HQ shattering

Barbos · Post by **Barbos** » Mon Apr 09, 2001 8:10 am

Every time I play the game I shatter dozens of empty enemy HQ's, but do not notice any benefit for me as well as no penalty for the AI from that. If this s correct I think it would be reasonable to set some probability of the shattered HQ's commander loss to make the event not so traceless.

Mist · Post by **Mist** » Mon Apr 09, 2001 1:15 pm

Originally posted by Barbos:
Every time I play the game I shatter dozens of empty enemy HQ's, but do not notice any benefit for me as well as no penalty for the AI from that. If this s correct I think it would be reasonable to set some probability of the shattered HQ's commander loss to make the event not so traceless.

Shattered/Retreated HQ loses all its OPs. It is an obvious benefit for opposite side because almost every unit action costs OPs.

Ed Cogburn · Post by **Ed Cogburn** » Mon Apr 09, 2001 3:35 pm

Originally posted by Mist:
Shattered/Retreated HQ loses all its OPs. It is an obvious benefit for opposite side because almost every unit action costs OPs.

Units in HQs suffer too, but in addition, shattered HQs lose a big portion of their aircraft; you can rack up a huge amount of aircraft destroyed. It represents troops advancing so quickly that they overrun airfields. If your playing a game and know that an HQ with aircraft (but not too much ground forces) that is 5 squares or less from one of your armored units, take the chance and try to get to that HQ and shatter it. The aircraft losses alone may make that attack worth it.

RickyB · Post by **RickyB** » Mon Apr 09, 2001 6:30 pm

Originally posted by Barbos:
Every time I play the game I shatter dozens of empty enemy HQ's, but do not notice any benefit for me as well as no penalty for the AI from that. If this s correct I think it would be reasonable to set some probability of the shattered HQ's commander loss to make the event not so traceless.

In addition to the other comments, there is a chance of losing the HQ leader when it is wiped out. It is small - I have only seen it a couple of times, but it can happen. I have also had von Rundstedt get killed at AGC HQ by a Soviet raid that dropped only a very small bombload on target (or off as it was an airfield attack), hitting his command tent I guess.

Mist · Post by **Mist** » Tue Apr 10, 2001 2:08 pm

Originally posted by Ed Cogburn:

Units in HQs suffer too, but in addition, shattered HQs lose a big portion of their aircraft; you can rack up a huge amount of aircraft destroyed. It represents troops advancing so quickly that they overrun airfields. If your playing a game and know that an HQ with aircraft (but not too much ground forces) that is 5 squares or less from one of your armored units, take the chance and try to get to that HQ and shatter it. The aircraft losses alone may make that attack worth it.

HQ with ANY amount of units in it may turn to the nasty many tank divisions ambush. You can make couple of recon interdictions over it and found there some Rifle Divs. Ok, then you send there 1-2 panzer korpses to be sure that HQ will be shattered. But what is it?
1st tank division is bombed
2nd tank division is bombed
......
N-th tank division is bombed
......
where the hell did they appear from???? Ok, may be my panzers will succeed in shattering them all! Oh, NOOOOOO!!

Odds: 2

Axis losses
400 AFVs
Soviet losses
300 AFVs
Position held!

Two panzer korpses are out of operation for several turns.

This is one of many examples of my experience of shattering Soviet HQ (with 2 full strength panzer korpses near Rostov in 1942). I looked in saved game with editwir and did not found any tank divisions in the target HQs. So, I've made a conclusion that it would be better surround enemy HQs first or attack it with less precious infantry if you don't want to cheat.

Ed Cogburn · Post by **Ed Cogburn** » Tue Apr 10, 2001 5:36 pm

Originally posted by Mist:
This is one of many examples of my experience of shattering Soviet HQ (with 2 full strength panzer korpses near Rostov in 1942). I looked in saved game with editwir and did not found any tank divisions in the target HQs.

This is an AI cheat I'm pretty sure, because I've seen something similar.

Svar · Post by **Svar** » Tue Apr 10, 2001 7:49 pm

Originally posted by Ed Cogburn:

This is an AI cheat I'm pretty sure, because I've seen something similar.

Ed,

I have seen the same thing. In fact I think the AI makes wholesale tank corps changes both into and out of HQs. Sometimes the HQs are surrounded with trapped tank corps and they still get removed if you don't try to destroy them immediatly.

Svar