HTTR (mini-guide): And even more tips!

[Tzar007]

From Mr.Frag:


Dave, that sounds fantastic!

The shock effect sounds like exactly what was needed for armor as used rightly it is deadly, caught offguard it is target practice.

[Tzar007]

From elmo3:


Thanks for the answers guys. This one is moving closer to the "buy" column.[:)]

[Tzar007]

From Arjuna:


What do you mean "closer to"? I presumed it would keep you from moving "out of"! [;)]

[Tzar007]

From elmo3:


Arjuna

Sorry but I'm not quite there yet. My hesitation has nothing to do with what I've read here or seen of the RDOA demo so far. More a case of competition for my limited games budget. Time, not money, is the constraint. So many games, so little time...

Is there a list of scenarios for HTTR posted anywhere? I'm curious about how many there are and their lengths.

BTW, does your nickname derive from the Bhavagad Gita?

elmo3

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


Here is the list:

{link to thread removed since thread was lost after forum hacking incident}

Time frames (length of scenario simulation) range from ~12 hours to ~10 days.

Numbers of units (individually controllable or combinable as forces) range from ~15 to ~200+.

Number of objectives (points awarded for completion or duration of occupation) ranges from ~2 to ~15.

Reinforcement time frame windows can be as tight as ~30 minutes or as long ~10 hours.

Some have randomized drop/landing zone locations so that you can not know where the enemy will be.

Many have selectable reinforcement levels for both sides along with adjustable weather and supply levels.

Forces vary between foot infantry, motorized infantry, mechanize infantry, and armor along with all the possible combinations.

Side roles vary from fully defensive to fully offensive and multi-roled where you may need to defend strongly at one location like a bridge so that the follow on force can cross it and carry on the offensive elsewhere.

Also, Panther has recently hired a dedicated scenario designer to focus on further evolution of scenario aspect of the AA series. (In the past, it was jointly handled by designers/programmers and beta testers.)

I personally hope to see a community of skilled map makers and scenario designers sprout from the community similar to what has happened with the Combat Mission series.

Others are also eagerly anticipating the development of a cadre of online head-to-head players.

There is much promise there and it all begins with the small step of swiping your credit card through the card reader at your local shopping mall. [:)]

[Tzar007]

From Mr.Frag:

There is much promise there and it all begins with the small step of swiping your credit card through the card reader at your local shopping mall. [:)]

I always look at it from a price vs play standpoint, not that I personally care about the money ... Take the number of hours you will be playing over the price. Anything that drops below $1 is a great value. I suspect based on RDOA, HTTR will be in the < $0.10 range based on the number of scenarios and replayability aspects with variable reinforcements, different starting positions, etc. That makes it a fantastic value!

Tough to critique stuff that entertains for less then a dime an hour as I sit here drinking my Starbucks $3.00 coffee [:D]

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


Mark - Thanks. I missed that thread somehow.

Mr. Frag - Sounds like you need a 3 hour caffeine buzz to break even on the coffee. [:)]

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


Yeh, I was thinking that the other day that good video games give tremendous value for the money you pay versus film and other media.

However, I, also, find that even despite attempting to be discerning about what you buy, it is often hard to know prior to having a game for quite a while whether you will play it for years or after a few months move on to something else. It seems to be a highly individual matter that despite reviews and other awards can only be determined by spending time with the game itself.

So, if one was to determine the true cost of this hobby, then you need to factor in the games purchased that you don't play for a couple years and the cost of computer hardware. For some people, such as myself (running a software development business), having PCs is a necessity. For others the purchase of computer hardware is driven by their gaming hobby which then also needs to be factored into the cost. Oh yes, I forgot there is also the ancillary cost as the result of continuous software upgrades: new O/S, virus scanners, fire walls, backups software, office suites, etc...

So, is it a cheap hobby or an expensive hobby? I guess it depends on how creative your accounting is and how supportive your significant other is. [:)] (Mine is very supportive. Although she is unable to really appreciate my hobby or its subject matter.)

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


Okay, I think it is time to get this thread back on topic which is "HTTR Tips and Tactics".[:)]

Let's talk today about using the interface. Or more accurately, we will talk about how I use the interface and you can take away from that what you will.

I want to talk about the unit info box as you have them mapped to 10 function keys and there is quite a bit to choose from. I'll step through each and then do some additional posts showing some examples where I can.

It is important to note that all the information below is available in the side bar for each unit. However, the value of the unit info box is that it allows to summarize the overall situation at a glance as opposed to clicking through many units.

* F1 - Combat Power *

This measures the degree of fire power a unit can deliver. The important thing to remember is that it represents powers of 10. So,

1 = 10**0 = 1
2 = 10**1 = 10
3 = 10**2 = 100
4 = 10**3 = 1000

So, a unit with a value of 2 delivers 10 times more fire power than a unit with a value of 1.

