HQ Question

[Hobbes]

A friend sent me this note :-

"Should I send the corps forward, and have the HQ remain behind, selecting coordination for both corps and HQ, or should I move all forward with coordination. It seems that the HQ, even though I attach lots of divisions and such to it, usually arrives a day or two ahead of the corps."

I hadn't asked the question before as I thought it must be my stupidity but I had been thinking the same thing. How should a HQ be used? Is it vulnerable
without supporting units in the same stack? What if it enters battle before the other Corps units? What if I had a HQ with just a leader a medical unit and a balloon and it got into battle before the rest of the army?

It seems that the HQ and support units in the stack should always have some protection from being wiped out in this case? But what if they had a few cavalry / infantry units in the HQ stack?

Chris

[Stonewall]

I'm guessing you're talking about an Army HQ?

If so, I use Army HQ units (in the early war when 2-stars are lacking) the same as corps. They get as many divisions as the leader can command and I use them aggressively. Any Army HQ with just the HQ and support units is liable to get wiped out if engaged. Its always good to leave a division sized force in the HQ stack in case that happens.

[Pocus]

Army HQ can be combat stack, but you lose the added bonus provided by the corps commander (which is supposed to get bonus from the Army HQ).

[Hobbes]

Thanks for the answers.

It would seem to me that an Army HQ consisting of just the HQ unit with
a few support units and/or cannon/ recce force should not be so vulnerable to attack as it would generally be in the rear.

Maybe there should be a flag on the Army HQ that a player can tick if he wants his army HQ stack to be used aggressively or not. If not it should be almost impossible to destroy a HQ force if there are attached Corps in the region.

Cheers, Chris

[Heldenkaiser]

I form army stacks that are also a good-sized corps of combat troops, so they have some punch they can add when marching to battle and also can stand on their own. This works really well on the defensive. However, on the offensive I have frequently observed the behaviour stated before, that the army HQ marches faster than at least some of the corps (even with coordinated moves) and thus engages superior forces on its own against my intention. On one occasion, I even had the army HQ move forward into enemy territory after a battle while the corps retreated, thus separating the army. Army HQs seem a bit over-aggressive, at least when being led by U. S. Grant.

[Carrington]

I form army stacks that are also a good-sized corps of combat troops, so they have some punch they can add when marching to battle and also can stand on their own. This works really well on the defensive. However, on the offensive I have frequently observed the behaviour stated before, that the army HQ marches faster than at least some of the corps (even with coordinated moves) and thus engages superior forces on its own against my intention. On one occasion, I even had the army HQ move forward into enemy territory after a battle while the corps retreated, thus separating the army. Army HQs seem a bit over-aggressive, at least when being led by U. S. Grant.

Does it help to make sure the army's filled with slow-moving troops-- siege guns and supply wagons, for instance?

[Hobbes]

"I have frequently observed the behaviour stated before, that the army HQ marches faster than at least some of the corps (even with coordinated moves) and thus engages superior forces on its own against my intention."

I haven't played often enough to verify this but it seems that a few people have had this experience. If so I would say that it is a fairly serious bug? I thought army groups should move together at the speed of the slowest stack when coordinated move was selected?

Chris
P.S. also a bit worrying that army HQ units could "move to the sound of the guns" if they only consist of a HQ and a balloon.

[Jacek]

P.S. also a bit worrying that army HQ units could "move to the sound of the guns" if they only consist of a HQ and a balloon.

It is more like flying to the sound of the guns then.

[Pocus]

"I have frequently observed the behaviour stated before, that the army HQ marches faster than at least some of the corps (even with coordinated moves) and thus engages superior forces on its own against my intention."

I haven't played often enough to verify this but it seems that a few people have had this experience. If so I would say that it is a fairly serious bug? I thought army groups should move together at the speed of the slowest stack when coordinated move was selected?

Chris
P.S. also a bit worrying that army HQ units could "move to the sound of the guns" if they only consist of a HQ and a balloon.

I saw this other report too, I would need a saved game where, even with synchronized move, the HQ move faster than the others stacks. Thanks in advance.

[Fouche]

When I start to set up the movements of troops to a certain area, but before I finish the turn - I try to slow down the Army HQ with additional units or make it take a longer route - not the best solution...but until a fix is in....
When it looks like this will happen again I will send a saved file...