ATG: Key Concepts and Tips
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 12:32 pm
This is another part of my unofficial effort to produce some helpful guides for newcomers to AT Classic/ATG. I've not verified everything I've written is 100% accurate. That is where you come in. Please review and help me correct or improve this list of important concepts and tips. The idea is to provide something that will help newcomers get up to speed quickly and have a fun experience with AT Classic/ATG. It will be helpful if you have a copy of my Quick Reference Guide in front of you as you read, especially if you have never played the original AT:WWII.
Unit Attributes
Action Points (AP): APs are expended as you move and attack. A unit's supply level directly affects the amount of APs it has for the turn.
Readiness (RDN): Max level is 100%. Moving and fighting lower readiness. Being out of supply lowers readiness. Aerial and artillery bombardment lowers readiness of the units being bombarded. If in supply, a unit recovers a certain amount of readiness each turn, more if it doesn't move and is range of its HQ.
Experience (EXP): HQs will automatically train new units to a certain level. Successful combat operations raise experience as well. Try to minimize losses to your combat veterans. Try to avoid putting new inexperienced units immediately into combat. Sometimes it is wise to retreat rather than suffer high losses to your combat veterans. If lost, newly constructed replacements will be inexperienced and more easily succumb to attacks by highly experienced troops.
Morale (MOR): High is good and low is bad. Consecutive turns of aerial and/or artillery bombardment lowers morale. Retreating as a result of combat lowers morale. A poor supply situation lowers morale.
Entrenchment (ENT): A unit that remains at rest will begin to automatically entrench. Cities, forest, jungle and other "rough" terrain types allow better entrenchment, especially for infantry types. Armored units do not entrench as well as infantry units. Engineers can build fortifications and fortresses which units can use to improve entrenchment.
Retreat Loss % Setting (100, 75, 50): The point at which losses result in a retreat. 50% is the default. 100% means no retreat--fight to the last man. If you are trying to limit losses, leave at 50%. If holding ground is extremely important, set to 75 or 100.
% of Supply Requested (100, 75, 50): The default is 100%. If adequate supply becomes an issue, units on guard duty in rear areas or in quiet areas of a front can be set to 50% so more supply is available to front line units actively engaged in combat. Don't forget to raise this percentage back to 100% if the unit is likely to become involved in combat.
HQ Power (HQP) %: The closer an HQ is to the units it commands the bigger the combat bonus: (0-3 hex/100%, 4 hex/80%, 5 hex/60%, 6 hex/40%, 7 hex/20%). If an HQ is 8 or more hexes from the units it commands, they do not get any HQP bonuses in combat (attack or defense).
HQ Staff (STF) %: The larger the army the more staff that is required to efficiently command it. Not enough staff in your HQ means that the units it commands fight less effectively. Getting too much over 100% isn't good either. Try to keep this close to 100%.
Unit Attributes
Action Points (AP): APs are expended as you move and attack. A unit's supply level directly affects the amount of APs it has for the turn.
Readiness (RDN): Max level is 100%. Moving and fighting lower readiness. Being out of supply lowers readiness. Aerial and artillery bombardment lowers readiness of the units being bombarded. If in supply, a unit recovers a certain amount of readiness each turn, more if it doesn't move and is range of its HQ.
Experience (EXP): HQs will automatically train new units to a certain level. Successful combat operations raise experience as well. Try to minimize losses to your combat veterans. Try to avoid putting new inexperienced units immediately into combat. Sometimes it is wise to retreat rather than suffer high losses to your combat veterans. If lost, newly constructed replacements will be inexperienced and more easily succumb to attacks by highly experienced troops.
Morale (MOR): High is good and low is bad. Consecutive turns of aerial and/or artillery bombardment lowers morale. Retreating as a result of combat lowers morale. A poor supply situation lowers morale.
Entrenchment (ENT): A unit that remains at rest will begin to automatically entrench. Cities, forest, jungle and other "rough" terrain types allow better entrenchment, especially for infantry types. Armored units do not entrench as well as infantry units. Engineers can build fortifications and fortresses which units can use to improve entrenchment.
Retreat Loss % Setting (100, 75, 50): The point at which losses result in a retreat. 50% is the default. 100% means no retreat--fight to the last man. If you are trying to limit losses, leave at 50%. If holding ground is extremely important, set to 75 or 100.
% of Supply Requested (100, 75, 50): The default is 100%. If adequate supply becomes an issue, units on guard duty in rear areas or in quiet areas of a front can be set to 50% so more supply is available to front line units actively engaged in combat. Don't forget to raise this percentage back to 100% if the unit is likely to become involved in combat.
HQ Power (HQP) %: The closer an HQ is to the units it commands the bigger the combat bonus: (0-3 hex/100%, 4 hex/80%, 5 hex/60%, 6 hex/40%, 7 hex/20%). If an HQ is 8 or more hexes from the units it commands, they do not get any HQP bonuses in combat (attack or defense).
HQ Staff (STF) %: The larger the army the more staff that is required to efficiently command it. Not enough staff in your HQ means that the units it commands fight less effectively. Getting too much over 100% isn't good either. Try to keep this close to 100%.
