Author Topic: Replacing PDCs  (Read 82111 times)

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Offline alex_brunius

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #540 on: December 27, 2017, 04:24:07 AM »
First screenshot of the Order of Battle tab on the Ground Forces window. This tab helps you view and organise your ground forces. It isn't complete, but has enough functionality to demonstrate the level of detail available. While this screenshot represents a fairly standard OOB, there is a lot more flexibility than VB6 Aurora. You can add more levels in the hierarchy and attach formations directly to Division or higher command levels without having to go through lower levels. I'll show that in a later post.

This is the most basic view, where a single, lowest level formation has been selected. The top line on the right shows a summary of the entire formation, while the formation unit list shows how that summary breaks down in the constituent elements. Each element has a number of specific unit class. Morale functions at the element, rather than formation, level.

Formations, or groups of formations, can be dragged and dropped within the hierarchy, so it is very easy to rearrange the order of battle.



When you click on a higher level formation, with attachments, much more information becomes available. The formation selected is shown as above, but also the the high level summary of any directly attached formations. The total organisation is the total for the current formation, plus all formations below it in the hierarchy.

As before, there is a breakdown of the elements of the current formation. That is now accompanied by a summary of all units within the hierarchy headed by the selected formation.



Now we move up another level. A summary of the formation selected is shown as below, plus the high level summary of the directly attached formations. However, those directly attached formations also have attached formations so each summary contains the complete hierarchy for each directly attached formation. The total organisation is the total for the current formation, plus all formations at any point below it in the hierarchy.



When Location Hierarchy is selected, the tree view expands to include systems, populations and ships. Units remain in their organisation structure but are now split between different locations. In this view, the summary and organisational lists only include formations within the same location. For example, the selected Third Imperial Guard Brigade has only two of its subordinate formation on Avalon and two on Barnard's Star-III. The summary and organisation list show just those two subordinate formations. Switching between the two views will allow the player to manage his organisational structure while being able to easily see where his formations are located.



Selecting a population shows a summary of all the forces at that location.



More to follow...

It's nice that total combined HP can be seen in the overview, but I am lacking some corresponding basic information about the damage output ( for example a total for Units*Shots*Dmg ).

It's also not totally clear how it will look after formations have taken some damage ( or how they are repaired/reinforced ), as well as how you will be able to see fortification status and if they are engaged in combat or not in this interface ( apologies if that's not what it's supposed to show ).


Other feedback:
- It's odd to show the cost summary with 2 decimals while none of the below shows this ( last screenshot )
- It also looks odd that the Total pop forces HQ rating is lower then the division HQ ration ( last screenshot )
« Last Edit: December 27, 2017, 04:27:21 AM by alex_brunius »
 

Offline Steve Walmsley (OP)

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #541 on: December 27, 2017, 04:48:03 AM »
This tab isn't finished yet - This was just to demonstrate the level of detail for formation organization. I'll be adding a few more details, such as fortification, field position, etc. as I develop those. There will be also be a way to move units between formations (perhaps a separate tab).

You can click on an element to display the weapons with the AP and Damage in the lower section (as on the first screenshot). I can't really show on the same line as a single unit class could have four different weapons. However, I might add an option at the element level to show number of kills in a given time period vs a specific unit class.

The two decimal places on the cost for the population summary was a bug and is already fixed. Not sure why the population HQ is showing up incorrectly. I will check on that this evening. (EDIT: bug found & fixed)
« Last Edit: December 27, 2017, 06:42:52 AM by Steve Walmsley »
 

Offline King-Salomon

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #542 on: December 27, 2017, 09:52:44 AM »
Quote from: Steve Walmsley link=topic=9679. msg105780#msg105780 date=1514371683
This tab isn't finished yet - This was just to demonstrate the level of detail for formation organization.  I'll be adding a few more details, such as fortification, field position, etc.  as I develop those. 

