FWWC Movement Rates--help!

[Ricky B]

Hi & many thanks for this---appreciated.

In my test the weather is clear, the terrain is open/clear, the units are on a primary road, and there's no change in elevation along the route. The infantry units are graded C (German) and D (Russian). In both cases, these units are able to move 2 hexes (2km in game scale) per 1 turn (2 hours in game time) when not in Travel Mode and 3 hexes when in Travel Mode. And it seems not to matter if they move along the primary road or across open fields. In either case, they are moving 2km over 2 hours (not in Travel Mode) and 3km over 2 hours (in Travel Mode).

If you then add woods, marshes, streams, hills etc. into the mix, then travel rates fall even more. And if you then add combat, night turns, disruption effects, and the cost of changing units into and out of Travel Mode, then movement rates fall yet further.

All these factors combined have the effect of making scenarios based on real-life events difficult to complete within the historical timeframe because---in real life---units were covering ground faster.

I know that it's possible to modify the game and change both the time scale and the "speed" rating for units. But I'm interested to know why the game is simulating a movement rate of (effectively) 1km per hour for average troops moving along open, even, terrain in good conditions? Maybe I'm missing some important reason for this design decision?

I am not sure what data your example screenshots are based on. I just set up a test in EP with a single unit, C quality, in T mode, at an intersection of different road types. My test shows the unit can move 6 hexes on the primary road, and 4 hexes even mostly cross country into a forest hex, if a couple of hexes are on the primary road. The non-road movement was actually better than I expected to see.

  MovementImage.PNG (Size: 187.08 KB / Downloads: 6)

So this would indicate marching on a good road around 36 km per day, resting at night.

My test was based on all game default files and unit.

Now a unit not in T mode will be slower, and I would expect that. A battalion formed in line rather than a column (T mode) isn't going to move nearly as fast long term. Maybe attach your test files, that would make it easier to see why you are getting the results you see, as they don't make any sense to me.

Thanks
Rick