I don't tend to use this one all that much. But it could be useful to beginners to get a sense of the value of your units. Mainly I use it when I have airstrike available. I want to find current units (intel toggle) with accurate contact information and a high combat power rating. You really don't want to waste one of your few precious air strikes on the company cooks. [:)]

* F2 - Strength *

This tells you the strength of a unit relative to its full strength in the Estab (TOE). So, remember scenarios can begin with units starting out understrength. As such, it is not a good measure of casualties taken or inflicted. However, if you keep that in mind, then you can still use it for that purpose. For me, I hardly use it.

Here is a handy trick to get your own actual casualties. Highlight the HQ of a particular force in question. Now, hold the SHIFT key and press the DOWN ARROW. You will have selected all the units. On the left side bar, you will see various statistics that represent the sum of all selected units. Thus, you can check your losses.

* F3 - Rout Status *

This tells you whether your troops are doing what was intended for them or they are getting very rattled by the enemy. I think I spend about 90% of the game in this mode. This basically answers the question at a glance: Is my attack succeeding? Is my defense holding? This along with objectives and the locations which your forces occupy on the map will tell you how the scenario is proceeding. (Yes, looking at the Win Meter in the upper left is a good idea too.)

* F4 - Task *

This tells you what command a unit is executing. It can be the result of a direct order from you or an implicit order generated by AI superiors. For implicit orders, it need not match the order which you gave. For example, you may command an attack, but your AI superior will first give the command to subordinates to move to the FUP.

I find this mode useful for a number of things:

(1) You can watch as orders propagate through the chain of command. With order delays enabled, this can take simulated hours depending on the situation. Thus, you can get a sense of how close your orders are to reach the line units in the field. (My advice to new players is to get used to making a note of the time you issue an order versus when the entire force has received it. If you do this, you will start to develop an awareness of how long things take.)

(2) You can figure out why your force is not doing what you have commanded. For example, as above, perhaps they haven't received the new orders yet. Or perhaps, they are exhausted and are getting some rest. Or perhaps, they everything has gone FUBAR and they are reorging. Or perhaps, the given units have been placed in reserve and so they are not attacking.

(3) You can determine what stage an attack is currently in. Attacking units will go through implicit tasks of: MOVE to get to the FUP, REORG as they prepare at the FUP, ASSAULT as they head out from the FUP, REORG as they prepare to secure the objective, MOVE as they move to secure the objective, and DEFEND as the objective is secured. So, if you see your units REORGing at the FUP, then the assault will be starting soon. For example, when you see it switch over to ASSAULT, that's time to begin your prep bombardment of a primed bridge.

(4) You can determine what the enemy is up to. If you encounter his units, you may see MOVE or ASSAULT. If you see ASSAULT that means he is serious about making life miserable for you and and expect a coordinated effort as opposed to his units just stumbling about.

* F5 - Deployment *

This tells you just how prepared the unit is for contact from minimally prepared to it is sitting in a concrete bunker and has the exact range settings worked out for every MG42 position.

I find this mode useful for:

(1) Determining how ready your defense is for the enemy's arrival. You can see if a delaying action elsewhere has succeeded. If the defenders get dug-in, then your plan worked.

(2) Determining how tough enemy resistance is going to be. If you find enemy units entrenched, it is going to be tough going and take a lot of arty.

(3) This can also be useful for planning airstrikes. If you are looking to cause casualties, then it is better to hit a unit that is not deployed (as long as it is stopped).

* F6 - Facing *

I use this rarely.

I find this mode useful for:

(1) Where does the AI think the threat is?

(2) Did you catch the enemy by suprise? (Units will reorient their facing if need be.)

* F7 - Cohesion *

I use this from time to time.

I find this mode useful for:

(1) Determining how disorganized an attacking force has become. When it reaches a certain degree, the HQ will have the attackers fall back and regroup to make another push. {To some extent, closer FUPs reduce the likelihood of this occurring. It's best to avoid this as it can totally remove pressure from the enemy and give up ground already taken.}

* F8 - Fatigue *

This tells you whether your troops are fresh or have been pushed way beyond the limits of human endurance. What things will drive them exhaustion? Movement ... particularly on foot, through tough terrain, or at night; combat; and for mortar/arty crews lots of fire missions.

If find this mode useful for:

(1) Get a rough idea of how much you can ask of a force. For example, fresh infantry can be asked to force march at top speed into a battle. However, infantry that is already tired should be allowed to shift positions at a normal march and preferably in daylight.

(2) Get a rough idea of how a force is recovering its strength. For example, an attack force having taken its objective may go into a defensive posture while the front moves past it. After a while, it will recover and could be replaced by rear area troops (Senior HQ and supply) and be ordered into a new engagement.

(3) Figuring out why your mortars have stopped firing even when they still have rounds left. They are just plain exhausted.

* F9 - Morale *

I hardly use this.

* F10 - Arty Ammo *

This indicated the percentage of ammo still left to gun and mortar crews.

This mode is useful:

(1) At a glance determining who has ammo left and how fast it is going. In any active battle, arty will tend to get expended within a matter of hours as opposed to lasting an entire 24 hour period.

(2) You can use this in conjunction with a tip I showed you earlier which uses gun units in time shifts (on call and rest) in order to provide arty support through out a 24 hour period.

---

Once again, this is how I play. It's not how everyone else plays or how you should play. But I think this might help for those perhaps initially felt overwhelmed by the level of information available.

