Small proposal: Allow reinforcements in random battle

[arkhangelsk]

Reason: The computer is currently allowed to do so - when you click Auto-Deploy, some units are occasionally set as Reinforcements rather than deployed. It would be nice to at least be able to clear it.

An offending example is attached. Note that I had been manually buying and deploying for both sides in this case, but using the Auto-Deploy and then fine-tuning.

Note the Japanese helicopter units, set to arrive at Turn 34 out of 70 turns (of course, I have no intention of letting it go to Turn 34 but I like to set the Turns to a high number so I can actually practice clearing infantry).

I tried to force them onto the map, and the game isn't removing the reinforcing units at the end of deployment like it promised, but when I try to move them, they get engaged by the Russian Tunguskas yet "Bad Target" displays and they don't actually get shot at.

Thank you very much for the kind consideration.

[DRG]

I fail to see the point based on what you wrote.

First you say you want the same capabilty as the AI then spend most of your post complaining about how it's handled. The AI *sometimes* holds back units to use as re-inforcements. We allow this to keep human players on their toes. To give the human player the same capabilty would be pointless as we don't need to keep the AI guessing.

As to.."I tried to force them onto the map, and the game isn't removing the reinforcing units at the end of deployment like it promised".... that I would like explained in more detail please.

Don

[arkhangelsk]

OK, let's try this again, step by step.

I select Battle, Russia (All Human) v Japan (Human Buy and Deploy, Computer Run). I change the Turn Count to 70 and buy Russia's units, then Japan's Units, so far, so good.

So, I get transferred to Japan's deploying screen. I want to see what the computer has to offer and then trim the worst of the decisions (for example, in some cases the Company Leader would be placed to the far North while all the subordinates platoons are clustered in the South - that's one reason for change). So I make the mistake of clicking "Auto-Deploy".

Now, as you will see if you can open the file, the computer scheduled the heloes to arrive, on Turn 34. I understand your theory but the delay algorithm must be getting confused by the massive Turn Count.

I give myself plenty of time because
a) I suck
b) intend to practice one-hex/turn, cautious infanty advances rather than advancing my BMPs until they get shot up.
c) I don't think I'm the first guy to have thought the default turn allocation is a little short
but really, the battle might not even last to Turn 34. Besides, if you look at the units as purchased, you'll see that the TOWs on the helicopters are a large part of Japan's antitank ability. If they come on Turn 34 by then their infantry would have been massacred by Russian armored units. If they are there from the start they might just harm the advancing (easy to spot) Russian columns. This will be made easier because I intended to place them in FM100-2-1 style Soviet March Columns.

Anyway, I've chosen Human Deploy to check the deployment, and I think the computer made a mistake that I have to correct. Unfortunately, I find myself unable to even clear the Reinforcement status using the @ key and then remember "Crap, they disabled this control in Battle mode".

So I tried to manually select those heloes from the HQ list and plop them in an unimaginative, linear formation (that's another reason I want to see what Auto-Deploy has to offer - I suck so much sometimes even the AI can still look innovative). I got them to show on the map, but the Help screen says they should be removed when the game actually starts. I Quit Deploy.

Obviously, I'm by now more interested in seeing how the game would process this, so I just Auto-Deployed for the Russians as well and concentrated my efforts on obtaining Manual Control of the Japan side so I can see the results. I ended my Russian 1st Turn and hit Escape until I got it.

And there you have it, the Save File. Note that the heloes are still on map. You might also notice that one of them have been moved. It draws fire from the Tunguskas but "Bad Target" keeps showing up, probably because of the Reinforcement status.

I'll agree that the ability to control Reinforcement is not that important in random battle. On the other hand, it may have some fringe uses (perhaps a veteran player can use it as a kind of quick handicap to a rookie), and it'll certainly end headaches when you disagree with the computer's decision to hold some in reserve.

[DRG]

Short answer.... that will save all your problems is don't make "the mistake of clicking "Auto-Deploy"."

The code isn't "getting confused by the massive Turn Count" it's set up to bring in re-enforcements about mid way through the battle and you set the turns to 70. It's doing exactly what it's supposed to do and AGAIN , re-enforcements for the AI are a way to introduce little "surprises" mid way through the battle.

That said I have noted down the issue of clearing replacements

Don