Graviteam

Hi folks

I was wondering, what methods do experienced players use, to manage their 'wingmen' (hate that term in a tanksim but you know what I mean) in a battle?

I usually select 'Do as I do' and choose a suitable formation in the F8 planning map before launching the mission, with 'Always obey orders' selected in the sim's realism options. The effect of this seems to be variable; sometimes my 'wingmen' lag well behind or zoom ahead, shooting at targets they do not report over the radio. I wish there were hotkeys for at least formation changes, so you didn't have to go to the map (and that your 'wingmen' talked to you on the radio!). I have used the 'find cover' command a few times but not often enough to appreciate howbest to use it.

Take the 'Panthers Last Roar' mission. There were two points where I really wanted better control.

First, coming up to the embankment west of the river/marsh area. I wanted my 'wingman' to be by my side as we came up to the top of the bank, so that we could both stop together there and spot and shoot any enemies on the slope ahead, preferably from hull down. I tried to achieve this by changing from column to line (abreast) formation when I turned right and climbed the bank. The idea was that we would form a line parallel to the crest of the bank; then he would halt when I did, just short of the top. But he stayed behind me, instead of driving up level with me, into line abreast. I think there was not enough time and space between the dirt road below the bank and the top, where I stopped. So he just stopped when I did, instead of continuing on until he had completed the formation change. Maybe it would have worked, if I had first turned away from the bank, then back towards it, to create enough time and space for him to settle in beside me? Might that have worked? Is there another way?

Second, when we were together near the captured Soviet defensive positions, we were caught by surprise by T-44s appearing over on our right. I turned my tank to engage and got them. But I would have appreciated more help from my 'wingman'. I would have wanted him to 'face right'/'right turn!' - basically, to maintain close line abreast formation on me, turning as I turned, to face the targets. He seems to have done this eventually - he was knocked out, facing that way - but he seems to have taken his time and got none of the kills. If I had completed my turn to face the enemy THEN given the command 'find cover! (stopping my own tank if I wanted but letting my 'wingman' complete the move) would that have got him into position, facing the same way I was facing, in a good position to help me engage the enemies that had appeared on our flank? Was there a better way?

I realise the AI in SF, tho better than some, has significant limitations and that the facilities to command your platoon are also quite limited. Perhaps in that sense SF is better at simulating Soviet practice, where radios were limited and tactics were more 'canned' and rigid, emphasising the concentrated and sustained application of force strictly in line with the overall commander's initial plan. But I am interested in finding the best ways possible to play the platoon commander role, to lead and manage my men in battle, as I should.

According to my experience, there is only one method how to force wingman to obey the command.
1. Press F8
2. select distance(short) and formation (line). If u choose `column`, then prepare one(or both) thank will turned over, coz he can't get through his teammate to be in line. AI is complete idiot as formation `column`.
3. Make a route where to, then get back to the game.
4. take a seat of driver, press break and give wingmen moved a couple meters, then press F8 again
5. now press `stop`, then select `do as I do`
AND ONLY in this case wingmen will follow u in the formation `line`.
If u want them to stay near u, then u MUST ALWAYS watch on them and if they move, then immediately press F8 and `stop`+`do as i do`.
As I told, SF supposed for the single player. Wingmen plays a role of the furniture. Mostly, nobody care where they are and what they are doing and where to. In the mission EVERYTHING depends on the player. He is main hero! And practically all missions has markers where to go, so no need to be bothered what should be done next.
Thus no need to make complicate maneuvers. I.e. in the mission `Last roar panther`u've to follow the markers and shoot whatever u see.
In SF it's impossible to operate precisely with platoon. It's possible in the GTOS and SABOW or any other strategy game.
And there is another command, which works partially:
- find cover
It works in case, if author of the mission already prepared such positions. If not, then wingmen will go the hell know where.

PS
Oh and there is one moment with radio. If radio damaged, then u could not operate with platoon at all. Well, there are some pictures with rockets, voice commands, but they don't work either.

In the situations you described, you could use the 'Turn' order (2 in the screenshot below) and click on the map where you want your tanks to face.
I've found this to be very useful in a tight spot.
Good luck!

