Matrix Games Forums

When set to support level 3, a corps will try to get 3 of each type, so you could end up with more than 9, although that isn't likely. I usually apply the finishing touches myself after the automated movement and lock most corps HQ's. I'm not sure how many, if any, would displace from corps to corps each turn if a certain corps has less than 3 support units of a certain type.

I think the key is, as germans, is to slowly massage your corps and divisions.  Get your goto divisions supported with 3 good combat units-flamtanks, pios etc... then get those corps that are HQ'in those fighting divisions maxed out with other stuff- using admin points and using the sub/add feature.  Once you have those fighting corps where you want them, lock them.  All the while you are having group, army et al set to 1 or even 0.  So in a medium sized game, Id say after 3 or 4 turns you should have your support where you want it.  Course Im still a noob but its slowly coming to me. 

Sorry to dredge this post up but I'm getting more complex into my game strategies.  I spent two turns organizing my support units (why rear guard units need all that hvy arty is beyond me) then the next everything went haywire on me.  Luckily I save by turn so I'm going back a turn to fix things.  I'm I correct that if I lock EVERYTHING down that no support units will move on their own, including Corps to HQ's and HQ's to Div.?  I would have to micromanage this aspect of the game?  If this is correct, I could get buy with unlocking HQ's for SU filter down to Div. right?  And I could manually move my hvy arty to the HQ that its needed and it should stay within that HQ and Divisions?

The automated system will not attach SU to divisions, but if they are in the corps HQ above the division they have a chance to support the division's combat. The only way to guarantee a support unit will support a division in combat is to directly attach it to the division using APs. Once assigned the other divisions in the corps will not get access to the SU in combat.

I'd like to add that it's not possible to attach a support unit directly to a division belonging to a corps/army from any other HQ than the corps/army it belongs to, which like Bob says means you always pay AP's for that as you can't attach it directly from OKH/STAVKA.

ORIGINAL: dlazov66

because when combat attachments are attached to Axis higher HQs-such as army and group et al, they dont do anything-they just sit there. 

That is not correct. As per:

7.6. HEADQUARTER UNITS (HQ)
Headquarter units provide a chain of command for command and control of units in Gary Grigsby’s War in the East. With the exception of High Command headquarters units, all units, to include support and air group units, have a higher headquarters unit to which they are attached. The current command and control arrangement for the phasing player can be viewed either through the Order of Battle (OOB) screen in the info screens tab (5.1.2.2) or through the Commanders Report (5.4.9). For on-map units, this immediate higher headquarters unit can provide logistical and combat support if within the applicable range. There is no limit to the number of combat units that can be attached to a Headquarters unit, however, ground headquarter units that exceed their normal capacity, termed command capacity, will become less effective. Most combat units will normally be attached to lower level headquarters units, however, direct attachment of combat units to any ground headquarters unit is permitted. Note that air headquarters units, air base units, and rail repair units cannot attach combat units and each type has different attachment rules and restrictions (7.6.1). With the exception of air base units, any headquarters unit can attach support units, though there are some restrictions based on both the type of HQ units and the type of support units (7.6.3).

and

15.4. SUPPORT UNITS IN COMBAT
Support units can participate in combat as part of the attacking or defending side. Support units that are directly attached to combat units will automatically be added to the battle. Support units attached to headquarters units must pass a series of checks in order to be committed to a battle. Headquarters units can only commit support units to attached combat units. The HQ unit must be within five hexes of attached combat units and be able to trace an indeterminate path of friendly hexes, which can be in EZOC, to those same combat units in order to commit support units during combat. Note that the actual distance through friendly hexes from a HQ unit to an attached combat unit does not impact the ability to commit support units, as long as the HQ unit is within five hexes “as the crow flies”.

See also 15.5.1.

Therefore if you unlock the HQ support levels then the game system will attempt to move the support units where they need to go, also as long as they are within 5 hexes of the HQ unit the directly attached combat units may receive combat support.

But if your concern is the micromanagement of the support levels and if your wanting a global set support levels for all HQ so that the automated system assigns the combat support units to the HQs from higher HQ then your correct this is no method to click a button and be one and done, you have the capability to do it indivisibly which in turn gives you the flexibility to have formations at different support levels.

Finally to round this all off:

From page 101:

Support Level: Indicates the number of each type of support unit that the computer will attempt to automatically assign to the headquarters. Below this are buttons to increase (ADD) or decrease (SUB) the current support level. Selecting LOCK will turn off the automatic movement of support units to and from the headquarters. Note that automatic assignment will not function for that particular headquarters unit if any higher headquarters unit in that HQ unit’s chain, to include the High Command, is set to LOCKED (7.6.3).

dlazov66 i think the point the poster is making. Which *is* correct is combat units in a army group or army HQ. Will hardly ever be used. In my own experience as well as the rules you just posted a HQ has to be within 5 hexes of a unit to give it combat units. Most AG's are at most 45 hexes back from the front. And most armys are at most 15 hexes away from the front. So sure you could move those hq's forward but i think it's silly. I agree there should be a check that if a combat support unit is in an HQ that is Army or higher it should automatically filter its way down to a corps unless it's locked.

ORIGINAL: CarnageINC

Sorry to dredge this post up but I'm getting more complex into my game strategies.  I spent two turns organizing my support units (why rear guard units need all that hvy arty is beyond me) then the next everything went haywire on me.  Luckily I save by turn so I'm going back a turn to fix things.  I'm I correct that if I lock EVERYTHING down that no support units will move on their own, including Corps to HQ's and HQ's to Div.?  I would have to micromanage this aspect of the game?  If this is correct, I could get buy with unlocking HQ's for SU filter down to Div. right?  And I could manually move my hvy arty to the HQ that its needed and it should stay within that HQ and Divisions?

You may not have to 'lock' the HQs. If you set the support levels ( the 0-9 numbers ) well, then support units will filter from higher HQs to lower ones ( closer to The Front ).

thanks all for your help, I just went a head and did what I thought was the right thing to do and it worked out. I hate have big arty units in corps that are in quiet or secondary fronts or for the love of god in the rear areas. I moved most to army or group lvl and locked them down so I can manually move them to the front and corps I need to. This is a minor micromangement I can live with now that I understand the LOCKED levels and when and where to use them. [;)]

Locked levels is the only way to go once you learn the game. Yes it costs the AP's, but if your bright you'll remember where there at...I hated the AI moving all my stuff around...Btw I suggested the locked option, it drove me crazy searching for units...lol...

ORIGINAL: PyleDriver

Locked levels is the only way to go once you learn the game. Yes it costs the AP's, but if your bright you'll remember where there at...I hated the AI moving all my stuff around...Btw I suggested the locked option, it drove me crazy searching for units...lol...

Great Job Pyle Driver!!! Its a nice feature [&o][&o][&o]

It takes some planning to move around your SU's but I think its worth the effort. I find the best way to organize my SU's is by type. The heavier the arty the higher it goes. What Corps in a secondary front needs a Karl seige mortar [X(] Those bad boys go to OKH level. Heavy Rockets, Artillery over 200mm and AFV's go to Army level so I can put them in a Corps that are my speartip, those flamepanzers are deadly! Some AA units (88mm) go to Group level so I can filter them down to units that need more AT punch. Pioneers and other SU's I want to move to a different Group go to OKH temporailly so I can redistribute them.

A bonus to locking down the higher levels seems that Corps level HQ's don't swap out stuff, so you can evenly distribute your assets across the Armee. And Pyle Driver is right, it costs AP's....a lot to organize them in a way that fits you in some cases... but I think the end result will justify the expense. Now if you could only attach artillery to divisions it would be a perfect system [8D]