Mass movement in PC?

[Creekbear]

It's has been awhile since I have played a Panzer Campaigns battle (Kursk'43).  I think I remember there was a way to move whole unit located far in the rear in mass and not have to click on each individual unit, I think it had something to do with the A/I.

Could someone send me the steps to do so or am I barking up the wrong tree. You can post the steps here or E:mail me- [email protected].

Thank's

Creekbear

[Green]

Email sent.

[phoenix]

Double click on the formation HQ and right-alt click where you want it to go. A red arrow will appear from the formation to the target hex. Check in the AI orders drop down dialogue that only the formation you actually want to move has been selected (delete any subordinate formations you don't want to move - you will have seen red arrows indicating all movement anyway), then activate AI movement from the drop down menu. Select the HQ carefully. All units subordinate to it will follow the move order, I believe.

It's not very efficient though. You will get the formation moved faster by doing it manually. I guess it's the same mechanics the AI opponent uses, so it might even things up a bit vis a vis the AI (if you were ever playing against the AI) to move like that, but in a PBEM game I wouldn't do it.

Lol. I'm sure Green's email is clearer than this. Jut noticed that he already responded. Sorry.

[Green]

Double click on the formation HQ and right-alt click where you want it to go. A red arrow will appear from the formation to the target hex. Check in the AI orders drop down dialogue that only the formation you actually want to move has been selected (delete any subordinate formations you don't want to move - you will have seen red arrows indicating all movement anyway), then activate AI movement from the drop down menu. Select the HQ carefully. All units subordinate to it will follow the move order, I believe.

It's not very efficient though. You will get the formation moved faster by doing it manually. I guess it's the same mechanics the AI opponent uses, so it might even things up a bit vis a vis the AI (if you were ever playing against the AI) to move like that, but in a PBEM game I wouldn't do it.

Lol. I'm sure Green's email is clearer than this. Jut noticed that he already responded. Sorry.

Actually I suggested the Immediate A/I Orders as opposed to the Deferred A/I Orders that you have described. I feel I have more control that way. But neither works perfectly since the AI does not work perfectly. It can be handy but needs to be used with care.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

I don't like it. At the end of a turn where you then moved part of the unit because the rest were where you wanted them, at the end of your turn, the ai moves them anyway. Never remember to remove the orders in a couple of turns. Seems more of a hassle to me. My 2 cents.

[CheerfullyInsane]

I don't like it.  At the end of a turn where you then moved part of the unit because the rest were where you wanted them, at the end of your turn, the ai moves them anyway.  Never remember to remove the orders in a couple of turns.  Seems more of a hassle to me.  My 2 cents.

Yeah, I'm with you on that.
Better to spend a turn or two setting up the column manually, then using Immediate AI orders to move them down the road.
More control, and far less possibilities for error.

Then again, I'll freely admit that when it comes to wargaming, I'm a little OCD.

[Dog Soldier]

IIRC, there was a column movement command in PzC. Once you set up any column of units, meaning they are in adjoining hexes, then each turn you only had to give a movement command to the first unit in the column. The rest would automatically follow the exact same route chosen by that first unit.

The tricky part was to organize the columns units by movement capacity and MP expenditure. I do not recall if you had to arrange the column with the slowest unit in front or if you used the quickest in front. When units would lag behind they would slow every other unit behind them. So arranging the column in order of the faster units to the front of the column did not help much as in real life the column would break up into smaller columns based on their relative speed traversing the terrain.

A compromise solution is to arrange the column by tactical need. When moving, do not move the lead unit at maximum speed, but at a distance so the others can keep up to hold the columns cohesion. Takes a bit of work to figure it out, though not so much when the column is moving solely along a road in the rear. Once you have the optimal speed in the number of hexes noodled, it is easy to use the "N" key towards the end of the tun to locate the column and move it each turn.

This gives the player more flexibility in making slight course adjustments when needed, especially at road intersections where the AI gets terribly confused and will stray off the optimal path.

Dog Soldier

[Green]

IIRC, there was a column movement command in PzC.  Once you set up any column of units, meaning they are in adjoining hexes, then each turn you only had to give a movement command to the first unit in the column.  The rest would automatically follow the exact same route chosen by that first unit.

The tricky part was to organize the columns units by movement capacity and MP expenditure. I do not recall if you had to arrange the column with the slowest unit in front or if you used the quickest in front.  When units would lag behind they would slow every other unit behind them.  So arranging the column in order of the faster units to the front of the column did not help much as in real life the column would break up into smaller columns based on their relative speed traversing the terrain.

A compromise solution is to arrange the column by tactical need.  When moving, do not move the lead unit at maximum speed, but at a distance so the others can keep up to hold the columns cohesion.  Takes a bit of work to figure it out, though not so much when the column is moving solely along a road in the rear.  Once you have the optimal speed in the number of hexes noodled, it is easy to use the "N" key towards the end of the tun to locate the column and move it each turn.

This gives the player more flexibility in making slight course adjustments when needed, especially at road intersections where the AI gets terribly confused and will stray off the optimal path.

Dog Soldier

Yes, that is correct. What you are referring to is the Immediate AI Orders. The details of how both Immediate and Deferred AI Orders work are explained in detail under section "[4.9] Miscellaneous Movement Actions" in the revised User Manual.

You do not need to organize units into a column but the units need to be in contiguous hexes to be included in the order. If gaps form the stragglers then need to be handled separately.  

As you say, it gives more flexibility than using the Deferred AI, which is why I prefer it. But is it not perfect.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

Even in peace time on maneuvers, units will stray, move slower than they can or supposed too, a Bn not ready to move when they are supposed too, etc etc. There is always a delay or speed up because there are too many factors and people involved. That gave birth to the expression of moving like an accordion. Don't know when that came about, but, it really sucks.