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-uZU3hSjmfyU/U8EYr1bv7CI/AAAAAAAAAHU/kVRWfX8vHZA/s800/orders.jpg)

It's not precise, but you could try stopping below the crest first, change formation to line abreast, then give orders to move up to the top.
It works for me.
By the way, I never use 'do as I do'.

Thanks for the tips, Lockie & Kyth, that is exactly the sort of experience I was hoping somebody would be able to report. It seems that there is some hope to educate or control the 'furniture', Lockie! I will try turning off 'Do as I do' and use the methods described, instead.

I have always enjoyed most those sims that allow you to play as platoon commander or flight leader - First Eagles for example, where half the fun is leading your patrol, trying to follow the dicta of Boelcke or Mannock, spotting enemies, then manoeuvring your flight into the best position for an attack, and hopefully bringing them home alive and with a kill or two of their own. It is a bit different in a ground battle of course but even so, the role of the leader opens up a whole new set of tactical opportunities, choosing the best formation and bringing to bear the firepower of the whole platoon, not just your own tank. As SF (and most SF missions) puts the player in the role of a platoon commander, I want to to make the most of what it can do - even if that's not very much!

I guess that it may be possible to use the 'halt' and 'move' commands to move tactically - what they call 'bounding overwatch' in the US Army. Go F8-map and order 'halt' when the platoon is in a decent fire position. Then move forward on my own, so the 'wingmen' are halted and able to cover me (hopefully they will stay, having been given the 'halt' command). Then halt my own tank. Go F8-map and order 'Move' to a marked position next to me (for what we called 'caterpillar-ing') or ahead of me ('leapfrogging' - the US Army I know has different terms for these forms of 'bounding overwatch'). That sort of thing. Fire and manoeuvre. Like the parrot climbing the cage, always one foot holding firm while the other is moving.

Part of the problem with some SF missions is the common 'mad charge' where everybody just rushes the objective. If the AI are not advancing cautiously and tactically, you tend to get left behind. I should add that to my principles of mission design - 'Slow it down - keep the mad charges for surprise attacks - or suicide missions, featuring the bad boys of the good old 27th Panzers (zur Besonderen Verwendung) - allow time for realistic tactics'

It's all part of the mission scripting for the AI units.
One solution is to set up the 'soft-skins' to wait for a trigger before moving - for example, when certain critical enemy defense units have been eliminated, or reduced in strength. Or the trigger could be your tank / platoon reaching an important waypoint. Or if an objective has been captured. Etc. etc!
There are many alternatives for the mission designer. 

Kyth, why do you never use the "do as I do" command?

I simply never saw the need to.
The AI isn't wonderful, but I find that it works reasonably well, when you're not trying to tug it along on a leash.  :D
Also, they spot better when they're not moving, increasing the chances of them shooting and hitting the enemy.
Order the 'wingmen' into the right area, set them facing the right way, and most of the time that's enough to get the job done,

That's going to be hard to get used to, as I generally play the platoon/troop leader role in tanksims (oddly enough) by leading the platoon/troop, changing formation as necessary. Even in PE, where you can split your platoon into 'fire teams' and can order individual tanks to move to a specific spot.

It seems that maybe in SF the best thing to do - if like me, you want to be the leader, not necessarily as Lockie puts it, the hero - may be to use your platoon-mates as a base of fire. Set them up somewhere they can cover your own tank's move. Then move them forward another 'tactical bound' while you are stationary and watching, covering their move. Rinse and repeat.

I tried this out in a Panther mission I hadn't played before - I don't think I'll test with that one again as my tankended up being strafed by the lethal Sturmoviks! But it did not work very well, even before then. In the map I ordered my two 'wingmen' forward a hundred metres or so, intending to wait till they stopped, them move my own tank up to (or past) them. But they just kept on going, past the waypoint, and would not stop - perhaps they had the enemy in sight and decided to do their own thing. Perhaps I need to keep the bounds fairly short. And/or act like the front part of the caterpillar, instead of like it's a**se. Move ahead myself, then stop and bring them up. Instead of sending them on ahead as the first move.

