Matrix Games Forums

The enemy is about 5k away and advancing towards me

I move a unit forward into rough terrain, excellent for defense and away from an objective.

The objective is “current”.

Why do I receive a message that I have lost the objective?

Enemy units not sighted maybe ?  [&:]

Joe 98,
 
A friendly controlled objective remains so as long as you maintain a friendly unit within it's task perimeter. If it's a secure objective then you must maintain a friendly force ratio of 10 to 1. If it's a defend objective, then you just need at least one friendly unit and it doesn't matter how many enemy are also there.

ORIGINAL: Joe 98
Why do I receive a message that I have lost the objective?

Because you need at least 1 friendly unit within the victory location "circle". Move out of it and you lose the objective.

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

Is it not so that you have to leave one of your units within range of an objective?

That is something I wanted to ask: can't an objective stay yours even if you leave it unattended, as long as enemy units don't capture it (back)? Sometimes i just want to get an objective and move on leaving the cleared objective behind me, a shame to leave a good unit behind (just to stand guard and see no action for the rest of the game), which I could use in further attacks.

The objective requires a unit to physically be within the circle. Since leaving a garrison is mainly a concern during the offense, I usually use an AT Coy or platoon. There has been more than a few times that I wished I had left more.

I wonder about how everyone else handles this.  Of course, it's possible to leave various units behind, but that tends to thin out the ranks as the advance proceeds.  Is it a good idea to leave depots behind at objectives far to the rear?  I tried this one time and it seemed to disrupt my supply, maybe because I moved the depots at the wrong time.  Also, how concerned should I be about enemy units in my rear areas?  It seems there are always a few floating around far behind the front.  It's not always easy to form a solid front and drive enemy formations back, some units always seem to get bypassed, especially in the larger scenarios.  On the other hand, if you chase them all down, you'll run out of time to capture all the objectives.  What procedures do the experts among you use? 

I usually bring forward my bases to a reasonable distance from the frontline once I think it is safe and to sometimes garrison "occupation" objectives deep in the rear of my forces. Usually, in some scenarios, I use an entire battalion as reserve, detach most of its companies and use them individually to eliminate any straggling enemy units getting a little too close to important axes or areas only ( a bit like a patrol). I re-attach the battalion HQ with any units remaining still with it to the brigade/regiment HQ. It usually doesn't fatigue your units much, so you'll still be able to use them at a reasonable delay for frontline duty, an attack or to reinforce a crumbling defence somewhere. Also, I use those infantry guns or flak units for that role, keeping them at a safe distance (± 3 km) from crucial areas. I won'T pursue an enemy unit in my rear when it's not close from the supply lines.

That would be a good job for companies in a Bn that are depleted in strength.

I tend to leave depots where they are after they move to thier initial postions unless beset by the enemy.

I tend to use individual divisonal level assets such as independent line infantry companies, antitank companies and antiaircraft companies for objective garrisons.

Sometimes, when available units are in short supply, I will detach a batallion level asset such as an antitank platoon to hold the objective just taken so the batallion can move on.

Using depots as place holders was a viable strategy in RDOA/HTTR as they had little real function. Using them in such a manner in COTA can be risky as they play an essential role in determining whether you can continue to effectively engage the enemy or not.

But then their proximity to frontline units decrease the time for supply to travel to them and also decrease the chance for the supply routes bewteen the base and those frontline units to being cut off by enemy units as the distance is smaller. Of course, the chance of being sighted and zeroed in by enemy artillery is greater also. But all in all, it's a question of balance and good judgement. When I play CotA, it seems I always end up advancing my forces as a bubble (Airborne ops...) moving forward as to keep essential troop concentration (which also helps preventing enemy from siping in my frontline) so I keep bases in the center of that bubble. I place forces covering the main supply route from map edge to the base, though.

OK, then the next question is whether it's better to leave bases under their respective commands (computer control), or to move them closer to the front line and the units they support.  (?)

ORIGINAL: simovitch
The objective requires a unit to physically be within the circle.

I thought this was the case but asked anyhow.

My current solution is to place arty in such places but it means extra micro management.

Nobody answered my question, does anyone know?
 
Is it better to leave bases under the control of their commands (computer control), or is it more advantageous to move them close to the front line and the units they support?

Hi alaric99x,
I don't know, I just detach and place them into a safe place with a good road network. Moving bases takes a long time and I prefer to avoid the aggravation of having to pull them out the teeth of the enemy and make them loose time moving rather than supplying my troops.
But I detach bases because I move around my HQ a lot. I don't want the bases to come along all the time.
 
Julio
 
 
 
 

You can do either. You can simply leave it up to the AI to manage the deployment of your bases or you can order them directly. The basing code tries to locate them in a safe place, near a road, within an acceptable range of both their drawing units and the base or SEP they draw from. While on the one hand it is good to have the base close to its drawing units as this reduces the delivery time to them, this tends to put them in harms way. It's fine if you reckon the enemy is on the run and cannot threaten them. But if forced to rout they will lose a lot of supply and probably suffer a significant loss of transport capacity. This should be avoided.
 
Also you need to consider the delivery time to the Base from its supply source. The longer this is the longer it takes to receive those supplies. So it's a balancing act. You can't go wrong if you position them midway between their source and their drawing units, provided you keep them out of harms way. I would recommend having Bde Bases at least 3000m away from the front line. Sometimes the front line "comes to you" as it were and you don't have a choice, in which case make sure they get protected by other units. It's at times like this you may consider ordering them directly yourself. But otherwise I leave it to the AI.