How to use HQ's

[Terminatrix]

Well I just got done finished playing the demo, overall it is awesome! But I am so happy about the new HQ's unit in the game. A lot of people have been complaining that they order a HQ's unit for an "ATTACK" command and when they win the battle the HQ's unit always gets to the province first because it is the fastest. This is my idea on how HQ's can be used and should be used.

1. You canl put them into a stack with other units and have them be part of the stack. The good thing about this is that the HQ's won't get to the province firs and then be kicked out because it got there first and can defend with the army it is commanding. I don't like this way because I think that HQ's should never be part of a stack, it would defeat the purpose of the HQ's unit.

2. Send in your corps to attack the enemy province and have them move into the province to capture it. You can either send in the HQ's unit after your corps have taken the new province or order your HQ unit to "SUPPORT ATTACK" which would use up organization. I personally like to send in my corps and then send in the HQ so that my corps can then move on to take more provinces. This way the HQ unit won't be the first into the province. Plus you should also consider that armor and motorized units will arrive into the new province at relatively the same time, while infantry divisions will arrive around the same time too. So a good strategy would be to ensure that either your motorized forces or infantry forces arrive in sufficient strength to hold the newly captured province. Also consider organization of your victorious forces, its safe to say that units that just won a battle will have a lower organization than an enemy that can attack you immediately once you get into the new province.

In my opnion I think that the HQ's sole purpose in HOI 2 is for command structure purposes only. If they need to be used in combat at all then they should only be used in a defensive role. I only assign Generals and Field Marshals to command the HQ units and I use the HQ's unit as single divisions only, not in a stack. While mostly Lt. Generals to command corps of 3 division stacks.

Well, what do ya all think?

 

[unmerged(10750)]

Seems like a pretty reasonable approach to HQs.

I'm a little concerned with the way the AI handles them, though.

 

[GrimReaper]

If an HQ does not take direct part in an attack, but merely aids with its command ability, does the HQ commander still gain XP?

 

[Terminatrix]

If an HQ does not take direct part in an attack, but merely aids with its command ability, does the HQ commander still gain XP?

Unfortunately, under my system, no the HQ's commander will not gain experience because he will rarely ever be in combat. However, that is why I will assign Field Marshals to command army's and not army groups to gain experience, once in a while. But realistically, many field marshals did not exactly gain combat experience during WWII they gained command experience, I know it's confusing and I'm probably contradicting myself, but this is the way I think is best, unless someone has come up with something better. If anyone does, please share!

I would really rather concentrate on getting my Generals and Lt. Generals experience so they can become Field Marshals, and fight the better fight, ya know!

 

[unmerged(22082)]

I've been using the same approach with HQ's. Seems fairly effective. Can't wait for the full game. The one thing I don't like about the scenario's, is I'm stuck with a specific force. Where as in the full game you can design your own armies. I just don't like to throw units I have together. I like to have tank armies, and infantry armies, very rarely combined the two in HOI1. Coordinated attacks between infantry and tank armies? Sure. Combining the two into one stack, no. I'm not sure why I do that, guess I like to keep things consistant. Saves me the trouble of having to look for a particular army, because I build them all exactly the same.

Game looks great. The HQ and various other features add a lot to the game. Can't wait to see naval combat.

 

[Terminatrix]

I've been using the same approach with HQ's. Seems fairly effective. Can't wait for the full game. The one thing I don't like about the scenario's, is I'm stuck with a specific force. Where as in the full game you can design your own armies. I just don't like to throw units I have together. I like to have tank armies, and infantry armies, very rarely combined the two in HOI1. Coordinated attacks between infantry and tank armies? Sure. Combining the two into one stack, no. I'm not sure why I do that, guess I like to keep things consistant. Saves me the trouble of having to look for a particular army, because I build them all exactly the same.

Game looks great. The HQ and various other features add a lot to the game. Can't wait to see naval combat.

I know what you mean. In my game playing the Germans, I had to completely reorganize the divisions. I made panzer armees and regular armies mostly. With HQ's commanding them of course. Although it took me some time to move all of the divisions around I still beat the Americans in February!