This will take a bit of practice! I think I need to take the platoon out onto a field training area, instead of practicing on the 'two-way range'. Perhaps make a copy of (say) the Tiger (I like Tigers!) driving mission and replace the single Tiger with a platoon of, say, 4 tanks. And then rehearse somewhere nice and safe, before taking the show on tour.

Is there an easy way to identify a mission from its filename in the cm_pack_missionXX folder? The Mission Editor doesn't seem to let you do a 'Save as' so will it work if I copy & rename the source mission's .level file, then edit and save that, to create a clone?

(http://s5.postimg.org/ewalc77df/tiger.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/ewalc77df/)
Yes. Start the defined mission, i.e. "Tiger driving".
Then exit the game and open file:
data\k42\loc_rus\levels\cur_mission.engcfg
where u can see
We need file tiger_driving.level
Open it:
data\k42\loc_rus\levels\LEVELS\cm_pack_mission20\tiger_driving.level
We need the three next files to be inspected:
- tiger_driving_loc_data.text (text file)
- tiger_driving_scripts.engscr (scripts for the mission)
- tiger_driving_zones.engcfg (information abt zones on the polygon)
I'd recommend to create a new mission, i.e. platoon_control on the polygon M17_Kazan or any other. Then just copy the content of the files from the mission "Tiger driving".

OK thanks Lockie, will give that a go tomorrow!

Ok that worked. Using the 'create mission' utility created the new missions in the user mission set. Copied and pasted in the text from the Tiger driving mission files. Loaded up the new mission in the ME and created a new 'division', three Tiger 1 (late). Made it the player unit and deleted the original single Tiger 'division'. Disaster! My two 'wingmen' appeared in front of my tank, on their sides! Seems they are trying to 'materialise' on the same spot as me. Worked out the contour needed replacing so created a new longer one and dragged my # 2 and #3 to each side (I always put odd numbers on the left, even on the right - an old habit).

This time it worked! I need to get rid of leftover messages/triggers/scripts from the driver training mission and whatever is preventing me from going to the tank commander position and opening his hatch, add a better loading screen picture etc...but it works!

And I've been able to get some rudimentary 'bounding overwatch' working. Get them into line abreast. F8/map then order 'Halt'. Move forward myself and stop, while the other two cover me from the halt. F8/map then order 'Do as I do' - the two Tigers move up and re-form on me in line abreast.

May also be able to send them on ahead first using 'Move' but seems more reliable/predictable if I move first then they close up on me. Even if I change direction when moving, my 'wingmen' will still re-form on me.

Perhaps not much use in those SF missions where everyone else on my side has a death wish and does the Mad Charge thing, while I'm being 'tactical'. But it's really good to know there's a way to do a little bit of platoon fire and manoeuvre in SF:

http://combatace.com/gallery/image/28463-practicing-fire-and-manouevre-in-steel-fury-kharkov-1942-1-my-tiger-moves-forward-covered-by-my-numbers-2-and-3/

http://combatace.com/gallery/image/28462-practicing-fire-and-manouevre-in-steel-fury-kharkov-1942-2-my-tiger-halts-and-my-numbers-2-and-3-move-up-to-re-form-on-me-in-line-abreast

http://combatace.com/gallery/image/28461-practicing-fire-and-manouevre-in-steel-fury-kharkov-1942-3-my-number-3-tank-has-halted-to-my-left/

http://combatace.com/gallery/image/28460-practicing-fire-and-manouevre-in-steel-fury-kharkov-1942-4-my-number-2-tank-has-halted-to-my-right/

Whether the wingmen will continue to behave themselves once the shooting starts may be a different matter - but it is very helpful to be able to move realistically in bounds at least up to the the Effective Fire Line (the point where enemy fire would cause casualties if you didn't do something about it). I think 'Counterstrike' would be a good mission to check if I can continue to do platoon fire and manoeuvre in the assault, as well.

