Hierarchy Module Document

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This thread will give some details of the upcoming Update (which is known as the "Hierarchy Module"). Enjoy!

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There is no "outline" format on this board, so I used the Outline mode of Word and saved it as an attachment:

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Formation Dialog (Old & New together):

Note the checkboxes to the left of the units. They show the designer’s settings for how restrictive re-attachment is, which unit is the “Flag” unit, and the detach/attach toggle. Rule boxes unchecked make re-attachment more restrictive – checked makes it less restrictive. Note that subdivided units can’t be detached (but they can be the flag). Note the Manpower Estimate near the top. Note the double-sized unit & formation names. Note the Formation Size and Service Arm in the upper right, Nationality is in the upper left. Note the “Go to page 2” button (blocked in red).

The effects of the checkboxes are as follows (left to right):
1. National Flag match.
2. Background color match.
3. Foreground color match.
4. Icon match.
5. Size match.
6. IDs the Flag Unit.
7. Set = detachment not allowed.
8. Toggle to detach/attach.

Also, note the size button and service arm text in the upper right. Service Arms available are:
1. Universal
2. Army
3. Navy
4. Air Force
5. Marines

Note the Manpower Estimate added at the top. Equipment Manpower is estimated as per the following:
1. Support flag = 50
2. Command flag = 5
3. Shock Cavalry or Infantry flags (infantry & cavalry squads) = 10
4. Ground movement & Long Range (artillery) = Shell Weight, minimum = 5
5. Ground movement & High-Altitude AAA = 10
6. Ground movement & not Long Range (light guns) = 5
7. Ground movement & Transport (transport vehicles) = 2
8. Other Motorized (combat vehicles) = 5
9. High Altitude Aircraft (bombers) = 8
10. Low Altitude Aircraft & Torpedo Bomber (torpedo bomber) = 3
11. Other Low Altitude Aircraft (fighter-bombers) = 2
12. Helicopter Movement = 3
13. Carrier Naval = Defense Strength x 7, minimum = 200 (CV, CVL, CVE, fractional CVs)
14. Heavy Naval = Shell Weight x 2, minimum = 500 (Battleship)
15. Medium Naval, Shell Weight > 200 = Shell Weight x 3, minimum = 300 (Battlecruiser)
16. Medium Naval, Shell Weight < 200 = Shell Weight x 6, minimum = 200 (Heavy Cruiser)
17. Light Naval = Shell Weight x 7, minimum 25 (Light Cruiser, Destroyer)
18. Riverine Movement = 15
19. Anything not covered = 5
This is temporary till the Equipment Expansion – which will add explicit manpower values to equipment.

At the bottom of the unit list, there is a set of buttons to display and scroll through any detached units available for attachment. More about this later.

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Note that the (Hoth) unit is shown above as having the “Flag”. This is where the commander is physically located on the map. In the Editor, it can be changed to any legal slot just by clicking on that slot’s Flag checkbox. But in the game, the Flag can only be transferred to a unit in the same hex as the current Flag unit. That requires a special procedure with a new dialog. Clicking on any Flag checkbox brings up this new dialog:

All the units shown are in the same formation and in the same hex on the map. The player just selects which unit to become the new Flag.

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Finally, note the new button at the bottom (blocked in red). This is the “Go to Page 2” button. Toggling it takes us to that second page:

This is the page 2 for 3rd Panzer Army. This is a new dialog. Note that, while it has a commander, it has no subordinate formations. This is to be expected for an army-sized formation, for a scenario with corps-sized units. But note that its superior formation is AGC. Click on that button and shift to its second page:

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This is the page 2 for AGC. Now it has a commander AND it has a suite of 7 subordinate formations.

Note there are five checkboxes for the commander. Their impact is as follows:
1. Nationality match.
2. Service Arm match.
3. Rank match.
4. On = detachment not allowed.
5. Toggle detachment/attachment.
There are also five checkboxes for each subordinate formation. Their impact is as follows:
1. Nationality match.
2. Service Arm match.
3. Size match.
4. On = detachment not allowed.
5. Toggle detachment/attachment.

