Grid squares

[Fred98]

It would be handy if they were numbered A-H and 1-8 like a chess board.

When you right click on a grid the grid reference ought to be included in the information displayed.

Are grid squares 100 meters or 1,000 meters???

[Analog Kid]

The Grid squares are 1000 meters.
 
S!

[Bil H]

There is a coordinate system of some sort visible when you right click...
 
...you will get X and Y coordinates, the X coordinates represent the column (read from the left map edge) and the Y coordinates represent the row (read from the top map edge).  These are in 100 meter increments and each grid square represents 1000 meters, which is appropriate for military topo maps.  The last 3 numbers from each coordinate will tell you where you are within each grid square, read to the Right and Down... so a coordinate of X:13000 Y:6000 tells you that you are at the juncture of the 14th column and the 7th row.  The reason you add one to each is that the very top row and left column only have 3 numbers.. as the distance from each respective edge is in the hundreds of meters.
 
Get all that?
 
I do wish this game had a more realistic coordinate system...
 
Bil

[Fred98]

The manual says 1,000 meters and I presumed I had read it wrong.
 
Why does my infantry company have a AP range ring of 3,000 meters?
 
When the infantry company is advancing and it spots enemy infantry at 3,000 meters they exchange fire. What is going on?
 
 
 
 
 

[Arjuna]

Joe98,
 
Which infantry unit? Have you examined its Equipment. Many infantry companies have long range or medium/heavy machine guns attached - though these need to deploy to fire. Some also have AT guns attached. In general we farm out the heavy weapons that would normally be assigned to the line companies.

[Arjuna]

Oh and one other thing. While some may have a max range of 2-3,000m most will only have an effective range of 5-700m - ie the range at which half the unit's max firepower cuts in.

[Robin le guetteur]

I think that the map creators could include more indications on the map.
It would be possible with the text editor include in the map editor. Something like coordinate (A, B, C, and 1, 2, 3, etc. ) and little symbols like : + or !, etc.
It's possible to be creative with this map editor, but it require more work from the authors...
For my part, i regret that some antics building are not well indicated, just for flavour.

[;)]

[Pergite!]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

Joe98,

Which infantry unit? Have you examined its Equipment. Many infantry companies have long range or medium/heavy machine guns attached - though these need to deploy to fire. Some also have AT guns attached. In general we farm out the heavy weapons that would normally be assigned to the line companies.

What is the best aproach if I would like to have my troops to wait until the enemy is in effective range before they open up? Its a bit irritating when they start taking pot-shots at a far away tank, just to be mowed down by artillery as soon as they are spotted. I dont want to change their agressivness, I just want to make them hit the enemy all at once to actually make it hurt.

[Arjuna]

Pergite,

You will have to lower their Aggro I'm afraid as this is what most affects their willingness to engage at long range.

I take it you would like the ability to specify the engagement range. This is always tricky. if you set to say 500m and then they wait till the enemy gets within 500m before opening up, then that works fine initially, but the most likely reaction by the enemy is to retreat a short distance and then your unit will not engage them. Now you can make this an "initial" engagement range, such that the restriction is lifted once they first open fire when conducting this task. That would be better. But do you also want to specify separate engagement ranges for APer and AArm fire? If one is triggered does the other still stay in force? Interesting...[:)]

[RayWolfe]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna
I take it you would like the ability to specify the engagement range.
SNIP
Interesting...[:)]

Interesting, yes. But ... is it really a good thing to do in an operational game? [&:]
Cheers
Ray

[Pergite!]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

Pergite,

You will have to lower their Aggro I'm afraid as this is what most affects their willingness to engage at long range.

