Frontage and Depth clarification please

[john connor]

Dave, I've read the manual, looked up threads on this, and I remain unsure - can I specify frontage and depth for a single unit? I give a direct Defend order, for example, to a single line rifle company - if I specify the frontage and depth (without specifying a formation) does that work? If I specify a formation and then specify frontage and depth, does that work? If I specify 'in-situ' and a specific frontage and depth, does that work? In fact, CAN you specify a formation at all for a single unit, or does that just apply to multiple units (if so, how multiple does it have to be - minimum Bn, or what?)

Thanks

Peter

 

[john connor]

bump

 

[Dave 'Arjuna' O'Connor]

Peter,

You cannot directly set a unit's formation, nor frontage , nor depth. The only means you have is setting the values for these attributes in the order data view. The AI then uses these settings when it determines the values for the specific units within the orders assigned force group. The AI has specific limits that it will not extend a unit's frontage and depth by. IIRC it's about twice its normal frontage - though I would need to check on that. So if you give an order to a single unit with a frontage that is say four times it's normal it won't set its unit frontage to that amount. We chose this approach to prevent ridiculous settings being applied by the user. We are after all trying to simulate reality here. In real life when you want to spread out a force to cover a big area you usually split it into sub elements an position these with gaps in between. We're not a tactical simulation. So we don't support that. If you feel the need to model this then provide the sub elements as units in the scenario file. Then you will have the option to give them a frontage and they will indeed spread out the units for you. That's about the best we can do for now.

 

[john connor]

Thanks Dave. So if I select various formation, frontage and depth settings in the order data view, for a single unit, the AI 'takes that into account'? But if I do the same in the order data view for a Regiment, for example, does that then get followed? Just trying to work out the limits.