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I must be a bit stupid, sorry, but I can't get SOP to do what I want it to do, in various ways, and to take the most obvious example, I wonder if anyone can explain to me the procedure I should follow to achieve the following - I want to open a scenario, place all my units where I want them and THEN, pick the highest ranking unit on the map, set up its SOP as I want it and THEN somehow apply that SOP to both its present position and all subsequent orders and apply that SOP to all its subordinates, that is, all the units on the map, for both their present positions and all subsequent orders. But no matter how hard I try this doesn't seem possible. Is it possible? If so, could someone please walk me through it? Many thanks.

Phoenix100 wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 8:58 pm I must be a bit stupid, sorry, but I can't get SOP to do what I want it to do, in various ways, and to take the most obvious example, I wonder if anyone can explain to me the procedure I should follow to achieve the following - I want to open a scenario, place all my units where I want them and THEN, pick the highest ranking unit on the map, set up its SOP as I want it and THEN somehow apply that SOP to both its present position and all subsequent orders and apply that SOP to all its subordinates, that is, all the units on the map, for both their present positions and all subsequent orders. But no matter how hard I try this doesn't seem possible. Is it possible? If so, could someone please walk me through it? Many thanks.

I have not been able to get it to work that way. And recently I have not been able to do the sort of testing and posting of saved games that the devs find useful for working on stuff like this.

Oh. I think I've worked it out. I have to apply the SOP set to all subordinates twice, it seems, once with the top drop down set to all future orders and then again with the top drop down set to the present orders. (And each time apply to all subordinate units). Is that right? But if that's so then what's the point of the box 'Apply to this and later unit orders'? Just selecting the SOP top drop down for the present order only, then selecting 'Apply to this and later unit orders' then applying this to all subordinates does not achieve anything extra as far as I can see.

I know the SOP editor can be daunting. We didn't have an SOP editor in Red Storm and it was the number one asked for item for Southern Storm. There has to be some substance to it in order to meet all the requirements needed for it to be useful and flexible at the same time.

You have to pay attention to the Scope in the top center of the editor to make sure you are setting the right profile for the unit in question. The Scope setting "Default SOP for New Orders" affect only new orders. They don't effect current orders. If you set the SOP for "Default SOP for New Orders", the current orders will not be effected. You can change the Scope setting for the "Default SOP for New Orders" to it current or future orders by the drop down menu.

On the left side of the SOP editor are the Apply buttons. The last one is "Apply to This adn Later Unit Orders. If you change the "Default SOP for New Orders" and press this button it will change the Default, the current order, and any future orders in the queue.

To apply the SOP settings to all units underneath a HQ is possible and is not that hard. Let say we want to apply the SOP settings to "Default SOP for New Orders" and to the current order for all the units underneath the HQ. First make sure the Scope is set to "Default SOP for New Orders". Next, make your changes and then click on the bottom Apply button. Then, to apply this settings to all units under the HQ for the "Default SOP for New Orders" scope setting, press the "Apply to Self and All Subordinates" button. This will set the Default SOP for all units under the HQ. Now we still need to apply this setting to the current orders. In the scope for the HQ, change it to the current order. Next press the "Apply to Self and All Subordinates" button. This will change the current order for all the units underneath the HQ. WARNING: The current order for the subordinate units have to be the same as the HQ (such as screen or order). If they are different, you will have to change the order's SOP manually.

We are working on the SOP editor trying to improve it. We welcome any suggestions.

Thanks, Charles. Very helpful. But I'm still confused about the 'Apply to this and later unit orders' button. To give the same SOP to everyone why can't I just pick whichever scope in the top drop-down (either current or future orders, it doesn't matter which), then apply and then apply to all subordinates, THEN hit 'Apply to this and later unit orders', so as to make that choice apply to current and future orders for all units (instead of having to go through the process twice, once for current scope, once for future scope)?

I can talk to the developers to see if it is possible to add such a button. It would make things easier. But for now, we have to do it the "old fashioned way". I do it so fast now, it is pretty much second nature to me.

Thanks. But my confusion is about what the present 'Apply to this and future orders' button does. Does it not, as the button title suggests, apply the present SOP choices to ALL orders, current and future, and thus does it not negate the need to go through the process once with scope set to current, and then again with scope set to future (if you want the SOP set to be applied to all orders, current and future)? Could I not just set the scope to 'current', then use that 'Apply to this and future orders' button to apply my choices to future orders too?

It's not "future orders" but "later orders", "Apply to this and later unit orders". In the attached pix, if you set the SOP for "Default SOP for New Orders" in the Scope and then press "Apply to this and later unit orders" then the new SOP will get set for the "Default SOP for New Orders" and all orders underneath "Default SOP" in the dropdown menu. If you were to change the Scope to "1. Move Deliberate to hex ...." then redo your SOP, when you press "Apply to this and later unit orders" it will apply to order #1 AND all the orders underneath it in the dropdown menu. However, it would not change the Default SOP. That is what is meant by "later unit orders".

Now let's talk about future orders (orders not yet given). They will take on the "Default SOP for New Orders" SOP settings automatically by default.

I know, as I said in my first post, that the SOP editor can be daunting. But is very flexible and is logical in its application and use once you get use to it. I don't know of any game with SOP settings that are as user friendly. They all have complexity to them. And they have to be by their nature. We are working on making it even more user friendly and have some changes coming down the pike. However, there will always be some complexity involved.

Ah. Got it, Charles. Thanks. That's cleared it up for me. I wasn't grasping the distinction between future (not given yet) and later (already given, appearing in the drop-down list). Excellent. Thanks.