Newbie questions and comments

[Iron Stringbean]

I haven't seriously played TOAW since the days of TOAW I. I actually found the old disk to the original, decided to check out online if they made any updates to it, and found with glee that TOAW III has recently been released! So I'm spending long nights once again feeding my addiction to this great game.

Since it has been awhile, and it seems like a whole lot has changed since TOAW I, I went through the manual, but there are still some questions I have.

First, I have a question about the effects on a units attack and defense during night time turns. I'm currently playing the Bulge 44 scenario which is seperated into 6 hour turns. I've noticed that during the night and pre-dawn turns, the strengths of my units go down. Hearts of Iron II has pounded into to me that attacking during the night gives the defender an advantage, but I can't really tell if thats the case here. The only thing I found in the manual concerning night and day effects was about air units. "In six hour and half-day turn scenarios, time of day affects air unit attack and defense strengths."

I just checked, and the attack AND defense strengths of my all my units does go down on night turns. However, if this is across the board, then there really isn't any deterant to attacking at night (except maybe less supplies at night). So simply put, my question is: does attacking at night gives any advantage to either the defender or attacker. It must be the HOI in me, but so far I haven't been attacking much at all on the night turns (while Elmer apparently has no problem with it).

Second, I was curious to what actually causes a unit to evaporate. I understand that a unit has moral (proficiency + readiness +supply) and quality (just proficiency and readiness). Is it either of these or something else that influence evaporation? I always get a little distressed when I see my fully rested and supplied tank regiment evaporate when attacking a "red" enemy unit (a battle that on a *gasp* reload, I win with ease). Perhaps I'm paying too much attention to readiness and supply and not on proficiency...

Which brings me to another point. How important really is readiness when you decide if you want to attack? If one of my units is at %33 percent readiness, I barely ever attack with them as the manual explains the unit is exhausted at this level. However, Elmer has routinely slapped my rested units around with his "red" units. With the complexity of TOAW, I'm sure there are plently of factors effecting this, but any input would be appreciated.

I have some more questions, but this is turning into a small novel, so I'll save them for later. Any comments will be appreciated [:)]

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: Iron Stringbean

I just checked, and the attack AND defense strengths of my all my units does go down on night turns.

N.B. that both attack and defence strengths are used on both attack and defence- they are more accurately described as lethality and survivability.

Night combat effectiveness depends on force-specific values. You would need to check what these are; they might favour you or your opponent, but most likely they will be equal, in which case the main penalty against attacking at night is that your airpower will be less effective.

Second, I was curious to what actually causes a unit to evaporate. I understand that a unit has moral (proficiency + readiness +supply) and quality (just proficiency and readiness). Is it either of these or something else that influence evaporation? I always get a little distressed when I see my fully rested and supplied tank regiment evaporate when attacking a "red" enemy unit (a battle that on a *gasp* reload, I win with ease). Perhaps I'm paying too much attention to readiness and supply and not on proficiency...

It's also based on losses. One can get freak results from time to time- but this happens in the real world too. Bear in mind that evaporation usually doesn't men the unit has been wiped out to a man. It has simply ceased to function as an organised military unit, but the individual equipment is all still in the game and may be reconstituted at a later date.

Which brings me to another point. How important really is readiness when you decide if you want to attack? If one of my units is at %33 percent readiness, I barely ever attack with them as the manual explains the unit is exhausted at this level. However, Elmer has routinely slapped my rested units around with his "red" units. With the complexity of TOAW, I'm sure there are plently of factors effecting this, but any input would be appreciated.

It depends on your situation. If your attack has not made much headway and the enemy's defences are still strong, by the time your units get into this state (if not before) its generally time to call it a day. If however you've been successful and the enemy is barely able to string together a screen, it behooves you to keep pushing until it breaks altogether: damn the red lights- full speed ahead!

Essentially, you can keep going so long as your opponent is in a still worse state. The only point at which it's definitely time to stop is when the unit actually evaporates. That's nature's way of telling you it's been pushed too hard.

[hank]

On the subject of night battles.  In the modern battles, does ToaW give advantage to units that have thermal sighting over units that do not?
 
I hate to mention another game but PzCampaigns modern battles increases the advantage of thermal sighted armor and mechanized units during night turns which seems to be fairly realistic.  Snipe hunting at its best.
 
 

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: hank

On the subject of night battles.  In the modern battles, does ToaW give advantage to units that have thermal sighting over units that do not?

Some equipment types have "night/all weather capability".

[Telumar]

ORIGINAL: golden delicious

ORIGINAL: hank

On the subject of night battles. In the modern battles, does ToaW give advantage to units that have thermal sighting over units that do not?

Some equipment types have "night/all weather capability".

But just airplanes as far as i know. Most modern mechanized and armoured equipment has an 'enhanced targeting' capability, however that doesn't only affect night combat but also combat during the day.
In the case of modern scenarios the 'night combat proficiency' could be set in the editor to a higher level than in WWII, but affects the whole force.
There is a table with recommended force characteristics depending on era and country within the manual, and also within the help file (F1).