Unit Movement Keys?

[lawrie5]

So chaps, is there movement keys for units?

Or is there not key bindings for unit movements? As it's a lot easier to just use keys for me to move units if possible, rather than having to click the mouse each time.

If not - gosh I hope they add it as a feature!

[RightDeve]

How come it is easier to move from one hex to another using keyboard instead of mouse?

This is not an RTS game with ASDW key to move units around.

Now if you're talking other functionalities, like breaking LOS & cover, popping smoke dischargers, z-fire, their shortcut keys are already listed on the info screen when you hover over the buttons.

[Mobhack]

The original game was released in what, 1995 or so, and in that time on many forums, I have never seen any requests for movement by keyboard. So your post is a first AFAIR.

Its a hexagonal game so you would somehow have to dedicate 6 keys in a cluster towards unit movement. But there are no free keys since so many are already used for useful functions. And I have no plans to shuffle existing short-cuts about, rewrite the code to match, and the game manual, and then deal with the howls of protest from users who have the short cut keys burned into "muscle memory" just for that.

cheers
Andy

[DRG]

Originally Posted by Mobhack

The original game was released in what, 1995 or so, and in that time on many forums, I have never seen any requests for movement by keyboard. So your post is a first AFAIR.
cheers
Andy

And I as well........so no, this isn't likely to happen for no other reason than movement that way would be more complicated than using the mouse

[lawrie5]

Firstly I would argue that the numeric keys on the side of the keyboard would be suitable for movement, hex at a time.

Plus there is a key i think that allows for the player to select another unit in their force. So for example if you were moving 10 units to the right, moving one hex at a time. Well... on a keyboard you could just be hitting 6 and whatever key selects the next unit...

Or you can be dragging and clicking a mouse left to right. It's physically a lot more strain-ful to do so and it makes large scenarios a real drag i think when with keys it would be quite simple. For me personally I can only play for a while before simply put, my arm gets a bit sore :P

Maybe it's just me, but the same actions could be done with minimal physical strain on the keyboard.

lol just imagine how many users you could save from carpal tunnel syndrome when playing scenarios with more than 40 units lol

...

I mean seriously? Surely some of you agonise over having to click multiple infantry units... one hex forward... each and every turn. If they would at least go towards a clicked waypoint :P

[PantherCub]

I can see the need! I definitely agonize over moving tens of units the same number of hexes in the same direction.

However, having movement keys need not be the only solution. Why not change the move logic when using the ALL mode so that instead of moving towards the clicked hex the units will instead move the same number of hexes in the same direction, relative to the selected unit?

Using ALL for movement as it works now is completely unpredictable so I suspect not many people use it.

[scorpio_rocks]

if you cycle through units with the N key your mouse stays in the same position relative to the selected unit so if moving lets say 3 hexes left and 1 up with a lot of units then "N - click" is much faster and less tedious than "N, Hex left key, Hex left key, Hex left key, Hex up key"...

There is NO need for movement keys - it would slow the game down horrendously.

[DRG]

Originally Posted by PantherCub

I can see the need! I definitely agonize over moving tens of units the same number of hexes in the same direction.

However, having movement keys need not be the only solution. Why not change the move logic when using the ALL mode so that instead of moving towards the clicked hex the units will instead move the same number of hexes in the same direction, relative to the selected unit?

Using ALL for movement as it works now is completely unpredictable so I suspect not many people use it.

The thing to remember about using ALL mode is no matter which unit you pick to move the entire platoon, the LAST unit will ALWAYS move first assuming all units have the same MP and are not routed etc.......so if you have a platoon with E0, E1, E2, E3 and you want to move them all forward best pick the E3 to do it....... the AI will NOT lead with the command unit so W0 will always move last

Most people don't use move all BECAUSE they like to micro manage their troops but I use move all quite a lot when not right near the front line. It helps keeping the platoon from scattering

Also, the further away you pick as the target hex the more likely of them moving more or less forward orderly but always keep in mind the unit that will move first is the last unit in the platoon. The closer the target "go -to" hex is to the platoon the more the platoon will converge on it so pick a point on the other side of the map if you want them moving in line

Don

[PantherCub]

Thanks for the tip DRG. I'll try that.

[Mobhack]

Like Don, I also occasionally use the All function - I find its useful for moving things in a group from the back lines in one go. You just need to know how it works, and what circumstances not to use it in - for example if the formation is spread around the place with some having an obvious faster route and others say stuck in a wood. It works OK-enough in say flat desert or other "homogeneous" terrain, not so well in close terrain like woods etc. As said - its best used when the group is deployed in a tight bunch so that the paths they will use are likely to match.

Best thing to do is set up a throwaway test battle and try it out.

But never use the move-all mode anywhere that may draw opfire!