The defend on line position.

[Gunner24]

In some case's it is very hard to know where the "blue" defence line will be placed by the game program when ordering a defend on line order, even if you allow for the normal difference betweeen the line you draw (black in picture) and the final line (blue in picture inside red).

Would it be something to consider in future to make this "defend on line" order be more predictable, so being nearer to where the Corps Commander ordered.

Sometimes this position is a LOT further ahead of the line than expected, in this examaple, how could you know in advance that the "blue" lines would end up where they are ?.

[AJ]

G24, after I give the "Defend order", I check where it will be in F8.  If I don't like it I cancel it in F7 and redraw it until I'm satisfied.

[Marquês de Alorna]

G24, after I give the "Defend order", I check where it will be in F8.  If I don't like it I cancel it in F7 and redraw it until I'm satisfied.

But doesn't this ordering and counter-ordering spend on aides-de-champ?

António

[AJ]

But doesn't this ordering and counter-ordering spend on aides-de-champ?

I don't think so. You are cancelling it in F7 before the Aide has been sent

[Gunner24]

I check where it will be in F8.  If I don't like it I cancel it in F7 and redraw it until I'm satisfied.

I have now done that a few times myself now, it works ok in solo, but not sure if it will in PBEM untill the version 2 arrives.....we will see,

[AJ]

It is a little different in pbem. It shows the blue defend lines when doing initial deployment but defend orders given after that show as a straight blue line, not the actual unit positions. If you select Tactical Orders in F8 and hover your cursor over a unit, you get a gray line showing the units defense position. It's all a lot of work though.

[Gunner24]

That's the problem AJ, it is not always a stright line where you would expect it, like in the picture on the first post of this topic......I do like the way the defence line is done, only "wish" it were a bit more predictable on where it will be considering where you draw the line, again, picture in first post - how could you possibly know when drawing the black line, where the blue lines where going to be ?.

[AJ]

I have found that if you draw the Defense line aprox 1/4" behind where you actually want it, it ends up about right. AI will still use topography to deploy the units to the greatest defense advantage, but it works a bit better than drawing it directly where you want it.

[Gunner24]

Agreed, the line drawn needs to be a bit further back than where you really need it.

[Markwooda]

I think the reason why some units are positioned further in front of the drawn defensive line than you may wish is beacuse the Corps Commander is not only carrying out these orders to the best of his ability, but also taking into account the best defensive position in relation the ground, line of sight etc. This makes sense to me, because in reality you would be  depending on his professional judgement to carryout your orders effectively, rather than simply carrying them out literally.

[AJ]

Spot on Markwooda, but G24 and I have had this discussion before and we acknowledge this. It isn't the placing of the individual units or the minimal deployment away from the line drawn, but rather we have seen them deployed over a kilometer away. For instance, you want to place your defensive line  on and just behind the brow of a hill to use "Reverse Slope" tactics, in most cases AI will place the line on the brow and on the forward not reverse slope. This is the type of thing that we are getting at.

[JMM]

I think the reason why some units are positioned further in front of the drawn defensive line than you may wish is beacuse the Corps Commander is not only carrying out these orders to the best of his ability, but also taking into account the best defensive position in relation the ground, line of sight etc. This makes sense to me, because in reality you would be  depending on his professional judgement to carryout your orders effectively, rather than simply carrying them out literally.

You are right....
Maybe we have to add one option to give the depth of the defensive line...
With 0, the AI puts the units on the defined line inthe order.

That said, the defensive AI is an important part of the tactical AI...
Maybe the result isn't too bad 

JMM

[Gunner24]

I understand the idea of how this works, and why, the "problem" if there is one, is that the defence line can be so far more forward that you expect that the enemy will get there before you do !.

In an ideal world I'd like to them to defend why I expect them too....not keep marching on past that point and "bump" into the enemy before they get chance to take up the defence line I expected them to.

But having said that the more we play the more we get a feel for where the blue lines will appear after we draw the defend line.

Is it possible for the BLUE line to be displayed BEFORE we ok the order, at the moment we draw the line where we want it but don't see the blue line untill after the order is given - can we see the REAL line that they will defend on before we confirm the order - that would be a great improvement.

[AJ]

Is it possible for the BLUE line to be displayed BEFORE we ok the order, at the moment we draw the line where we want it but don't see the blue line untill after the order is given - can we see the REAL line that they will defend on before we confirm the order - that would be a great improvement.

Now that G24, is a very good idea

[Markwooda]

Gunner, to me that's just micro managing every little thing, perhaps if your army commander went over to the Corps to oversee the defensive line then fair one, but as far as I'm concerned it should be left alone, because people don't always do what you want them too.

you give an order of roughly where you want you subordinate to defend then it down to them and a bit of luck.