Why don't radios cost anything?

[Pepper]

This is a really minor point -- I'm just curious.
As you all know, only squads with a radio can call in artillery. Its a pretty nice ability, however, since you never know who will have the LOS on target. So as a general matter, the more radios you can have, the better.
Now, in game, only the x0 units (platoon leaders) have radios.
I noticed however, in setting up a PBEM, that you can buy 4 separate units (obtaining 4 radios, since each separate unit is a x0 unit) for the same cost as 2 sections of 2 units each (in which you get only 2 radios) for the same cost as one platoon of 4 units (in which you get only 1 radio). ...
So I find myself buying as many individual units as I can to maximize the ability of my troops to call in arty.
Maybe this is balanced in some other fashion (when you buy a section the leader has higher arty skill; platoon leader even higher still) but I'm not aware of it.
I'm not suggesting that every OOB be re-written to add a point or 2 of cost for individual units, but I was just curious if this was a built in "exploit" or if there is some design explanation.
Thanks.

[DRG]

Pepper said:
This is a really minor point -- I'm just curious.
As you all know, only squads with a radio can call in artillery. Its a pretty nice ability, however, since you never know who will have the LOS on target. So as a general matter, the more radios you can have, the better.
Now, in game, only the x0 units (platoon leaders) have radios.
I noticed however, in setting up a PBEM, that you can buy 4 separate units (obtaining 4 radios, since each separate unit is a x0 unit) for the same cost as 2 sections of 2 units each (in which you get only 2 radios) for the same cost as one platoon of 4 units (in which you get only 1 radio). ...
So I find myself buying as many individual units as I can to maximize the ability of my troops to call in arty.
Maybe this is balanced in some other fashion (when you buy a section the leader has higher arty skill; platoon leader even higher still) but I'm not aware of it.
I'm not suggesting that every OOB be re-written to add a point or 2 of cost for individual units, but I was just curious if this was a built in "exploit" or if there is some design explanation.
Thanks.

First off, it isn't just platoon leaders that carry radios. You didn't tell me the nation you are basing this assumption on but if you buy companies of British or US troops in 2005 and check each unit in the platoon you will find they all have radios becasue they all have 9x radio codes if you look at them with MOBHack.

The lower the radio code the less chance a secondary unit will carry a radio. ( which affects how well they rally ) If you buy Nigerian rifle platoons in 1962 you will find the x0 units does have a radio but the rest do not becasue they are 2x and 3x for radio code in the OOB's. The higher the number the more chance everyone will have a radio and the higher the cost of the platoon. If you take one of those Nigerian squads with a 20 radio code and change it to a 90 radio code the cost of the unit jumps from 12 points to 15 when you run it through the cost calculator

Don

[Pepper]

OK. I can follow that. I guess my error was thinking it had to do with carrying a radio.

Let me rephrase my inquiry, and make no regards to radio or not. I am correct, aren't I, that only the x0 units can call in artillery?

So when I'm faced with a choice of buying 4 of a unit type (lets just say LAV-25s from USMC), I can buy a 4 single LAVs at say 130 points each for a total cost of 520 points -- and each can call arty. Or I can buy 2 sections of 2, for a total cost again of 520 points -- but now only 2 can call in arty. Or, I can buy a platoon for 520 points (again) but only 1 can call in arty.

I'm just curious if there is something else going on behind the scenes that balances out this seeming inequity (e.g. do platoon x0 units have higher arty skills than a single units?). Otherwise, I need to be buying single units always!

I guess maybe if I check the 2005 US OOB, where each squad has a radio, maybe they can all call in arty? I have been playing USMC 2005-2006 scenarios alot lately and I haven't noticed that but would think it would apply to them as well. Anyhow, I'll double check with a quick US Army grouping and see if the x1 and x2 squads can call arty with their radios....

Thanks again for a great game.

[DRG]

No, only the platoon commander can call in arty and air. That's in the GG someplace. That's the way the game works. If the other squads carry radios it helps their rallying

Don

[Bernard]

Along these lines, if i was simulating very low-tech poorly organised militia/insurgent types forces with minimal radio codes which could barely afford decent weapons and would have very few radios, would all X0 units still automatically have a radio?

[Mobhack]

Bernard said:
Along these lines, if i was simulating very low-tech poorly organised militia/insurgent types forces with minimal radio codes which could barely afford decent weapons and would have very few radios, would all X0 units still automatically have a radio?

yes - the code gives radios to all command units, as i recall. Therefore somethin like the SPWW2 10 tank Soviet company (a platoon in game terms) is better for such, there will be one commander and no benefits from any platoon leaders, just a lump of 10 for 1 guy to try to rally etc.

10 units in a "platoon" or even "section" (so it gets a sergeant type leader, and maybe a slightly lower rally rate) should be enough for a militia "band" with no sub-command structure for second/third rate militias (Like the "West End Boys" in Sierra Leone, for example).

Cheers
Andy