Anzac oob
 

I was playing the German LC, and am currently in North Africa.

What struck me as odd is that ANZACs are always very infantry heavy, and they don't choose ATGs, MG formations.

They like to bring along the 2 pounder portee, which doesn't last very long and seldom even first its first shot, before routing/ destroyed.

Were the ANZAC formations in N. Africa really that infantry heavy?

Re: Anzac oob
 

Hi there,
my first thought is that ANZAC units in North Africa (especially Australian military units) generally had very little in the way of their own armour and artillery, instead relying on the British to supply this kind of support for campaigns. Same goes for air cover. I think the OOBs would reflect this, but in a sense it is somewhat misleading because the ANZAC units generally fought alongside British and Empire units. I am not sure how this could be properly modeled in an OOB without using Allied support.

Re: Anzac oob
 

What battle type was it and how many points are you using and do you have "AI Tank Hvy" turned on or off?

If you set up a normal generated battle with the Germans as P1 and ANZAC as P2( June 1942 ) and set the German P1 to computer purchase and deploy but the ANZAC as computer play and purchase ( but NOT deploy ) when you start the game you will be brought to the ANZAC deploy and you can see what the internal picklist will buy.... generally....... there are enough variables added in so that it would not be the exact same each time but it will give you a good idea of the force mix and when I did it just now as a meeter at 5000 points per side there is plenty of variety and armoured units for the ANZAC player but if you are playing a low point campaign as the Germans and the battle type is assault there won't be many points available for defense and you'll get more infantry

Re: Anzac oob
 

It's a LC, and around May 1941. My own roster is at around 4,000 points, so they've got a lot to play with as well. AI Tank heavy is off, as I find there's too much Soviet armour after awhile.

I saw they have Matildas in their OOB, but I didn't see any in the battle. They tend to have light armoured cars as their only mobile armour.

Lots of nasty 25 pounder though. Perhaps it's just the period, too early in 1941, and the OOB hasn't got many armoured formations matured yet.

Re: Anzac oob
 

The picklist is the same no matter if it's a generated battle or a LC but you are correct it may be the early date that's giving infantry Hvy

Re: Anzac oob
 

I just did a quick check. Launched a quick battle, in the same timeline as my LC (May '41) and you're right, ANZAC brings a fair bit of armour to the battle. In fact, consistently, on the roster, C is a platoon of Matildas.

But in the LC I play, I don't see that at all. Odd.

Re: Anzac oob
 

AFAIK the same internal picklists are used but there are variables so you don't see the same units and deployment every time, plus the battle type influences the selection

How many times have you had ANZAC as your opponent?

Re: Anzac oob
 

It's my 2nd battle against them.

I'll continue to observe if my 3rd battle yields the same and I'll send the save over for a look-in.

The lack of armour and ATG on their side just makes the battle a bit of a one-sided show.

And also they didn't pick MGs. Very odd. Just lotsa infantry and 25 pounders.

Re: Anzac oob
 

That does sound odd. Were you attacking?

Re: Anzac oob
 

Just generated a few computer v computer line-ups to check the AI pick for ANZAC at that time. Germans with 4K points as p1. plenty of tanks, ATG, and MGs (UK armour, as allies). Also as defenders in an advance - less tanks bought, several 37mm ATG and Vickers. They but A10s in company strength as well on occasion.

ANZAC may show up a couple of times in the desert before Japan starts the pacific war - getting them twice in a row would not be common. But unless there is an occasional non-buy of the UK supporting armour that you ran into, they usually buy a decently balanced force, if a bit light on tanks compared to the UK pick - but that would be historical.

if you were assaulting - then they will be buying pillboxes, and the occasional tank section. But they did have ATG and machine guns as well. But mainly infantry at the low points they will have versus a 4K assault.

Re: Anzac oob
 

It was a meeting engagement. I've got a save game for your review.

This is in Turn 0.

Re: Anzac oob
 

I've got no problems with the quick battles generated. They tend to pick a pretty balanced set-up, with armour, ATG, MGs and AAA.

It's just in the Long Campaign that I'm seeing some odd effects.

Re: Anzac oob
 

Here's another battle in my LC, it's a special Delay mission (May '41), right after my scrap with ANZAC. It's against ANZAC once more.

And once again, there's no MGs, ATGs (unless you count portees), and very very limited armour.

My preferences remains the same, and it's AI tank heavy OFF

I'm just kinda confused why there's such a difference between the quick battles and those in the LC. The LC is engaging because of the inner narrative, so I would very much like to continue it.

Re: Anzac oob
 

I've put this on our list to investigate and we will look into it, just not right away probably, We will need to go over the internal picklist and see if perhaps it's trying to buy formations that no longer exist or their service dates have changed and there are gaps. However I did do a test purchase letting the AI buy 4000 points for an ANZAC advance May '41 and there was a decent amount of armour. Why it's in love with infantry for this campaign of yours is a mystery but if it can be solved we will

Don

Re: Anzac oob
 

The chance of buying a tank coy is 40% if it has 1500+ purchase points remaining, so there is a chance it never buys a big blob of UK tanks.

for 1 pass - 60%
for 2 - 16%
for a third pass through - about 2%

So there is a chance no allied tank coy gets bought, but its rather small, assuming its got enough points (and 4K points wont drop below 1500 remaining on 3 passes through the buy loop, even if say a battalion of arty was bought each time).

There is a tank platoon buy as well, on lower remaining points, again there is a chance to skip that buy, too.

MG, ATG etc are bought in meeters or defending - not much if attacking (which it is here).

so - you have a very low percentage outlier condition there where it decided not to buy the allied UK tank coy several times over, and it looks as if it skipped the platoon tank buys as well.

ANZAC though is not a "tankie" orbat, especially against Japanese. It does have a boost in the desert with UK air, tanks etc as allies, but these are subject to dice rolls. The battle you have there simply rolled a shed-load of of 1's in the buy routine.