COTA (mini-guide): Tutorial, AAR, and tips!

[MarkShot]

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The sun is beginning to come up. (I once again demoed the improved environmental roll over text.)

We have spotted two concentrations of the enemy: East of Tempe and to the South at Evangelismo (a newly active objective). Some fire is being exchanged around Tempe.

Tempe is well defended and the 143rd Regt is continuing to cross.

[MarkShot]

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Here is the situation further to the South.

Another new objective active, Makrykhorion.

I have highlighted the 141st 3rd Bn. Notice, their unit info boxes and the task line has become straight and not showing a route. These units are resting at the moment. The AI has done this automatically based on their fatigue. (as mentioned previously your units are not robots and exhibit realistic behavior and receive revised implicit orders and paths provided by their AI commanders)

We see that our armor has also taken much needed rest near Makrykhorion.

[MarkShot]

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New Orders

Here is the big picture. Good progress in the South. Our armor is on the move again.

The 143rd Regt has pretty much completed their crossing.

The enemy are concentrated around Evangelismos. We need to drive the enemy back and take it. Additionally, we need to pull our motorized infantry out from Tempe and start them heading South towards Larissa.

[MarkShot]

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New Orders

The 143rd Regt is given orders to form up along the river and attack South towards Evangelismos.

Unlike before, this is not a hasty action. This will be a deliberate and well formed attack. I have specified various task parameters (look at the left panel). Since the enemy is fairly scattered about and the attack will cover about 3km, I deem it prudent to attack in an arrowhead formation so that the flanks are adequately covered.

I have chosen not to reincorporate any support weapons (mortars and guns) directly into the attacking force. A review of the situation shows that the closest mortar platoons will be able to cover most of the attack engagement area. By the time that our forces are moving beyond their cover, the enemy should already be reeling back from the attack. If we knock them back far enough, they will come in range of the mortar platoons setting up at Makrykhorion.

Once again, I am giving macro-management orders and letting the AI handle the details of this attack for me. (There are two levels of AI command here - regiment and battalion.)

Looking at the command tab, I estimate that it is going to take 4-5 hours for this attack to get rolling.

[MarkShot]

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New Orders

I would like to extend the reach of my arty. I order them to move South 2.5km.

(micro-managing again)

[MarkShot]

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The big picture to the South.

Our armor has reached Larissa.

We now hold Makrykhorion and are making good progress elsewhere.

[MarkShot]

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Here we see the 143rd Regt beginning to execute their orders to form up for the attack on Evangelismos.

[MarkShot]

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Here we see the 143rd Regt beginning the attack on Evangelismos. The thick black arrows in the unit info box on the counters indicate that they are assaulting. (Note the difference in the level coordination of this action compared to our effort at the bridges. But this type of coordination comes at a price; it takes time.)

[MarkShot]

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The attack progresses well.

[MarkShot]

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New Orders

The enemy has been driven back from Evangelismos and beginning to take fire in their rear from our forces at Makrykhorion.

[MarkShot]

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New Orders

Evangelismos will soon be passable.

We order our motorized infantry under the command of Pz 3 Regt HQ to make their way from Tempe to Larissa.

I won't show a screenshot, since I would need to zoom out so far that it would just appear to be a cluttered mess.

They will take a few hours to get moving.

[MarkShot]

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Here we see our motorized infantry on the move to the South of Evangelismos. You will notice that they are no longer traveling in road column formation on the road. They have shaken out into a different formation for better security, since the AI commander is responding to nearby enemy activity. When the threat dissappears and the AI commander feels that they are secure, he will switch back to road column formation on the highway traveling via bounding overwatch.

At Panther Games, AI means what the words actually say.

Also, note due to the new COTA handling of offroad movement, their progress has slowed to a crawl.

[MarkShot]

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We are doing okay in terms of points and scoring so far. Note, the green objectives (we own those) and the Win Meter at the top.

[elmo3]

What are the Allied brigade and division units with the three boxes in the upper left of the counters? I assume they are supply depots. If so the brigade depot in the 18:39 shot is way off the road. Seems odd. I would think they would bug out to the "rear" along a road at the first sign of trouble.

If they are depots can they be captured as the Germans planned for the fuel depot near Stavelot in the upcoming BftB? [;)]

[MarkShot]

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It's the early morning hours now.

I have skipped here informing you of one order. At 2 20:53, I ordered our armor to form a defensive line facing North to the North of Larissa. I did this just in case any enemy units manage to get by us in their effort to escape through Larissa. If this happens, they will meet our dug in tanks at the outskirts of town.

Our motorized infantry is 15km from Larissa now.

We hold all the objectives which were assigned to us.

As you have might guessed already, it's long since been over for the Allies. (However, when I am done with this AAR I will discuss how the Germans could have lost, and how to effectively approach this scenario as the Allied commander.)

I'll pick this up again with the Sun coming up on the final day.

---

Remember your comments and criticisms are welcome. However, if they are too military/historical hardcore or of a technical nature about game mechanics, then I will defer them to Dave.

The game isn't perfect; no game is. But it is as close to perfection as you can find in the current market of games, and it is a blast to play.

Take care.

[MarkShot]

ORIGINAL: elmo3

What are the Allied brigade and division units with the three boxes in the upper left of the counters? I assume they are supply depots. If so the brigade depot in the 18:39 shot is way off the road. Seems odd. I would think they would bug out to the "rear" along a road at the first sign of trouble.

If they are depots can they be captured as the Germans planned for the fuel depot near Stavelot in the upcoming BftB? [;)]

I have included a more detailed screenshot of your unit in question.

It could be a base, but remember there is FOW and reliability of this information ain't so hot.

Now, I used my little beta tester cheat toolset to check the situation out. Well, it is, in fact a base. It is on the move with orders to displace down the road to the South-West about 5 clicks.

Normally, bases will stay in the rear between the front line and their SEPs (supply entry point). However, remember we have overrun the Allied positions and also cutoff their retreat. So, what's a base going to do? I believe the Allied SEP is at Larissa. Sort of right where my armor is now camping. So, the Allies are completely cutoff from supplies (from the SEP and from their base). However, this is the least of their problems right now. At the moment, the thing in greatest demand are their German phrase books, since they need to start practicing how to say "Nicht schiessen! Wir ergeben uns!" auf Deustch.

For those of you at home, an easy way to simply check things in a save game is to save it and when the battle is done, simply reload and surrender at that point. Then, you will see everything as it was.

[MarkShot]

Yes, the whole fuel and ammo base capturing has been discussed by the developers, testers, and scenario designers. I am not sure what the resolution of those discussions are or if I would be at liberty to say if I had been paying more attention.

[elmo3]

Thanks Mark. I didn't recognize the unit graphic from HttR so a supply depot of some kind was the logical guess.

[jungelsj_slith]

Arjuna, thanks for all of the extra effort you put into player feedback and keeping us updated. This is one of the few matrix games forums where I can always expect constant updates on the status of the game. Really looking forward to this one.

[Arjuna]

ORIGINAL: molotov_billy

Arjuna, thanks for all of the extra effort you put into player feedback and keeping us updated. This is one of the few matrix games forums where I can always expect constant updates on the status of the game. Really looking forward to this one.

You're welcome.[:)]