Battle Editor Settings?

[Lanzfeld]

I have searched all around and while there are a few videos out there that talk about the BE and some of its settings none of them explain exactly what the settings do so I have a few questions I'll ask here. This game is quite a challenge just to learn the UI and now I jump into the BE and it seems to be more of the same.

GAME MODE. ---> "Player Force Obj, Default, Capture Flag, Min Casualties, Mission Objectives". Okay lets start here. What are these? Default what? Capture the flag? What if I set default here but put flags on the battle map using "capture this point" trigger on the battle area? Player Force Obj vs. Mission Obj. ALL THESE need to be explained.

COMBAT MISSIONS --> "Defense, Attack, Recon in Force, Ambush" Again, what do these do EXACTLY? Defense lets you be dug in and that's all I can get out of this. I mean are these just words to be used in the briefing?

BATTLE TYPE --> "Simulator, Tactics" This one has a small tooltip that says something about scripts NOT being applied to player forces. What does it means? What scripts? Is it saying my guys will never panic? Surrender?

This is one area of the game that NEEDS a little more definition please.

[Lanzfeld]

This helps but still so many unanswered questions.

I'll try to help with what I know. Here is my standard procedure - stick to this sequence:

1. Click on the cogwheel button (3rd button from below) to adjust the base settings for your battle. The most important thing here is the "battlefield area". This is where you choose the actual base map for your battle. If you have many DLCs installed, your choice of maps will be larger accordingly. Some other settings here are self-explicatory (weather, attacker/defender roles, factions, defense=entrenchment level), others are not documented so we don't really know what they do (battle type?, mission of player/enemy?). Also note that the weather is not totally free (e.g. the dedicated winter maps will always have snow on them; you can't change the ground conditions, so to speak). Return to the editor screen by clicking on the "deploy platoons on the map" (!) button.

2. Now that you've selected the base map, you need to select the area on the base map to fight over. Just like in the campaigns, the tactical battles take place only on a 3x3km section of the operational/base map. Click on the "set battle area" button (3rd button from top, big downwards pointing arrow) and click on any square on the operational map to set the center square of your 3x3square battle area. If you click close to the border, you can also end up with smaller battlefields (e.g. 2x3km, 2x2km).

3. Next, click on the 4th button from top ("select battle layout"). This changes the way in which the "nodes" (positional slots) are arranged within the squares of your battle area. So this determines the main direction/axis of the battle (east-west/north-south/surrounded in the center).

4. Now it's time to select units. First, click on the "select time period" button (4th button from below). Which time period you choose will affect what troops will be available for you to pick from.

5. Place the player's units/battlegroups. Make sure that the little red flag button is activated on the left hand side, then click on "place platoons" (6th button from top). Select units from the list on the right side of the screen and place them on the map by clicking on any of the nodes/positional slots. There can be only one unit per slot. Also be aware that the sequence in which you place units does matter. Whenever you place a HQ, you should immediately continue to place its subordinate units. Else the game might not register the hierarchical dependencies which will mess up your command links (note how the game registers hierarchy by drawing semi-transparent black lines between the units on the map). Also important: Hold ctrl and left-click on any of your units on the operational map to bring up the details of the unit. You will see what squads are in the unit and you can also adjust "reinforcement strategy" (very important!!) and other stuff here. Some of the details are undocumented (what does "behaviour" do? - it seems to change the composition of troops?).

6. Place the AI's units. Select the little blue flag button on the left and place enemy units just like you've placed your own units. Note that you cannot place AI units in a square in which you've already placed player units.

7.In case the AI is supposed to attack or actively do anything, you now have to create order groups and give orders to them. Select the 7th button from top ("create groups") and put the AI's units into groups (see the "create groups" button's tooltip for instructions). Once you've created groups, you can give orders to these groups. Click on the "create paths" button (8th button from top), select the individual groups (see the tooltip for instructions) and give orders (and delays) to them. Orders need to be targeted at nodes/positional slots. The AI troops will act according to their orders during the battle.

8. When you're ready, you can either start the battle right away by left-clicking on the "start battle" button. Note that your settings will also be auto-saved (so when you open the editor the next time, all your settings are still there). Or you can right-click on the "start battle" button to permanently save your battle as a mission (which will be available in the quick battle selection menu). In the battle itself, you can still deploy your forces normally (e.g. you can still place troops in an adjacent square, but they will lose their entrenchment status if any when doing so).

(Note that I've not mentioned the "trigger" part of the editor. This is how you can add objectives to your battle, but it's not explained anywhere. Probably it has some connection to the "battle type"....? Only the devs know)

[Battleshipfree99]

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

(Note that I've not mentioned the "trigger" part of the editor. This is how you can add objectives to your battle, but it's not explained anywhere. Probably it has some connection to the "battle type"....? Only the devs know)

In Battle Editor, we can actually set up AIvsAI scenarios and learn how AI units maneuver and fight.

[andrey12345 v2.0]

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

GAME MODE. ---> "Player Force Obj, Default, Capture Flag, Min Casualties, Mission Objectives". Okay lets start here. What are these? Default what?

The result of the battle will be calculated as it is done in battles in operations, i.e. on losses and captured territory.

