Movement Commands Re:Non-HQ units

[TheOx]

Ok, quick Q:

I am using my HQ unit to spot for my mortars and arty. My other 2 squads are spread over Hell and gone (by scenario design apparently), they have no LOS to the enemy, but they can't move! I have a rather brief drop down menu for each, but they cannot move until the spotting being performed by the HQ unit is complete.

I've also noticed that my sub squads can only perform the commands issued by the HQ unit. (i.e. they can only rush when the HQ unit is rushing) a) Why is this? b) How do I get around it? Certainly one squad can be firing while another is rushing an objective?

I'm probably all wrong here, could someone set me straight?

Side Q: Is there any way to resign and start a mission over?

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: TheOx

Ok, quick Q:

I am using my HQ unit to spot for my mortars and arty. My other 2 squads are spread over Hell and gone (by scenario design apparently), they have no LOS to the enemy, but they can't move! I have a rather brief drop down menu for each, but they cannot move until the spotting being performed by the HQ unit is complete.

I've also noticed that my sub squads can only perform the commands issued by the HQ unit. (i.e. they can only rush when the HQ unit is rushing) a) Why is this? b) How do I get around it? Certainly one squad can be firing while another is rushing an objective?

I'm probably all wrong here, could someone set me straight?

Side Q: Is there any way to resign and start a mission over?

Well, I'm sure some other will chime in, but one think you can do is first go ahead and call in your mortars with your Platton Command, then go back and give him an engage move.or engage hold order, or advance, then you can go back to your other paltoons and give them their orders.

Rick

[Capitaine]

I don't think you can give spot orders to the HQ, then go back and give another command that same phase and still have the artillery spotting take effect.  You're going to have to spend one turn with the HQ having spotting orders in order to call in the artillery, and your other squads won't have a move order available.  After that you can give Engage orders which will allow both move and fire by your units.
 
In that Boot Camp scenario your platoon's squads are spread out all over the map.  I can't say for sure but I'd wager you won't see this situation again in any other scenarios, so don't be alarmed that this will be a recurring situation.

[TheOx]

Heres another Q:
 
In Mission 5 I cannot get my PzF squads to fire at the T-34s! I assign them targets and I get a GREY line. What is this? I even rushed one unit up behind the T-34 and they STILL won't fire. (Not to mention they lost their LOS with ONE tree in the way. Thats one skinny ass tank [:D]) What gives here?

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: Capitaine

I don't think you can give spot orders to the HQ, then go back and give another command that same phase and still have the artillery spotting take effect.  You're going to have to spend one turn with the HQ having spotting orders in order to call in the artillery, and your other squads won't have a move order available.  After that you can give Engage orders which will allow both move and fire by your units.

In that Boot Camp scenario your platoon's squads are spread out all over the map.  I can't say for sure but I'd wager you won't see this situation again in any other scenarios, so don't be alarmed that this will be a recurring situation.

I dont think so. I'm pretty sure I did it this way. But I could be wrong.

Rick

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: TheOx
I am using my HQ unit to spot for my mortars and arty. My other 2 squads are spread over Hell and gone (by scenario design apparently), they have no LOS to the enemy, but they can't move! I have a rather brief drop down menu for each, but they cannot move until the spotting being performed by the HQ unit is complete.

Sounds like you're doing one of the Boot Camp missions. The Spotting Fire orde doesn't allow sub-units to do anything but fire if they see targets. Once the artillery has arrived, just switch to another order like Engage from your HQ unit and you should see a lot more options.

I've also noticed that my sub squads can only perform the commands issued by the HQ unit. (i.e. they can only rush when the HQ unit is rushing) a) Why is this? b) How do I get around it? Certainly one squad can be firing while another is rushing an objective?

Honestly, the best way to understand the philosophy behind this is to read the manual. In Panzer Command, you command at the platoon level in terms of issuing orders. You decide during the Orders phase on a "Base Platoon Order" like Rush or Engage or Defend. Some are more flexible than others. Rush is the fastest movement order but doesn't allow shooting, for example. Engage allows a mix of moving, shooting with specific targeting and facing changes. That base order determines what the sub-units in the platoon have as their choices.

40 seconds into the 80 second turn, you get a Reaction phase. Here's where you can choose from a limited set of override "Reaction Orders" based on what has transpired since you issued your original base orders.

Side Q: Is there any way to resign and start a mission over?

Yes, the "Q" key will allow you to surrender your force.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: TheOx
In Mission 5 I cannot get my PzF squads to fire at the T-34s! I assign them targets and I get a GREY line. What is this? I even rushed one unit up behind the T-34 and they STILL won't fire. (Not to mention they lost their LOS with ONE tree in the way. Thats one skinny ass tank [:D]) What gives here?

Hm, could you post a screenshot? Did you still have them on Rush orders or had you changed to Engage or Defend?

Regards,

- Erik

[Capitaine]

Erik, infantry beyond close assault range will not be able to "target" the tanks with a red line from what I gleaned in that scenario.  I gather that outside of close assault they have no AT capability so they get the "gray line".  Once the tanks are inside close assault range they can target the tanks and get a red LOS band.  I'm assuming that with early infantry close assault is their only attack vs. armor.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Capitaine
Erik, infantry beyond close assault range will not be able to "target" the tanks with a red line from what I gleaned in that scenario.  I gather that outside of close assault they have no AT capability so they get the "gray line".  Once the tanks are inside close assault range they can target the tanks and get a red LOS band.  I'm assuming that with early infantry close assault is their only attack vs. armor.

Oh, sorry, I thought he was already in close assault range. Yes, you're quite correct.

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: Rick

ORIGINAL: Capitaine

I don't think you can give spot orders to the HQ, then go back and give another command that same phase and still have the artillery spotting take effect.  You're going to have to spend one turn with the HQ having spotting orders in order to call in the artillery, and your other squads won't have a move order available.  After that you can give Engage orders which will allow both move and fire by your units.

In that Boot Camp scenario your platoon's squads are spread out all over the map.  I can't say for sure but I'd wager you won't see this situation again in any other scenarios, so don't be alarmed that this will be a recurring situation.

I dont think so. I'm pretty sure I did it this way. But I could be wrong.

Rick

Capitaine,

You might want to go back and try this again. I was able to use the Platoon HQ to give spotting orders for the Mortars in BootCamp1 on Turn 2 and during the same turn 2 reselect the Platoon and give it a Engage order. This let me spot and move my other squads forward in smae turn.

Rick

[Capitaine]

Hmm... I will try that again then.  I thought maybe that might be possible at some point, but then believed I did something that showed it wasn't.

[Capitaine]

Hey Rick, you were right about the artillery spotting.  Glad you persisted and told me.  Don't need to select it for the entire turn as I thought.  I confess it's odd b/c it then makes the artillery "call" instantaneous, but I guess a lot is being abstracted.
 
So now I understand that the "order" for Spotting Indirect is a hybrid kind of thing that is just used to plot the fire missions and the platoon can do other stuff the same turn it's called.  Fine by me.