Nice Screenshots :) Good work :)

Is there a possbility to add the loction of an unit between "Name" and "Units" (or at the end of the line)? I would like to have the OOb without useing a seperate TAB to see on which plaet etc a subunit is atm - if you use the TAB "Location Hierachy" you can't see that the 4th and 45th Fassadian are part of the Third Imperial Guard Brigade and without the TAB you can't see if all units are on the same spot -. -

I know, using of the TAB would bring the information (Maybe with a little search to do) but as it is an important information were a unit is stationeered (especially with the possibility to move every sub-units on other locations) it would be great to get it with one screen. . .

and one quick question (mich might be already be answered, if so I apology): which units on the new OOB are getting possible own named "Officiers"/Commanders ? Units with a HQ element or every sub-unit? Especially as the "Moral function" is on subunit-level, it could make sense to add Lt, Cap, Maj to the Commander pool and give every sub-unit it's own Commander. . .  but guess it could performence really hard to add 100s of new officiers. . .
 

Offline Steve Walmsley (OP)

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #543 on: December 27, 2017, 10:42:43 AM »
Nice Screenshots :) Good work :)

Is there a possbility to add the loction of an unit between "Name" and "Units" (or at the end of the line)? I would like to have the OOb without useing a seperate TAB to see on which plaet etc a subunit is atm - if you use the TAB "Location Hierachy" you can't see that the 4th and 45th Fassadian are part of the Third Imperial Guard Brigade and without the TAB you can't see if all units are on the same spot -. -

I know, using of the TAB would bring the information (Maybe with a little search to do) but as it is an important information were a unit is stationeered (especially with the possibility to move every sub-units on other locations) it would be great to get it with one screen. . .

and one quick question (mich might be already be answered, if so I apology): which units on the new OOB are getting possible own named "Officiers"/Commanders ? Units with a HQ element or every sub-unit? Especially as the "Moral function" is on subunit-level, it could make sense to add Lt, Cap, Maj to the Commander pool and give every sub-unit it's own Commander. . .  but guess it could performence really hard to add 100s of new officiers. . .

If you select a formation and click Location Hierarchy, the view switches to locations with the same formation selected (and vice versa), so you quickly see its position. However, I can add something for location on the normal hierarchy view, although I might have to adjust the relative size of the sections when that is visible. Or maybe, I use a similar method to the System View and have a horizontal scroll.

I haven't done the commander code yet for formations, so nothing has a commander yet. You will need an HQ component within a formation to assign it a commander. You can have as many ranks as you like within the ground forces command structure, but the minimum will be the formation level.
 

Offline Robbie

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #544 on: December 27, 2017, 03:06:18 PM »
I'm not an expert by any means but I really like the OOB screenies, is there an higher livel like Corps or Army?

Btw, I want to build the Tanith First and Only regiment too!
 

Offline Hazard

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #545 on: December 27, 2017, 03:44:50 PM »
I'm not an expert by any means but I really like the OOB screenies, is there an higher livel like Corps or Army?

Btw, I want to build the Tanith First and Only regiment too!

Infantry regiment with the woods/jungle specialty.
 

Offline Steve Walmsley (OP)

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #546 on: December 27, 2017, 05:31:33 PM »
I'm not an expert by any means but I really like the OOB screenies, is there an higher livel like Corps or Army?

Btw, I want to build the Tanith First and Only regiment too!

The HQ have sizes rather than designations, so you name them as you see fit. There are nine levels of HQ, so you can definitely have Corps and Army.
 

Offline Robbie

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #547 on: December 27, 2017, 05:44:14 PM »
The HQ have sizes rather than designations, so you name them as you see fit. There are nine levels of HQ, so you can definitely have Corps and Army.

Nice, even better.
 

Offline swarm_sadist

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #548 on: December 27, 2017, 06:52:47 PM »
First screenshot of the Order of Battle tab on the Ground Forces window.
... ... ...
More to follow...

So I'm going to guess that support units and formations are not going to be in the game? Because 10,000 troops in a Division is rather small.
 

Offline Steve Walmsley (OP)

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #549 on: December 28, 2017, 04:19:18 AM »
So I'm going to guess that support units and formations are not going to be in the game? Because 10,000 troops in a Division is rather small.

That is cosmetic, just like hull types for ships. You can name HQs (and your formations) whatever you like. If you think a Division should be 20,000 men, or 5000 men, you can do either. Besides, even in real life division sizes vary from country to country. A WW2 Soviet rifle division was about 10,000 men for example.

