Hierarchy Module Document

[Curtis Lemay]

Now, I go back to page 1 of Archer's brigade's Unit Report. Note that it has 30 AK-47 Squads (added just for this test):

[Curtis Lemay]

Now I detach the bottom four subordinates as shown. Only the 13th Alabama remains.

[Curtis Lemay]

Now I try to detach the 13th Alabama. It fails! This is because Archer's Brigade only has 30 AK-47 Squads while the 13th Alabama has 31. The superior's intrinsic DF is less than the DF of the last subordinate.

[Curtis Lemay]

Now I go back to the Editor and add one more AK-47 Squad to Archer's equipment:

[Curtis Lemay]

And now, the last subordinate CAN be detached:

[Curtis Lemay]

I have now finished Additional Feature #29. This is a necessary tool for players when they are moving the units of formations with Non-Infinite command radii (or hierarchical command radii as the case may be). Without this feature, players would have great difficulty knowing that the location they were moving such units would remain within command at the target destination. This was because to know that, the player would have to calculate the MPs from that destination to the controling Flag Unit => difficult even without terrain complications. What this tool does to help with that issue is that if the target destination is within the applicable command radius, the movement path graphic remains normal (red-toned). But, if the target is beyond that command radius, the movement path graphic is switched to a desaturated (gray) color. This should alert the player about a location that is too far from the controling Flag Unit.

Note that this is best employed with the Flag Unit already in its turn-ending location. Of course, that location doesn't always start out as a safe place for the Flag Unit, so some intermittent movement of the Flag Unit coupled with some preceeding front-line units may be needed to keep the Flag Unit safe as it moves towards its final location. While players will want the Flag Unit as near to its final location as possible, that doesn't mean the Flag Unit should Take-the-Point! This will probably be more art that science. Note that I never moved the Flag Unit prior to generating the following shots, so they are examples of bad practice as far as this is concerned.

[Curtis Lemay]

Here we see the Command Radius setting for the Confederate III Corps, shown on the Page 2 of its Formation Report. Note that it is 10 movement points:

[Curtis Lemay]

And here we see the Hierarchical Command Radius of the Mississippi Army Formation. Note that this formation is the immediate superior to the III Corps Formation. Note it has a value of 25. This is how far (in MPs) a subordinate formation's Flag Unit can be from the Mississippi Army's Flag Unit. As an aside, note that this formation's Command Radius is 10. But that only applies to the units directly in this formation, not to subordinate formations.

[Curtis Lemay]

Here is how far a unit could move from the II Corps Flag Unit down the far West road and still be within command radius (10 MPs):

[Curtis Lemay]

This shot shows how far III Corps command radius extends in this direction:

[Curtis Lemay]

And here's one more shot of how far III Corps command radius extends in this direction:

[Curtis Lemay]

Here is the movement path of 2nd Claiborne. Note its path is still normal, because it is still within the III Corps command radius. Remember that it is the distance from the formation's Flag Unit that counts (not the distance from 2nd Claiborne):

[Curtis Lemay]

But move one more hex and the path color changes to desaturated (grey). This alerts players that this location is beyond the III Corps' command radius:

[Curtis Lemay]

Here, again, the path of 2nd Claiborne is within the III Corps' command radius and the path is normal:

[Curtis Lemay]

But, again, move one more hex and the path color changes to desaturated (grey), alerting players that this location is beyond III Corps' command radius:

[Curtis Lemay]

Here, 2nd Gladden's path is still normal, so this location is still within II Corps' command radius:

[Curtis Lemay]

But move one more hex and the path color changes to desaturated (gray), indicating that this location is beyond the II Corps' command radius:

[Curtis Lemay]

Now let's look at what happens when Flag Units are moved: The distance from the higher formation's Flag Unit becomes the determining factor.

Here the II Corps' Flag Unit is being moved. Its superior formation is the Mississippi Army formation. That formation's Flag Unit has been moved north (to create enough MPs to total to 25). It then takes 10 MPs to reach the II Corps Flag Unit, then the path adds 15 more MPs (total 25). This is within the Mississippi Army's Hierarchical Command Radius, and the path remains normal:

[Curtis Lemay]

But now, the path is one MP longer and it is beyond the Mississippi Army's Hierarchical Command Radius, and the path changes to desaturated (gray). This alerts players that this location will put the II Corps out of command (if the Mississippi Army Flag Unit remains where it is):

[Curtis Lemay]

Now I've switched to the Union side. Here, the Union Tennessee Army's Formation's Hierarchical Command Radius is shown to be 25. Note that it runs from down in the south (Grant's unit) to the Northwest (Prentiss's unit):