Tactical and Local reserves

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Sprocket62
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Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Sprocket62 »

I understand that units in tactical reserve will attempt to respond to attacks in adjacent hexes and local reserves will attempt to respond to attacks in hexes within their remaining movement allowance. I was wondering what the threshold was that triggers this response. Do units in these reserve deployment modes respond to any attack? Do they respond to attacks that would result in a retreat? I ask because one of the reasons I would put a unit in reserve is to hide it's presence from the enemy and still have it assist in the defence if necessary. Will small probing attacks draw my reserves into contact automatically no matter what the strength of the attack?
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by larryfulkerson »

ORIGINAL: Sprocket62
I understand that units in tactical reserve will attempt to respond to attacks in adjacent hexes and local reserves will attempt to respond to attacks in hexes within their remaining movement allowance. I was wondering what the threshold was that triggers this response. Do units in these reserve deployment modes respond to any attack? Do they respond to attacks that would result in a retreat? I ask because one of the reasons I would put a unit in reserve is to hide it's presence from the enemy and still have it assist in the defence if necessary. Will small probing attacks draw my reserves into contact automatically no matter what the strength of the attack?
That's my understanding. "L" means move toward the attacked hex. So any attack triggers it.
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by pionier »

The answer is:

It depends... ;-)
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Sprocket62
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Sprocket62 »

Cool, thanks for the info. I'll assume they will and plan accordingly.
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by PRUSSIAN TOM »

If artillery units are set to tactical or local reserve, rather than dug in, will they move [&:] (assuming they are in range of the units they are supporting), or give fire support from their initial location? I hate to dig 'em in and lose the ability to further move them if things go well. Sorry...still trying to milk secets out of you experts.[;)]
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Telumar
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Telumar »

They won't move in Tactical Reserve. HQs set to T won't move, too.

I won't use Local Reserve for artillery, i think then the units will move.
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by PRUSSIAN TOM »

Thanks for the heads-up. BTW, thanks for your latest graphics mod. I put it in a coupla days ago, and it looks sharp.
Have a good holiday. Hope we get 3.4 final for Christmas! :)
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Telumar »

ORIGINAL: PRUSSIAN TOM

Thanks for the heads-up. BTW, thanks for your latest graphics mod. I put it in a coupla days ago, and it looks sharp.
Have a good holiday. Hope we get 3.4 final for Christmas! :)

Yes would be a nice present.

Which graphic mod? I put up a new one just yesterday.
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by PRUSSIAN TOM »

Telu Mod III. You posted instructions for installing over an existing alternate graphichs package. Thanks.[&o]
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Telumar »

Really? You liked it? I am not so happy anymore about it - which might have to do with the new .png graphics format and its possibilities.. Well, if you liked it then the new one should please your eyes, too.
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by PRUSSIAN TOM »

I thought it was great, a bit of the old boardgame (Avalon Hill/SPI & Co) feel, but still having PC quality graphics . Kind of the best of both worlds. ANY game where players are so into it that they constantly fool around with graphics, settings and scenarios has to be considered habit-forming . I am very grateful to you, and the many other contributers out there [&o]. When I saw TAOW1 (the original), I said, "YES"! It's gotta be a great game to retain popularity this long, and have so many incarnations.
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Major Shane
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Major Shane »

Where can these alternate graphics be found?
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Telumar
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Telumar »

In the "Please post Graphic Mods here"-Thread in the Scenario Design subsection. Here: tm.asp?m=1161658&mpage=5&#2637601
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Major Shane
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Major Shane »

Great thanks for the note.[:)]
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Sprocket62 »

My post has spun out of control!! LOL What happened to tactical and local reserves? [:D]
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by PRUSSIAN TOM »

It was hijacked by a "lurker" with an agenda! [:D]
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Sprocket62 »

In a recent game against the PO I gave tactical reserve deployment a try. I think that I'm probably better off just digging in and defending behind the line or place the unit in the hex to be defended from the start.

It seems that the reserve unit will advance to assist in the defense only after the attacked unit has been forced to retreat, at which time the reserve unit usually gets mauled and is also forced to retreat. The end result is that I have 2 units retreated and probably reorganizing instead of just 1. Also, I think that since the reserve unit is moving forward it is no longer "defending" but "mobile" and loses any defending advantages.

The jury is still out on when or if to use tacitcal reserve, but I'm leaning against it.

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ogar
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by ogar »

Glad to hear you're trying out TR.

I do not use it much -- long ago learned that if you really want that unit to help defend, then put in the line and dig in (if you have to, divide it spread it around). Depending on the timing of another's attacks is not how to plan the reserves - and that's how TR is timed. And a good opponent will suspect your TRs and launch attacks to specifically draw them away from a sector.

That said, I do occassionally use it. In support artillery when I do not want to dig in on a particular round, and sometimes for supporting units -- heavy AT, armored cars -- that I do want to jump to the fray. When the TR jumps depends on their readiness and their MPs remaining, so expect your front line unit to get hit hard before your stopper gets in the fight. And if low on MPs, think about moving that supporting unit in line and just digging in.

And as always, it depends on the scenario. I found TR most useful in 2.5 and smaller scenarios -- TWIN, ANZIO,CHERBOURG, where there is more of a tactical feel; not so much use to me above 10km.

I do not use Local Reserve -- did not work in non-artillery before 3.4 -- and when I tried it in 3.4, it worked as specified. 2nd Batt. shifted north 2 hexes in support of an attack, then moved west 1 hex to support but not join another attack, and then moved south 1 hex to stop, and order coffee, and brood for the rest of the round. It was funny but only in retrospect --- not while trying to defend a salient.
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RE: Tactical and Local reserves

Post by Sprocket62 »

I just came across a situation where tactical reserve turned out to be fairly useful. I'm playing Fall Grun '38 as th Czechs. There are many heavily fortified hexes along the border. When a reserve unit advances to defend one of those high defense modifier locations it stands a fairly good chance of holding, perhaps that one turn. It did plug the hole formed by the Germans. I guess experience and careful consideration is the key as always.
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