how is the order delay arrived at?

[budd]

readiness, morale, distance from HQ? Sometimes it seems when my troops are in good order they should respond quicker to my orders then they are currently doing, anybody else feeling this way.I ask because i haven't been paying strict attention until recently.

[IronMikeGolf]

Don't forget EW. And current posture. On Call is supposed to reduced orders delay, if I am not misremembering.

[CapnDarwin]

Type of orders plays a part in the calculation, but readiness (overall) plays the biggest part. EW probably a close second.

[budd]

if placed in on call status ..will they fight effectively? How does that status differ from say screen and hold and is the status same for all types of units.How much quicker will they respond to orders in general?

[CapnDarwin]

On Call is better used for support units (HQs, Arty not on missions, some AD). Most combat units should be using screen and hold to fight. AD units up front should also follow this pattern of screen and hold.

[IronMikeGolf]

It can be most helpful to create a small scenario with just a few units and then run it, changing some of the unit characteristics and seeing how unit performance changes.

I did that. I had 4 plts of 4xBTR-60PB (no dismounts) and a Regt HQs. I put them in identical terrain and gave Deliberate Move orders with waypoints at 1 and 3 hexes. I varied unit Readiness (100%, 75%, 50%, 25%), EW levels (Low and Medium), and had the unit both in and out of command radius.

Things that do not affect the order delay: Morale, HQ Readiness

Most important things, in decreasing order: Being in Command Radius, EW level, ordered unit's Readiness, type of order wither ordered unit is On Call. Now, we know this already from previous discussions on various threads over the past year. But we haven't discussed and "how much" on these. Here's some numbers. These numbers are time to "start to move", meaning the first waypoint, which is in an adjacent hex.

HQ 100%, Low EW, Aslt Order in range:
Unit 100% readiness: 34 min
75%: 36 min
50%: 40 min
25%: 46 min

HQ 100%, Low EW, Delib Move order in Range:
Unit 100% readiness: 20 min
75%: 22 min
50%: 27 min
25%: 32 min

HQ 100%, Low EW, Delib Move order out of Range:
Unit 100% readiness: 33 min
75%: 37 min
50%: 41 min
25%: 47 min

HQ 100%, Med EW, Delib Move order in Range:
Unit 100% readiness: 28 min
75%: 32 min
50%: 36 min
25%: 42 min

HQ 100%, Med EW, Delib Move order out of Range:
Unit 100% readiness: 43 min
75%: 47 min
50%: 51 min
25%: 57 min

HQ 100%, Med EW, Delib Move order in Range:
Unit On Call, 100% readiness: 28 min
75%: 32 min
50%: 40 min
25%: 44 min

[IronMikeGolf]

So, what do we learn?

1. An Assault order takes about 15 min longer than a Deliberate Move.
2. Delay that is caused by Readiness drop gets much worse at lower levels. For example, we might expect the delay for 25% Readiness to be 3 times the delay at 75% Readiness. For Low EW and within Command Radius, it's 6 times the delay. So low Readiness can also be viewed as being suppressed (that applies to shooting, too).
3. On Call doesn't help unless the unit's Readiness is quite low, and even then the amount of help is very small. Better to spend the time recovering Readiness via Resupply
4. Being out of Command Radius increase delay by 50%
5. Med vs Low EW adds about 10 min

[CapnDarwin]

Jeff,

A nice summation of effect. Thanks!

[IronMikeGolf]

Sure thing, Jim!

I am going to do a similar study on the effects of Readiness on "gunnery" (Readiness reduction and casualties inflicted on the target unit for various levels of Readiness for a firing unit).

[budd]

thank you, very informative.