Holding Objectives

[Severe]

When I play the AI , And become the divisional commander and we capture an objective, what should one do to maintain that position because my units follow my orders to move to the next capture point without leaving a unit behind to hold the objective which we had just taken. and subsequetly we loose that position. I than have to separate a unit to remain there. What am I not doing right? Severe

[MarkShot]

Severe,

I sense a misconception on your part. So, let me state a general principle. For the player's side (not the AI side), all commands which you issue pertain to locations on the map. They do not pertain to objectives; they do not pertain to enemy units; etc...

Thus, when you order your units to DEFEND or ATTACK and place a task marker, they are unaware whether or not there is an objective at or near that location worth points. That awareness is reserved for you. So, your units are not going to automatically leave a security detail to protect a captured objective. If that is what you want done, then you must issue appropriate orders.

Additionally, you cannot order your units to explicitly attack enemy units, bombard enemy units, or call in an airstrike on enemy units. Your orders pertain to a location where the enemy may well happen to be.

Now, when playing against the AI, the strategic AI is aware of objectives, their locations, point values, priorities, etc... and will formulate commands consistent with their capture or defense.

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Now, I'll assume you are playing with order delays turned on. You didn't really provide any specifics about your particular battle. So, my answer will be general.

(1) It's important to realize when an attack will be successful which can be quite a few hours before the attack might actually be concluded. Why? Well, there is a clock which is running against the attacker and the sooner you issue orders for the next step in your plan, the better you will fare against the clock. With order delays, an attack might still proceed for a few hours despite any new orders being issued. So, you can see that the enemy is routing and the order delay lag will be sufficient time to force them to abandon the objective.

(2) A successful attacking force will: (a) assault, (b) exploit beyond the task marker, (c) fallback and reorganize upon the task marker, and (d) bring reserve elements forward. In a simple scenario with a small objective perimeter and small attacking force, this automatic behavior may be sufficient to defend the objective adequately.

(3) When you have an objective with a larger perimeter and are attacking with a larger force, it is usually best to issue a DEFEND order with a footprint appropriate to the perimeter. This accomplishes two things. First, the default behavior may not cause your forces to set up a large enough footprint to keep the enemy out of the required perimeter. So, you could loose the objective simply because you haven't described exactly how it must be defended to your subordinates. Second, the process of ATTACK with multiple levels of command is more complex than a basic attack (one HQ unit). Sometimes, your units will fallback to the FUP reorganize and assault again even when you already have the objective. In HTTR, additional tweaking was done to reduce such unproductive behavior. However, all tweaks have to depend on thresholds, and there will always be cases where your insight as the supreme commander is superior to the assumptions of your subordinates. By issuing a DEFEND order, you can avoid the occassional unproductive fallback. This is quite a bit more likely to happen in RDOA.

(4) As you noted, you can always dettach part of the attacking force to DEFEND the recently seized objective and issue ATTACK orders to the remainder to take the next objective. Another possibility is to use various rear area units to hold the objective like the DIV HQ, the Base, and some security units. This works well especially when the an enemy counter attack is unlikely. If you do the DEFEND/ATTACK detach, then you should do it all at once as per point #1. Why? Dettaching later will cause the force commander to have to replan and, at best, result in additional delays. At worst, if the attack is soon and the enemy near, you could end up with a FUBAR.

(5) Often in mid to large scenarios, your effort to take an objective may be comprised of two to three attacking forces advancing on the objective via different axis. Typically, one of those forces will have been in the battle the longest (attacked first). You may choose that force to DEFEND the taken objective. Thus, allowing it some rest and time to recover cohesion in a hopefully quite sector of the map. (Also, it may well have been weakened.) You may choose the force with the least time engage (last to attack) to form up for a new attack else where. {In another post I recently made, I spoke about the importance of load balancing combat among your forces.}

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Regarding defending an objective ... in mid to large scenarios where an objective is very significant, it is often better to issue multiple DEFEND orders for an objective as opposed to a single DEFEND order with a large footprint. So for example, quite a few scenarios will have the City of Arnhem/The Road Bridge as a major objective. Most threats to Arnhem will come from North of the river. A large force might defend Arnhem as such:

(1) 1 X DEFEND task oriented South. A small force on the South Bank in the village there.

(2) 3 X DEFEND task each one Bn as an outer line/screen. Line formations (1000m) oriented West, North, and East.

(3) 2 X DEFEND task each one Bn as the inner/main line or resistance. Line formations (300m) oriented North-West and North-East.

(4) 1 X DEFEND task of two Bn at the objective using a default formation. This force will serve as a reserve and stop any enemy break through units. Your first two lines will give sufficient notice of a major attack, if you should choose to retask this force. Or you can just let the AI commander manage it as needed. This force will also provide security for your mortars.

(5) Multiple DEFEND tasks for each of your mortar platoons near the center of Arnhem. This will keep them out of harms way, but situate they to provide fire support to across all of Arnhem.

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I hope that helped.

[JeF]

Hi,

as usual Markshot gave a long, accurate and nearly complete answer.

But the short answer is : order a portion of your force (a Bn or a couple of Coys) to defend at the objective. You can give order to any unit.
Follow the tutorial #1, it explains this perfectly.

Cheers,

JeF.

[Dutchguy]

Hmm, just use your gliderpilots or 'base battallions' (what are they good for anyway?) to keep captured objectives 'secured'. That's about the only thing their good for... :rolleyes:
As for bridges/ferries, use a engineer unit on 'denie bridge' task (hé, if YOU can't have the bridge, NOBODY can!)

[Dutchguy]

By they way...... What is the purpose of the 'base batallions, what are they good for?
They are large units (300/400 men), most of them heavily armed, they have lots of supplies and vehicles but why are they put in the game? what can you do with them. I usually use them to defend objectives or other important places.

Have they got something to do with resupplie, issuing orders??

[coralsaw]

Dutchguy,

Base units are just security and support elements of HQ. AFAIK they serve no special purpose particular to this unit, nor have to do anything with supply and order propagation mechanics.

The way to use them, like any unit, depends on the type of gamer that you are. I like to play as realistically as possible, so I always keep them with the HQ as security elements. Having said that, it's usual practice for me to deploy HQs in or around rear line objectives, as these are the main focal points of the map.

As for those glider pilots, you'd be surprised how tough they can be coupled with an AT Coy, if deployed and dug-in in eg. a forest cutting an enemy advance along a highway. Those were tough cookies in reality, and they are so in the game, despite their lack of big guns.

/coralsaw

[Dutchguy]

I know, I have a lot of books about 'Arnhem' and Market-Garden at home, but in the game those guys don't even have anti-tank weapons.
As for defensive actions, they're great. But I never use them in offensive actions because they don't have the man and firepower