Quick Questions Thread

[56ajax]

If you set the AI to 110 or higher it will teleport units where it perceives a threat.

It is not that. All settings are on normal ie 100

[loki100]

Does the AI 'get' extra movement points ie do units controlled by your AI opponent get bonus mps?

I was so surprised how far a Soviet TD had moved that I reloaded the game and changed sides.

As the crow flys I could move the TD 4 hexes but the AI could move it a further 5 hexes ie 9 hexes.

there's a few bits to this

1) if the move is into captured hexes then it pays your costs - i think there are few variations (from observation it seems more able to go ZoC-ZoC) but that basically holds
2) even at 100 it gets a much reduced version of its line forming routines so yes units can still shuffle

If I recall from Joel's comments, this should only kick in if the units are to the rear (no idea how this is decided) as opposed to it taking pretty much every unit and reorganising

[56ajax]

I re ran the turn and this time the recalcritant 47th TD moved 14 hexes as the crow flies. I think I should post in tech support. I think something is whisking it away after it has moved its maximum hexes.

[TheFerret]

I've created Ground Attack air directives targeting hexes with enemy units, with mission priority set to High for Unit, and to None for all other missions. I'm trying to cause ground element damage and disruption to help with planned ground combats in this turn.

The combat results for these show them as Air Interdiction missions, with no ground elements listed in combat and the result being "Air Interdict Value +1" etc.

Why is this? What do I need to do to get them to run as air attacks on the ground units in the hex rather than interdiction?

[Joel Billings]

This rule was added in version 1.02.06:

• New rule - A mission generated by a ground attack air directive that is performing an attack on a unit has a chance of having the mission converted to an interdiction attack. The chance of switching to interdiction increases with the number of movement points expended by the unit in the unit’s prior turn, and increases against units smaller than divisions.

So ground attack bombing a unit, especially one that's moved a lot in it's prior turn often just turns into interdiction.

[aMaschina]

How exactly is the reliability changed in winter or blizzard conditions, regarding to infantry and especially tank divisions, because the latter seem to break apart even when moving a few hexes. Is it the same for the soviets as well?

[loki100]

The relevant rules are in 8.6.1 can affect both infantry and tank elements. Add on the MP cost of deep snow and yes, moving them can generate both damage and extra fatigue - which comes off the shown CV

[aMaschina]

I have read that part of the manual but its not very precise. It basically says damage occurs. But in what severity and if tanks are even worth having in winter time is up to the player to find out themselves.

[Veterin]

I'm playing my first game as Soviets and all the attack values on my units have increased significantly this turn (turn 20, Nov 2, 1941). What would cause this?

It's currently in a blizzard with light snow in most places but i thought snow adversely impacted Axis defence rather than increased Soviet offence.

[loki100]

I have read that part of the manual but its not very precise. It basically says damage occurs. But in what severity and if tanks are even worth having in winter time is up to the player to find out themselves.

by design, in the main if a formula isn't in the manual it was excluded for a reason. Tanks are fine if its not deep snow, that is the killer and that is a normal product of the movement/fatigue rules. So common sense can be useful, if its blizzard/deep snow try not to move them, but they can sit in a prepared strong point (fort or urban) and attack out to great effect. So I tend to stack a couple behind the line and if the Soviets break out its usually quite feasible to stomp on them without wrecking your formations.

Also with the current patch, you should be entering the winter with 30-70% more tanks than previously - thats quite a safety net. In my current game i've only had to use 4 of the replacement battalions to replace winter losses which is a real change

[loki100]

I'm playing my first game as Soviets and all the attack values on my units have increased significantly this turn (turn 20, Nov 2, 1941). What would cause this?

It's currently in a blizzard with light snow in most places but i thought snow adversely impacted Axis defence rather than increased Soviet offence.

on release we realised we'd forgotten to document something about this, its in the Living Manual but the key bit is~:



so basically deep snow does affect the axis defensive cv, but not just snow so the pattern of blizzards has a real bearing as a turn of snowfall can remove the malus giving the Axis a break

[Veterin]

Thanks Loki. I've previously read that part of the manual but didn't think it applied as my game is only up to Nov 41. Similarly, Axis defensive CV hasn't dropped, Soviet CV has increased.

Maybe it's just the going from mud/heavy mud to light snow resulted in what appeared to be an increase in my offensive CV?

[Tom_]

SU New Unit Production Question.

Playing the GC as the SU against 'normal' AI.

I understand I can build new units as the SU.
Can this feature be left to the computer to automatically manage or does the human player need to control this?

Thanks

[loki100]

Thanks Loki. I've previously read that part of the manual but didn't think it applied as my game is only up to Nov 41. Similarly, Axis defensive CV hasn't dropped, Soviet CV has increased.

Maybe it's just the going from mud/heavy mud to light snow resulted in what appeared to be an increase in my offensive CV?

aye realised I'd not actually given you an answer ... I'm not sure. I recall asking Joel about this in the beta and he checked with Gary if there was anything coded. It was that discussion that led to the section in the Living Manual but equally, if I recall, there is nothing pushing up the Soviet values from December. But, this is still what I think I see but that could be misinterpreting the situation.

