What do High level HQ's do and how does the leader effect them?

[godochaos]

I was thinking of putting Nimitz in charge of Pacific Fleet and that made me wonder, what does Pacific Fleet actually do in the context of the game mechanics?, and what effect would upgrading from "Husband" to Nimitz have on that?
Thanks

[Alfred]

Read all my posts in this thread.
 
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3545042&mpage=1&key=command%2Cbonus&#3548125
 
Alfred

[Disco Duck]

Without the yellow search markers.
Sorry Alfred. Pet Peeve of mine.
tm.asp?m=3545042&mpage

[godochaos]

Ok so help me to see if i'm drawing the right conclusions by looking at some practical application scenarios

Allies, mid 42' Japanese are threatening a landing at Darwin. Darwin is held by 80% aus and 20% USA
It would be wise to set all forces at darwin to be commanded by Australian I corps, then move Australian I corps command onto Darwin.
Then have Aus I corp commanded by a higher HQ that is within 5 squares.

also back to my original question, if Pacific Fleet needs to be within 5 squares of sub units to have an effect then Pacific Fleet(assuming its sittiing at PH) is largely irrelevant. Also putting Nimitiz in command of Pac Fleet really does very little?

am i way off?
thanks

[Amoral]

You do not have to put Australian troops under command of Aus. I Corps. If the LCU and the HQ are both preparing for Darwin, then the LCU will get the HQ bonus regardless of chain of command. I think Aus I. Corps has a command radius of 1, so you really only have to move it within one hex of Darwin to give the bonus. And the higher command gives its bonus directly to the LCU. Even if Aus I. Corps was not present the troops could still get a bonus from a command HQ. You would have to make sure the command HQ was within 5 hexes and was prepared for Darwin. The troops will then get the bonus regardless of the chain of command. (Note that when I say "get the bonus", I mean they will have a chance, there is still a skill check the HQ has to pass to give the bonus)

The only reason to change the command of an LCU is to move it from a restricted to an unrestricted command.

I think regardless of what you do the US troops will not get the bonus, but in this case I am not at all confident.

You are right that there is no point putting Nimitz in charge of Pacific Fleet. As per How to Choose Leaders the leader has no effect on the function of a naval HQ, and is therefore a good dumping ground for your worst commander.

[Alfred]

1.  Pacific Fleet is not a Naval HQ.  It is a Command HQ.  It therefore is relevant for land combat bonuses as outlined by me in the various posts of the linked thread I provided.
 
2.  The chain of command has limited application in AE.  The referenced posts of mine specifically make no mention of a proper chain of command in whether HQ land combat bonuses are applied.
 
3.  Just as 1 supply point can be equally used by a British or Dutch or American unit for ammo resupply, there is no distinction made between different national land units re eligibility for HQ land combat bonuses.
 
Alfred

[John B.]

Alfred,

I had a chance to look through the thread you posted (and thanks for all that detailed info.) but I have a couple of follow on questions. First, if combat is taking place in a non-objective hex (let's say one hex outside of Chittagong) will the HQ bonus have any effect or does the bonus only apply in objective hexes?

Second, I saw in your thread that if there are multiple HQ of the same level within command range the LCU will pick one and ignore the rest. Is there any priority that the LCU will use when making its choice? I have stacks of Chinese HQ wandering the map and I've always wondered which ones have any effect and if I would be better off splitting them up.

Third, does the HQ bonus apply to artillery bombardments?

Thanks again!

John

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL:  John B.
Alfred,
I had a chance to look through the thread you posted (and thanks for all that detailed info.) but I have a couple of follow on questions. First, if combat is taking place in a non-objective hex (let's say one hex outside of Chittagong) will the HQ bonus have any effect or does the bonus only apply in objective hexes?
 
None.  The combat bonus applies only to objectives.  All combat outside of a base is not eligible of a combat bonus.  Combat at a base which is not the specified objective of both the combat unit and an HQ, is also not eligible for a combat bonus.
 
Second, I saw in your thread that if there are multiple HQ of the same level within command range the LCU will pick one and ignore the rest. Is there any priority that the LCU will use when making its choice? I have stacks of Chinese HQ wandering the map and I've always wondered which ones have any effect and if I would be better off splitting them up.
 
The tie breaker method employed by the code has never, and never will be, been disclosed by the devs.  I listed a few possible candidates for tie breaker.
 
In practice this is not really an issue as only in the Chinese theatre is there a plethora of HQs; elsewhere there is a scarcity of HQs.  In China there are so many viable bases warranting nomination to become an "objective", that you don't really have that great a surfeit of HQs.  The best practice, which I have recommended in the past but which is generally disregarded by players, is to physically group together the Army HQs (which are really Corps HQs)  with their subordinate combat units.  IOW implement the chain of command.  Do that and you will soon find your problem largely disappears.
 
Third, does the HQ bonus apply to artillery bombardments?
 
Not really and it has never been disclosed by the devs.  But .... [:)]
 
The combat bonus ultimately is applied to the Assault Value for odds calculation purposes.  With an artillery only bombardment attack, where no AV is involved, the possibility does not arise of a direct benefit.  However when a deliberate or shock attack is ordered and some of the participating units are only capable of contributing an artillery bombardment, there will be an overall indirect benefit to the attack.  It would be similar to the benefit of having support squads on the defence fighting at the objective.
 
Thanks again!
John

 
Alfred

[John B.]

That is very helpful. Thanks!