topics: "in-situ" and order modifications/conversions.
*** "in-situ" ***
This is one of the formation options which you have at your disposal when issuing orders. It means execute the order in place; don't move regardless of where the order marker is placed.
How to use it?
(1) It is the default formation whenever you ask your troops to rest, "Z".
(2) Suppose you start a short scenario with a small map. It turns out that your arty units already have coverage of the likely engagement area and are in no risk from enemy forces. Also, suppose that they are already deployed or dug-in, and you want their fire support immediately available (you plan to dettach them). The way to do this is give them a [D]efend order with an "in-situ" formation. Thus, they will not move and redeploy; they will simply go immediately "on-call".
(3) Suppose you have a brigade defending a town. They have already dug-in or maybe they have been there a while and entrenched. (Being dug-in or entrenched is much better than simply being deployed or moving if the enemy comes along.) Now, suppose you want to dettach a battalion to assist in an attack some place else. Anytime you dettach a unit, you are going to force the AI commander to perform a replan and its likely that new orders will be issued. But maybe you would like to short circuit (prevent) that process. What can you do? Do this ... Issue a [D]efend in-situ command to the brigade. Then, dettach the battalion of interest. None of your units who are part the [D]efend command will change their positions.
(4) Suppose you moved 10 arty units to a fire base. As we have already learned, you will have to give them individual orders to make this happen. Now, suppose you want to treat them as one command (force) either to help concentrate their fire or reduce command load. What to do? Do this ... select them all and issue a [D]efend "in-situ" order. (Or better yet ... do the trick I showed before with bombard, but for the units grouped.)
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What else do you need to know about "in-situ"?
"in-situ" means wherever the unit is located at the current time. Note: >>> THE CURRENT TIME <<< and not the time at which the order issued. What's the issue? Well, if give a MG company a [D]efend in-situ order and they are attacked and thrown back, they will then continue to remain in whatever location they retreated to. If they had been given a [D]efend order with any other formation, they would have attempted to return to the the location of the task marker when they recovered from their retreat.
This is an important point. "in-situ" defenders will not attempt to retake lost ground.
On the other hand, this can be convenient at times. Suppose you have some mortars located in a large woods. Suppose the enemy forces them to retreat. There usually isn't and reason to really have them recover their former positions. They probably only fell back 0.25-0.50km and will do just fine deploying in their new location. However, with a standard [D]efend order, they will recover and once again advance back towards the enemy. (I personally tend to just use standard [D]efend orders out of habit, but perhaps you will command with greater finess than me.)
In just a moment, we are going to talk about order modification/conversion but before we do ... Sometimes, I may cause my arty units to move a fire base by simply dragging their [D]efend task markers to new a location. Earlier in this thread I showed you a trick to make arty units quickly rest or go on-call. Be advised that if you use this trick when you flip them to on-call, their [D]efend formation will be in-situ even if that is not what you originally specified. Then, if you drag the [D]efend task marker, they are not going anyway unless you change the formation. (It took me a while to figure that one out.)
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You can modify and convert orders that have already been given and communicated through the chain of command. Of course, you can also issue entirely new orders from scratch. I tend to try to modify/convert orders if the force is the same and alterations are small. Be advised that any changes can cause replans (will talk about that a little later). Here are some examples.
* Moving mortar units which already have [D]efend orders by 1-2km.
* Moving the FUP location for a force on the march due to new intel available from recon.
* Changing an [A]ttack to [D]efend task for a force on the march due to intel revealing the objective is unoccuppied.
* An [A]ttack is going very well and I want the force to push on even further.
I believe that modifying and converting orders results in less delays than deleting the orders and issuing brand new orders from scratch. I have not attempted any emperical testing of this, but I think this was included in the HTTR order delay code such that small alterations have diminished impact on replans/delays. {Dave, could you confirm or deny whether that is the case? Thanks.} For the moment, that is how I am doing things.
As you can see, long range operations with recon and order modification can come in pretty handy.
How do you convert an order? Okay, suppose you are making a 10km trek to an [A]ttack. Hilight the unit with the [A]ttack order, then click on the [A]ttack task marker. Delete the task marker and hit [D]efend key. Everything remains the same except for the new task marker and elimination of the FUP. There is one important thing to note. The parameters associated with the new task come from the former task as opposed for being the default parameters for that task type. So, the default formation for [D]efend is unspecified (left to the AI). However, if the [A]ttack formation has been specified as wedge, then your [D]efend formation will pick up a formation of wedge (unless you change it).
