Help understanding ground weapon components

[nuclearslurpee]

Anyone have any advice as to where to put your fire controllers?

I model down to the company and was thinking of putting one fire-controller in every one, but it might be better to put it in the rear-echelon battalion HQ that commands 4 companies.

Rear echelon is best. FFD only affects how many orbital bombardments and/or fighters (6x per FFD) you can involve in the ground combat, there is not targeting effect. Thus it is best to keep them away from the front lines, not only to keep them alive but also to put more combat troops in the front line in their place.

[Iestwyn (OP)]

You know, that leads to another question I had. I don't understand the Static base type that well. I understand that in-world it refers to units that can't move on their own, but I'm not sure how that lack of mobility translates in-game, since they're often required to move around with formations anyway.

Why would you use static units? Where on the battlefield would you recommend they be, and what components would be best on static units?

[TheTalkingMeowth]

You know, that leads to another question I had. I don't understand the Static base type that well. I understand that in-world it refers to units that can't move on their own, but I'm not sure how that lack of mobility translates in-game, since they're often required to move around with formations anyway.

Why would you use static units? Where on the battlefield would you recommend they be, and what components would be best on static units?

Steve's updates in the changes thread are definitely your friend here for the basic mechanics.

To summarize, static units can self fortify to level 3 and to level 6 with construction vehicles, just like infantry. However, they get heavier armor than infantry and can use bigger weapons (like Medium Anti vehicle). In exchange, they get no "evasion" bonus. When a unit is set to front line attack, it loses all fortification but in exchange gets a fixed to be hit modifier. Infantry and medium vehicles are .6, light vehicles get .4.

So you use static exclusively in the defensive role, to support your infantry with heavy weapons or protect high value stuff like big command posts (since the static unit gets more armor and HP than the infantry version). But they are (even worse) on the attack than infantry are.

[Iestwyn (OP)]

Thanks again! Sorry I'm asking questions that were answered in the changes thread; I was only made aware of that a little bit ago. I may keep asking questions about how to interpret and use the mechanics.

For example, it's good to know that static is best used in the rear for HQs, bombardment, anti-aircraft, and STO. Is that accurate?

[TheTalkingMeowth]

Don't worry; pretty sure I was the one who pointed you to it. And the how to use it stuff is definitely NOT found in that thread.

Not really an expert on C# ground combat. Some people have done a huge amount of testing to figure out what works well.

What you said is accurate, especially the STO thing since only static units can have STO weapons. I think the testing consensus, though, was that statics ALSO have a place in the front-line defense role. Basically, you build a bunch of cheap infantry to surround statics with HCAP and MAV. The HCAPs and MAVs do all the killing, since they are way more effective than the CAP and LAV that you can give your infantry. But the cheap infantry soak shots from the enemy, since targeting is randomized based on tonnage. This keeps your heavier weapons alive longer, scoring more kills at lower cost. But you lose a lot of infantry.

[Bremen]

Infantry and static get the most benefit from fortification. Since fortification is lost when a unit is moved or put on front line attack, this makes them ideal (IMHO) as garrison units. Drop a formation of infantry and static with a few construction vehicles to add fortification on a colony planet, let it sit around building up fortification for years, and if that planet ever gets invaded they're going to be much tougher than they would normally be for their cost.

If you just drop troops on a planet, though, they have no fortification. This is dangerous for infantry (with 60% hit modifier) and suicidal for static (with 100%). Vehicles, on the other hand, have decent hit modifiers but lower maximum fortification, which makes them decent on the offense.

[Iestwyn (OP)]

Interesting... All of this is good to know. To practice all this, I'm recreating the UNSC marines from the Halo universe. Some of the features aren't the most effective in Aurora, but it's a starting point at least. I'll post in the Bureau of Design when I'm done to get some feedback.

[nuclearslurpee]

Interesting... All of this is good to know. To practice all this, I'm recreating the UNSC marines from the Halo universe. Some of the features aren't the most effective in Aurora, but it's a starting point at least. I'll post in the Bureau of Design when I'm done to get some feedback.

As a general rule, anything that leans into roleplay is almost never going to be optimal. And that's all perfectly fine, since battles are mainly decided based on tech levels more than the details of unit composition (unless you drop 50,000 tons of CAP onto an armored division, then may the RNG have mercy on you because God sure won't). As long as you're happy with the flavor of your unit designs, all is well. 

[Iestwyn (OP)]

Interesting... All of this is good to know. To practice all this, I'm recreating the UNSC marines from the Halo universe. Some of the features aren't the most effective in Aurora, but it's a starting point at least. I'll post in the Bureau of Design when I'm done to get some feedback.

As a general rule, anything that leans into roleplay is almost never going to be optimal. And that's all perfectly fine, since battles are mainly decided based on tech levels more than the details of unit composition (unless you drop 50,000 tons of CAP onto an armored division, then may the RNG have mercy on you because God sure won't). As long as you're happy with the flavor of your unit designs, all is well. 

I have to say, trying to make this work with the units of the actual UNSC marines is creating a bit of a nightmare. Should be posted later today.