Organizing my troops: how to?

[hafer]

Hi everyone,

i really have a problem with the organisation of my troops. Should i form battlegroups with different units? Any tips on that topic?

Thanx in advance
Hafer

PS. if i have hundreds of different units across my country: how can i bring them into a structure without wasting hundreds of hours??

PPS. i really have a hard time, guys. It would be so kind if someone could give me some advice

[Von Bismarck]

i really have a problem with the organisation of my troops. Should i form battlegroups with different units? Any tips on that topic?

It really depends on how you want to use them. I organize them into army size groups with tanks and infantry supported by arty and AA elements. Just play around with it, and don't be afraid to fail, you'll learn by doing more than anything else. The AI is not very good, but it will reveal to you how you are most vulnerable, and then you can make changes.

PS. if i have hundreds of different units across my country: how can i bring them into a structure without wasting hundreds of hours??

Click and drag around the units you want to place in reserve to select them, then look at the unit orders menu, select reserve. If they have a clear path to a barracks facility they will be placed in reserve status.

Hafer, the manual might be helpful for you to check out http://www.battlegoat.com/downloads/Sup ... 201936.pdf . It seems like you are struggling, check it out.

[hafer]

First, thanx a lot for your advise, Bismarck!

It really depends on how you want to use them. I organize them into army size groups with tanks and infantry supported by arty and AA elements. Just play around with it, and don't be afraid to fail, you'll learn by doing more than anything else. The AI is not very good, but it will reveal to you how you are most vulnerable, and then you can make changes.

1. How many units of each type/class do you put into one army? I assume you're using different battlegroup-mixes? E.g. one with a lot of infantry and less tanks, one with only tanks or just a few infantry. Am i right?

2. Do you move your armies in formation? i ve read that there s a limit of 7 units per stack. So do you a lot of micromanagement like break the front with pioneers, rush in with tanks followed by infantry to secure the new ground?

Hafer, the manual might be helpful for you to check out http://www.battlegoat.com/downloads/Sup ... 201936.pdf . It seems like you are struggling, check it out.

Thanks for the advice, but i already read the manual (also the updated version). But i think there s a lot to discover in the game. Especially when you usually play wargames with OOBs and structure with armies, regiments, devisions and so on...

[Von Bismarck]

1. How many units of each type/class do you put into one army? I assume you're using different battlegroup-mixes? E.g. one with a lot of infantry and less tanks, one with only tanks or just a few infantry. Am i right?

2. Do you move your armies in formation? i ve read that there s a limit of 7 units per stack. So do you a lot of micromanagement like break the front with pioneers, rush in with tanks followed by infantry to secure the new ground?

Well, I am not up to divulging all of my strategy secrets, more because I don't consider them to be the end all be all, but also because I might be a little embarrassed if others were to contend I was doing something wrong. I will give you this much...

1. My army groups are largely mechanized and mechanized units don't go very far or fight very long w/o supply elements attached.
2. I stay away from over-stacking units, unless the situation calls for it, so 7 per hex.
3. The best tank killers are better tanks.
4. Even though every unit has some inbedded anti aircraft defense, I usually protect all arty groups with an AA unit. I hate being raked by TB's while attacking.
5. I also usually inbed an infantry unit with arty regiments. The AI is fond of flanking maneuvers.
6. My army groups are usually 60/40 INF+Armor/Arty, also about corps sized elements of 130 battalions each.
7. I have yet to use formations, I am a micromanager.
8. Three words/phrase...Suppression...Envelopment...Combined Arms

I hope that helps

[hafer]

1. How many units of each type/class do you put into one army? I assume you're using different battlegroup-mixes? E.g. one with a lot of infantry and less tanks, one with only tanks or just a few infantry. Am i right?

2. Do you move your armies in formation? i ve read that there s a limit of 7 units per stack. So do you a lot of micromanagement like break the front with pioneers, rush in with tanks followed by infantry to secure the new ground?

Well, I am not up to divulging all of my strategy secrets, more because I don't consider them to be the end all be all, but also because I might be a little embarrassed if others were to contend I was doing something wrong. I will give you this much...