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

Capture the flag?

The result of the battle will be calculated based on the captured key points.

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

What if I set default here but put flags on the battle map using "capture this point" trigger on the battle area?

You cannot place flags on the battlefield. Trigger it is not flag - different words, different meanings.

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

Player Force Obj vs. Mission Obj.

A mission can contain objectives for the player's troops and for the enemy troops. Objectives for the player's troops + objectives for the player's troops = mission objectives.

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

COMBAT MISSIONS --> "Defense, Attack, Recon in Force, Ambush" Again, what do these do EXACTLY?

Defense = troops from one side will be in defence position, from another - attacks
Attack = troops from one side will attack, from another in defence
Recon in Force = both sides will attack

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

BATTLE TYPE --> "Simulator, Tactics"

"This one has a small tooltip that says something about scripts NOT being applied to player forces."
This is _exactly_ what will happen. Nothing more.

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

What scripts?

The ones you create

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

Is it saying my guys will never panic? Surrender?

Why? It is not entirely clear how such assumptions were obtained .
In the tooltips there appears an exhaustive description of what will happen, what is the point of inventing something?

[Lanzfeld]

"The result of the battle will be calculated based on the captured key points."

Okay so these only have to do with the end victory calculation. Got it.

"You cannot place flags on the battlefield. Trigger it is not flag - different words, different meanings."

I tthink you are saying flag is the pre existing highlighted nodes on the map and trigger is just the node I tell the AI to attack I guess.


"Defense = troops from one side will be in defence position, from another - attacks
Attack = troops from one side will attack, from another in defence
Recon in Force = both sides will attack"

Yes but what will these make the AI do, exactly? If I tell it to attack but give it no triggers will it NOT attack? If I tell it to defend and give it triggers will it attack?


""This one has a small tooltip that says something about scripts NOT being applied to player forces."
This is _exactly_ what will happen. Nothing more."

Okay. Clear as mud.

"

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

What scripts?

The ones you create"

Where do I create scripts?

"

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

Is it saying my guys will never panic? Surrender?

Why? It is not entirely clear how such assumptions were obtained .
In the tooltips there appears an exhaustive description of what will happen, what is the point of inventing something? [/quote]"

I assumed nothing. The question marks are saying that I am entirely guessing.

You think the tooltips are "exhaustive"? You need more iron in your diet!

[Lanzfeld]

I think a big problem here is that the "exhaustive" tooltips create many more questions than they answer.

[Redmarkus4]

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

I think a big problem here is that the "exhaustive" tooltips create many more questions than they answer.

If I say what I think about the answers you got I will probably be banned...

[andrey12345 v2.0]

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

Yes but what will these make the AI do, exactly?

This “exactly” depends on a huge number of factors, such as the location and type of troops, terrain, etc., and not just on the choice of one parameter.

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

If I tell it to attack but give it no triggers will it NOT attack? If I tell it to defend and give it triggers will it attack?

If you say AI to attack (select defense or reconnaissance for the player) then it will try to attack, if you say AI to defend (select attack for the player) it will try to defend.
It’s not entirely clear what triggers have to do with it.

You are asking something like: If I turn on the electric kettle, but don’t put sugar and tea in the cups, will it boil the water?

[andrey12345 v2.0]

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

Where do I create scripts?

In the same editor, select a unit or group of units (having previously united them into a group), give them a sequence of commands. And in fact you make a script that prescribes relatively strict actions for them.
You can make scripts for any unit of any side or for any combination of them.
This way you can make the actions more or less scripted, essentially replacing the AI with these scripts.

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

I assumed nothing. The question marks are saying that I am entirely guessing.

But some kind of logical connection should definitely be traced between the questions and what they relate to. Otherwise, it is difficult to find someone who will answer such questions.

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

You think the tooltips are "exhaustive"? You need more iron in your diet!

Clearly, we had to start with this right away.

[archibaldthe1]

As long as get the concept of “scripts”, which is simply a series of movement commands you can specify on the operational map, it all makes sense more or less.
I do have a question though: after all pre-scripted moves are done, will the enemy (and/or allies) switch to computer-generated orders or remain passive?

[andrey12345 v2.0]

Originally posted by archibaldthe1:

As long as get the concept of “scripts”, which is simply a series of movement commands you can specify on the operational map, it all makes sense more or less.
I do have a question though: after all pre-scripted moves are done, will the enemy (and/or allies) switch to computer-generated orders or remain passive?

Remain passive. There will be some understandable reactions, but there won’t be any global plan.

[Bjorn Ginger]

Originally posted by Lanzfeld:

Yes but what will these make the AI do, exactly? If I tell it to defend and give it triggers will it attack?

It seems to me from the battles I've made where the AI-enemy is defending that it sends out a squad to reconnoiter where the player's troops are. With "reconnoiter" I mean move them out of the position where they are placed to meet the player's troops to have a little skirmish. And it does this even though you haven't told it to move forward but to stay put.

I might ve wrong in my assumption about the AI's behaviour when it is defending. But it seems that the above is how it works.

[Lanzfeld]

Andrey12345
Thank you for taking the time to explain some of this stuff. I appreciate you. I understand some of it now better than I did. Some of it not so much but I will experiment.