Chain of Command

[junk2drive]

PC uses abstract leaders. One squad of a platoon will be the Commander squad and the highest ranking officer is abstracted to be in that squad. Platoons can be a single squad, such as sniper teams. It is also abstracted that a Commander squad in radio contact (with the green symbol) contains a Forward Observer or radio contact with the battery.

What happens when the Commander squad is killed? From the preliminary manual:

The HUD center panel icons have changed. In addition to the Star for the Commander, there is now a Diamond for the new Commander. A Commander in Radio Contact will have his star colored green.
When the original Commander is killed or immobile a subordinate assumes command. The new Commander will have the Diamond on his floating icon and the HUD. A new Commander has the penalty of :
He no longer has a radio, loses the bound order, has a 5% higher chance to lose moral, and has a 5% reduction in experience promotional chance.
A secondary Commander may take control if the Commander is routed and retreats. There is a chance that the Commander will recover and re-assume command.
If the Commander is killed, Subordinate units will assume Defend orders. New orders are subject to delays based on rules chosen.

I just played a battle as Soviets. A platoon of 3 T34s has the Commander #1 and subunit #2 both received immobilizing hits in the same phase. Subunit #3 assumes command as he is still mobile. Later on, subunit three is destroyed and #1 again regains control.

[Mad Russian]

There are also delays when the command structure changes. The new commander isn't instantly in charge but has a short delay while he realizes he's THE MAN!

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

Here a platoon leader has been hit hard. He is pinned and suppressed and taken casualties. Yet, he is still in command of his platoon.

The green bands show that his squads are still willing to execute any order he gives them.

Trees are turned off in this SS.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

Here is a wider view of what is happening to them.

There are no diamond shaped ID coins in this SS so all leaders are primary and I have no replacement leaders on this part of the map at this time.

Trees are still turned off.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

Here is what the map looks like with trees turned on.

Quite a difference.

Good Hunting.

MR

[junk2drive]

Here, my Command squad (2) that took over from the original Command squad (1) is routed. The (3) squad assumes command after I press Play to continue to the next phase.

[heinrich55]

Junk2drive,
If there was a higher command unit HQ, say a captain nearby, would he step in to assume command of a platoon whose leader had routed, or does the command structure only allow for inherent units in the platoon to assume command where the platoon leader routs or is killed?

Heinrich55

[junk2drive]

The structure in PC is very simple. No separate HQ units, Captains, Colonels, Generals or Battalion leaders like other games.

For instance the Soviets used a company of say 10 squads unlike a country that might use 3 platoons of 3 squads each. In PC scenario editor you can give your platoon 10 squads with one of them automatically being the Commander squad. If that one has a problem or is killed another one automatically becomes the new Commander squad with the penalties. There is no command radius or bonuses.

Also no crews or prisoners wandering about.

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: junk2drive

.... There is no command radius or bonuses.

It seems like there is one place where I thought there was a command bonus for something (or penalty), but i've been looking and still haven't found it. something related to being more than 100m from CO unit. If I find the reference I'll post, otherwise it's my imagination working overtime again.

Rick

[junk2drive]

It was in originally but was removed as it effected things like ATGs and HMGs that are normally dispersed along the front.

[lancer]

G'day,

With regards to command radius could you have a Russian infantry platoon, for example, spread all over the map and still receive orders?

Cheers,
Lancer

[junk2drive]

yes

[lancer]

G'day,

Fair enough. Understand your problem with HMG teams but something like a Russian Infantry Platoon, with a large number of subordinate squads, had very basic communication technology.

Pretty much verbal and hand signals from what I understand. Maybe runners at a pinch.

Having aforementioned platoon scattered all over a 2km x 2km map with lots of blocking terrain would, I'd imagine, make exercising command problematic.

An idea would be if you did have a spread out platoon then that's fine as long as they were only given 'Defend' orders. Eg. a prepared defensive formation.

But if you wanted to give them any other order, such as Engage, then the subordinate squads would have to be within a certain distance from the platoon leader or else they would be unable to respond.

So in defense you can spread your platoons out as far as you want but if you want to undertake any form of maneouvre then you need to maintain a measure of platoon cohesion which requires being within communication distance of the leader.

Just a thought.

Cheers,
Lancer

[Mad Russian]

The infantry combat model gets it's make over in PC4. After this update is released.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mobius]

ORIGINAL: lancer
An idea would be if you did have a spread out platoon then that's fine as long as they were only given 'Defend' orders. Eg. a prepared defensive formation.

But if you wanted to give them any other order, such as Engage, then the subordinate squads would have to be within a certain distance from the platoon leader or else they would be unable to respond.

That's a good idea. Maybe something for PC4.
Also, what if the unit's info like ammo level and morale status goes black to the player if out of command radius? After all if it is out of command then it is out of information radius too.