Command and control

[PoorOldSpike]

Test:
This is a US Armored Infantry platoon, consisting of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd squads (yellow circles) under the command of an HQ team (Lt West and his assistant) (orange circle)-

I click one of the squads and see they're in command because the button in their data panel at lower left is green. The eye and mouth icons indicate they can see and hear the HQ team.
I checked the other two squads and they're in command too, just as we'd expect because the HQ team is near to them too. The manual says 'about 50 yards' in open ground will put a squad in command, but in dense terrain the HQ must be much nearer to the squads so they can see and/or hear him.-

Now I run the HQ team behind a house, and check the command status of each squad. They're all out of command (I checked each squad) because they can't see or hear the HQ, note the button has turned red and the eye and mouth icons have vanished.
Squads that are out of command perform badly on the battlefield, like in Cm1.

Next, I run the HQ to peer round the house. The 1st squad can now see him (dotted line) and is in command (green button), and the eye icon tells us it's a visual link, ie they can see Wests hand signals but can't hear him.
The other two squads can neither see nor hear him (I checked) and remain out of command-

Finally I run the HQ to the rear. Only the 2nd squad (centre) can see the HQ (dotted line) and is therefore in command (green button), and note there's a new icon which means the squad has a 'far figure' visual contact with the HQ.
The other squads are out of command (I checked) because there's a house and a bocage blocking their LOS to the HQ, and they're too far away to hear shouted orders-

SUMMARY- Unlike Cm1's clear red and black lines to show command links, we get that small red or green button in Cmbn.
The eye, mouth and far figure icons are not strictly essential and simply inform us what type of command link it is.
Some units have radios (especially tanks) and are therefore virtually never out of command.

 

[Bootie]

Excellent explanation Mr Spike

 

[Johnsy]

Well done POS, keep up the good work mate.

 

[Hiram Sedai]

and the tanks with radio's have often served as spotters for me when I want to drop arty in front.

Very good demonstration, Mister Spike.

 

[Tanker]

Thanks POS, that was helpful.

 

[eniced73]

I doubt if anyone will know but....

What is the penalties / bonuses for being in the 'types' of command that you mention above. I know each squad has pluses and minuses on its gui but do they change as the squad moves in and out of contact?

 

[PoorOldSpike]

What is the penalties / bonuses for being in the 'types' of command that you mention above. I know each squad has pluses and minuses on its gui but do they change as the squad moves in and out of contact?

The onscreen stats stayed the same as far as i could tell. The manual lists the penalties, i'll check it later.
I'll do more command tests to see who can command what, for example to find out if an inf HQ can command an ATG or whatever, and whether Batallion HQ and Company HQ's are better in some way than platoon HQ's.
I'll have another trawl through the relevant section in the manual later, so this thread is a work in progress.
PS- I forgot to mention that if you click on the 'Eye/Mouth/Far figure' icons, the camera jumps to the HQ wherever he is on the map, it's a great way of finding where your officer is if you lose track of him on a crowded map..

..the tanks with radio's have often served as spotters for me when I want to drop arty in front.

Yes most HQ's can spot, but a trained Forward Observer is "more efficient and effective" according to the manual. i read up on Arty in the manual last night and will do some tests soon.
Another snippet:- if your squad is out of command, you can click on its empty window (where the eye,mouth and far figure should be), and the camera will jump to the HQ wherever it is on the map.
I still need to test the whole game out.

 

[Sakai]

Yes, I have found that, unless from the same platoon as the FO, it can take a full extra minute for organic 60mm mortars to be called in. Other artillery suffers accordingly as well as the accuracy of the plot.

POS, great explanation of the way HQs work. I learned this myself while playing a QB as the Americans today. I ran a few experiment during the setup phase to see how far an HQ has to be from the subordinate units to still be in command. In the bocage the distance is much shorter then in open terrain, and in the woods it's short as well.

 

[AntiG3n]

When you've got PzGren in halftracks they will use the radio on board to keep in contact with each other. I *think* they will also use it if dismounted nearby, ~10m or so. Same goes for keeping on map mortars on your support menu in contact.

 

[PoorOldSpike]

WHO BELONGS TO WHO?

QB's usually start like this, a hopeless jumble of units that take ages to sort out-

So one method of speeding things up is to click on each HQ flag one by one.
For example clicking this one highlights all the units under his command (3 infantry squads and an attached scout-type), and all the other units turn dull grey.
You can now place the HQ and his 4 units anywhere in the setup area for the time being, away from the rest.
Do the same for every other HQ flag and his units to separate your whole force into groups so you can inspect them, then deploy them and start the game.

Note you can click any non-HQ unit to make his HQ and mates light up like this.
Also, hitting the '=' key while a HQ flag is selected will cycle through the units in his formation if you want to skip through them quickly to see what they are.