Would u be pleased to make a short explanation how to operate with wingmen? I think it'll be a very useful for the beginners. Smth, like this - some words with picture explanations. Then I'll place such tutor on the first page. Actually, there is default mission how to move by points, but mission from user will be better.
my Tiger moves forward, covered by my numbers 2 and 3
(http://combatace.com/gallery/?module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28463&file=max)

my Tiger halts, and my numbers 2 and 3 move up to re-form on me in line abreast
(http://combatace.com/gallery/?module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28462&file=max)

my number 3 tank has halted to my left
(http://combatace.com/gallery/?module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28461&file=max)

my number 2 tank has halted to my right
(http://combatace.com/gallery/?module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28460&file=max)

Yes I'll have a go at that. I need to spend a bit more time experimenting first, for example to check out whether I can also reliably move the wingmen forward first, with my tank staying back as the 'base of fire' (this did not work well when I tried it in a combat mission). Also whether the method I used above, itself works in combat as well as in the 'field training area'.

If am able to work out the other aspects, I would like to have a go at a training mission, a sort of field firing exercise where the player's task is to move in bounds until they make contact with the enemy; then engage a series of tank targets (if it is possible to set up enemy tanks which do not move or shoot back, like target hulks on a firing range; then move up fast and adopt defensive positions near the 'objective' he has just cleared. Maybe add a last phase where 'moving tank targets' simulate a counterattack.

Maybe that would be a lot of effort but (i) a realistic training mission might actually be fun and (ii) if I can make it, with a suitable briefing and perhaps even a document to read first, it would be useful, with the player able to practice platoon control, fire control/gunnery and other tactical drills all in one mission...and in a Tiger!!!

Is it possible to set up tanks which do NOT move and do NOT shoot - T-34-76s would be ideal - and non-firing AT guns, with no crew preferably, on a map? The whole point is they behave like targets in a range.

If I could make that sort of mission, I could make the document based on that. Or I could also make a play-through of the mission into a simulated 'training film' with titles and voice-over - a bit like this one, from back in 'my day':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciFnTiacaDU

It's possible in case, if u use formation "no formation", then u may send a wingmen to move forward.

It's unpredictable how AI wingmen will act. All u can do as command "do as me", if u care abt formation.


It's possible, u`ve to define that enemy tank in the trench and write down script that enemy tank is out of ammo(both MG and gun).

I may help u with script and I think that polygon for driving doesn't suit for the fire training. We can use already prepared or make a new one(that's variant preferable, coz u can make whatever u want).


Yeap.

Yeap.

Be my guest.

The friendly AI works as advertised, until the enemy shows up and starts taking pot-shots at them.
Then the tactical AI routine takes over and may override whatever orders you issued.
This tendency might be reduced, if you use the 'always obey orders' option.

Ok the alternative method is working.

Method 1 - I move first: I order Halt from the map screen, then move forward first myself. Then stop my tank and in the map screen & order 'Do as I do', to get the other tanks to close up with me again. As seen in previous post.

Method 2 - They move first: from the TC unbuttoned view, use F+RMB to designate a position to move to, immediately hitting Q (if done fast enough my own tank will not move at all). The other tanks will move forward and halt, covered by me. They will stay there and I can move up, stop between them and then order them to advance again while I give cover. Or I can keep moving and 'leapfrog' them - they will not move when I pass them, which is good.

Sending my numbers 2 & 3 forward, while I cover them
(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28468&file=max)

My numbers 2 & 3 have moved ahead and stopped, while I provided cover from the halt; now, it's my turn to move
(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28467&file=max)

I have leapfrogged my numbers 2 & 3 who are halted, covering me
(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28466&file=max)

I have halted again and ordered my numbers 2 & 3 to move ahead another bound
(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28465&file=max)

My numbers 2 & 3 have passed me and are moving ahead, while I now cover them from the halt
(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28464&file=max)

So far I think method 2 may be best. No need to go to the map screen (I wish there were hotkeys for the ALL map screen commands!) and - because you cannot take over another platoon tank, if yours is knocked out - it is less risky. Method 1 has some advantages, though. First it perhaps gives you more control over direction and fire positions as you move first. Second, if you send the others on ahead and they hit contact, you may not see it, and they will not send a contact report on the radio (though I THINK that you can go to the map screen to see what targets they have spotted).

