Please Explain the Command Cycle

[Slacker867]

Hi folks.

I'm really struggling with understanding how the command cycle works.
- I'm starting out on the smaller scenarios, currently playing NS_AS A Time to Dance.
- I've lit the russians up. Other than my Bradleys sitting in cover, with long line of sight getting hosed by a column on the move, things have gone reasonably well.

However, during that time, the US command cycle time has continued to increase - MY HQ are intact (and unaffected as far as I can tell). They're in the command range of almost all of my troops. The troops are deployed in company groups. On the other hand, WP command cycle has been at 13 minutes for a few hours now.

http://i.imgur.com/WK5rzex.jpg
Website link [i.imgur.com]

I'm getting ready to try and take some of the VPs back, but the 54 minute cycle means some WAG type orders and hoping for the best.

Can someone explain what's happening - I can kind of understand the WP cycle time decreasing - they've got a lot less units:HQ at the moment - but I don't understand why mine is so comparitively terrible - both to the starting point (~25-30 min if I remember) but to what I've seen in other games.

Appreciate any help.

[Tazak]

The Command cycle is dynamic and affected by various factors such as readiness, losses, training levels, EW level to name the main ones.
You would expect to see an increase in C3 times as your force gets tired and takes losses, likewise it should increase as you rest your units/HQs and the HQ:Force ratio balances out.

The AI doesn't cheat but can be dumb in some instances so a common design 'trick' to help the AI agaisnt a player is to put the AI under a lower EW setting, making it more challanging for a player without giving the AI a huge force increase.

I've looked at the image, and it appears you have lost about 1/3 of your command structure - right hand side, C3 tab, 'HQ & leaders' is showing 62%, this I would think is hurting your command cycle, but then your 'other units' is showing 69% so it should even out the command cycle, not increase it out to 54minutes, I've never seen a NATO command cycle that long without some serious HQ losses.

I think something funny is going on, do you have a save game available as the Dev's will need one to investigate

[Jactar]

There are various things that cause command delay. Command range, readiness of units and HQ’s, Electronics warfare level, HQ and units suffering losses or even getting under fire.

If your main HQ for example is hammered with artillery or other type of fire it could add huge amount of command delay.