Plotting Movement for Reinforcements yet to arrive

[PeterStep]

Came across this 'feature' when playing Finale but have tested it on Final Push to confirm.

Also relates to earlier threads
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0#p5062440
and
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 3#p5123443

To summarise, it appears possible to issue movement orders to units that have not yet arrived on map if you select their higher HQ then click 'Select Unit and Subordinates as Current Group' and issue a movement order for the group. All subordinate units including reinforcements are given paths (with waypoints) which can be adjusted. When a reinforcement unit arrives it immediately follows the path set rather than waiting to receive orders on the next cycle. However you cannot change the orders from whatever you set in the original group order until they arrive on map.
And by resubordinating a unit to another minor unit which is already on map you can 'game' this. In the example screenshot below I have:

Resubordinated 1/3/172 MRR to 2/AA/172 MRR
Selected 2/AA/172 MRR and 'Select Unit and Subordinates as Current Group'
Set movement path.
Selected 1/3/172 MRR

You can see a movement path that starts at the unit entry hex with waypoints that can be moved.

Push.png (2.78 MiB) Viewed 598 times

What does the House think?

[IronManBeta]

Very cool! No one ever did that before. Both things you describe are exploits, so we will have to fix them, and I will make that a priority. It will not be in the initial release of the 2.1.4 Public Beta coming soon, but it will be in the update to that within a few weeks.

I marvel at your ingenuity! Laughing, Rob C

[SgtZdog]

I'll mention that in 2.1.4 reinforcement timing will change to always be right before your order cycle, so there won't be much point in using this exploit anyway.

[IronManBeta]

Yes, I'm digging through the code and reviewing the beta tester comments from the time, and it turns out that this was something we expressly wanted to do in the game. It was meant to address the issue that arriving units were just standing around on arrival, possibly in harm's way, and there was nothing the player could do about it.

As mentioned above, we have changed the arrival times to almost always be 'just in time for new orders' and this will help, but I don't see the harm now in leaving this other ability you found intact in the game. At least, I'm not in a rush to rescind it.

Still thinking, cheers, Rob C