Anyway so far so good. Lockie is right, the driving test map is not ideal, too many obstacles. I have got rid of un-necessary scripts left over  from the driver training mission but a fresh start with a different map may be better, one with not too many woods and plenty of dips and folds in the ground for fire positions.

Thanks for writing this up, bound to be useful to new players who've yet to master the application of their plt in combat :)
I mostly use the map screen for move orders and overwatch as it's more precise than the Ctrl RMB combo, but I might amend my ways while in combat as this seems like an appreciably faster solution - looking forward to see it in an actual AAR. ;)

Thanks KapulA. I need to spend a bit more time experimenting. I have tried the 'Move' command from the map but while you can designate an exact spot on the map:

(i) I had to be very quick when returning to the game, to stop my own tank, as it has started to move already (F+RMB+Q is a lot faster and can catch my tank before it has begun to move); and

(ii) both my platoon-mates moved forward and converged on the same designated spot, colliding with one another on the way. Keystone Cops with Tiger tanks. Fun to watch but would be a whole lot less amusing in action  ;D

I'll do a bit more work with the guys in the field training area and then try it out with the Ivans. If it still works ok I'll do the how-to write-up in one document, Lockie has asked for.

Yesterday I played a couple times mission #5. I had two wingmen under control. I`ve to confess it's impossible to force them to obey. Right immediately when they`ve seen enemy, they becomes unpredictable and doesn't care what commands had been received.
(http://s5.postimg.org/ebvk9ie4z/bar01.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/ebvk9ie4z/)
It does that user may command over their wingmen just for interesting/funny. As I told before the main hero is user's tank. All other units made only as furniture and decoration for the mission.

That's why missions often end up with the player's tank being the only thing left alive, if he's lucky and good.

I have noticed that too, Lockie, but:

(i) I'm not sure, yet, that they go off on their own every time, especially if you have 'Always obey orders' selected; and

(ii) even if they always do go off, part of the reason for moving tactically is for the time BEFORE they see the enemy - when you're doing an 'advance to contact'. Even if this does not last long, fire and movement can be useful. Examples. If you are moving ahead and hit contact first, your 'wingmen' may be able to spot the enemy faster (because they are not moving) and save the hero's hide. Or if they don't react, you may be able to order them to flank the enemy, or do something else useful. If they are ahead, hit contact first and start fighting independently and won't obey orders, well that's fine too. Because then I can flank the enemy(whose presence their reaction has alerted me to), or think of something clever to do, while they draw his fire.

Either way, using fire and movement up to the Effective Fire Line may be quite useful, even if the 'wingmen' do their own thing once they are engaged with the enemy.

I'm sure that's part of the reason. But given the AI may be neither as good nor as lucky as the player, this sort of outcome may also be a function of mission design. Perhaps either:

(i) the AI units are programmed to do a 'Mad Charge' directly at unsuppressed defences, without (for example) giving the player enough time, or suitable orders in the briefing, to take up fire positions from which he can support the advance by fire; or

(ii) the mission designer has stacked the odds against the player, never mind Napoleon (or anyone else who said the same thing) on the need to have more forces than the enemy at the point you're attacking (or being attacked), preferably at least 3 to 1. Simmers may like a life or death challenge but soldiers do not and real commanders do their very best to avoid it. I, for one, quite like missions where the commander succeeded :)

I'd be glad for any input on my old home-made missions, if you've tried them out.
It would definitely be useful for any future missions I devise (yes there will be more  ;D)

I agree and that's why a strategic overlay wherein the commander can arrange this local superiority and then resolve it tactically is so enjoyable when it is available in war games.

I have played one or two Panzer III missions but I lose my nerve when those nasty T-34s or KVs appear. This is why I like Tigers (or KVs). But yes I do want to try some missions in 'panzergrau'. I can always try using fire and manoeuvre, but to the rear.  :)

Does GTOS work that way?