There are some quirks around terrain that could be relevant. I find in both November and April you can get patterns of light and heavy mud in adjacent hexes, its not always the same in a given sector (I think this keys off the previous water level) also the cv mitigation for good roads is keyed to the hex being occupied not the hex being attacked (or even the existence of the cross-hex road link). So that can generate slightly unusual patterns of higher/lower cv depending on where the weather line sits.

Its not going to be TOE driven as the Soviets will be migrating to the dire 41c TOE but as that happens it is possible they have units >100 TOE for a few turns till losses and the rebalancing take effect

[loki100]

SU New Unit Production Question.

Playing the GC as the SU against 'normal' AI.

I understand I can build new units as the SU.
Can this feature be left to the computer to automatically manage or does the human player need to control this?

Thanks

its all manual I'm afraid.

No real need to build much in 1941, a few extra rail construction battalions and other engineering assets can be useful but mostly you are allocated a lot of shell formations that will fit out in the reserve for you

Come 1942 you start the endless process of reconfiguring the Red Army and most Soviet players find that sort of fun (if time consuming) - but then I find rail repair and logistics fun. You will also need to plan ahead as most new formations emerge with experience in the mid-30s or worse. If they go into combat they will shatter or rout and lose all those nice new guns you gave them. Takes about 8 turns to get them into the mid-40s so you need to start building well in advance of their deployment.

Have a look at the Player's Notes in the manual, that discusses some of this. M60's 'Soviet pearls' thread in the war-room is a good read but this is all so situational. Best advice is to open up a thread in the war room and see what responses you get - though I suspect pretty much everyone will give you a different answer. Two key builds, make sure you take all the rifle brigades you can (these are invaluable for both assigning to Rifle Corps to boost combat power and to merge as emergency reinforcements) and about 20 mot brigades (these appear in early 1942 if I recall) as you will need them once you start on creating Tank Corps from April 42 (they are also very useful attached to those corps to rebalance the TOE)

[Veterin]

Thanks Loki. I've previously read that part of the manual but didn't think it applied as my game is only up to Nov 41. Similarly, Axis defensive CV hasn't dropped, Soviet CV has increased.

Maybe it's just the going from mud/heavy mud to light snow resulted in what appeared to be an increase in my offensive CV?

aye realised I'd not actually given you an answer ... I'm not sure. I recall asking Joel about this in the beta and he checked with Gary if there was anything coded. It was that discussion that led to the section in the Living Manual but equally, if I recall, there is nothing pushing up the Soviet values from December. But, this is still what I think I see but that could be misinterpreting the situation.

There are some quirks around terrain that could be relevant. I find in both November and April you can get patterns of light and heavy mud in adjacent hexes, its not always the same in a given sector (I think this keys off the previous water level) also the cv mitigation for good roads is keyed to the hex being occupied not the hex being attacked (or even the existence of the cross-hex road link). So that can generate slightly unusual patterns of higher/lower cv depending on where the weather line sits.

Its not going to be TOE driven as the Soviets will be migrating to the dire 41c TOE but as that happens it is possible they have units >100 TOE for a few turns till losses and the rebalancing take effect

Thanks again Loki!

[Veterin]

Sorry a few related questions here. How should the soviets use Naval/Rifle Brigades?

- I am assuming it is better to have them as SUs rather than on-map units given CP constraints (assuming front line has enough units)
- Should i attach directly to units or keep them at an Army HQ level?
- Corps would take preference but if no Corps yet, should i attach to a Rilfe division?
- If i attach to a Tank division/Corp, does it use extra trucks to motorise the SU?

Thanks,
Eddie

[TheFerret]

This rule was added in version 1.02.06:

• New rule - A mission generated by a ground attack air directive that is performing an attack on a unit has a chance of having the mission converted to an interdiction attack. The chance of switching to interdiction increases with the number of movement points expended by the unit in the unit’s prior turn, and increases against units smaller than divisions.

So ground attack bombing a unit, especially one that's moved a lot in it's prior turn often just turns into interdiction.

Thanks, Joel!

Other than preferring to target stationary division-sized enemy units there anything I can do to impact the chance of the ground attack directive converting into a "real" ground attack mission? Recon, only running them in good weather or on favorable terrain, adding more bombers, etc.?

Does it matter if there's multiple units in the hex? If there's three divisions in the hex, is it more likely that it'll convert to a ground attack than if there's one division in the hex, all other things being equal?

[therealevan]

I'm looking at a Heavy Cannon Battalion that has 12 105mm guns. When I click into that card, it shows the rate of fire / accuracy /range / effectiveness vs manpower / effectiveness vs armor. Are there any other stats hidden away somewhere that would be interesting or useful to know from a gameplay perspective when looking at support units?

[Stamb]

If you really want to micro then you can also check if unit is motorized or non motorized
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 6&t=383164

Unfortunately game does not provide different labels, nor preview of a unit, before an assignment. So you have to check it in CR for example and only then making an assignment.