Initial Order for Reinforcements

[IronMikeGolf]

Something for 2.1.

Maybe.

So, during a scenario, you might get some reinforcements that enter the map after. The thing is, they sort of teleport in (i.e. near the edge of the map sheet in Screen).

Realistically, these guys would already have movement orders that get them deeper in sector and closer to the sound of the guns.

The current behavior yield 2 bad things: no movement during the rest of the command cycle of arrival and expenditure of order points (when playing limited staff orders).

I'd like to be able to issue orders to them before arrival. They's be running off an OPORD at that time and it seems reasonable to have them move continuously.

[CapnDarwin]

Jeff, it's a bit of a tricky problem. With a dynamic command cycle you don't know when in a cycle the new forces will arrive. You can't stop the game on arrival to issue orders because that breaks multi-player games. The trick would be an ability to issue them orders based on their arrival hex during your command phase. That way you could change the orders as the situation changes on the battlefield. It would also require changes to limited order calculations if those forces are being manipulated.

This has been a discussed topic in the Dev team before. Finding a good solution has been elusive and we don't want to break the game. Thoughts on the subject are welcome by all.

[IronMikeGolf]

I was toying with a couple of ideas:

1. Do it pre-game (i.e. as part of the units' initial OPORD). No need to change arrival hex. They are ghosted pregame and your give a no-cost order that takes immediate effect upon arrival.

2. Do the same as item 1 above, but it is the command cycle prior to arrival. This gives the player so operational flexibility. This would be a no-cost order.

3. Combine 1 and 2. Pre-game is no cost. Command cycle prior to arrival has normal cost.

[CapnDarwin]

1). We discussed this as a solution, but I don't remember the issue we ran into.
2). Would need to be all command cycles since you can't predict the cycle before most times.
3). Probably the way to go with all cycles being used.

[IronMikeGolf]

That would work fine, I think