I have not played much Combat Mission (original) or Theatre of War (1st one there, too) because (tho the latter at least will allow you to group units) they simulate wargaming with miniatures not real war, because they allow or worse force the player to manageqand move individual tanks or soldiers, ignoring the chain of command.

When I last experimented with wargames (1/300) I saw for the first time a set of wargame rules which REALLY got this right - a Wargames Research Group set for WW2. This was built around the concept that the player, operating as a company of battalion commander, was in the business of giving orders to platoons, who carried them out using set drills, not moving every piece on the table as it it was a chessboard.

Hi Kyth!

the only one I have tried so far is 'Welcome to the Front', which I greatly enjoyed, noisy, imaginative and hectic, from the moment you start and your quiet trip to a standby position goes from bad to worse. I liked the way we ended up on the flank of the enemy attack, although there was very little time to find good fire positions. I'd have liked is a little more in mission brief or intro about who I was and where I fitted in -  but the briefing has a good military feel; tho it's fairly low-key and casual, this in line with the tactical situation and fits in well with the mission as it develops. 

I also had very little time to practice any fire and movement. By the time I had finished my mad dash to get out of the village and away from under that deluge from Stalin's 'God of War' I had only a short time to get the platoon into line (to move with the Panzer IVs towards the valley) when the Red armour arrived.  I was drawn into a shooting match with little time to look out for the others. I only managed send my two platoon-mates forward once before the fun began...

(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28513&file=medium)

...and then one (or both) of them dashed down into the valley in a charge that made the Light Brigade look positively timid. I did manage to call them back and if I had avoided the temptation to go to the gunsight and taken more care of running my platoon, I think I could have kept them under control reasonably well. As it was they got no kills, in between rushing at the enemy then coming back when I called them with their tails between their legs.

I think we might have done better as a platoon if I had done a better job as platoon leader. But this mission develops so fast, that it is very hard to resist the temptation to jump to the gun, start shooting and forget about the others. Fun playing the mission hero as Lockie describes it but I think my platoon might have been more successful, had I concentrated on getting it into a good fire position rather than doing my own thing.

The only thing I didn't like about the mission - apart from the fact that PzIIIs against T-34s and KV-1s makes me very nervous - was getting 'Mission failed', I think because a pair of T-60s and a few infantry got past us to the village we came from (flattened and burning, by that time) and destroyed some rear echelon people in trucks.

(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28515&file=medium)

All my Panzer IIIs survived and I got a KV (and we did a little bit of other damage) so that's a win in my book, even if the regimental commander doesn't think so :)

(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28514&file=medium)

I think a good way to end missions is not with the curtain being brought down suddenly - especially if you cannot know what happened, that you could have tried to prevent - but a message from HQ, like on quitting M1TP2 where you are told 'FRAGO, all callsigns break off and return to base/start positions'. Being told by the CO on the virtual radio that the mission has been aborted is better than being told it's been failed. I would make it impossible to fail a mission so you would NEVER get the awful, gamey 'Mission failed' message, but would time it out eventually, allowing lots of time (at the point where playing on in 99% of cases will have become pointless or boring or both), and then play the 'Mission aborted' radio message.

Overall, despite the mission developing a bit too fast for any 'clever' platoon tactics, I did manage a little bit of command and control in between the hectic periods, and I think if I had spent a bit more time on that and less on shooting, we might actually have done a little better. So I am encouraged to continue to try in missions to play more of the platoon leader role, even though as in real life there will be times when you have to do your own thing.

Thanks for playing,
Yes I guess there are a couple of things I would do differently now.   :)

If you wish to try again, you'll need to send your tanks to the firing line area with the Panzer IV's (the other platoon moves there automatically), then set them to 'Defend'. Then, feel free to shoot at any suitable targets   ;)

We met the Panzer IVs going downhill and I decided to do the same. I did consider ordering a move to defensive positions but I was afraid my platoon would do something a bit erratic. So I ordered bounding overwatch down into the valley and got The Charge of the Light Brigade instead. By the time I realised that was happening, I was involved in a firefight and pretty well distracted from my command responsibilities. Not ALL my fault; the men seem to get a little excitable when they see the enemy.