I'll try to find sometime later to post some examples.

[Tzar007]

From Golf33:

This measures the degree of fire power a unit can deliver. The important thing to remember is that it represents powers of 10.

Actually it's powers of two, not ten. A unit showing combat power 2 is twice as effective as one showing combat power 1, and a unit showing combat power 4 is 8 times as effective. It also represents a fair bit more than just firepower as it takes into account many other factors. Essentially it gives you a snapshot of the total effectiveness of the unit.

* F6 - Facing *

I use this rarely.

I find this mode useful for:

(1) Where does the AI think the threat is?

(2) Did you catch the enemy by suprise? (Units will reorient their facing if need be.)

I also hardly use this display since selecting a unit or group of units displays a white box for each showing their current footprint and facing. I find this easier to use and it provides more information than the F6 display.

* F9 - Morale *

Morale is useful to keep in mind when formulating a plan, especially if you have troops of widely differing quality. Use low-morale troops for secondary or less dangerous tasks and high-morale troops for tough assignments and anything important to your plan. Low-morale troops will break under fire a lot sooner and take longer to recover, whereas high-morale troops can be tough to shift in defence and will press on despite punishment in the attack.

Good tips mate!

Cheers
33

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


* F4 - Task * / * F7 - Cohesion *

Here we see a reinforcement force (air drop) which just arrived reorging automatically due to its low level of cohesion. They are not going to process any new orders until they get done with this.


MarkShot has attached this image:

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


* F4 - Task *

Here we see the implicit REORG tasks generated at the FUP by the AI prior to an attack getting underway. Also, note the implicit move task generated for the mortar unit to cover as it drops back to provide on-call fire support.


MarkShot has attached this image:

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


* F4 - Task *

Here is the same attack as above which has transistioned to the next phase in the process. Our units are now advancing with assault orders.


MarkShot has attached this image:

[Tzar007]

From VALENT PHILIPPE:


thinks to MarkShot [:)] . Bravo you know at the "perfection" the game , you are a very good teacher of the game! can i use all you say with Airborne Assault? i have not yet in france the new game. Continue to help the student we are in the game! Thinks .
Phil

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


* F5 - Deployment *

Here we see four screen shots of an engineering unit tasked with setting up a road block changing deployment status from: moving -> taking cover -> deployed -> dug-in. You will notice that they manage to get dug-in just in time as some German units are coming down the road. A good thing for us.


MarkShot has attached this image:

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


* Engagement Status *

We have been talking in this thread about the Unit Info Box. I would just like to point our here that besides the Rout Status of your units being a good indication of how an attack or defense is doing, there is also the engagement status. This will also let you know if your units are giving better than they are getting, so to speak.

Purple arrow is the Unit Info Box (showing Rout Status).

Yellow arrow is the Engagement Status (indicating under fire).

(Taken from the same attack show above.)


MarkShot has attached this image:

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


* F3 - Rout Status *

Here is our attack from before. Notice the green arrows meaning our troops are advancing and focused on the job to be done. Notice the red box of the enemy unit. This unit has been broken by our attack.

---

Remember I am doing very small isolated screen shots, but the main value of the Unit Info Box is to be able to view a lot of units at once to quickly access the big picture.


MarkShot has attached this image:

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


* F3 - Rout Status *

Oh, this does not look good! Here you can see our attack has begun to falter. Two of our units have already retreated. I guess I underestimated how much fight the German Bridge Garrison had left in them.

---

Well, I have run out of time. I'll try to post some more illustrative screen shots regarding the Unit Info Box when I get a chance.

{Just a 11 more days until 11/17/03. Of course, you could always wait until December, but if you think that German Road Garrison was tough wait until you see the crowds at your local Mall this holiday season. Every American who got a Bush tax cut check this year is going to be over at the EB counter spending it. Simply, brutal. [:)] }


MarkShot has attached this image:

[Tzar007]

From elmo3:


Great stuff Mark. Keep it coming while we wait, and wait, and wait... [:)]

Two questions please:

1. Is there any variability in the strenght of the para units when they land? IOW will their strength vary each time a scenario is replayed due to some randomness in losses while landing or is strength fixed?

2. In the shot of your unit defending the road in the woods, is there an easy way to tell facing? Also is there a way to order the direction of facing when they dig in so they're not all facing away from the expected line of attack?

Thanks,
elmo3

[Tzar007]

From MarkShot:


No, there is no random variable degree of force strength provided in the scenario editor. <=== See Dave's post below.

{Steve, could you simulate this feature by using the random/drop/reinforcement feature in the scenario editor?}

I, myself, am not too familiar with the scenario editor. I've looked at it a few times to see what it's capable of; and again, recently, to review the reference manual as part of the beta testing process. I'd rather take advantage of the fine work of others than spend my time developing maps and scenarios.

---

Two ways you could determine facing:

F6 - Facing: It will show it in the unit info box.

or

Select a unit and a 3 sided box will be drawn around the unit which shows it's facing.

---

Yes, you can explicitly order the facing for a force along with formation and the size of the footprint they cover. Otherwise, the AI will handle it for you.