Group formations information.

[tater]

It occurred to me that it would be useful to know the position of units within random and otherwise SH4 generated/organized formations.

I need to do more testing, but if you pick a box formation heading North, where North is up on this page, the units appear:

^
| heading UP

1---2
.
3---4

Sadly the AI formations are limited to a 2000m spacing, so accurate AI CV formations are impossible.

Still, as I get more information I will post it as a reference.

I have noticed other odd behavior in trying to get ships to act the way I'd like. There are some possible ways to force behavior, but they are ugly as hell (it involves making individual ship groups instead of "grouping" ships in the editor, yuck).

[tater]

Wierd. Did a 3 column version. Random group was (duh) 1,2,3,4,5,6.

Came out:

^
| heading UP


5---1---6
.
2---3---4

Leader is 1 in all cases. Next I need to test leader variation on the layout.

Wonder if larger classes are in the middle...
Made another with ships 2 and 5 as DDs.

random group unit order 1-->6, in game formation:

5---1---6
.
2---3---4

The leader is always the middle ship. I made the same mission above, but changed a DD to Iowa. When the 1st BB was leader it was in the middle, when iowa was leader (though not the first unit in the group), it became the middle front ship.

NM BB as leader:

4---1---2
.
5---3---6

Iowa leader (still group ship #2):

4---2---1
.
5---3---6

Changed the CVE that was unit number 6, last on the list to an Eclo PT boat:

4---2---1
.
6---3---4

Seems to like littler ships left. Group leader ship always in the middle.

[tater]

Anyone here have a clue what the formula is for predicting the position of ships?

[dean_acheson]

No, not really any luck there.

I'm still like a newborn babe in using this thing.

[Bill.Braskey]

How did you find out that the AI formations are limited to a 2000m spacing?

Thanks Tater, I wish I could help with your question....

Have you discovered any solution?

[tater]

Sorry, realy the AI organized formations are so limited. Random groups have a pull down for this, and scriped groups if you right click and select the option to let the editor arrange them in rows with a spacing.

tater