Newbie questions

[goggen]

Hi, just got this game and got some questions;

- As a read on the forum, i see the best strategy is macromanagement. That means giving orders to the HQ. But what if there are some positions you want to defend afte roredering all in a attack? How "low" can you go when ordering a unit to do other than HQ? Platoon?

- An what about bombarding - how do you guys use it? I usually set all units whit the possibility to bombart to do this when they are in some distance from enemy. I often interrupt their "sleeping" mod, keeping to bombard.

- How important is it to let units "sleep" by default? What is the minimum?

[coralsaw]

Hi, Goggen. My answers are based on the new HTTR, not RDOA. It's been ages since I played the old one, to be honest.

- As a read on the forum, i see the best strategy is macromanagement. That means giving orders to the HQ. But what if there are some positions you want to defend afte roredering all in a attack? How "low" can you go when ordering a unit to do other than HQ? Platoon?

The best strategy, IMO, is not micromanagement. In fact most of the time I don't give to formations lower than batallion. This because the AI does a good job of translating my higher echelon orders to tactical ones, and because batallion level actions are most common (and because I'm lazy).

There are of course cases (recon, delay actions, small scale scenarios, setting fine-tuned defensive positions etc) that will require some micromanagement, but that's just exceptions. In any case, going the extra mile should get rewarded by the game. The lowest you'll go giving orders is a Company, or perhaps the odd Anti-tank Troop.

- An what about bombarding - how do you guys use it? I usually set all units whit the possibility to bombart to do this when they are in some distance from enemy. I often interrupt their "sleeping" mod, keeping to bombard.

I generally take most arty assets above batallion level and create a central, protected, secure firebase that I use directly. I use bombardment for that extra edge, eg. when I want a critical attack to succeed or an enemy action delayed. Ammo is never enough so arty has to be used where it really counts.

Search for a previous thread in the forum, started by Markshot a few months ago, it had lots of great info about bombarding.

- How important is it to let units "sleep" by default? What is the minimum?

Night actions are quite more tiring than day ones. Rest your troops until their organisation and fatigue are as low as possible. A highly organised and fresh formation is three times more valuable in the field than a tired one. They won't rout that easily and they will fight much better. The key, especially in multi-day battles, is to relieve forces often, if under attack or tired.

Regards

/coralsaw

[MarkShot]

Hi, just got this game and got some questions;

- As a read on the forum, i see the best strategy is macromanagement. That means giving orders to the HQ. But what if there are some positions you want to defend afte roredering all in a attack? How "low" can you go when ordering a unit to do other than HQ? Platoon?

- An what about bombarding - how do you guys use it? I usually set all units whit the possibility to bombart to do this when they are in some distance from enemy. I often interrupt their "sleeping" mod, keeping to bombard.

- How important is it to let units "sleep" by default? What is the minimum?

Goggen,

Welcome to the RDOA/HTTR community.

As to when to micromanage and when to macromanage, here my thoughts in a nutshell:

(1) Macromanage on the attack. It's hard to imagine micromanaging an attack. Why? Well, if you let the AI, it will coordinate the attack formation and timing of the units. If you do it, then you have no way make anything happen at a specific time relative to anything else. Thus with a micromanaged attack, instead of having a line assaulting towards the objective steadily, you are more likely to have a series of futile individual rushes at the objective.

Micromanage can be very appropriate for defense. It is best utilized when you want to create a prepared static defense on variable terrain. Meaning:

(a) You troops will have 4-6 hours to dig-in before they enemy arrives.

(b) You have a good idea where the enemy will be attacking from and don't really have a very sizable force which would allow you a more layered approach and the ability of shifting reserves behind your first line of contact.

(c) The terrain is a mix open areas, roads, built up areas, and tree vegetation.

Thus, locating individual units in mutually supporting positions in advantageous terrain such as built-up area and trees with good LOS can be very effective at stopping the enemy; especially if they have some arty or mortar support.

Macromanaged defense is usually more appropriate when the above conditions are not met. Meaning:

(a) You are securing the area while still in contact with enemy. Then, you are better off having this be a coordinated activity.

(b) The enemy could attack from any axis in the future. Thus, you would prefer to have the AI respond to threats and reorient the defenders if need be.

(c) You want a very aggressive defense which means that the AI will mount counter-attacks to eject the enemy from the perimeter defended.

(d) You have a large force such that it would be a lot more powerful with coordinated action. Or you have a layered defense, then the interior layer should respond to threats as the enemy reaches/ breaches the outer layer.

(e) The terrain is fairly uniform and so defense will not really be based on finding the best locations and holding them.

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Regarding sleeping ... Well, in short actions of 1-2 days, you can often maintain operations continuously as long as you don't push the troops too hard. In longer, operations it is often good to think of a force having a specific task. Prior to starting upon the task, it would be good if they were fresh. After completing the task, they should have sometime to recover. I rarely issue the order to rest. In most of my battles, I use forces such that they have a chance to rest implicitly as activity in their sectors quiets down. Thus, to steal a term from Computer Science, it is very important to load balance the fighting and movement among your forces especially those on foot.

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I think the thread Coralsaw was refering to is:

showthread.php?t=44797

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Now, for you HTTR lurkers who are reading, here are some hot previews about HTTR enhancements that were made by Panther's AI wizards in regards to some of what we have been discussing above:

(1) Units will now tend to retreat recovery in place if they are in prepared positions or in advantageous terrain. Thus, your company will try to not abandon their entrenched positions in a village in order to retreat recovery in an open field. So, a well prepared static defense, as described above, will see a benefit from this.

(2) A proximity affect was added to the behavior of units such that if other units around a given unit are faltering, then given unit itself is more likely to falter. So, units are to a degree affected by the near battle which is going on around them. Thus, as we spoke of macromanagement being the way to go for coordination, there is now a certain a momentum factor built into the behavior of engaged units.

[MarkShot]

Maybe this was the thread:

showthread.php?t=38516

[W Thorne_MatrixForum]

(1) Units will now tend to retreat recovery in place if they are in prepared positions or in advantageous terrain. Thus, your company will try to not abandon their entrenched positions in a village in order to retreat recovery in an open field. So, a well prepared static defense, as described above, will see a benefit from this.

Markshot good to hear this has been adapted. I only had two complaints from the first game. I wanted company level and when troops retreated they tended to give up their positions and retreat back way to far, IMO.

It looks like both of these have been changed. Good job folks.

I prefer continuous time games over turn based and I believe AA/HTTR is an important advancement in large unit actions for CT games. I also like that you can see men and ammo levels before, during, and after battle. Adds to the attrition and desperation of battle.

I'm really looking forward to this one.