Critical Movement Path Problem

pupski · Post by **pupski** » Sun May 22, 2011 12:38 am

I noticed earlier that the movement path chosen is somewhat random. This night I was trying the Bulge scenario and was defending with strong units behind the impassable river. Now if an enemy unit (tanks/infantry) moved onto the river (bridge) hex and was shot and suppressed it flees toward my side of the river most of the time while I am trying to deny him to pass the river. In this case I had a strong unit at hand to finish the enemy unit of but it doesn't make sense that a unit flees into the enemy. Maybe in this case the way back was blocked but then I think it should hold in place or surrender, not take ground. In this game I was playing as the allies so the US was shooting the German tank. I had some other remarks about the path a unit chooses in my earlier post here viewtopic.php?t=24320

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Razz1 · Post by **Razz1** » Sun May 22, 2011 12:45 am

as far as I can see it try to go to the best hex, in this case it is the shown hex. A river hex is a no no.

pupski · Post by **pupski** » Sun May 22, 2011 12:53 am

The tank was shot ON the river hex and heavily damaged. I don't think it should be allowed over the bridge of this impassable river. If I hadn't intercepted the tank it would be at strength 10 the next turn and on the other side of the bridge (bad side for my defense, good side for his attack). The way I see it, and impassable river, a small bridge, a strong defending unit, suppressed, heavy damage (3 strength left) the unit should not be allowed to the other side.

Kerensky · Post by **Kerensky** » Sun May 22, 2011 1:25 am

I recreated your scenario, but I did not achieve your results. The only way a unit on that bridge 'retreats' to the Northwest is if all other movement options are blocked.
I assume in your example, the IVH was on the bridge, and the HW Infantry (or some other unit) took that tank's place before your attack sent the IVH Northwest?

Maybe in this case the way back was blocked but then I think it should hold in place or surrender, not take ground.

This idea is highly subjective and completely open to interpretation. What you might view as 'a retreat that is an advance' could be viewed by someone else as a parallel movement, not a retreat or an advance. Honestly I would still view that situation as a 'retreat' because my unit is being forced to the wrong side of the river, and is now completely cut off from the rest of my forces and is now in an area beyond my support range.

It also makes logical sense, as logical as combat on this scale can be. If you're getting shot, you run away anywhere you can as long as the shooting isn't coming from that direction. Thus the retreat that sometimes appears to be an advance.

It may not appear to be a perfect solution 100% of the time, but it definitely is 100% reliable. Units that are forced to retreat move anywhere they can. If they cannot, they surrender. No special exceptions, no free passes, nothing.

As for movement paths in general, I favor a system of the game allowing the player to option 'draw' their exact movement path if they so desire, but whether or not there is time to implement such a feature....?

pupski · Post by **pupski** » Sun May 22, 2011 7:23 am

It may not appear to be a perfect solution 100% of the time, but it definitely is 100% reliable. Units that are forced to retreat move anywhere they can. If they cannot, they surrender. No special exceptions, no free passes, nothing.

I understand. But the graphics give the feeling that the rail bridge has only one exit point that you have to defend so it is a little confusing.
To be clear, the unit had no retreat path, the unit was already destroyed. The image shows the aftermath. So it cannot flee into the river but in this case can flee over the river. It is a little abstract. I've seen lots of war movies with bridges but if you can't get over it, you can't get to the other side. Should we assume in this case that the heavily suppressed unit, strength 3, just made over the bridge and then retreated into unknown enemy territory. Well, I can live with that. The hardest part is that a bridge hex has to be defended from two other hexes while it ends in one hex.

tnourie · Post by **tnourie** » Mon May 23, 2011 5:15 am

>>It also makes logical sense, as logical as combat on this scale can be. If you're getting shot, you run away anywhere you can as long as the shooting isn't coming from that direction. Thus the retreat that sometimes appears to be an advance.

It may not appear to be a perfect solution 100% of the time, but it definitely is 100% reliable. Units that are forced to retreat move anywhere they can. If they cannot, they surrender. No special exceptions, no free passes, nothing.<<

In most of the games I've played, including those old fashioned board types, a unit cannot retreat into or through an enemy Zone of Control. How does this game interpret that, or does it use that rule set?