What Are Your SOP Tips, Tricks, and Guidelines?

[DukeBannon]

The subject says it all. I think this is one of the more complicated aspects of the game and I also feel it can be one of the most impactful. So, if you don’t mind sharing, how do you use this awesome tool?

[WABAC]

Artillery moves after all fire missions are completed. I also set the main HQ and arty HQ to do the same.

[byzantine1990]

Assign artillery batteries to specific units to concentrate your fire support in specific areas. For example, if you're defending and saw a bunch of contacts coming toward you, choose the best scout or set of units as the observer for the guns so you focus on that group and not the random scout in the middle of no where.

[Comcikda]

For main force units, forbid them to relocate.
I always S&L when the game was first released because relocating always fked things up.

[DukeBannon]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

@byzantine1990, I am familiar with assigning artillery to specific units in FC:Red Storm, but I've not been able to find that command in Southern Storm. Where did you find it?

@Comcikda, what is "S&L"? And yes, forbidding them from automatically relocating sounds like a good idea.

Thanks again.

[Comcikda]

@Comcikda, what is "S&L"? And yes, forbidding them from automatically relocating sounds like a good idea.

Well, I mean I had to keep saving the game & loading the saved game. Since sop doesn't offer the option to relocate when troop casualties reach a certain level, starting to relocate as soon as they suffer a loss obviously screws things up.

[byzantine1990]

@Comcikda, what is "S&L"? And yes, forbidding them from automatically relocating sounds like a good idea.

Well, I mean I had to keep saving the game & loading the saved game. Since sop doesn't offer the option to relocate when troop casualties reach a certain level, starting to relocate as soon as they suffer a loss obviously screws things up.

There's an "acceptable casualties" sop

[Tcao]

and it is likely caused by this: Player has changed the SOP but that changes only apply for the future SOP setting , the current order is still under default SOP (I see many scenario designer put "relocate after taking loss" as the default SOP setting).

So after change the SOP, hit the button on the left corner (I think it's called apply changes to current setting?) or issue hold/screen order to each units

[DukeBannon]

That's a good point Tony. I try to remember to change the future SOP but I have never updated the SOP for the current order.

[cbelva]

Not applying SOP changes to current settings is the biggest mistake that most people make. I have made it numerous times myself. Applying changes to the default SOP setting will only effect future orders, not current orders. So, if a unit is in hold or screen and you make a change to the SOP and the scope is set for Default, the changes will not effect the current screen or hold order. You need to press bottom button to apply the SOP changes to all setting.