The Chain of Command

The Chain Of Command

The Chain Of Command
With Scott McCorley

Welcome class, in today’s lecture you will learn the importance of orders and the importance of paying attention to your chain of command. Orders are an important part of any military unit and everyone from veterans to recruits learns them, be it fire control or drill. The reason recruits are to taught drill is so that once under fire they understanding the fundamentals of following orders.

All orders come with a cautionary catch word and are followed by the execution catch word. An example for drill would be:

‘Platoon will advance, right turn’.

The cautionary word in this case is ‘platoon’ and the execution is ‘turn’. When on the battlefield this becomes in turn a fire control order:

‘100m, left of large white gum tree, 1 enemy moving from left to right, guns 20rnds rapid fire’.

So how does this real-world example relate to Team Yankee? In the game we have a selection of orders, all of which are called movement orders. Something to remember is the skill and courage of the soldiers under your command. A fully trained volunteer will be more willing to work than one that is being forced. In this case, a Soviet conscript compared to a soldier of the British army.

So what orders do we have available?

Blitz
This one is great for units that need to move out to either get a better targeting or more distance on the enemy, as it allows your unit to move 4”/10cm and still count as stationary for firing purposes. Here are three examples of its use

An ATGM (anti tank guided missile) team is unable to fire due to being too close to the enemy ( the enemy is under the 8”/20cm minimum range.). A successful Blitz order will give them the 4”/10cm to move to allow them to shoot. As atgm need to be stationary this is a great order for them.

The Chain Of Command

Tanks with stabilizers will also benefit from this order. In this case, the Leopard 2. With a successful test this tank now has an 18”/45cm movement range, giving it the mobility to get distance and keep shooting coupled with its advanced stabilizer this will keep it alive a lot longer and the ability to flank enemies.

Disembarking infantry from their transports is another way to use Blitz as it allows you to disembark the infantry and allows the transports to move forward to engage.

Just remember that if you fail, you count as being outside command distance and get a +1 to hit. This is the most common order and should be used most of the time.

The Chain Of Command

Follow Me
This order is great if you plan on getting to cover or want to close the distance between your unit those pesky ATGM teams. Just remember that if you use this order you can’t fire. A good example of this is either T64s or M1s moving to within the 8”/10cm of ATGMS and then using this to get under the 8”/10cm; to stop retaliation fire. This is a Courage test unlike the Blitz which is a skill test.

Shoot and Scoot
This order is great for tanks and reconnaissance units. It enables you to move 4”/10cm after firing. The example for this one is a unit of AMX10 RCs in a wood. After firing, upon a successful skill test, the unit can move back further into the cover of the woods to stop retaliation fire. Next turn the unit could try for a Blitz move to get back into position. Also an example of recon hit and run tactics. If it fails it stays put.

The Chain Of Command

Dig In
This one the infantry will love and hate. Upon a successful skill test, the infantry will dig foxholes and gain the addition of bulletproof cover. This is a great order for advancing infantry who know that they will find themselves on the receiving end of return fire. Don’t forget, this order is in lieu of moving, and, weather or not the unit passes their skill test, it counts as moving for shooting purposes.

The Chain Of Command

Cross Here
This order is specifically for those situations where you need to get across some difficult terrain. An example here is to dash across a open terrain to get into cover across a fence. Upon giving this order the unit won’t be able to fire but will get -1 to their cross checks hopefully enabling them to cross successfully.

That covers all of the Movement Orders available to us in Team Yankee. However, with a formation commander around these orders can be more successful and be used to greatly improve the chances of pulling of some great tactical moves against the enemy. The formation commander will generally have the best skill and courage, but be mindful, as if you overcommit your formation commander you could end up losing them. Keep them in command distance but out of line of sight.

In conclusion, think when you want to use your orders, what is the best outcome you’re going to achieve and weigh up your skill of your platoon commanders. especially if your troops don’t have the training to consistently pass checks. If that is the case, look to your formation  commander. Just remember, this is all based on your troops’ skill rating and courage. A good, skilled platoon will have a better chance to succeed then one with a lower skill.

That concludes today’s lesson and remember even a veteran must still follow orders.
~Scott


Last Updated On Thursday, January 10, 2019 by Luke at Battlefront