How to prevent HQs from "Leading the Charge"...

[Marshal Villars]

Note to anyone reading this thread: in it I have posted several examples of the HQ getting out ahead of combat/line units in action. After working on this issue for over a week and with Arjuna's excellent support (you won't find much better support anywhere), we have come to the following conclusions about many of the examples posted:

In all likelihood, the engine is working as designed in most of these cases. Here is the way to reduce the likelihood of your HQs getting exposed to the enemy:
Lesson #1 - If you are going to give orders to units at night, and it's important they act upon them pronto, then you had better set their rest option to None.
Lesson #2 - Check fatigue Levels and Straggler options before ordering attacks
Lesson #3 (FOR BFTB NOOBS LIKE ME) - To reduce the likelihood of "HQs Leading the Charge" incidents uncheck the stragglers box, forcing the HQ to wait for exhausted units before launching an attack or moving towards contact with the enemy. Remember, the default is checked.
*****ORIGINAL POST BEGINS HERE*****

Once again, probably my fault...

Why are my two battalion HQs leading the charge into no man's land while their entire KG stays behind and watches?

Is this supposed to be happening? Was it normal?

Pic attached. File saved.

Again. I want to emphasized that the engine... over all... is simply incredible. And I am glad that I have supported its development with a purchase of every product since HTTR. I think with assault times, it has come of age (though I wish I could set them on the fly). Amazing.

[Arjuna]

Can you send me a saved game taken just after the attack order was given but before the two Bn HQs took off.

[Marshal Villars]

Let me see. I HOPE I have one in between those two times.

[Marshal Villars]

This MAY be another case. I don't know. It's not as blatantly obvious.

Actually, I remember working out some of these Battalion HQ leading charge issues in COTA.

[Arjuna]

Part of the issue is that HQs will be assigned to defend at the reserve location while the main body moves to the FUP in preparation for the assault. It would appear that in these examples the main body is not moving to the FUP. A secondary concern is that the reserveLoc is in fact eexposing the HQs and its mortars to potential threats. I will look at the selection criteria again for the reserveLoc. But I'm more intrigued by the absence of movement to the FUP by the main body. Do you have a saved game of the above example. Can you please email it to me. Thanks.

[Marshal Villars]

Yes. This lack of movement to the FUP is something I saw several times today. It happened not only here, but in the south with my Fallschirmjägers and what I felt to be a few other occassions.

I will send you the 7-Zip files for this situation.

[AKCLIMBER]

FWIW, I've also seen this behavior on more than one head scratching occasion.

Cheers!

[Marshal Villars]

This one is definitely an "HQ Leading the charge"...

[johndoesecond]

Besides the screen shots, can you attach here also a couple of saved games from these situations? I'd like to have a look.

Remember, I'm not a developer of this game, but just a curious player.

[Marshal Villars]

Another example...

[Marshal Villars]

Saint Lo - A1

[Marshal Villars]

Saint Lo - A2

[Marshal Villars]

Saint Lo - A3

[Marshal Villars]

Saint Lo - A4

[Marshal Villars]

Bastogne Breakout - A1

[AKCLIMBER]

Interesting that you included the St. Lo examples. That's the scenario in which I've seen this behavior the most.

[Marshal Villars]

Another great one.

You'd think the formation was pointing towards the top of the map. But, you will see in the next screen shot it is not!

[Marshal Villars]

Every unit in that town is under one command.

This example is about as obvious as it gets. And I got the files saved when I made the order and after it developed.

After two days of hunting, I have my great white shark! I am off to bed! YEEEEEEHA!!!!!

[Marshal Villars]

And this is what it looked like BEFORE I re-issued the order to try to protect the HQ which was out in front. So, it even moved ANOTHER HQ in front and all combat units had to go to the wings and in back. What came very shortly after the order, was the two images you see above.

ALL the HQs were brought to the forefront. Including the II/1020 which HAD been in back.

I wonder what Arjuna will find here. I find it impossible to believe that the HQs had the highest strengths so they had to be placed in front.

My dad used to be a company commander and he said that in most situations the Bn HQ was 500 to 600 yards in back of the front line (I think that is what he said!!! I don't remember the exact number anymore and will have to ask again).

[Marshal Villars]

So, I ran a test to see if in an attack, the HQs would also go in front (since they might be the strongest units after all!)...

This is what happened... all HQs went to the back of the formation (THIS TIME --actually it happens correctly about 95 to 97% of the time)