Order of Battle: World War II - OoB

[JTFox001]

One of the most interesting things I find with this game is the absence of a command and control structure.

I found the lack of a hierarchy with HQ units a bit strange compared to other war games I have played. However I have reached the Minsk scenario in the Blitzkrieg Campaign and though I might inject some structure along historical lines.

Using the book "Hitler's Army" by David Stone as a reference I created Infantry Divisions (1940 & 1944), and Panzer Division (1940 & 1944). Using the "battalion" as the base unit size this worked out well. Unfortunately when it cam to the play the Minsk scenario my 69 Command Points only allowed me to build one Inf Div. I did not want to invade Russia without tanks. Plan B required.

Using the book "Atlas of the Eastern Front 1941 - 45" by Robert Kirchubel as a reference I decided to look at which units were deployed. I was able use one unit per Corps and set up the 9th Army and 4th Army, along with the 2nd and 3rd Panzer Gruppen. This added up to 69 CP, happy days. Unfortunately I had no Artillery, Anti-Air or Anti-Tank units. I did not want to invade Russia without them. Plan C required.

While working on Plan C I'd be interested in any ideas around force composition.

Cheers

[terminator]

One of the most interesting things I find with this game is the absence of a command and control structure.

I found the lack of a hierarchy with HQ units a bit strange compared to other war games I have played. However I have reached the Minsk scenario in the Blitzkrieg Campaign and though I might inject some structure along historical lines.

Some Commanders have a range that can influence nearby units.

[JTFox001]

Some Commanders have a range that can influence nearby units.

That's a good point.

I have a commander attached to a unit but normally forget about him. I think I might add him to a recon unit as they are very mobile and move him around to where he's needed most.

Cheers

[prestidigitation]

Since I usually conceptualize my army around fairly static formations, I'd personally like an Order of Battle system that allowed me to create groups of units of arbitrary size with a commander and name associated with them. It'd also be neat if the formation itself had veterancy. The big advantage would be saving me the effort of typing the formation name into the unit name and allowing me to deploy them as a group (ideally with a set formation).

[StuccoFresco]

Since I usually conceptualize my army around fairly static formations, I'd personally like an Order of Battle system that allowed me to create groups of units of arbitrary size with a commander and name associated with them. It'd also be neat if the formation itself had veterancy. The big advantage would be saving me the effort of typing the formation name into the unit name and allowing me to deploy them as a group (ideally with a set formation).

I miss this too, so in my "operational" mod I created HQ at Corps and Army level and made them useful in two ways:

- they are the only land unit to have an active AA attack, so the player is encouraged to keep them close to their units
- when one gets destroyed, the "main" supply point of his faction decreases (usually by 10 for Corps and 25 for armies), so the player is encouraged to keep them safe

Testing in hotseat, it works quite well.

[Zekedia222]

Since I usually conceptualize my army around fairly static formations, I'd personally like an Order of Battle system that allowed me to create groups of units of arbitrary size with a commander and name associated with them. It'd also be neat if the formation itself had veterancy. The big advantage would be saving me the effort of typing the formation name into the unit name and allowing me to deploy them as a group (ideally with a set formation).

That idea reminds me of Civil War Generals 2. Each unit (be it cavalry, artillery, or infantry), was composed of a unique number of men. The more men, the more damage they could do, the more casualties they could take before breaking, the more expensive ammunition and new weapons are, etc. Unfortunately, you weren't able to actually make new units and deploy them to specific locations, but hey, it came out in like 1992, or something.

[Admiral_Horthy]

Since I usually conceptualize my army around fairly static formations, I'd personally like an Order of Battle system that allowed me to create groups of units of arbitrary size with a commander and name associated with them. It'd also be neat if the formation itself had veterancy. The big advantage would be saving me the effort of typing the formation name into the unit name and allowing me to deploy them as a group (ideally with a set formation).

I miss this too, so in my "operational" mod I created HQ at Corps and Army level and made them useful in two ways:

- they are the only land unit to have an active AA attack, so the player is encouraged to keep them close to their units
- when one gets destroyed, the "main" supply point of his faction decreases (usually by 10 for Corps and 25 for armies), so the player is encouraged to keep them safe

Testing in hotseat, it works quite well.

Creating HQ units is not bad actually. In scenario it can be done with tricks and commanders (I might create generic HQ commanders and Radio Truck to represent the unit). The supply stuff I solved with moving supply units that simulate actual traffic and provide some limited supply for local troops (like fuel value, or supply production value) so if encircled they last for some turns if they have their trains also encircled with them

[StuccoFresco]

How do those supply units work, mechanically? WHat traits and whatnot?

[Admiral_Horthy]

there's a value, production. It produces supply points. Like the ships, when at the coast. There, points per turn, type (air, land). Carriers produce air supply points. If they are damaged they produce less.