Airborne Deployment

[Grant1pa]

This is probably a foolish question, but I simply have not tried to do this before.

Can you set waypoints (for objectives) for Airborne forces dropped to landing zones after they land?

I'm working on an OPFOR airborne drop and would like them to proceed to specific objectives rather than move to Victory Objectives/Victory Hexes. The scenario is a defense of the para infantry landing.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Tom

[Mobhack]

As far as I know, no you cannot since they are passengers.

However you could try a quick test, giving them waypoints when still on the ground, then load them into the planes. That may work, but I think passengers get their waypoints cleared.

[shahadi]

I believe you'll find the paras will move to nearest Victory Flag.

There are a number of challenges to manage airborne drops, notably the number of units in a plane affect the length of the drop. The more units, the longer the drop zone.

It is difficult to determine where the first and last unit of a drop will land, thereby making waypoints difficult to set.

You could play with dropping one unit per plane, determine the turn of the drop and assign reinforcement turns to the remaining units in the vicinity of the drop. And, as you place the reinforcement hex assign waypoints.

There have been discussions on this topic before, but I don't recall the thread.

Airborne operations, other than helos require creativity.

I wish you well.

[Grant1pa]

Originally Posted by shahadi

I believe you'll find the paras will move to nearest Victory Flag.

There are a number of challenges to manage airborne drops, notably the number of units in a plane affect the length of the drop. The more units, the longer the drop zone.

It is difficult to determine where the first and last unit of a drop will land, thereby making waypoints difficult to set.

You could play with dropping one unit per plane, determine the turn of the drop and assign reinforcement turns to the remaining units in the vicinity of the drop. And, as you place the reinforcement hex assign waypoints.

There have been discussions on this topic before, but I don't recall the thread.

Airborne operations, other than helos require creativity.

I wish you well.

I appreciate your advice. I've been trying the victory hex route with only a minimum of success. Your reinforcement concept has a lot of merit and I'll try that next and see where it goes. It would be easier for me to simply switch sides and go with the player as the paras.. but in the scenario I'm working on, I'd like to keep it as the computer assaulting.

I've had the same problem to a lesser extent with marine force landings and commando seaborne assaults. These are somewhat easier to model as the assaults are more linear with objectives (left-right/right-left) than the airborne ones (surrounded)and you can predict where they will land easier.

I'll keep working on it, but frustration has me tabling it for awhile.

Tom

[shahadi]

Airborne Operations - AI Para Advance

I was no-joy getting an AI controlled Para platoon (player 2) to advance by waypoint when battle type is Player 1 advance or assault. Although, the platoon did advance when the battle type was Meeting Engagement or Player 2 advance or assault, unfortunately the platoon would continue to advance to engage nearest Player 1 unit.

The only way I could get an AI platoon to drop to a DZ in a defensive formation was to deploy the platoon as I wanted around the defensible area save one unit I reserved for the drop. The drop was set in the Editor as turn 1 with the remaining platoon reinforcement turns set to 2. The dropped unit did not have a reinforcement turn set.

Please see Game Guide for Advanced Waypoint Usage by Pyros. Unfortunately, I could not get it to work in v 10. Here is the relevant part:

“Advanced Waypoint UsageNext, I will present you, two examples of the advanced usage of the waypoint mechanism: 1. Waypoints combined with Airdrop: There are two possibilities (either buy separate cargo planes or by using a formation that includes cargo planes). I recommend you using formations that include the cargo airplane.

First, you must assign the waypoint marks before you load the troops into the cargo planes. Then, plot the airdrop location (mark) somewhere in the map and set it for turn #1. As a result of the above process you will get an (airdropped) infantry formation that will start normal WP movement toward the Waypoint mark No #4. If the Airdrop is not set for Turn #1 but for turn #N, then the units (once airdropped) will start moving toward the Waypoint mark No #(3+N) Limitation: You must make sure that all formation units enter (airdrop) the game at the same reinforcement turn.

2. Waypoints combined with Reinforcement Entry mechanismBefore you set the unit as reinforcement, you may plot a waypoint path. Then if you set the unit as reinforcement for turn #N, the unit (formation) will start the Waypoint movement toward the Waypoint mark #(1+N). This method may be used for solving the problem with the irrational movement phase of scout vehicles (they ignore waypoints for the first three turns). Simply, set the reinforcement entry turn for the scout vehicles to be turn #3, and then the scout/light vehicles will move normally toward the Waypoint mark #4. Limitation: You must make sure that all formation units enter the the game at the same reinforcement turn.”

Sorry. Best I can do. But, I hope this helps.

[Grant1pa]

Thanks for the research you did on this. I'm busy with real world issues at present, but have a short leave in a few weeks and will review the process and try to implement it into the scenario I was working on.

Appreciate your help.

Tom

[shahadi]

I have a dropped para platoon following waypoints when battle type has the paras in defend. I set reaction turn to 0 or in this case as the paras have a reinforcement turn to 2, I set reaction turn to 2 as well.

Now to get the second have to work, not have the paras advance to engage but remain I place or patrol around the VF.

========

[shahadi]

I've made progress studying one of Wild Bill Wilders scenario, Finding Way Home. So, I created single unit formations and gave waypoints to each with different reaction turns. Each unit followed waypoint as intended. So, I'm going to introduce patrol units in the USMC Marjeh battle.

Thanks Tom for raising thus issue.

========