Note the command radius (for the formation itself) is set by the button next to the commander’s name. The hierarchical command radius (between superior and subordinate formations in the hierarchy) is set by the button in the lines above.

Note the two sets of buttons to scroll through attachable formations and commanders. (None shown at this time).

There is a button to add another formation at the bottom and a button to delete the last formation in the list.

Note this formation is subordinate to OKH. Click on its button and go to its page 2:

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Note that this is the “Top formation in the hierarchy”. So, this hierarchy has two nested layers. But there is no limit on how nested a hierarchy can be. And, as will be seen, there is some additional nesting within units and subordinate units. Also note the “Initiative Required” checkbox. If checked, this top formation isn’t automatically “Ready for Orders”. It requires its commander to pass an initiative check. Used for 19th Century topics, like the Civil War, etc. So…McClellan sits on his thumbs while Stuart runs circles around him, etc.

Note that this page (top of the hierarchy) has the parameters to shape the Hierarchical Cooperation curve. It also has the option to use or not use hierarchical cooperation. In this case, it uses it. Note that the scalar and sigma values are x100 (giving some fine-tuning variation ability). In other words, a value of 100 means the scalar is x1 and a value of 1000 means it is x10. But this allows values of x10.02 to be modeled, etc.

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The curve below shows the impact of the Hierarchical Scalar. The x-axis is Hierarchical Distance between units. The y-axis is the cooperation penalty incurred. At the default of 1.0, hierarchical cooperation only varies with Hierarchical Distance from 1.0 to 0.83 or so. Increasing the Hierarchical Scalar causes variation to increase. Decreasing it causes variation to decrease. So, designers control how impactful Hierarchical Distance is to cooperation.

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The curve below shows the impact of the Hierarchical Sigma value. The Hierarchical Scalar was fixed at x5 (500) for this. Note that each curve heads to the same ending value. But how fast it gets there depends on the sigma value. So, the sigma value controls how sharp the curve changes. Together, these two variables give the designer full control of the curve.

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The above sets of curves are the result of the following formula:

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Here’s a shot of the Combat Planner when hierarchical cooperation is present. Note the green flags that represent hierarchical cooperation:

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Here’s a shot of the Combat Chart when hierarchical cooperation is present. Note the green cooperation panes:

The hierarchical distance is shown in each pane. “Max” means the distance was beyond the hierarchy. (Finnish AF unit was in a different hierarchy). Superior formation is distance 1 from subordinates. Formations that have a common superior formation are distance of 2. Common superior of superiors is distance of 4, etc.

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This shot shows the Group Composition display of hierarchical cooperation. Note the green flags:

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Now let’s look at the page 2 of this formation:

This is the top of the Romanian Hierarchy. A scenario side can have multiple hierarchies in it. The Axis side has Finnish, German, and Romanian hierarchies. All are independent of each other. If in combat together, the combat routine must determine the controlling hierarchy of the combat. That is given to the hierarchy with the most force in the battle.

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Since the game has hierarchies, the game needs a dialog that shows hierarchies. It has one (another new dialog):

White lines show formations (and any commander if such). Yellow lines are units and their locations. Indentations show hierarchy levels. Note that it shows the Finns and Germans in different hierarchies.

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The “Collapse Units” option shows only formations – fitting more of the hierarchy on the page.

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This test scenario has nested subordinate units, so I wanted to show that hierarchy.

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It even has a Task Force unit that has subordinate Carrier units that each have subordinate Air units. This shows the max nesting possible via units alone.

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Now let’s look at the Commander Dialogs. First, the Commander List Dialog:

This dialog has about 3000 built-in commanders on it (2930 exactly). This is comparable to the Equipment List of the Force Editor. The list has space for 5000 commanders. So, there is room for over 2000 more – reserved for the future. Designers that want their own commanders, should build them for the Commander Inventory List, below.

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It can be fun to wander around in the list. Sort by date gives this shot:

Note the ancient flags used here.