Air Transport in The Operational Art of War 4

[CAM3319]

I have one question with this game (TOAW 4) is it possible to do air transport of leg units from airfield to arifield (no airborne no airmobile) just simple air transport with dedicated plains (air tranaport points) from one air field to the other ???

And if I posted this on the wrong place I am very sorry pleace let me know.

[sPzAbt653]

I would say not freely, because a unit needs an icon to move by air. You could give all unit a secondary icon that would allow it to move by air, but there would be other consequences. You could script an Event to move one unit from one place to another, but I think you want something less restricted.

[CAM3319]

So, it is possible I am just not very good with editing or scripting, for that matter, but I am very interested in learning how to make this possible. I feel it is the only thing missing from TOAW 4, especially on huge scenarios. Any help pointing out a way to do this is greatly appreciated.

Thank u very much for your time.

[Cpl GAC]

The icons with parachutes or glider symbols, or, special forces AND the airplanes to put them in state "Airborne Operations";

Screenshot (119).png (1 MiB) Viewed 521 times

Screenshot (120).png (154.74 KiB) Viewed 521 times

[CAM3319]

How do I add this, or make units air-transportable? How do I go about this in the editor? I have been playing with it, but it is confusing as all hell. And thank u for the responce.

[Curtis Lemay]

Note that such changes will make the unit Airborne, not just air-transportable. It will be able to land anywhere, not just on an airfield.

[CAM3319]

I guess house rules are in effect for this experiment. The only thing I don't know how to handle is the scatter, but I will endeavor to learn how to script events, if that makes it more realistic.

[CAM3319]

Is there a way to handle the scatter of airborne units, or is scripting the event the only way possible?

[LLv34_Snefens]

Another work-around without events could be adding "HQ" as the secondary symbol/capability to the units and art-range changed to zero. HQ's can air transport too, but unlike paras they can only be flown to friendly hexes (doesn't have to be an airfield though).
They also are undividable, so no scattering, but they will go into re-org when they are denied to scatter.

Down side is that the units will have HQ capabilities, so it is more of use for a few units and not the entire OOB

[CAM3319]

"Air Movement Capability: These units are capable
of long-range Airbase-to-Airbase transfers."

I just found this in the TOAW 4 game manual on page 97. Is this exactly what I am looking for, or is it for something else? I am very confused.

[LLv34_Snefens]

No, that is the legend to the unit icons shown on page 96, so all icons marked with "X" will be able to perform aircraft actions; can only land at (and move between) airbases, can perform interdiction, bridge attack etc.

[rhinobones]

Is there a way to handle the scatter of airborne units, or is scripting the event the only way possible?

To prevent scattering, sub divide the para units before the drop. This has several advantages:

1. You control whether the unit subdivides as two or three subunits
2. Two subunits are easier to recombine than three subunits
3. You control where they land and prevents uncontrolled subdividing
4. If you do happen to land on an enemy unit, only the subunit is lost, not the entire parent unit

This is kind of a gamey tactic, so I suggest first discussing it with PBM opponents.

Regards

[Lobster]

The Germans planned on airlifting a mountain infantry division to Crete. The success of the operation depended on it. The 5th Mountain Division, heavy weapons, vehicles and supplies were to land at a captured airfield on transport aircraft. The German airborne units dropped with pistols and SMG. The rifles, mortars and MG were dropped separatly. They had no heavy weapons other than those. The the invasion likely would have failed without the airlift of everything else to a captured airfield.

This isn't possible in TOAW because it has never been coded.

[sPzAbt653]

So, it is possible I am just not very good with editing or scripting, for that matter, but I am very interested in learning how to make this possible. I feel it is the only thing missing from TOAW 4, especially on huge scenarios. Any help pointing out a way to do this is greatly appreciated.

Thank u very much for your time.

Giving a unit a secondary Parachute Icon will allow it to move by Air Transport but will prevent that unit from reconstituting.

Or, create an event to relocate a unit. For example, a Theater Option:

Event 1: Theater Option - Move 52nd Division to Deelen Airfield. [Activate Event 2]
Event 2: Withdraw 52nd Division
Create a second 52nd Division in the OOB and set it to arrive at Deelen airfield by Event 2. You could do this for as many units as you want.

[cathar1244]

Wonder if transport helos, with some counter art and equipment mods, could be repurposed to provide this capability in a scenario. Wouldn't be optimal but could provide the feel of such ops.

[Lobster]

The 52nd would arrive with all of it's equipment. Trucks, heavy artillery, horses, wagons. These were not Super Galaxy. They are Ju52. I suppose you could tell the player to dismount the unit upon arrival. It would be nice to be able to airlift light infantry and mountain infantry without jumping through hoops. I don't know if anyone did it anyplace else other than at Crete. I can see how it could be badly abused.

[CAM3319]

So, it is possible I am just not very good with editing or scripting, for that matter, but I am very interested in learning how to make this possible. I feel it is the only thing missing from TOAW 4, especially on huge scenarios. Any help pointing out a way to do this is greatly appreciated.

Thank u very much for your time.

Giving a unit a secondary Parachute Icon will allow it to move by Air Transport but will prevent that unit from reconstituting.

Or, create an event to relocate a unit. For example, a Theater Option:

Event 1: Theater Option - Move 52nd Division to Deelen Airfield. [Activate Event 2]
Event 2: Withdraw 52nd Division
Create a second 52nd Division in the OOB and set it to arrive at Deelen airfield by Event 2. You could do this for as many units as you want.

I have been trying to edit a scenario to add air transport as a theater option, and I just gotta say that the scenario editor—especially the Force editor—is a bit of a nightmare. But I'll keep at it.

[sPzAbt653]

There's a couple of us here that can tell you how to do stuff if you get tired of trying to figure something out.

[Cpl GAC]

Aptly renamed;

The Operational Art of War IV: The Force Editor—is a bit of a nightmare, Keep At It.

There's a couple of us here that can tell you how to do stuff if you get tired of trying to figure something out.

I'll paraphrase George C Scott in Patton; "Sill, you magnificent bastard, I watched your video!". And it's still a bit of a nightmare...

All joking aside - I get that the database has to be exacting.

[CAM3319]

There's a couple of us here that can tell you how to do stuff if you get tired of trying to figure something out.

My major problem is the Force Editor; creating or editing units or just making the whole force is a nightmare. I would like to edit and eventually create my own scenarios. Is there anything I can read or watch that can help? I really like TOAW, and to me, the only thing missing is dedicated air transport or heavy airlift, which I think would be great on big scenarios. I also wish I could have air superiority interact with transport (escorts and interceptors), especially for modern scenarios. Anyway thanks for all the help.