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I have another little topic which I want to cover here which doesn't really fit any place else. So, here it is. The AI route planning has no awareness of the future. It lives in the instantaneous present of the intel picture/route connectivity at the time it does a plan. What's that mean? It's 08:00 and I have pontoon bridge almost completed. It will be done by about 09:30. But at 08:00, I have reinforcements and order these guys to advance to the river and cross it. Now, they probably won't even reach the river until 10:00. In any case, the AI will plan to take the Ferry (slower). One thing you can do is simply give orders to the force to move to the bridgehead and then wait until it is complete before ordering them across. Here is something which I haven't tried, but which might work ... try moving the final task marker or altering it in someway after the bridge is completed. This might force a replan and new route calculation ... but I am just guessing here. {Dave, would that work?}
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Let's finish up today with replans. What is it? Well, when you give orders in HTTR, your AI subordinates generate plans to carry out your orders. This is where much of the power and scalability of HTTR comes in. You can organize forces and give orders at any level. Most games have a flat structure for communicating with your forces, but HTTR has a very scalable and user friendly structure.
(Assuming you are playing with order delays) Except (sometimes) for the first 59 minutes of a scenario and the first 59 minutes for arriving reinforcements, the creation and communication of a plan takes measurable time. It can take from 30 minutes to six hours (these numbers are just for illustrative purposes) depending on circumstances. A replan is the generation of a revised plan by your AI commander. This can happen either due to implicit or explicit reasons.
* Implicit *
* A force is order to move from A to B. A route is plotted. Along the route heavy enemy opposition is encountered for a couple of hours. The AI commander may decide to take an alternate route and bypass the enemy.
* A force is attacking. The attack is beginning to fall apart and lacks cohesion. The AI commander may have the units fall back, reorganize, and attack again. Or the AI commander may bring back tired units and put them in reserve while ordering frest reserve units forward.
* Explicit *
* You issue new orders to a force.
* You modify the location or parameters for a task.
* You dettach units from a force.
* You reattach units from the force.
Now, why are we talking about replans? Well, because two things happen during a replan that can have a very impact on how your campaign in a scenario proceeds.
First, any replan activity slows a force down. HQ must work out a new plan. Then that plan must be communicated down the chain of command and finally to the line units. That takes time.
Second, replans always result in some disorganization and confusion. Units will halt whatever their doing and wait for new orders and then digest them. Also, this doesn't happen for all units simultaneously. Depending on the chain of command and distance from HQ, different units will experience this at different times. Believe me there is nothing more pathetic than a force actively attacking and heavily engaged which receives new orders. Some of the lead units will continue to push on while some supporting units will turn back leaving their mates (that Australian English is beginning to rub off) to be butchered by the enemy.
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So, what are the implications of replans as far as you are concerned? First, implicit replans are generally for your benefit. It's the AI kicking in to help you do a better job. Second, it's the explicit replans that you need to watch out for.
(1) You need to be aware of what things can cause replans and the impact they have.
(2) Since reorganizing your commands (meaning immediate subordinates with direct orders from you) results in replans, you want to think carefully about your force structure. You want to be methodical about how you group and use forces. You want your commands issued to be executed with the minimum amount of disruption. Thus, try not to continuously be restructuring your forces or changing orders before they have been completed.
(3) It is better to sideline a unit than reattach it to a command and create chaos.
(4) Avoid explicit replans for forces which are in heavy contact with the enemy. You are going to be responsible for a lot deaths if you ignore this. Explicit replans are best experienced when your force is no longer in heavy contact with the enemy (either you are attacking or the defending against an atttack).
(5) It is better to pause (space bar) and take some time to think out your orders, then do it on the fly and keep making small adjustments. Issue the right orders, the first time.
(6) Keep recon elements separate after completing a recon mission even if they are now in the midst of the main force as you are likely to send them on another recon mission soon.
(7) Sometimes execution of imperfect orders are better left to proceed, then the delay and confusion which results when you try to improve them.
(8) Try to keep the units of a force in close geographic proximity. If you form forces from units scattered all across the map, you are going to introduce substantial delays and the response to your orders is not going to be nearly as coherent as it should be.
Well, if you ever managed people in your life (military, sports, workplace, ...), the above will all seem pretty common sense and realistic. That's what makes this a great game/simulation.
Well, that's it for today. Until next time ... dismissed.
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