 

[Darkrenown]

I tend to just keep my HQs out of combat, although I like to give them some inf + AA to guard them

 

[Peter Ebbesen]

I tend to just keep my HQs out of combat, although I like to give them some inf + AA to guard them

Chicken. (Ok, I'll admit it - I tend to like giving HQ's a few defenders just in case as well. Having the HQ supporting one area of a front knocked out can really crimp your style)

 

[danoh]

That's all reasonable, except most the HQs I've seen have an attached artillery brigade. Now I believe I can detach the brigade and reattach it to the leading combat corps you describe, but since the HQs start with those arty brigades, perhaps they are supposed to be in the attack?

What I'd really like to know is the range (in areas) of their effectiveness. I mean is it the same and adjacent, or up to two areas away, or what? And what exactly do they do?

 

[unmerged(22082)]

I tend to just keep my HQs out of combat, although I like to give them some inf + AA to guard them

Those allied aircraft do like to pick on them, don't they?

 

[Darkrenown]

That's all reasonable, except most the HQs I've seen have an attached artillery brigade. Now I believe I can detach the brigade and reattach it to the leading combat corps you describe, but since the HQs start with those arty brigades, perhaps they are supposed to be in the attack?

What I'd really like to know is the range (in areas) of their effectiveness. I mean is it the same and adjacent, or up to two areas away, or what? And what exactly do they do?

The arty may just be part of the historical OOB, but feel free to attack with them if you want.

Range is any adjacent province, as for what they do; check the tech tree.

 

[GhengisKhan]

The arty may just be part of the historical OOB, but feel free to attack with them if you want.

Range is any adjacent province, as for what they do; check the tech tree.

Speaking of dark i noticed teh blitz doctrine gives bonuses like HQ speed cap= +1. Does this make this kind of attachment fast when attached to the HQ or within a HQ's sphere ?

 

[unmerged(35776)]

i didnt notice that the HQ gave a bonus except for being included in a stack, and i didnt really check to see if it gives a combat bonus

so sue me

I dont feel much like sleep, so lets see what those -mysterious- HQs do in combat, shall we?

 

[unmerged(23993)]

So is there any point in having a FM leading a single HQ stack? Why have a leader at all if he doesn't lead combat?

 

[Grosshaus]

So is there any point in having a FM leading a single HQ stack? Why have a leader at all if he doesn't lead combat?

No point really. Which is why I use FM leading larger stacks which include a HQ to take full advantage of their benefits (by them I mean both HQs and large stacks)

 

[onkeljonas]

That's all reasonable, except most the HQs I've seen have an attached artillery brigade. Now I believe I can detach the brigade and reattach it to the leading combat corps you describe, but since the HQs start with those arty brigades, perhaps they are supposed to be in the attack?

What I'd really like to know is the range (in areas) of their effectiveness. I mean is it the same and adjacent, or up to two areas away, or what? And what exactly do they do?

Support Attack with them... that way they stay somewhat safe, but make use of the artillery (at least I'd think artillery is perfect for that)

 

[unmerged(29126)]

Do the Skill and Traits of a FM commanding an HQ have any influence on the troops the HQ is adjacent to ? Because if they don't then I'd just as well have a no-name skill=1 blue-shadow in command of an entire Army group, thank you very much.

 

[steveh11]

No point really. Which is why I use FM leading larger stacks which include a HQ to take full advantage of their benefits (by them I mean both HQs and large stacks)

Oh, Dear. So there's no point at all in having HQ units behind the front, then?

 

[GrimReaper]

No point really. Which is why I use FM leading larger stacks which include a HQ to take full advantage of their benefits (by them I mean both HQs and large stacks)

Do you mean that you can have a Major General or Lieutenant General commanding an HQ, and get the benefits from the HQ anyway?

What if a Field Marshal commands an army in the same province as the HQ; who will be the leader in combat? The FM or the lower ranking officer commanding the HQ?

 

[Peter Ebbesen]

Oh, Dear. So there's no point at all in having HQ units behind the front, then?

Of course there is. The HQ bonus affects every province adjacent to the province it is in no matter who is in charge of lugging the HQ around. By having it one province behind the front it is often possible (though that depends on the geography of the situation, obviously) to have it affect more of your provinces with troops in than if it was part of the front-line. Moreover, by being behind the front, it is less likely to get killed if things go wrong.

There are arguments both for having it on the front and one province behind - all depends on the sort of fight you are facing and the number of troops you have around, really.