There will be support units in the game, such as construction and logistics, but these screenshots were an example of organisational structure.
 

Offline Steve Walmsley (OP)

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #550 on: December 28, 2017, 06:48:14 AM »
On the Formation Templates tab, there is a now a rank column. This is a default set by the programme as a suggestion for that template, based on your racial rank structure. You can override this using the Change Rank button. When a formation based on that template is constructed, its required rank will be the same as the template, although it can be overridden later (see below).



The Order of Battle tab has gained new columns: AR = Assigned Rank, RR = Required Rank. Assigned Rank is the rank of the officer currently assigned to that formation. Required Rank is the rank that will be used by Automated Assignments to assign available officers to that formation. The Required Rank is initially based on the template that was used to construct the formation, but a new one can be assigned by the player. In this case, the 3rd Tallarn Raiders has been assigned a required rank of Lieutenant Colonel.



On the Commanders window, the required rank of the formation is used when displaying potential commanders. The 3rd Tallarn Raiders now requires a Lieutenant Colonel in this view. The greyed out formations already have commanders assigned. If desired, you can assign any commander to any formation. However, as commanders only benefit from the bonuses of superior officers, it will be more effective to stay within your desired command structure. Also, note there are now more ground force ranks. You have the same flexibility now as naval ranks.



In this screenshot, a brigadier has been assigned to the First Tallarn Raiders. The First Imperial Guard Brigade is still using the default, rather than a player-assigned rank, so it accounts for that by making the required rank a Major General, superior to the brigadier in the subordinate formation.

 
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Offline King-Salomon

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #551 on: December 28, 2017, 08:50:29 AM »
Really great screenshots :D thanks a lot :)

some weeks ago I was sceptical if the time was worth to chance the ground-combat system so radical but since them I am convinded :) :)

some minor points I thought about as seeing the screenshots (and not something with a high priority):

1) would it be possible to colour-code some of the data you see to help to get a quick overview what is good and what is bad?
f. e.  in the Commanders View something like "excelent Health" or a high Skills color-coded as green, Bad Health as red?  I am a fan for UIs which give you as much info as possible on 1 view and relly good or bad things would be great to highlight

2) The Commanders personal History at the right top box: it is written in chronological order from  buttom to top but if there are 2 Actions at the same day (29. Nov 2109 Relieved from Command and new Assinement) it is the other way around - which is no big problem but a little strange to read the history and the new assignement is before he is relieved from his old duties).  Just the question if it is possible to get the relieve part happening before the new assignement part in chronological order

3) will the "location" of a commander be of some importance in C#? or will it be possible to "teleport" commanders as teammembers or to bew assignements as in VB atm?



Some other points which I thought about tonight:

A) with the new Ground Unit System you will have a lot of sub-units - each of the sub-units able to be moved on it's own.

Let's say you have 1 Division like your example Division on a planet - that are 3 Brigades á 12 Subunits = 36 Units with only 1 Division - if you now what to transport 3-4 sub-units you have to go through a long list at the Ship-order menue to find the units -. -
worse: if you want to be sure that the Units belong to the same Brigade you have to name them so that you will identify the parent unit or have to flip between screens to write down which sub unit belongs to which parent to make sure you transport the right sub-unit. . .

now I am thinking what kind of namelist you have with 3-4 Divisions an one place with over 100 subunits on a planet. . .

will there be a system to make unit-transport easier that it is atm? color-coding, sub menues, etc? or would it be possible to get a OOB-like list at the transport-order-menue?

Sorry but I was playing VB in the evening and was thinking about the trouble with lots and lots of sub-units -. -  - long lists of names are hard to read most of the times without some "help"  (same with the list with all the jump-points, colonies, planets, moons etc when you select a destination for an order. . . )


B) with all the new Ground-Commanders you might need - would it make sense to split the Academy in 3 Installations? Naval-Academy, Army-Military-School, University - with 1200 costs each? I know you said you have thought about it Steve and came to the conclusion that it is beter to stay with 1 installation - but I guess that was bevore the Ground-Units chanced so massivly - I guess REALLY specialisation of Academys would be helping a lot (and would be logical from the Fluff-side to give each part of the military and the civis it's own Academy) - The ability to give an Academy a Commander is great - but to slit it up in it's own in addition to giving it Commanders would be nice to have I guess. 
 

