Inert units

[ineffable]

In 3 different battles Ive had units following movement orders become inert in the middle of executing it. The Unit list will show their order, the Toolbar/Unit info will show their order but the unit will remain motionless. As soon as you reissue an order to them they will immediately begin to execute

[ineffable]

On further review, this behavior may be the product of the High initiative setting. I watched a sniper stop executing a Move order while still showing "Moving" in the Unit list and Unit info display, although his Soldier list action status was "No Target". Several game minutes passed in this manner. Then his Soldier list action status changed to "Cowering", he crawled a few yards to the rear and his status changed to "Hiding". What I am calling 'Inert units' may have been examples of 12.5 which states, "If a soldier has low morale or comes under fire, his current action can be very different from what you ordered him to do." If so my only complaint is the manual doesnt emphasize and elaborate this 'award-winning soldier psychology' better (to borrow a phrase from CC1 .

[ineffable]

Yeah there's definitely more than meets the eye about High Initiative. In the first El Guettar op battle on Djebel Berda at night against the Italians, 4 soldiers from a BAR team decided that instead of following an death-defying order to charge an AT gun they were going to capture an objective. Only problem was they left their team sgt. behind. So, as separated soldiers they didnt 'flip the VL flag' until I ordered their sgt. to join them on the objective.

[ineffable]

Decided to test High initiative by playing hands-off in a 1 hour, force morale battle. Brecy map with the US deployed in a row of map squares along the top, Germans (AI) in a row of squares along the bottom. Everyting else on the map was neutral, two secondary objectives on the bridges. Forces were two '44 rifle companies, no support or barrages. In classic CC this was a surefire recipe for a snoozefest. But, being this ain't youre daddy's CC, I was witnessed a sizeable portion of the AI cross 500 meters of no-mans land to attempt to roll up my left flank. Preceded by my 3-man Plt HQ sprinting south to seize the western bridge, finally coming to a defensive halt in a house at the bottom of the map. About half of my units repositioned themselves in and nearby the deployment area, scouts and snipers choosing to Ambush at their destinations. Battle ended after 51 mins with both sides exhausted, 25 casualties per side, AI having taken both objectives.

Not a bad showing for a former punching bag of an opponent. Attached is shot of AI flank attack shortly before battle end.

[SteveMcClaire]

If most or all of the soldiers in a unit are cowering / broken / routed they won't be executing the current order, that's true. Usually the order will fail with a 'We're pinned down!' type voice cue.

[ineffable]

The 3 instances I mention in the OP all were fresh, full, unpanicked units. The more I play the more I think its the high initiative setting. It seemed like they were reacting to the nearby situation.

God help you if youve created a self-aware AI ala Westworld

[ineffable]

Thie incident illustrated below makes it almost certain (to me at least) that what I previously thought were inert units are actually examples of the High Initiative setting. The Italian rifle team show below was "inert" in a ' No target' status for a couple of minutes while the Unit list and Unit info area were showing it 'Moving Fast' and it still had a movement line. Except that just over the crest was a hidden enemy unit waiting to mow down those four poor fusiliere. Sgt Cadonesu was actually showing more battle-savvy than the bumbleduck player commanding him.

Bravo!!!