Morale Checks & Retreat

[Prince of Eckmühl]

I'm wondering if units shouldn't fail morale checks more often when they find themselves in disadvantaged situations. As the game is currently programmed, units with superior morale will often stand their ground when a well timed exit might better serve their survival.

Can of worms having been opened, its almost certain that the devil lies in the details. Should a Stuart that's confronted by a Tiger be more likely to fail morale and go full reverse (or forward) than if it's facing an armoured car? Should this behavior be dependent on the quality of the Stuart's crew, and/or some other randomized check based on a differential in weapon quality and quantity?

In the card-game Up Front, some nationalities were more likely to fail morale than others. This wasn't necessarily a negative in the game, so long as the units rallied dependebly. IIRC, the Russians had great staying power, in UF, but were prone to expose themselves to mindless self-destruction, the Japanese, even more so. The U.S. and Germans were rather more likely to fall back, but both rallied effectively, and so were preserved. Lamentably, the Italians neither held nor rallied terribly well. [;)]

Perhaps, PzC could use a shot of the same medicine. Such a system could be automated and require no intervention on the part of the platoon leader. I realize that the suggestion entails endless quibble-fodder, but it also holds open the possibility of relieving the designer of including a myriad of play menu options which he will INEVITABLY be called upon to be include in the game.

It might also desireable to denote differences in the character of retrograde movement, withdrawl, retreat, panic, and so on, the distance traveled to be dictated by the mode.

PoE (aka ivanmoe)

[Mobius]

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[font="trebuchet ms"]I really haven't seen any morale failures that I can remember other than routing squads and bailed out tanks.  Though I wish there was some sort of event message on bailing out as it looks like the tank has suffered various damage then the 'destruction' icon appears.[/font]
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[font="trebuchet ms"]Infantry routing is not a general morale failure rout.  It is just the infantry is under so much pressure it abandons its position and runs back to get away.  It may or may not rally depending on its quality.   It has a limited number of turns to rally or it disperses.[/font]
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[font="trebuchet ms"]A general morale failure for the unit means even troops in the platoon not under fire leave or quit their mission.[/font]
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[/font][font="trebuchet ms"] in UF, but were prone to expose themselves to mindless self-destruction, the Japanese, even more so in

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[font="trebuchet ms"]This for the first half of the war.   But there was a complete change in strategy once they realized they were not going to win.[/font]
[font="trebuchet ms"]Then they decided to digin and cause as many casualties as possible and hope to sway public opinion against the war.[/font]
[font="trebuchet ms"]The US didn't pickup on this change until almost the end.[/font][/font][/align][/font][/align]

[Prince of Eckmühl]

I really haven't seen any morale failures that I can remember other than routing squads and bailed out tanks.

Morale failures do occur. I once saw two Tigers retreat after their platoon lost a vehicle. And no raised-eyebrows please; I'm talking about the game! [;)]

But the fact that vehicle retreats are so rare suggests that this an area that could stand some massaging.

It'd also be possible to link the possibility of such a failure to order type, ENGAGE, DEFEND, ADVANCE and so on, each with discreet probabilities for retreat and distance to be moved.

PoE (aka ivanmoe)