5 VISIBILITY & MOVEMENT

5.1   Visibility

All your friendly units are visible, but enemy units are not always visible. Enemy units do not become visible until they are within a certain visibility range from friendly units. The visibility range is calculated from a base visibility range (set in the battle data file), and adjusted based on the terrain occupied by both the friendly unit and the enemy unit. If your unit occupies a mountain or hill it has increased ability to see enemy units; while occupying a forest or swamp, it has decreased ability to see enemy units. If the enemy is in a forest, he is much more difficult to see, and your unit must be closer. Enemies that move into forests may disappear from view. The base visibility range may be altered (see Game Parameters section).

5.2   Movement

When one of your units is ready to move, it will be highlighted and a short tone will sound. At that point, you have several command options as described in the paragraphs below. If the unit is entrenched, you will be prompted to confirm that you want it to move. If you do not confirm the move, the unit automatically is Rested.

5.3  Controlling Diagonal Moves

Diagonal movement is supported in this game, using the numeric key pad, with NUMLOCK turned OFF, as shown below:

+——+——+——+

|  7   |  8   |  9   |

Move UP & LEFT —–>     |      |     <—– Move UP & RIGHT

| Home |      | PgUp |

+——+——+——+

|  4   |  5   |  6   |

Move LEFT ——->     |      |     <—– Move RIGHT

|      |      |      |

+——+——+——+

|  1   |  2   |  3   |

Move DOWN & LEFT —>     |      |     <—– Move DOWN & RIGHT

| End  |      | PgDn |

+——+——+——+

Note that this scheme is required because the map is hex-based. The game will respond to the Up or Down moves (either on the numeric keypad, or the “inverted T” arrows), but since there are no directly up or down moves on the map, it must convert them to a diagonal move, which is done on a 50%-50% random basis, either left or right.

TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE EAST-WEST DIRECTION OF NORTH-SOUTH MOVEMENT, YOU MUST USE THE NUMERIC KEYPAD.

5.4   Single Hex Movement

You may move the unit to an adjacent unoccupied hex by using the appropriate arrow key (numeric key pad). Since the unit may not move directly up or down on the hexagonal map, the ‘up’ or ‘down’ keys are reinterpreted as diagonal ‘up’ or ‘down’ moves. You cannot control whether these reinterpreted diagonal moves are right or left (done randomly), so you should generally avoid using the ‘up’ and ‘down’ keys for single hex movement.

If you attempt to move into a prohibited hex (occupied or water), a tone will sound. There is no movement penalty. After the unit moves, it may reveal enemy units that were previously hidden.

Any units that were entrenched at the beginning of the scenario (using the scenario editor) may be reluctant to move from the safety of their trenches. Occasionally such units will not respond to move orders (a message to that effect is displayed). Units that are low on morale or that are poorly led are more likely to do this.

5.5   Move-to-Location Orders

Single hex movement may be tedious. You may wish to give your units orders to move to a particular location instead. To do this, press ‘M’ when the unit is highlighted and a cursor will appear on top of the unit. Move this cursor with the arrow keys to the desired destination, and press ‘Enter’. When the “move to” order is issued, the destination will be indicated by a small white circle and a line will connect the unit with its intended target. On its next turn, your unit will then begin to move to the selected destination, following the most direct path. (It will not necessarily follow the same path you used in moving the cursor to the destination). If it is blocked by a friendly unit or by prohibited terrain (water or edge of map screen), or if the unit is attacked in any way, the movement order will be cancelled, and the unit will wait for new instructions.

Artillery units must be LIMBERED (or the limber option must

be turned off) to respond to move-to-location orders. Orders

can be issued to unlimbered artillery, but the orders are

ignored, and the unit will not move. This applies to the

special group move-to-location orders issued by General

units as well. Emplaced artillery can not receive

move-to-location orders.

For destinations that are far away, moving the cursor may be

speeded by holding down ‘Shift’ before pressing the desired

arrow key. The cursor will then move to the indicated map

– 14  –

edge. Pressing the ‘5’ key at the center of the key pad will

center the cursor on the screen.

Once a unit has reached its assigned destination, it will

flash and a tone will sound, along with a message that it

has arrived at its destination. At that point its orders are

cancelled, and it will await further instructions.

