7th UK Armorded BDE changing HQ's

[BB56]

I'm playing v3.0 as allies and have a lot of UK/IND troops defending Imphal & Kohima. One of these units the UK 7th Armored BDE - EXP 70.
Well, in either April or May of 1942, I went to add more units to that base to head into an undefended Mandalay (IJA 56th Div was busy in Lashio) and to my surpise, the 7th Armored was gone.
I checked other India bases and there it was, in 'to Middle East' and now attached to India GHQ.
I know I can easily fix with the editor, but is this a bug, or working as designed? I ask because, this unit usually spearhead the British drive back to Malaysia.

Thank.

BTW: Nice changes, Jeremy, to v3.0. I've had to rethink my entire ABDA saving strategy.

[Jeremy Pritchard]

When 3.1 will be released along with it will be an explanation of all of the changes.

This was intentional.

Historically, the 7th Armoured was brought back to North Africa after they extracated themselves out of Burma. They left in April.

Many peolpe posted that having the 7th Armoured made the British forces in SEAC too strong, and since it only fought there for a while, having it in the game gives the Allies too many good forces too quickly. Instead of deleting it, we added a timer so that it would be sent off to the Middle East in April 1942. You get the formation to stem the spearhead into India, so it gives you time to set up your defenses (I think the 70th or 2nd Division appears at around the same time the 7th Armoured goes away). So don't leave it on its own, or else you will get a nasty suprise!

This limits the British offensive ability in 1942, as you don't want it to be the sole unit you use for offensive actions, or else you could be left in the lurch when it goes. Use it to delay the enemy in Burma, you don't get it long, but used carefully it can stop the enemy advance.

[BB56]

Originally posted by Jeremy Pritchard
When 3.1 will be released along with it will be an explanation of all of the changes.

This was intentional.

Historically, the 7th Armoured was brought back to North Africa after they extracated themselves out of Burma. They left in April.

Many peolpe posted that having the 7th Armoured made the British forces in SEAC too strong, and since it only fought there for a while, having it in the game gives the Allies too many good forces too quickly. Instead of deleting it, we added a timer so that it would be sent off to the Middle East in April 1942. You get the formation to stem the spearhead into India, so it gives you time to set up your defenses (I think the 70th or 2nd Division appears at around the same time the 7th Armoured goes away). So don't leave it on its own, or else you will get a nasty suprise!

This limits the British offensive ability in 1942, as you don't want it to be the sole unit you use for offensive actions, or else you could be left in the lurch when it goes. Use it to delay the enemy in Burma, you don't get it long, but used carefully it can stop the enemy advance.

Thanks for the quick response, Jeremy. I do remember reading a lot of posts about the British being too strong and how they needed to be 'balanced out'.
Yes, this force does provide the neccessary defense of India and I do use it to augment the weaker forces present. The UK 2nd Infantry did show up about the time the 7th Armored relocated so this change not only balances that theater, but will cause me to retool my strategy in retaking the Malay Peninsula.

Also, adding the Cocos Is. is great. This island now makes it possible to transfer Naval units to/from Australia, providing these areas any needed additional support.

Thanks for all the work you've put into keeping the classic game so enjoyable.

Randy.

[GET TRANSPT]

i like 3.0 a lot as well (been playing for PACWAR for 9+ years). I'm eagerly awaiting the changes written down, too.

[GET TRANSPT]

and one more thing: i've noticed the 7 UK arm BDE cost TWELVE pp's to activiate, like a division. What's the rationale there? T as a counterpoint, the much more proportionately AFV-heavy 1st prov RGT only cost 3 PP in the Philippines

[Jeremy Pritchard]

Originally posted by GET TRANSPT
and one more thing: i've noticed the 7 UK arm BDE cost TWELVE pp's to activiate, like a division. What's the rationale there? T as a counterpoint, the much more proportionately AFV-heavy 1st prov RGT only cost 3 PP in the Philippines

The reason for this is because the 1st Provincial Regiment in the Philippines is actually a regular infantry regiment given 100 tanks.

The 7th Armoured Brigade was actually created by modifying the old Corps unit, and gave it a new TOE (36 infantry, 12 artillery, 156 AFV). However, it retained its PP cost as a Corps unit, even though it changed.

I could change the PP requirements for the Brigade, however, since these units are probably more potent then divisions, and difficult to coordinate, then maybe it should have as high a cost to activate?

I could change the 1st Prov Regiment to the 1st Prov Brigade, giving it the same statistics and PP cost as the 7th Armoured by changing its class.

Or, I could not change a thing and let the 1st Provincial Regiment not receive any extra tanks (it would if it were an armoured brigade) and have it activate by costing fewer PP's, and still have it die.

[GET TRANSPT]

Originally posted by Jeremy Pritchard


The reason for this is because the 1st Provincial Regiment in the Philippines is actually a regular infantry regiment given 100 tanks.

The 7th Armoured Brigade was actually created by modifying the old Corps unit, and gave it a new TOE (36 infantry, 12 artillery, 156 AFV). However, it retained its PP cost as a Corps unit, even though it changed.

I could change the PP requirements for the Brigade, however, since these units are probably more potent then divisions, and difficult to coordinate, then maybe it should have as high a cost to activate?

I could change the 1st Prov Regiment to the 1st Prov Brigade, giving it the same statistics and PP cost as the 7th Armoured by changing its class.

Or, I could not change a thing and let the 1st Provincial Regiment not receive any extra tanks (it would if it were an armoured brigade) and have it activate by costing fewer PP's, and still have it die.

Thanks for the post Jeremy. Your 12 PP rationale for the 7 arm BDE is sound; I support the "don't change a thing and let the 1st Prov die" approach. Sure, it has a lot of tanks , but penalizing the Allies by making its activation cost 6 PP will be notable, as SWPAC's extant PP's are reltively few during the first 6 turns after 12/7/41.

On the other hand, it was probably a bear to ccordinate that ad hoc unit,and calling it a "BDE" and giving it 6 PP cost would satisfy the attendant command and control difficulties, and address "play balance" issues.

On a related subject, I notice the IJN "SBF RGTS" are actually infantry regiments, with no engineering skills. This should be noted for playersion in an OB/readme file.

The SBF "battalions", while being often as strong as SBF rgts (except for 4th SBF, that that divison sized beauty in Truk at start--wow!) only cost one PP to activate; the IJN SBF rgts cost 3. Maybe simply calling the latter "NAV inf" or something like that would help alleviate any confusion. I have an opponent who landed on Andaman I. with an SBF RGT, and I'm using this forum to tell him those boys are gonna build as much airfield as the local dolphin population.