Attack coordination problem

[unmerged(130515)]

I'm using HOI 2 on a Mac (ver 1.3b.1 Mac UB v1.4). When attacking a single province with a variety of units and from different provinces, I'm having 2 major problems:

1. Regardless of what date/time I enter for an attack and support attack, the battle begins instantly. When the battle is resolved, my units straggle into the province in an uncoordinated fashion - easy to pick off by a supporting defense.

2. Checking the "synchronize arrival" box has no effect. Different units still arrive at different times.

Is there any way to coordinate the attack so that all units arrive in the province at the same time?

 

[Red Jacket]

The synchronize arrival button should work. Make sure that you select all attacking units together, especially if you are attacking from multiple provinces. So if units in two provinces are attacking select the both stacks together with the mouse and then synchronize attack. Then if you want some of those attacking units only for support attack individually change their orders for support.

Not sure if the Mac is a factor here or not, with regard to setting the onset time, or the sync issue. I have read other posts that mentions where Mac version of game doesn't support no-time-limit patch (that is not what you are asking about, but it might point to something about the Mac version not keeping time the same as the PC version).

 

[KLorberau]

Red Jacket is correct. However I have found that when you click and drag around your attacking units and click on synchronize attack, you are unable to actually pick the attack time....I guess this is because so many of them have different speed variables (armour vs slow infantry, allied units even slower, etc). It does work tho and they will all arrive at same time.

Hope it helps.

KLorberau

 

[unmerged(130515)]

Thanks for the quick replies! Selecting all the units and then Ctrl+Click on the province worked. Still can't delay the attack, but at least I can synch the units' arrival. BTW, I'm attacking from 3 different provinces, so I had expected an envelope bonus of 20%, but the combat detail shows only a 10% bonus. Does that make sense?

 

[sbr]

Thanks for the quick replies! Selecting all the units and then Ctrl+Click on the province worked. Still can't delay the attack, but at least I can synch the units' arrival. BTW, I'm attacking from 3 different provinces, so I had expected an envelope bonus of 20%, but the combat detail shows only a 10% bonus. Does that make sense?

No it should be 20%.

Also if you synchronize arrivals you cannot schedule the attack ahead of time, not sure why put that part is working correctly.

 

[unmerged(130515)]

Well, here's another wrinkle. When I try an amphibious assault, I load the transports with my attack army (the transports are part of a larger fleet), send the fleet to the adjacent sea zone, click to unload, the interface brings up the loaded army, I click the target province and it indicates an attack against the province. But nothing happens. The troops never disembark and attack.

Perhaps this, and the encirclement issue is somehow related to the fact that I am controlling allied forces as part of my attacks?

 

[animul1111]

Did you mean that you click on amphibious assault? If you are clicking on 'unload' at hostile territory then that will never work! I found that if the ships or the army are low on organization or supply then they won't do the amphibious assualt :-(

 

[unmerged(45717)]

For amphibious assault, all the ships in the same fleet must have at least 50% org and strength. If you encouterred enemy ships on the way and any of the ship got damaged, strength or org below 50% even if you had won the battle, your ships will just sit idle at the sea when you suppose to have the amphibous assault. Your ship will eventually return to the port after some time. And hence, make sure you have control over the sea before you have amphibious assault.

You can't use the disembark icon for amphibous assault, the assault will start automatically if the condition above met.

 

[unmerged(118299)]

also...

Make sure you are not blitzing as well. If any (even a single one) of your units are given orders to continue a move beyond the province being attacked, the attack will occur right away and the "set attack to" date will be ignored.

 

[unmerged(130515)]

Hmmm... a lot of the transports in the fleet I'm using (the UK) have maximum organization percentages of 49%. Does that mean I can't use them for an AA?

As for using disembark, the manual says otherwise, "... If you prefer, you may load troops on the transport and then manually position the vessels in the adjacent sea zone. Then click the unload button on the transport and then select the province you wish your land forces to invade." Is this just wrong?

 

[Red Jacket]

Hmmm... a lot of the transports in the fleet I'm using (the UK) have maximum organization percentages of 49%. Does that mean I can't use them for an AA?

When you have loaded transports selected, and then right click on a province, you should get a mission type selection box pop up. This is perhaps a more common way for conducting an amphib assault. When you assign a mission this way you'll get another pop up for the mission where you can set the str/org minimum, the day/time of the attack; the default minimum str/org for the mission is 50% - but you can set the slider lower if you want.

As for using disembark, the manual says otherwise, "... If you prefer, you may load troops on the transport and then manually position the vessels in the adjacent sea zone. Then click the unload button on the transport and then select the province you wish your land forces to invade." Is this just wrong?

No, this is not wrong. If the province has a beach zone you may attack it that way... some consider it a game exploit though, as it allows you to attack from multiple sea zones at once in certain situations, where an amphib assault mission will limit you to just one, IIRC.

 

[unmerged(118299)]

to uranus...

When you are seeing "49 max org" i think you are thinking it is %, but in reality i bet your ships have a max org of 49 POINTS, not per cent. So if you move your mission settings to 50% they will only turn back when they drop below 25 points.

A little confusing i know....

 

[animul1111]

I am really confused by this

 

[unmerged(130515)]

I don't think so - Red Jacket is correct. The ships show an org of 49/49, yet they will not carry out the attack unless I set the slider below 50%.

 

[unmerged(130515)]

Thanks. Setting the slider below 50% worked. Here's another wrinkle...

I attempt an AA using 11 divisions led by a Field Marshal. The combat screen shows an amphibious landing penalty of -89.10 (makes sense) but also a stacking penalty of -80.00. It correctly displays the leader as a Field Marshal and shows 11/12 next to his picture. There's no over-stacking icon displayed. What gives?

 

[unmerged(17893)]

I attempt an AA using 11 divisions led by a Field Marshal. The combat screen shows an amphibious landing penalty of -89.10 (makes sense) but also a stacking penalty of -80.00. It correctly displays the leader as a Field Marshal and shows 11/12 next to his picture. There's no over-stacking icon displayed. What gives?

Youre doing an Amphibious Assault with more than 3 divisions (can be raised to 6 with right naval doctrine). You get 10% stacking penalty for each division. 8 extra divs, 10% penalty each = 80% penalty.

 

[Black Watch]

My experience is that you can't both synchronize attacks and choose their starting time, it has to be one or the other. Checking "Synchronize Arrival" will cause the attack to begin immediately, so if you want to synchronize, you must issue the attack order right on the hour that you wish to attack.

 

[unmerged(54503)]

Try this.

Before loading your troops onto transports assign them control numbers by holding down the CONTROL key and selecting 1 thru 9. From then on to access that group of divisions all you need to do is pish the assigned number.

Even when they are loaded on ships it will bring them up. Then just right click the province you want those troops to invade as if you were moving.

I usually assign each 3 division group a number. I usually edit rename that group according to the number. Doing it this way will also allow you to supply it for offence with the green arrow while aboard ship.

P.S. The only times I can say I have experienced where divisions won't invade from a ship is if their organization is too low.