VEHICLES and PLATOONS
Vehicle Order
Each ground platoon can comprise of up to five vehicles and the order in which the vehicles were written into Gunship's internal platoon composition chart is very significant, as it dictates their eventual battlefield deployment. The 1st vehicle listed in the chart is the platoon leader and acts as the focus for all the platoon's movement and actions. He will deploy at the map position written into the mission file, with the rest of the vehicles forming up around him, in the order in which they appear in the chart. When using the F11/12 keys to scroll through the vehicles within a platoon, this is also the order in which they will appear. The platoon leader is always the first vehicle into position and always the first to move off. The vehicles within a platoon will always deploy in a fixed order.
Note that although the diagram above shows a 5 vehicle platoon, the same order is followed for 2, 3 and 4 vehicle units. For the vehicle layouts of other formations ie Wedge, Echelon, Column etc. see the Formations Section.
Understanding the vehicle order is important because:
One annoying observation is that platoons will always spawn with the vehicle order reversed. Because of this, the vehicles immediately begin swapping places leading to excessive activity and delay before the platoon actually starts moving. As the platoon leader is always in position first (the rest form up around him), he will move off to the first WP before the rest of the platoon have found their correct start positions, leaving them straggling behind and racing to catch up. Whilst this is not too inconvenient for 3 vehicle units, larger 5 vehicle units can become very spread out, starting the game in no real discernable formation. This is particularly noticeable in a mixed platoon when not all vehicles have the same movement rate. In the left hand diagram below, vehicles 2 and 3 need to change places and vehicle 4 has to move to the opposite flank. If the platoon is to remain stationary, then they will sort themselves out fairly quickly. But if the unit is to immediately move off, then the whole thing gets rather messy.
To avoid this, try reversing the initial direction of facing in the platoon header. ie if the 1st WP is to the North, face the platoon South in the platoon header. Now, when they spawn, they will each turn in place to face the required direction and find themselves correctly ordered. They will then move off in a much tidier formation. The lead vehicle will always be slightly in advance, but this will invariably produce a straighter line and will involve much less delay. Do be aware however, that it's the movement order that forces them to about face and if the platoon is to remain stationary, then reversing the heading will leave the unit facing the rear.
Command Vehicles
Each separate vehicle written into Gunship has a unique vehicle ID number which determines its characteristics - speed, firepower, armour etc. This ID is used by the game to determine the object shown on the screen and its performance within the mission. To give an example, the standard M113 is vehicle ID 15. However, there also exists an M113 command vehicle with the ID 93. The Blue APC Platoon 3 actually contains 1 x vehicle ID 93 (command vehicle) and 3 x vehicle ID 15 (standard APC). Although Gunship uses the same 3D objects for both vehicles on screen (they both look the same), the vehicles have a very different infantry complement. Unlike the standard M113, the command vehicle carries an AT Squad and an AA Squad. Most APC platoons have a similar structure and this allows the platoon command vehicles to realistically deploy weapon teams. For the purposes of mission building, all that we really need to know is that Platoon 3 is an APC platoon of 4x M113s.
Although only APC (and red IFV) platoons have differently loaded command vehicles, all platoons in Gunship use the first vehicle listed as a command vehicle. A full list of the comparative infantry loads of all troop carrying vehicles in the game is included in the Vehicle Loads section.
Should the platoon command vehicle be hit, the rest of the platoon will close in to fill the gap, in an attempt to retain the correct vehicle separation. And they will halt their advance to do this.
Tactically, this can be quite useful as the destruction of the middle tank in a Red 3 tank platoon, will temporarily halt the entire platoon. After some shuffling of positions, the advance will be resumed, but during this re-adjustment their target location and fire control abilities seem to disappear and for a while they are easy meat.
With a stationary target, this can sometimes be a disadvantage, as one vehicle will attempt to occupy the position of the burning command vehicle. As the former command vehicle is now reduced to a piece of terrain (an object), he will inevitably hide behind it making him very difficult to hit. Sometimes this can help to draw out an otherwise concealed vehicle. You've probably seen it happen, when a tank parks in the edge of a wood and no amount of ordinance can touch him. Toast the command tank first and he'll usually leave his secure position and drive out into the open.
Unit Spacing
When positioning two units alongside each other, try to avoid forcing the units to overlap. When two vehicles try to occupy the same piece of ground, they squabble, collide with each other and don't always settle down. Not only are moving vehicles easier to detect at longer ranges (pretty sure this is true), but there is a suspicion that a platoon's detection and firing abilities suffer if it's not in a recognised formation. To avoid this, the map positions should be separated by at least 50m per vehicle. So if the units contain four vehicles each, the second unit's position should be a minimum of 200m away. Remember that it's the lead vehicle that is centred on map position and this is not always the geographic centre of the platoon. This is shown in the diagram below.
Note that the same 200m separation would also be needed if the second Platoon had only 3 vehicles, but if a 3 vehicle platoon was to deploy to the left, it could do so with a separation of only 150m. This degree of precision placement usually isn't necessary, but there may be occasions when you have to deploy on a limited frontage and where every gun counts. And it also looks tidier.
Platoon Types
There are two categories of Ground platoon that can be used in Gunship missions and both behave differently.
Active Platoons
An 'active' platoon is any platoon that can be controlled with movement orders and these represent the bulk of ground units within Gunship. Movement orders are either a series of linked Waypoint commands, or a single Logic command. The formation adopted by a platoon under WP orders can be controlled, but will only apply during movement. When halted at its final WP, the only formation that an active platoon will adopt is a single line. Similarly, the platoon will always halt facing in its direction of travel. A platoon can be ordered to adopt a specific facing, but it will only be adopted at its final waypoint. Logic orders modify this behaviour, but are outside the control of the mission builder.
