Low Reliability Identification

[Green]

Am I right in saying that 'Low Reliability' vehicle breakdown, cannot be determined through the game interface (as opposed to looking at the OOB file)? I know this is not normally a big issue but in France '40 there are a number of units that have this and it is good to know prior to moving them. The relevant units are...
 
French:    Char B1-bis, Char D2, FCM 2C, Renault AMC-35, Renault AMR 33, Renault AMR 35
British:    Cruiser III+Mk VI
Belgian:   ACG-1
German:  Eis Pz (t), Eis Pz (7.5cm), Eis Pz (MG), Triebwagen

My intention is just to add a symbol on the unit artwork to jog my memory. Perhaps something like this;



Is there a better way?

[Strela]

Am I right in saying that 'Low Reliability' vehicle breakdown, cannot be determined through the game interface (as opposed to looking at the OOB file)? I know this is not normally a big issue but in France '40 there are a number of units that have this and it is good to know prior to moving them. The relevant units are...
 
French:    Char B1-bis, Char D2, FCM 2C, Renault AMC-35, Renault AMR 33, Renault AMR 35
British:    Cruiser III+Mk VI
Belgian:   ACG-1
German:  Eis Pz (t), Eis Pz (7.5cm), Eis Pz (MG), Triebwagen

My intention is just to add a symbol on the unit artwork to jog my memory. Perhaps something like this;



Is there a better way?

Green,

Your right, there is no way in game to identify low reliability in game.

I like your solution and may see what is required to implement it.

I may go one step further and use something stylised like a spanner etc.

Positioning on the image is important though. Where you have it, the french flag will probably obscure the triangle. I would suggest it be higher, either under the NATO symbol or on the opposite corner, like the below;



What do you think? Are there other factors people would like to see on the front of the unit card?

David

[Green]

Thanks David, that is a definite improvement. I have tried it with a slightly shortened version as I don't like to have things obscuring the existing artwork, if I can avoid it. Here is an example, showing three possible locations. I use smaller artwork for the flag, so this gives me an additional option.



I cannot think of anything else that needs adding. I add the leaders name (example below) but this is probably over the top - not to mention, rather amateurish, the way I do it.



Also, what works for me may not look good on all settings.

[Strela]

I think the opposite side to the flag works well - on the other side of the unit name.

David

[Plain Ian]

I think the opposite side to the flag works well - on the other side of the unit name.

David

Yep that's the perfect spot. Great idea.

It would be nice if breakdowns were reported in the Command Report. 

I'm also mystified why unit quality should play a factor in breakdowns? Its the tank that's the problem not the fighting quality of the unit. 

The allies were probably better at maintaining and recovering tanks than the axis so I agree that having separate breakdown values for each side makes sense. This is in the pdt.

[ComradeP]

The command report is static, and as breakdowns occur during a turn and are unrelated to certain availability, weather/visibility, supply or recovery rolls can't show up. The list could also be lengthy, and units might lose more than 1 tank. It's not a binary condition like all the other conditions in the command report dialog.

In 1940, battlefield repair was still primitive. The Germans shipped tanks back to factories and had limited means to make more than basic repairs in the field. I'm not sure how the various Allied armies repaired vehicles, or how well trained Allied tank crews were in vehicle maintenance.

Quality matters because a high quality crew probably knows how to maintain its vehicle whilst a poorly trained one doesn't. For example: Soviet tank crews mobilized after the disasters of the opening months of Barbarossa on average had a limited understanding of how their vehicle worked, and couldn't make more than basic repairs nor maintain their tank properly. Combined with a vehicle that had reliability problems or at the least design flaws in terms of mechanical functionality like most Soviet tanks, that should lead to more breakdowns.

[Mr Grumpy]

Great idea about the spanner symbol !! 

[Green]

I think the opposite side to the flag works well - on the other side of the unit name.

David

Yes, I think you are right. Easy to see and does not interfere with anything else. It gets my vote.

[larsonney]

I think the opposite side to the flag works well - on the other side of the unit name.

David

That's a great idea & perfect spot...that's why you get paid the big bucks Strela!!

[MikeC]

Useless comment: If you guys would game with Detroit vehicles, you wouldn't have to worry about low reliability. 

Somewhat less useless comment: This thread makes me want to re-read "Death Traps" by Belton Cooper, a vehicle maintenance officer in the U.S Third Armored Division.