Arjuna
Posts: 16504
Joined: 3/31/2003
From: Canberra, Australia
Status: online
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wodin,
On the Stats Tab of the force data display on the Side Bar you will see a set of percentage bars, one of which is for equipment levels. This displays a lighter bar over a darker one. These correspond to the current and at-start levels. We chose not to store at-start details of every peice of equipment for all the units as that would just add more of a data load and increase the size of Saved Games. It's something we could consider if there was enough demand for it.
As to the hourly SITREPS ( situation reports ) we originally had these but found no one was interested in them. Part of the problem here is that the Player gets inundated with 300 plus reports to read every hour of Game time, most of which are "uneventfull". It's information overload and the old eyes glaze over and soon you don't even bother to read them. What would be good if you could somehow cull out all the "uneventfulls". But this is not as easy as you think, especially as what one Player wants to focus on is different to that of another Player.
This same problem confronts real life commanders too. The good ones do not spend their days reading endless SITREPS. When they develop their plan they identify those key areas or tasks critical to the success of their misssion. They note the forces committed to these key areas or tasks and these are the ones they focus on. IRL the commander will often visit these forces during the day so he can get a first hand view of how they are fairing. If things need adjusting or he needs to comkmit his reserve he then reassesses and takes action.
So mirror this behaviour and focus on the key forces/tasks/areas. Take the time at start to get an overview of their status. Don't be worried too much about particular items of equipment, focus on the force's persQty, firepower, morale, fatigue and cohesion. Cohesion comes and goes pretty quickly, but it can be a good indicator of when to call of an attack. Fatigue will degrade over time and is a key indicator of when to call a halt. Morale is essential for forces at the sharp end. Once this goes no amount of equipment is going to make them stand and fight. All of these key values are on the Stats tab and their levels displayed in the Unit Info Box on the unit icons ( save for firepower but you can use the Info Boxe's Combat power for this instead ).
Part of your problem I think is due to the way you look at the battle. Now I could be totally barking up the wrong tree here. So please excuse me if I am. But what I have found with many wargamers used to micromanaging is that they have difficulties adjusting to the "real life" paradime modelled in HTTR. In other more traditional wargames you have an unrealistic degree of control over minutae which a real life commander would never have the time nor need to deal with. This encourages micromanagement. In fact these systems demand micromanagement because they do not have the AI powerful enough to manage subordinates.
With HTTR you have an AI powerful enough to to a reasonable job of managing your subordinates. Now sure it will cock up occassionally. But show me a RL general who did not have subordinates who cocked up. In the main though you can trust the AI to manage your Battalions and Brigades. So take advantage of that and shift your awareness and focus up a level. As a Corps commander focus on Bdes and the key arty and support assets, then you'll have about 20 units to worry about. Any more than this and it becomes too daunting, too much data to try and assimilate and respond to.
Anyway, if I have missed the mark here, please ignore it. I am just tring to help you get the most out of the game. All the best,
In RL a commander does have subordinates who they must rely on to carry out their orders.
_____________________________
Dave "Arjuna" O'Connor
www.panthergames.com
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