The spacing between the vehicles of an 'active' platoon when stationary is always the same, with all the vehicles in the line deployed 50 meters apart. Although in many circumstances, individual vehicles will adjust their vertical separation to suit the terrain. See the Platoon Dynamics section.
Static Platoons
Bunkers, Tents and SAM batteries are examples of static platoons. They are fixed in place and cannot therefore execute movement orders, but can (in some cases) be given other commands. Non firing static platoons, such as Tents and Parked Helos are truly inert and their entry in the mission file is usually just a single 'platoon header' line . Static platoons do have one unique attribute, in that they can be deployed in any of the platoon formations listed. Because these platoons cannot move, they must retain the formation that is written into the platoon header. The spacing between vehicles/objects will also reflect the formation adopted. Normally this is 50 meters, but extended line puts them 200 meters apart. Also, being static, they do not dynamically adjust their positions to suit the terrain. Their direction of facing is specified in the platoon header, but as their initial heading is always reversed and these units cannot move, you must deploy them backwards. If you place a SAM battery with a heading of 180, it will actually deploy facing South, not North.
Support Platoons
Support platoons are a special case, but should also be considered as active platoons, with the same range of movement options. Note that the only ground platoons that can be used in this role are listed as 'SUPPORT' in the Platoon list. Artillery can be positioned on or off the map, but unless their presence is required by the mission, they are best left off the map. All formation commands for Artillery will be ignored as, like all other active platoons, they will always deploy in line when halted. The direction of facing is controlled by the platoon header, but when called upon to fire, the guns will always turn in place to face the target. The correct positioning and facing of Artillery is of critical importance and is covered in depth in the Platoon Dynamics section.
Aircraft are usually given off map co-ordinates in duplicate form, ie start position and 1st WP being the same. They will then loiter at this point until called. Artillery, Aircraft and Helicopters in the Support role are covered in greater detail in the Support section.
Force Composition
When mission building, always try to keep the force composition somewhere close to reality. A map full of just enemy trucks or Air Defense units may be fun (if you enjoy that sort of thing), but is not very realistic. In a well rounded mission you should try to use correctly proportioned forces. Every three tank platoons should 'normally' be accompanied by an HQ platoon and AD Sections should be spread out (thinly) amongst them. Tanks will rarely be found without supporting Infantry close by and vice versa. Trucks, tents, Battn HQs and SAM sites wouldn't normally be found alone and exposed and should be escorted or protected by combat units. Try to think of why the units are deployed where they are and the job they are trying to do. If you can justify an abnormal force structure in the mission briefing, then go ahead and use it, but do try to avoid the temptation just to scatter easy targets across the map. This applies equally to the friendlies too.
I know this is starting to sound like an M1TP site, but most missions will depend heavily upon what is happening on the deck. Creating a believable ground scenario really does add to the playability of a mission and although none of this is strictly necessary, it can add a lot to the player's involvement.
Armoured Cavalry
An all time favourite of mine is an Armored Cavalry Troop. Not only does it represent the sort of 'up front' unit that Apaches would regularly operate with, but it's a nicely balanced, stand alone force. The diagram below shows a full Armored Cavalry Troop (ACT) and the Gunship Platoon numbers used to represent the nine components.
The two Scout Platoons are represented by 4 x Scout Sections (platoon: 9). This is quite accurate, as the 6 vehicle platoons are almost always split into either 2 or 3 vehicle sections. I usually deploy these well forwards with Logic Recon orders. The two Tank Platoons are straightforward M1A2s (platoon: 1). These act as a quick reaction force for the scouts and should be in positions to cover the scout's advance. I advance them in stages behind the Scouts using Waypoint and delay orders.
The HQ platoon is an MBT HQ (platoon: 136). The Troop commander leads in an M1A2, followed by an M2A3, an M3A3 and an M2A3 Linebacker. These are fairly close representations of the XO's command vehicle and the Troop TOC, although the Linebacker would be an attachment. The HQ Platoon can fight, but should be positioned in the rear. The Mortar Section (platoon: 8) gives the Troop its own (limited) fire support and is best kept back with or behind the HQ.
The Supply Platoon (platoon: 28) is used to represent the Troop's Combat Trains. Well actually it's the Field Trains, as the Combat Trains would use 3 x M113s and an M88 recovery vehicle (a vehicle that's sadly missing). As an Armored Cavalry Troop would normally operate with its Combat Trains only 2 to 3km to the rear, it deserves to be on the map. It adds a bit of detail, but make sure you leave it somewhere safe. Give the HQ and supply platoon PROTECT orders and you've got a ready made mission.
This unit can and does operate independently and can provide enough ground action for a well balanced mission. While the Troop's primary role is recon, it is also employed for front, rear and flank security and is often used for convoy escort. As in real life, further 'attachments' can be made; a section of Avenger or Linebacker ADVs, a platoon or two of Bradleys for built up areas (Cavalry units are always low on infantry), or a platoon of M113s (which are a reasonable approximation of an Engineer Platoon).
Unlike the Troop above, which forms part of an Armored Cavalry Regiment, the organisation of separate Divisional Cavalry units will vary, depending upon their origin. The following Troop mixes were all used in Desert Storm. Note the lack of tanks:
A much lighter alternative would be a Light Cavalry Troop, attached to Airborne or Light Divisions, with two Scout platoons, each of 10 HMMWVs replacing the M3A3s and two AT Platoons each of four HMMWV TOWs instead of the M1A2s. These would be represented by platoons 10 and 4. The HQ and Mortar platoons are a problem as these use Hummers too, so only the forward elements can be used.
Remember that using any of these doesn't restrict you to flying as a Blue player; I've built missions flying in support of the ACT and had just as much fun, flying against it.