Offline Steve Walmsley (OP)

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #552 on: December 28, 2017, 12:41:38 PM »
Really great screenshots :D thanks a lot :)

some weeks ago I was sceptical if the time was worth to chance the ground-combat system so radical but since them I am convinded :) :)

some minor points I thought about as seeing the screenshots (and not something with a high priority):

1) would it be possible to colour-code some of the data you see to help to get a quick overview what is good and what is bad?
f. e.  in the Commanders View something like "excelent Health" or a high Skills color-coded as green, Bad Health as red?  I am a fan for UIs which give you as much info as possible on 1 view and relly good or bad things would be great to highlight

2) The Commanders personal History at the right top box: it is written in chronological order from  buttom to top but if there are 2 Actions at the same day (29. Nov 2109 Relieved from Command and new Assinement) it is the other way around - which is no big problem but a little strange to read the history and the new assignement is before he is relieved from his old duties).  Just the question if it is possible to get the relieve part happening before the new assignement part in chronological order

3) will the "location" of a commander be of some importance in C#? or will it be possible to "teleport" commanders as teammembers or to bew assignements as in VB atm?



Some other points which I thought about tonight:

A) with the new Ground Unit System you will have a lot of sub-units - each of the sub-units able to be moved on it's own.

Let's say you have 1 Division like your example Division on a planet - that are 3 Brigades á 12 Subunits = 36 Units with only 1 Division - if you now what to transport 3-4 sub-units you have to go through a long list at the Ship-order menue to find the units -. -
worse: if you want to be sure that the Units belong to the same Brigade you have to name them so that you will identify the parent unit or have to flip between screens to write down which sub unit belongs to which parent to make sure you transport the right sub-unit. . .

now I am thinking what kind of namelist you have with 3-4 Divisions an one place with over 100 subunits on a planet. . .

will there be a system to make unit-transport easier that it is atm? color-coding, sub menues, etc? or would it be possible to get a OOB-like list at the transport-order-menue?

Sorry but I was playing VB in the evening and was thinking about the trouble with lots and lots of sub-units -. -  - long lists of names are hard to read most of the times without some "help"  (same with the list with all the jump-points, colonies, planets, moons etc when you select a destination for an order. . . )


B) with all the new Ground-Commanders you might need - would it make sense to split the Academy in 3 Installations? Naval-Academy, Army-Military-School, University - with 1200 costs each? I know you said you have thought about it Steve and came to the conclusion that it is beter to stay with 1 installation - but I guess that was bevore the Ground-Units chanced so massivly - I guess REALLY specialisation of Academys would be helping a lot (and would be logical from the Fluff-side to give each part of the military and the civis it's own Academy) - The ability to give an Academy a Commander is great - but to slit it up in it's own in addition to giving it Commanders would be nice to have I guess.

Commanders
1) History order is fixed for C# Aurora. The orders shown in the last screen shot were generated in VB6 Aurora.
2) Commanders have a specific location when they are assigned. Otherwise, they teleport around.
3) I've changed the name text to orange for commanders with poor health and red for those with very poor health.

Ground Forces
1) If by sub-units, you mean formation elements (60 x Tank for example), they cannot move independently.
2) Formations appear on the Fleet Orders menu in their command hierarchy, so they should be relatively easy to find (and that doesn't include element level). You can select a formation and order the fleet to load that formation and all subordinates formations with a single order
3) You can assign Commandants to Academies, which allow them to specialise in different types of officers and bonuses

http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg104092#msg104092
 
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Offline Spacemonkey969

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #553 on: January 02, 2018, 11:16:03 AM »
Will there be any kind of veterancy gained or unit/formation experience so the battle hardened troops have an advantage over the fng's.
 

Offline Steve Walmsley (OP)

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Re: Replacing PDCs
« Reply #554 on: January 02, 2018, 12:24:37 PM »
Will there be any kind of veterancy gained or unit/formation experience so the battle hardened troops have an advantage over the fng's.

The To Hit Chance in combat is modified by Morale / 100, so higher morale troops will perform better in combat. Commanders will be able to raise the morale of their troops over time.