1. My army groups are largely mechanized and mechanized units don't go very far or fight very long w/o supply elements attached.
2. I stay away from over-stacking units, unless the situation calls for it, so 7 per hex.
3. The best tank killers are better tanks.
4. Even though every unit has some inbedded anti aircraft defense, I usually protect all arty groups with an AA unit. I hate being raked by TB's while attacking.
5. I also usually inbed an infantry unit with arty regiments. The AI is fond of flanking maneuvers.
6. My army groups are usually 60/40 INF+Armor/Arty, also about corps sized elements of 130 battalions each.
7. I have yet to use formations, I am a micromanager.
8. Three words/phrase...Suppression...Envelopment...Combined Arms

I hope that helps

Nice compilation! Thank you very much, Bismarck!

But some questions:

-I know the stacking limit. But in the heat of a battle, all your units do different things - how can you preserve the limit??

-I dont understand the formation thing.. How can i tell the game that i like the arty to be in the rear?

[Von Bismarck]

-I know the stacking limit. But in the heat of a battle, all your units do different things - how can you preserve the limit??

-I dont understand the formation thing.. How can i tell the game that i like the arty to be in the rear?

Hafer, there is no secret formula. I encourage you to try, fail, and try again until you figure what works best for you.

Formation movement is achieved in unison with a regular movement order, only you hold down the shift key. After you select the units, hold down the shift key, you will then see green lines extend from the selected units to the hexes that you want them to end up at. The AI will try to advance your units from their CURRENT position in relation to the direction you want them to move. The suggestion would be to line them up a short distance away from where you want them to end up but out of range of enemy fire, facing the enemy, then execute the formation movement order as stated above. Depending on if you run into hidden enemy units or not, your units should arrive in generally the same positions relative to one another that they were in before you executed the movement order.

The coordinated arrival order is used in the same way, you just have to click the coordinated arrival button after you hold the shift key.

Success usually comes on the back of failure, so don't take it too serious and have fun learning as you go along. Slow the battle down if you get overwhelmed, hit pause, I do, but have fun.

I hope this helps.

[hafer]

Hafer, there is no secret formula. I encourage you to try, fail, and try again until you figure what works best for you.

Thank you, Von Bismarck. That's what i'm doing right now!

[hafer]

6. My army groups are usually 60/40 INF+Armor/Arty, also about corps sized elements of 130 battalions each.

Well, i'm still frustrated. How do you put those different unit typs together. How do you select the different types and put them in one battlegroup. I know technically you can select them in the defense window. But it must take years to do so. Plus you dont have an overview how many troops of each type you have (you can only see it in the production window).


PS. you have so many different research options for military units and so many different unit types in the game. but when it gets serious, you can't organize your troops well enough - just put them all with your mouse in one big box and point to the enemy...i'm very frustrated with this part of the game and i'm considering to switch back to HOI.... sorry

[GreenGoblin]

I think you may be over-estimating the amount of sheer force that you will need. The AI is not so smart at concentrating itself against you, so you just need to be locally superior.

For example, say you're attacking another country along the border. Look for key defensive positions, e.g. river crossings, and make sure that most of these are guarded (put a stack of 7 inf + 7 art + some AT, AA and a supply truck). Then pick where to attack and go for it. If you're controlling your troops manually, you really won't need more that about 8-10 stacks of decent units. Also, consider building elite units like Brandenburger etc. they have really long combat time (you don't have to worry so much about keeping them supplied).

In the majority of cases you will be fighting against small numbers of mobile units and loads of garrisons, unless you're playing multiplayer, in which case I don't speak with any authority - I don't have a track record of success against human players.

[Von Bismarck]

The AI is not so smart at concentrating itself against you, so you just need to be locally superior.

There is the nail head.

Although, the last update seems to have improved the AI, or I may just be imagining a difference. Specifically I noticed the AI holding back some stacks at key strategic points, waiting to commit resources until my forces struck keeping artillery behind infantry etc. I have also seen lots of destroyer and PT boat patrol routes guarding ports against merch marine attacks etc. Lastly, airports are being protected by good AA units so air superiority is harder to achieve.

Someone has been busy coding I think