Deception Units in MC: Understrengthed

[HirooOnoda]

Now I realize that the deception units in B'44 only represent 2-4 guys and that nothing more than a disruption should result from an interaction with allied units while in "deception" mode.

But in the MC series, we're deploying something like a Spetsnaz Co. with 150 men, I am of the belief that their interaction with a unit in T-mode should result in something more than just a disruption.

Perhaps to simulate the damage done the unit should not only be disrupted but must endure an airstrike to simulate the ambush by these highly trained and well armed Bushwackers?

But, if once the deception units are deployed they have some radius where they would disrupt any unit in T-mode than I will retract my request.

[FLG]

You have the choice of employing the speznats as either a deception unit or using them in direct combat. The use of 150 grade A troops with a 2 hex range hard attack is pretty impressive. It just means if you go around shooting people from behind there lines your going to attract a whole lot of attention.

After the attack of course you could always move into deception mode.

[HirooOnoda]

But once in deception mode they aren't worth very much to the cause. And I can't get them back till a WP unit moves over them.

Now if I could put them in deception mode and then get them out of deception mode say once a day at mid-night, then they would be superior and worthy of their large size.

[Ricky B]

Two options here that might work, for what you want, depending on the situation you are in. First, since they can be redeployed at midnight, you can move them to be with a nearby friendly ground unit, thus getting them back. However, unless this is a helo/airborne unit or a breakthrough anyway, that puts them back in friendly lines, and I think you want them for further work behind the lines.

In that case, if you can keep one deception unit deployed at all times, then he can bring the others back into action, and then they can go back into deception mode as desired too.

I think that realistically it would be hard for the units to jump back and forth more than this allows, since going out to disrupt things through deception requires spreading out, and fighting as a unit requires concentration with all the heavier equipment involved.

Finally, if the Spetznaz are marked as partisans, then they can disrupt nearby travel mode units just as if in deception mode, giving you what you are looking for.

Rick

[HirooOnoda]

Thanks Rick, but as the game stands now, say some SF units in deception mode, do they only disrupt units which move into their hex or is there some radius that allows them to disrupt units so many hexes away?

[FLG]

Thanks Rick, but as the game stands now, say some SF units in deception mode, do they only disrupt units which move into their hex or is there some radius that allows them to disrupt units so many hexes away?

Deception units disrupting effects act over their their deception radius. This value can be found in the parameter file.

Note, deception units also have chance to prevent engineers from blowing bridges within their deception radius.

[Ricky B]

There is a distance they effect, although I am not sure of what it is. I believe it is 4-5 hexes in the game, using the param editor, but it doesn't label the values so I am not sure. From in the game, if you open the parameter data file, it will show there what the distance is, I am not sure of the labels for the numbers though.

Rick

[HirooOnoda]

Thanks Rick. I guess that "4 Hexes" means the radius on which a unit could disrupt a unit in T-mode? The farther way the less likely disruption would occur?

I know you may not have that answer but perhaps someone else would.

[Ricky B]

4 hexes it is, after opening up the game from home. The User Manual has a nice detailed explanation of deception units, there is no indication there that range to a unit in travel mode has an impact on the chances that the unit will disrupt.

Rick

[Glenn Saunders]

There are four Deception Values stored in the PDT

Range
Effect
Damage
Detect

The docs say:
Once deployed Deception Units have two effects on enemy units within the Deception Radius.

I think the radius is the range value defined in the PDT, I can't thin of anything elase it might be. I suppose you could try it out and see.

++++

FWIW, here is a brief review of of the evolution of Deception units in the game.

As some of you know they first appeared in Bulge to represent the small teams of guys crossing the front lines in US cothes and in Jeepos which created panic and uncertainity.

They next showed up as 6x 165 men man A quality units in FG85 which might cross the frontier in M113s. Franklky I wouldn't waste a 165 man A quality unit on Deception but that is just me.

In NGP. the focus changed. I added 6x COYs of 65 man Platoon units to drop by AIR behind the lines. This was an idea I roughly borrowed from Ralph Peters book RED ARMY (A great read if you haven't read it btw).

Our expanded OOB also had 18 Btln sized units of 165 A quality men - 3x were AMPHIB for the Baltic coast and the remaining 15 were the original 6 for FG85 and nine new ones.

Again, I still wouldn't waste a 165 man A Quality unit on Deception but it was already in FG85 so I left it.

In the interim there were many mods and players liked adding Deception capability to any Special forces and this sorta thing so when we did D85 we left it as it was more to give players the option. But we seriously discussed not having the 165 man Deception Btlns, but in the end again, left it like it was originally in FG85 - why rock the boat and remove something that was painless to leave as it was.

Glenn