Question on staff load

[fleischer]

Hi guys! I bought COTA three weeks ago, and have been enjoying the game very much so far.

I have read both manuals, however, there are still a few concepts I'm a bit confused by, one of them being unit load. If you would look at these screenshots:

http://www.filedump.net/dumped/cotaoddl ... 785377.jpg
http://www.filedump.net/dumped/cotaoddl ... 785387.jpg

In the first one, the third battalion HQ is reported as having a load of 9. However, it only has four units under its command - all of them being direct, organic subordinates. Shouldn't the load have been 4 - one point for each subordinate?

Similarly, in the second screenshot, the ninth company is shown having a load of 3 even though it has no subordinates. Why?

[&:]

Regards
fleischer

[Deathtreader]

Hi fleischer,

Great game isn't it??

I'm betting that the high command loads you're asking about are largely due to the very poor staff efficiency ratings of the HQ in your first example and the single unit in your second one.
Also, note that the command loads can change temporarily depending on what the superior commander (which can be the AI) is ordering/attaching/detaching for either the unit of formation in question.
Hope this helps........

Rob.[:)]

[fleischer]

Deathtreader, thanks for the reply.

Yes, the game is great, and I've completely fallen in love with it. But with love comes the insatiable need to know how things work, and COTA certainly gives one much to explore and learn. [:)]

I looked through the manuals, but could not find anything about staff efficiency raising the the staff load. I'm more inclined to believe your second suggestion - that the HQ in charge of the attack is attaching units on its own. But then I wonder why the commanding AI would attach units to _companies_; I can't see why I should do this if I were to command the attack myself. Not that it would have been uncommon irl, but what are the advantages of doing so in the game? For instance, would an infantry gun company provide more efficient support fire if it was attached to the unit that needed that support fire?

[Arjuna]

fleischer,

Welcome.

I recommend you check out pages 140-142 of the Reference manual for an explanation of how the load is determined. In particuilar note the "Staff Cost of Units" table on page 142. Without a saved game I can't really tell from the screen shots alone what your current structure is, but I suspect you have some non-organic units under command. These increase the load significantly, especially if they are at the same force size level ( eg a Bn commanding another Bn or a Coy commanding another Coy ).

[fleischer]

Arjuna,

Already read it [:)] Every unit in those screenshots are organic subordinates attached to their organic superiors - I haven't changed anything, only ordered the division to attack.

So I guess what Deathtreader said is true then? The load shown is caused by the AI attaching units on its own?

[:)]

[Arjuna]

OK if the four units subordinated to III Bn.48 Inf Regt are all organic then the load should be less. However, I do note that the Bn HQ is waiting on new orders ( indicated by the pink background colour of it's Info Box ), in which case the load value will reflect its "current" structure - ie for its existing or current orders and not for the new one's you have just issued. There is always a lag in updating the "load" value. Once the unit has received orders ( ie the background of the Info Box is white when displaying Task F1 ) then the load should reflect the orders given.

Try it by letting the game run a little further and check the load again after the orders have been received. Let me know how it goes.

[fleischer]

The load did not decrease; it actually went up to 13 and then down to 10... [&:] There are other weird things going on too. The attack never commenced, probably due to a pathfinding problem. For some reason the AI keeps sending units around and around the forest indefinitely. I don't know if this is related to the load, but I have savegames if you want to look at it:

http://www.filedump.net/dumped/loadandp ... 850623.zip

Also notice that the same problem happens with my second attack from the right, probably because of 1.24. [X(]