In SF, the AI seems more inclined to act independently, whereas in other tank sims, AI platoon-mates seems more obedient, perhaps to the point of being robotic. Anyway now that Lockie has produced a training map, I can start experimenting, to find out what works best in different situations, without being shot at while I'm doing it.

I'd suggest going slow, for example, playing at lower difficulty levels 1-3, to get your 'sea-legs' first. Usually the balance of forces is more favourable at these levels.

Then, move on to the higher levels of difficulty when everything comes naturally.

There's one more tip which slipped my mind, and it's a rather subtle one:

As a commander, when you assign targets for your gunner, your tank wingmen will also try to find and shoot them.

The red target marker and nearby targets will have red dots, if they're visible to the gunner.

And lastly, the 'F & Left-Click' command is also available when you're in the gunner's position. 

If you still have a phobia about the abominable KV-1's, the following recounting should put you slightly more at ease:  :D

http://graviteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=10624.msg26684#msg26684 (http://graviteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=10624.msg26684#msg26684)

Killing KVs in a 38(t)? Let me guess...either (i) Kapula is a fantastic shot and put a 37mm round down their barrels just in time to stop their 76mm rounds from converting his tank to Swiss Cheese (ii) or there is a special mod which enables your crew to bail out and stalk KVs with Molotov cocktails :)

Reading on, I see he damaged their tracks then knocked out their guns...I would have thought that the only way that a Panzer 38(t) could damage the tracks of a KV is by getting jammed in them when the KV is driving over it, to conserve ammo  ;D

Well I'm certainly having some fun and learning a little on driver training on lockie's new training area map, especially if I bring the others along. When I order close formation, they can be quite zealous.

(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28535&file=medium)

(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28537&file=medium)

In general they maintain column formation fairly well:

(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28536&file=medium)

And further experiments with fire and movement using the 'they move first' method are working quite well:

(http://combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=28538&file=medium)

Lockie placed a few 'live enemies' in some of the trenches and - as I've seen in other missions - my platoon-mates will readily break formation to attack any enemies they spot. And maybe charge at them, too.

They say nothing on the radio - the only warning I get is hearing them opening fire. If I then look at the map, I can see what they are shooting at is now marked on it.

It's a bit like M1 Tank Platoon 2 and its magic IVIS screen - no warning from the others, they just start shooting and you see the red dots (in M1TPS's case) now marked on the IVIS screen - if you look at it. The big difference is that the M1TP2 'wingmen' stayed with you while firing, whereas in SF, the boys break formation and/or attack.

I wish there was a way of triggering a radio 'contact report' when this happens. Panzer Elite and Steel Beasts both provide this, in both cases with a generic audio 'radio message' with a text display which gives more details, including the grid ref in SB, IIRC. Just hearing them shoot is not a good way to find out, especially as there may be other firing going on nearby. WW2 tank radios weren't THAT unreliable.

The good part is that (with 'Always obey orders' selected in the main sim options) my platoon mates will break off and return to formation if I order 'Do as I do'. Unless perhaps there is some desperate and pressing danger, in which case, fine.

So it seems to me that the SF AI platoon-mates are more aggressive and more independently-minded (or less robotic) than in some other tanksims.

But as platoon leader, it also seems that you can (to use British Army terminology for this sort of thing) step in and 'regain control' if your platoon becomes 'disorganised'.

I think I quite like this, because it's an issue in real life too. SF is making you 'earn your pay' as an officer, with subordinates over whose actions you must exercise a degree of vigilance and control, and not just assume they will behave like...well, like AI 'bots' in a computer game.

I'm finding that driving around in a training area in a decent tank, exploring things without an imminent life-or-virtual-death battle about to start (or already started) I'm learning things about tanking in SF that I would have struggled to pick up 'in action', as fast or at all. Some of it I can hopefully apply when back on SF's 'two-way firing range'.

When I have spent more time finding my around the map I'll start trying to put together a new Tiger driving mission, as a first step in a possible 'training program'.