Matrix Games Forums

Been reading a few threads over the last days and have often come upon the phrase tactical HQ.
What is a tactical HQ?
Is it a HQ for a Kampfgruppe?
A HQ that is a battlefront HQ?

What are the reasons for creating a Tac HQ? Wouldn't the 5PP's be spent better elsewhere?

Mat

I guess that just means an HQ which has staff assigned to it, for providing a combat bonus to other units, in contrast to rear echelon HQs which are used purely for supply distribution.

Peoples' Tactics, the ancestor of ATWWII, is using Supreme HQ and Tactical HQ system. And the description of Zook fits very well with the role of these units in PT. In this game, SHQ costs 5pp and THQ only 3pp (or 2? don't remember). And only SHQ are allowed to receive production. So maybe you're just reading grognards of PT? [:)]

What are the reasons for creating a Tac HQ? Wouldn't the 5PP's be spent better elsewhere?

If several of your important units end up outside 100% staff influence range, then the 5pp is very likely well spent. Some scenarios, like Russia 41 for instance, give you huge front/army groups with just one HQ, and spreading your forces out on more HQ's will then be worth considering.

It simply references the way some folks have thier forces organized. Basicaly HQ's have a few major functions... recieve production, distribute supply and reinforcements and provide combat bonuses for subordinate units. One of the fairly common methods of organizing forces for players is to break HQ's down into 2 types.... rear echelon HQ's which are generaly stationary and are responsible for collecting production and distributing replacements and combat or tactical HQ's which are generaly mobile, designed to keep up with front line combat units and are used to provide combat bonuses to units under thier command. These tactical HQ's are usualy subordinate to a rear echelon HQ.
 
The benefit of this orginization means that you don't have to worry about providing enough transport to move all the supplies/replacements and other units you might recieve in your HQ from Production each turn....nor do you have to worry about loosing that Production if some of your combat elements get cut-off.... nor do you have to worry about your combat units loosing thier HQ bonus because they are out of range so much. An additional benefit, I've found is that if you need to transfer units from one theatre to another or one portion of the Front to another.... rather then switching a bunch of individual units and have them each take a readiniess hit from switching HQ's.... you just transfer the tactical HQ to a new rear echelon HQ...and none of the actual combat units take a hit. 
 
 

Thanks for all the comments.

Cleared the point for me. So the Tac HQ's are what I thought they were. Good I thought I'd missed out on something.

Mat

How HqPw influences on subformations? Should I in my turn kill enemy staff first to decrease HqPw his units (HqPw info is always current), or sequence doasn't matter because HqPw changes only at the turn beginning (like transport capacity if I recall corretly)?

I've always assumed that HQ power is updated as soon as it changes. If the enemy fucks up and enables me to take out a tactical HQ before attacking its subordinate units, I do that immediately. Not only do you disrupt their leadership, you also disrupt their supply. It's a double win.