Infantry-armour cooperation in complex attacks

[Deathtreader]

Hi all,

Below is an excerpt from page 84 in the manual regarding something I've always been curious about:

Employ Infantry-Armour Cooperation (Complex Attacks)
For complex attacks, infantry-armour cooperation will only routinely occur if the subordinate HQs each already have a mix of infantry and armour as their organic structure ( see Organic and Attached Units ). Although you cannot force a complex attack to employ infantry-armour cooperation, you can improve the chances of it happening:
Ħ Attach some armour companies to an all-infantry complex attack, or attach some infantry companies to an all-armour complex attack
The attachments must be made as individual companies. For example, if you are attaching some tank companies to an infantry regiment attack, make sure you don¡¦t attach the tank battalion HQ. If you do include the tank battalion HQ, then it will command the tank companies in the assault, so there will be no chance that the tanks will get allocated to one of the infantry battalions. Even when attaching individual companies, it is up to the HQ in charge of the complex attack to decide where to allocate them; better commanders will be more likely to employ infantry-armour cooperation.

I've often wondered why this is the case. If I can force cooperation in Basic Attacks - why not Complex ones?? I'm still the on-map boss aren't I ?? The part in red is especially mystifying inasmuch as it forces me to leave an organic sub-HQ out of my attack and therefore possibly losing the auto-exploit that a 3rd sub-HQ provides for in an Attack. Why??
I honestly believe that if I make cross-attachments then the damn [:D] subordinate HQ's should keep them! How well they make use of them is another matter entirely.

In a similar vein I've always wondered why at the Regimental/Brigade level I cannot create a seperate battlegroup or even a pool to be used by the AI commander for cross attaching from organic companies taken from organic subordinate battalions. Eg. 1 tank company from my tank battalion and 1 company from each of my infantry battalions to be used either as a seperate battlegroup commanded directly by the Reg/Brigade AI commander during the attack (or move) or as a pool for that commander to use in cross attaching for the attack (or move). To do that now I have to take direct control of the battalions providing the companies which seems to defeat the purpose of commanding at levels higher than individual battalions.... and as soon as I reattach those battalions the manually created cross attachments from the organic structure are undone ie, the battalions take the companies right back.

In order to make this work, I have to attach non-organic companies. Why??

Not really complaining here.... just intensely curious.......and a little frustrated. [:D]

Rob.[:)]

[Arjuna]

That advice in red doesn't apply anymore as HQs no longer get assigned to the assault. Feel free to assign the whole Bns to your Bde HQ and order the Bde HQ to attack.