Vehicle recovery

[Imp]

There's tons of maps where it's practically impossible to avoid tough terrain, like rough slopes running from end to end ... in several rows

Never come across one that does not have gaps or a couple of hex longer path where you can avoid the slopes, driving over rough is not a problem. Again its a judgement call if only has a few safe places to cross do you risk getting stuck or head for them as the other player is expecting. Do the second probably arty waiting so now do you weather it or risk getting stuck by going flat out. Its all about choices the terrain is working against you, take the risky route for getting stuck or use the adjacent hex but give him a flank shot.
Decide the biggest risk & make your call.
Getting stuck is annoying but it plays a major part in your tactics for that map, switch breakdowns off & your whole plan could change.
Its part of the package mistakes are punnished be it planning combat errors or just not looking at the terrain you are heading for.

Told a lie have played a few maps bad combo of mud swamp streams but the result was you could count the number of vehicles we bought on one hand

[low_bidder]

It really really helps the breakdown percentage if you stop before a hex with a high breakdown chance and then enter it the next turn. If you are going to try 2 hexes in a row, don't go for that 2nd hex until the next turn.
And never never ever end your move in a rough slope hex. That is living large and isn't wise at all.
Sending armor thru difficult terrain is a good way to gain tactical surprise, if you opponent is asleep at the switch. If he isn't, it's a good way to get french fried. You have to balance the M-kills you will take against the losses of a more conventional approach plus the chance of getting caught being sneaky.
At some point a calculated risk becomes a desperate gamble. That point isn't fixed.
Imp, was that map #35? It has lots of tracks thru the swamp that will take vehicles. You just have to look for them. There is a network of clear terrain hexes that look like swamp but aren't.

[RightDeve]

No folks, I think simple and (very-very light) vehicle bog-down in a mud is already presented in the game by its very high MP cost to traverse such a terrain. Your car won't get through them as smooth as a road hex.

Sure, if the tank gets a worse bog-down, then I believe it'll be very hard to haul them back just like what IMP said.

just my 2 cents

[klanx171]

I do consider where I drive my tanks before I send them in, but on occasion I have made a mistake or rushed in the heat of battle, I have not perfected my terminator like calculations in battle as yet.

I do agree that if I take a risk I take a risk but even a small chance to get out of a non damaging Imob might allow the odd tank to get back in the battle is something that would be worth having. I dont want to argue the merits of various maps or tactics etc as each has their own style but not all maps are ideal and not always can a player take the easy road or the nice terrain.

but Im not losing sleep over this but I do think it would be nice as there is a great amount of random factors in Sp which make it such an interesting game to play, surly one more small chance like that would not be such a game killer.

I would like to see a better terrain pallet and if I could make it I would but art is not a skill I have that could help here, I do make and contribute maps to SP (as in the latest map pack and if you care to look I like to make maps that are interesting to look at and model them on real life terrain (take from google maps etc) which in some cases is unfriendly to tanks and does make players make choices and take risks but as war is full of such things I dont see it being a problem to take them but it seems very arbitrary in a game system which models a large number of variables and is in most cases allowing of states to be changed that a nod to such a thing is not out of context.

I know nothing about the SP code or who has done what, but from this thread alone its sounds to have had a long career. And since the earlier Sp did have such an option, although it was a very low chance what would be wrong with it now.

In a slightly unrelated bugbear for me is how the computer shoots over unfavorable terrain and almost never seems to get stuck, swamp,. soft sand you name it, the AI can skim it like MR J himself walking on water, I would be less on the wagon on un-imobing if the AI player didnt seem to have such a lack of problem with it.

[Imp]

Not going to comment on sticking chance anymore I obviosly feel its about right while others disagree but some help understanding as some of you may be being to cautious or the reverse.

It really really helps the breakdown percentage if you stop before a hex with a high breakdown chance and then enter it the next turn. If you are going to try 2 hexes in a row, don't go for that 2nd hex until the next turn.

Only need to do this for bad sticky terrain as I have said before common sticky terrain is safe within 4 hexes.
Set up a test use fill tool & fill map with rough etc.
Buy some diffrent vehicle types 2 wheel, 4 wheel, track etc.
Now for common stuff like rough drive over 4, needs speed 16, any breakdowns? Want to risk the fith hex be my guest.
4WD or better handles rough fine then for worse terrain inc streams becomes more likely to stick than track so use your "rule" for wheeled & bad terrain.

This is just based on how I play never tested but seems to work & think I have less problems than some of you.

if the AI player didnt seem to have such a lack of problem with it

I used to think this but think that is just your perception. I would say the reason it works as above is to stop the AI constantly getting stuck

Sorry should have said though sure you know for the above clik on that hex not one past it or game bases calculations on higher speed.

[klanx171]

what is bad sticky terrain? Now Im more intrigued, I know there is a list in the GG but it doesnt define which is which or how bad it is.

[low_bidder]

I think he means a hex that not only has a M-kill chance but a +1 movement modifier. Sand on a slope, or rough on a slope. Snow drifts with trees, mud with trees. I think shell holes in sand dunes also, although that is pretty rare.
I can't remember right now if burning woods has a +1 MP modifier.
IMHO the worst is a rough slope with trees. Turn tanks into pillboxes with one click of the mouse.
It's not just terrain, unit experience is a factor.
For in battle recovery, the type of M-kill would have to be determined by the program and stored in a field. Otherwise a tank with the idler blown off and the track spread out over the ground would be treated the same as a jeep with a flat tire. That would not be an improvement, in my opinion.
I don't think there is anything wrong with it the way it is now. Then again, I always move 1 hex at a time unless I'm moving units from on side of the battlefield to the other, behind my lines.

[Imp]

Was not very clear well here goes my advantage on bad maps in PBEM

Vehicle classes
2WD Truck & Utility - Very poor avoid sticky terrain
4WD Truck & Utility - Nearly as good as track
Track - very good inc most multi wheel APCs etc in MBT

Terrain
Worst
Mud & Swamp even 1 hex move has a slight risk I think, very rare I drive on & 2nd hex is very high risk.

Best
Rough inc rough trees. Can happily drive over within 4 hexes in fact can push further as follows.
Safe hexes = MP divided by 4 so long as have not used MP firing loading. So 20MP 5 safe 24MP 6 safe hex etc.
Fords nearly as safe would not try over 4 hexes & 4WD like a jeep a bit closer

Middle
The rest entering from adjacent hex is pretty safe or safe, 2nd hex needs a reason you are starting to gamble. Each additional hex increases your chance of losing the bet.
Slopes & any combo are considerably worse than flat so avoid or first hex only but still risking.

Hope that made more sense possibly helps

Low Bidder dont worry about unit experience I have never noticed any diffrence using low exp side vs an experieced one. Might well make a diffrence once trigger the check but its not enough to worry about in my view.

[klanx171]

Thanks for that, specially the safe hex thing, I never knew about that.