Limited Orders and AI Artillery

[SteveD64]

When playing with limited orders do you have to leave orders remaining in order for your AI controlled artillery to barrage? In other words, if you use up all your orders moving and changing posture are you out of luck when the AI wants to barrage?

[SteveD64]

The reason I'm asking this is that I'm watching the turn replay and I have used 20 of 27 possible orders - as the barrages fall I'm not seeing the orders go from 20 to 21 to 22 etc. I know that if I call in a barrage it uses an order, wonder if the same applies to the AI controlling my artillery. I really like playing with limited orders and I don't want a gamey situation where I can call in unlimited barrages just by handing over control to the AI.

[SteveD64]

Well, I ran a test and used up all 27 of my orders with no barrages called in. As I ran the turn my AI artillery was able to attack despite having 0 orders remaining. Seems like a bug, no?

Sorry for all the posts, but I think that if the player controls the artillery and it uses up an order when you want a barrage then the same should apply to FSCC control. [:)]

[Mad Russian]

Order limits are for orders that the commander is giving. You give the artillery a mission, it costs you an order because you gave it. The FSCC gives the artillery a mission, it doesn't cost you because, you, the commander didn't give the order.

You want us to restrict how many effective orders you can give below what you have now? Because having all FSCC orders count against you could add up to a lot of orders you don't get to give, or a lot of fire support you are never going to get.

Good Hunting.

MR

[SteveD64]

Order limits are for orders that the commander is giving. You give the artillery a mission, it costs you an order because you gave it. The FSCC gives the artillery a mission, it doesn't cost you because, you, the commander didn't give the order.

Yeah, when you put it that way it makes sense - that those artillery missions get booted up the chain of command and are beyond your control. Thanks for the explanation.

[KenPortner]

Where do you see how many orders you have to give?

[Mad Russian]

What I don't like is when you issue an order then change it to something else entirely you get charged for both of them. Even though it was to the same unit.

Good Hunting.

MR

[nukkxx5058]

ORIGINAL: Portner

Where do you see how many orders you have to give?

Good question ...

[loki100]

open the 'player' tab on the rhs you will see a value like 3/12 - ie you have given 3 of your 12 orders.

I think, if you don't use the full allocation they are saved for a later turn - but I'm not sure about this (its a sort of suspicion from watching games develop).

In reality, I don't find it that much of a constraint, using the Soviets it makes you think a lot more about initial approach and to rely on 'on call' or counter-battery a lot more with your artillery. With NATO - screen becomes attractive as it means the AI takes on a more mobile role on the battlefield.

[Radagy]

Another question regardin orders.
I remarked that when the "Limited orders" option is active you cannot give group orders. And It's ok.
Nevertheless you can select an entire stack and give a group order spending just one order.
As soon as I discovered this feature I changed a my strategy. Moving forces this way is far easier in terms of orders, expecially for WP.
Is it a bug or an undocumented function?

[CapnDarwin]

Radagy,

Are you saying you can still give a group order with limited orders turned on? That would be a bug.

[SteveD64]

Yeah, you can select a stack and give them orders. It only costs one.

[76mm]

Yeah, you can select a stack and give them orders. It only costs one.

Not sure why this isn't realistic, it could simulate one of the unit commanders controlling the whole column or "kampgruppe" (or whatever formation they are in).

It is different if you are selecting units in several dispersed hexes.

[Radagy]

Yes, that's what I meant and Cleveland confirms.

[CapnDarwin]

Looks like a bug then.

@76mm, it basically defeats the purpose of the limited orders at that point or we lift the group ban (easy since it is not working) and greatly reduce the total orders you can issue based on EW and readiness. It's a thought.

[SteveD64]

You can't shift/click and select units for group orders but right clicking and selecting a stack in one hex is doable. It makes moving WP units very easy which takes the decision making out of it.

Reducing the number of orders is an option.

If you left it alone as it is right now, orders would be by hex instead of unit.

[76mm]

@76mm, it basically defeats the purpose of the limited orders at that point or we lift the group ban (easy since it is not working) and greatly reduce the total orders you can issue based on EW and readiness. It's a thought.

Up to you, I don't feel that strongly about it, but it does seem like giving a single order to a "herd" of units in a single hex would be easier than giving separate orders to various units in different hexes.

You can easily imagine a unit commander being given an order to just follow the unit in front of him until further orders, or if deployed instead of moving, that one unit is subordinated to the other unit in the same hex. Either way, no separate orders from the player/commander would be necessary.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Mad Russian
What I don't like is when you issue an order then change it to something else entirely you get charged for both of them. Even though it was to the same unit.

I always figured this was a realistic "indecision" penalty. If I can't make up my mind and I'm calling that platoon twice and giving them different orders, I've used up more time. [:D]

Regards,

- Erik

[CapnDarwin]

@ Cleveland, okay I did not understand what you guys were saying. In hex stack to me is fine.

[SteveD64]

In hex stack to me is fine.

Will there be a reduction in orders available per turn or are we good to go?