While units are ‘under orders’ to move you will not normally

be able to access them, even if you change your mind about

what they should do. The only way you can overcome this is

having one of your General units cancel the unit orders

using the ‘X’ command. (See ‘hot keys’ section). This is not

100% effective (due to communication breakdowns and stubborn

subordinate officers). Even if the orders are actually

cancelled, morale and leadership may be reduced in units

affected due to the conflicts between unit commanders and

General unit. Thus, the ‘cancel orders’ option should be

used only as needed to free units that have become locked in

combat.

Since the General units are your only means to cancel

orders, you should usually not give them movement orders.

That way, you will be able to access them more frequently.

Though your units will normally wait for your commands, on

occasion they will decide to move on their own initiative

(generally in an attempt to engage an enemy unit which they

have sighted). Such units issue their own orders to move to

the chosen destination. You can choose to adjust the

tendency of your troops to do act on their own by setting

the ‘Reliability’ level in the ‘Game Parameters’ menu.

5.6   Group Move-to-Location Orders

====================================

A General unit ONLY may order a group of nearby units to

move to a destination. To activate this feature, press F6

when a General unit is highlighted and awaiting your

command. A cursor will appear as described in the

Move-to-Location option above. Move the cursor to the

target destination and press ‘Enter’. The number of nearby

units that plan to obey the order is given in the screen

message. Units must be no further away than half the

visibility limit to receive the order. Likewise, in order to

obey the order, the unit must not be ‘under orders’. Note

that the General unit himself does not go ‘under orders’,

only those OTHER UNITS that comply with his orders.

5.7   Charge

=============

Infantry units ONLY may double their speed for short

distances on OPEN TERRAIN OR ROADS only with a ‘C’ (CHARGE)

command. Units in ‘charge’ mode will be shown with a

distinctive icon. While in ‘charge’ mode they will move

twice as fast as normal infantry.

– 15  –

If charging units become involved in combat, or are attacked

by artillery, or move into any other than open or roads

terrain, they will switch out of ‘charge’ mode. In addition,

each time a unit in ‘charge’ mode is moved, there is a

chance that the unit will simply become too tired to

continue the charge. Units that are moved until they are too

tired will be delayed in their action for a time while they

rest.

The ‘charge’ option affects both movement and combat

(increases ‘shock’ effect of attacks). Units with too low

morale will not be able to charge at all until their morale

improves.

Note that switching to ‘charge’ mode requires one turn. Then

the unit may be moved a single hex or given orders.

5.8   Rest

===========

You may not wish to move a unit on its turn. By pressing the

space bar you can skip the unit and allow it to rest for a

few turns. If the unit’s morale is low, it will improve

slightly after resting.

5.9   Wait

===========

To avoid having to repeatedly issue a ‘Rest’ order, an

option is provided whereby units may ‘Wait’. Press ‘W’ when

the unit has its turn. The unit icon will change to a solid

colored block. The unit will become inactive, automatically

resting to regain morale. The unit will reactivate if

attacked (either melee or cannonade). Waiting units suffer

no penalty if attacked.

In addition, you may activate the WAITing unit at any time

another friendly unit has a turn. Press ‘I’ for the

intelligence cursor and pass it over the inactive unit you

wish to wake. The icon will change to the normal icon. Now

press ‘esc’ and the first unit can take whatever action you

wish.

5.10  Stacking

===============

Normally, units cannot move onto other friendly units

(stack). However, units can now be stacked under certain

conditions:

(a) TOTAL unit strength resulting from stacking must be

stack limit or less (stack limit default is 500)

(b) If dissimilar units are stacked, an INFANTRY unit

will result, unless one of the units is a

GENERAL, in which case a GENERAL will result

The leadership value for the stacked unit will usually be the

higher of the two units that are being combined. An exception is

if one of the units is a General and the other is not; in that

– 16  –

case, the resulting leadership value is always that of the

General unit.

Morale will generally INCREASE slightly if LIKE units are

stacked. It will generally DECREASE slightly if UNLIKE units are

stacked.

Stacking results in a time delay for the unit to get reorganized.

The reorganization delay is reduced if leadership is high.

5.11 ‘Join’ Command to Check Stacking Options

==============================================

The ‘J’ (for ‘JOIN’) option allows a unit to check for other

units it might combine with, given the current stack limit. All

units which the unit in question could join will be displayed (if

any), while all other friendly units will temporarily be blanked

out.