John Tiller/HPS Modern Campaign Series

[Trac_511]

Hello fellow wargamers. Am I in the right place to ask questions about the beloved Modern Campaign (John Tiller/HPS) series?

[Mr Grumpy]

Yes you are , if you need to know which titles are supported by which ladder, click on the red "Get a Game" link at the top of the page.

[Trac_511]

Thank you, Foul. I'll jump right in with these questions:

1. Are deception units best deployed in the vicinity of their default locations at the start of a scenario?

2. How do use 'Recon Spotting'? I've never spotted anything using this feature. What can I be doing wrong?

3. What optional rules are favored around these parts?

Thanks in advance!

[Compass Rose]

3. What optional rules are favored around these parts?

Make sure to check out this link as it has a ton of very helpful information about all of the different optional rules.

https://www.theblitz.club/message_boards...#pid269354

[Ricky B]

For deception units: if deploying them, you want them deployed near where you may want to prevent the enemy from blowing bridges, or along roads that you think the enemy will use to move in travel mode. It might take a bit of experience to determine these locations, but starting location isn't a good indicator of where to deploy.

Recon spotting is only useful if you move a recon unit to an area with good LOS to areas you couldn't see into before. Then use it and it will have a good chance of spotting any enemy units in these previously unviewed areas. It is the only way to spot enemy units in during your turn, without them firing at you first, or your moving adjacent to them. Hope this makes sense - big thing is it doesn't extend visibility - and remember you can always see enemy units in LOS at the start of your turn, so it requires movement first, to areas that can see unspotted enemy units.

Rick

[Trac_511]

Thank you all for the informative replies. Thanks Compass Rose for the welcome and link.

How exactly do I use recon spotting? Select recon unit then select hex? If so, is recon spotting only effective on the selected hex?

Since I've never spotted unseen units using recon spotting, I've always just thrust recon units until contact. I find the losses acceptable instead of slowing down formations and wasting turns tip-toeing recon units. How do the rest of you veterans employ your recon units? I'm under the impression recon spotting is hardly being used.

[Mike Bowen]

I think recon spotting is not used often as there is too much cover.

Any plans to do an up date so we do not need to use the CDs it would be a big help.

Mike

[Mr Grumpy]

How exactly do I use recon spotting? Select recon unit then select hex? If so, is recon spotting only effective on the selected hex?

You find Recon spotting under the "Command" drop down menu, here is the explanation from the manual.....

"Selecting Recon Spotting requires that the Recon Spotting Optional Rule first be enabled. Then with one or more recon units selected, this command will attempt to spot enemy units within the Line-of-Sight of the selected units at the cost of 1/3 of the movement allowance of the units. The probability of spotting the enemy units will depend on the distance from the recon unit to the enemy unit, the terrain that the enemy unit is in, the strength of the recon unit, and its quality and fatigue. Note: Recon units are designated as such in the alternate Unit Box display."

Since I've never spotted unseen units using recon spotting, I've always just thrust recon units until contact. I find the losses acceptable instead of slowing down formations and wasting turns tip-toeing recon units. How do the rest of you veterans employ your recon units? I'm under the impression recon spotting is hardly being used.

I have to admit that although i like the concept of Recon Spotting, i have found it to be of extremely variable use especially in close country, i tend to use the "drive until you bump" tactic although it can be costly in vehicles lost.

The only titles in which i use this feature to any extent are the ones covering the war in the desert.

[Spud]

Continuing with Recon Spotting questions ...

I recently played Salerno and found when units were placed in Recon Spotting mode, black text would appear on the unit info box telling me such.

However, just began Tobruk and found when units are placed in Recon Spotting mode no such text appears on the unit info box. This is, needless to say, a bit of a sod as there are a numerous recon units in the game and it's pretty much impossible to remember what units have been dumped in the Recon mode without the text.

Recon Spotting is ticked in optional rules dialogue.

Am I missing something here?

And what's the "alternate Unit Box display" as mentioned in the user guide?

Could someone guide me here, as it sounds quite important to understanding the organization of forces.

Thanks.

Spud.

[Ricky B]

I think you may misunderstand recon spotting, both as an attribute of a unit, and what it is - as you have already suggested. I will try to post some pics to help.

First, there is no "recon spotting mode" to place units into. It is an action that can only be done with units that are recon capable, which I am guessing is the black text you saw in Salerno.

Here is an example of what shows for a recon capable unit, in the unit box:



Note it says recon unit, which I assume is what you saw, although it is in white text for me.

This is from 430910_01, a recon M3 Stuart unit. In this next image I moved it north to where I checked and noticed it barely had enough movement points and an LOS to use recon spotting to see a potential enemy unit.



Finally, I used the menu choice under Command-Recon Spotting, and got a hit, but just a ?:



As to the alternate Unit Box display, can you point us to where you see that? I did a search inone help guide and didn't find that phrase, so I am thinking it is something close to that.

Thanks
Rick