I take it you would like the ability to specify the engagement range. This is always tricky. if you set to say 500m and then they wait till the enemy gets within 500m before opening up, then that works fine initially, but the most likely reaction by the enemy is to retreat a short distance and then your unit will not engage them. Now you can make this an "initial" engagement range, such that the restriction is lifted once they first open fire when conducting this task. That would be better. But do you also want to specify separate engagement ranges for APer and AArm fire? If one is triggered does the other still stay in force? Interesting...[:)]

I would like different SOP options for the units , orders that tell the different units how to act in certain situations. The different parameters and options in COTA is great, but I sometimes feel the need to go deeper. This could be done unsing logical choices like for example "IF unit encounter tanks THEN stop AND dig in", or in this case similar options regarding engagement ranges as well as targets. It may probably get too complicated, but its been done in the TACOPS game.

With order delay at realistic (as always [:)]) its hard for me to switch aggro rate after the initial contact. I usually plan alot of crossfire avenues when doing defence, and its alway keeps gettign messed up because the enemy will back out of the area when the first unit opens up, and then pound it wiht artillery.

Anyway, I am very pleased with the game and really enjoy the choice of scenery, Crete has always had a soft spot in my heart. Anything off the beaten track of WW2 gaming is always very welcomed in my opinion.

[Arsan]

Maybe it will be enough with a new type order: "ambush"
It could be similar to defend but holding fire util close range...
I think that setting ranges for individual unit will be going too tactical for the scale of this game  

[Arjuna]

Arsan,
 
I generally steer away from adding new orders to the game. We already have a quite a few as it is. We have no more keyboard shortcuts for instance. [;)] However, if we had a simple checkbox on current Defence task settings that specified whether to hold fire until close range, then that would suffice wouldn't it?

[Deathtreader]

ORIGINAL: Arsan

Maybe it will be enough with a new type order: "ambush"
It could be similar to defend but holding fire util close range...
I think that setting ranges for individual unit will be going too tactical for the scale of this game  

Hi all,

Now there's one hell of an idea..........and trust the AI subordinate commander to know when..... just like we do with delay and withdraw.

Rob.

[Arsan]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

Arsan,

I generally steer away from adding new orders to the game. We already have a quite a few as it is. We have no more keyboard shortcuts for instance. [;)] However, if we had a simple checkbox on current Defence task settings that specified whether to hold fire until close range, then that would suffice wouldn't it?

Sure it will!![:D] [&o]

It will be even better with future titles of the series like the pacific one who (i´ve heard…) will have platoons instead of companies and a more tactical approach…
Cheers!

[Pergite!]

ORIGINAL: Arsan

Maybe it will be enough with a new type order: "ambush"
It could be similar to defend but holding fire util close range...
I think that setting ranges for individual unit will be going too tactical for the scale of this game

Why not do it as in real life, "Open fire when the enemy comes over that ridge, or crosses the road" etc. Draw a line or a something in the terrain, instead of giving some abstracted range right of the map.

This could then be given to the entire unit through the command chain, and can also help the AI to better place his units according to where I as a player belive the enemy will appear, and in such way give the AI a better chanse of focusing the fire of his units.

With proper radio comms this whole thing would have been easy to simulate, but during this era that kind of luxury where not that wide spread.

[Arjuna]

Pergite,
 
What you are talking about is commonly referred to as a "trigger". I agree they would be good. This is on the wish list but it's not a trivial undertaking as it involves UI and AI changes. One of the things we have tried to maintain is not allowing the user too many advantages over the AI. So if we provide the player with an interface that lets him designate an area asa trigger for some action by one of its units, then we also need to write AI routines which will enable the AI managed units to do the same. That is the tricky bit....not impossible, but it will take a fair amount of time to master.

[Arsan]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

Arsan,

I generally steer away from adding new orders to the game. We already have a quite a few as it is. We have no more keyboard shortcuts for instance. [;)] However, if we had a simple checkbox on current Defence task settings that specified whether to hold fire until close range, then that would suffice wouldn't it?

So... will we hava a precious TT for this resonable and "easy" to implement checkbox feature?? [;)]
I could give it good use setting hidden roadblocks in the heavily forested Ardennes roads (hint!, hint!)
Arsan

[Arjuna]

Since you asked so nicely.
 
TT3031 - UI - AI - Add Checkbox to Order Settings for Initial Close Engagement

[Arsan]

Thanks!!