Question about bicycle troops

Rosollia · #1 April 26th, 2012, 07:57 AM

Playing around with the Finnish Oob I found the Jaeger bicycle troops. I am abit confused about these. How are they supposed to be simulated in game terms?

In reality the bicycles were used for road marches and dumped imediately if enemy was detected. The troops would then fight it out on foot. Perhaps there should just be a bicycle transport unit that can load infantry squads?

I guess it is a similar thing as with cavalry in most cases. I think only troops that still attacked mounted in WW2 were some Polish cavalry. Others just used the horses for transport and dismounted to do battle as regular infantry.

DRG · #2 April 26th, 2012, 05:14 PM

The short answer is there may be a better way to do bicycle troops similar to the way some MC troops are handled and some cavalry but because they are very much a niche item there has been little reason to change from what we have used since day 1 because it's not been an issue for players so in cases like that we tend to think.........."it ain't broke, leave it alone".

I changed some MC units as an experiment and that seems to be working so *perhaps* bicycle troops could be re-worked somewhat but it would require code and OOB changes. That's not to say this is an impediment, just that it would require more than a "simple" change

Don

Jaakko · #3 April 27th, 2012, 12:34 PM

I just made a little test comparing the movement of bicycle troops to basic infantry on different types of terrain. Appears the bicycle troops are faster on all types of terrain, at least on the following types I tested: clear, dirt road, forest, tall grass, rough and tilled field. In my opinion they should only be faster on road, clear and perhaps tall grass. Their speed should definitely be decreased to basic infantry speed on forest and rough terrain, perhaps also on tilled field.

I'm not requesting code change, but I'd welcome it. Before that I simply won't be using them. I would also reduce their size to 1, but that's something I can easily do myself with the OOB editor.

Pibwl · #4 December 17th, 2016, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaakko

In my opinion they should only be faster on road, clear and perhaps tall grass. Their speed should definitely be decreased to basic infantry speed on forest and rough terrain, perhaps also on tilled field.

Since they had not modern MTBs, I'd expect them to be even slower in rough terrain, for they'd probably have to push a bicycle

On the other hand, the Vietnamese reportedly used bicycles as a kind of pushed cargo cart.

BTW: as for mounted attacks, there were few cases of such attacks of Polish cavalry, but I'd bet, that the Soviet one also was used this way, maybe even more frequently.

Kiwikkiwik · #5 December 17th, 2016, 05:10 AM

A man riding a bike is no taller than a man standing, maybe make the bicycle units size 1?

Mario_Fr · #6 December 17th, 2016, 07:54 AM

@Don

I`m just curious. What kind of experiment with the MC?

Cheers

DRG · #7 December 17th, 2016, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mario_Fr

@Don

I`m just curious. What kind of experiment with the MC?

Cheers

In the German and Russian OOB's there are the traditional SSI all in one MC units AND ones that the passengers can dismount from..

ALSO in the Slovak OOB ( apparently nobody plays as the Slovaks........) the Bicycle Platoon has the bikes set up in the scout vehicle UC so troops can use them as transport then dismount like some cav units...the bikes need a " crew ' but that's the game

AxisWarlord · #8 June 22nd, 2017, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRG

ALSO in the Slovak OOB ( apparently nobody plays as the Slovaks........) the Bicycle Platoon has the bikes set up in the scout vehicle UC so troops can use them as transport then dismount like some cav units...the bikes need a " crew ' but that's the game

Hmmm, never noticed that oddity before Don.
Upon examination it seems to be the only Slovak unit in uc 32, therefore for the next update I would think it should more correctly be in UC 172 - Bicycle Section.
This automatically moves the Bicycle Plt to uc 172 also.

Although, further to your note re: 12 men = size 2 (Agreed), but, a carrier unit with just 2 men should correctly be Size 1.
It is Only 12 men when loaded with a 10 man Infantry section, as it does have ability to carry 10 additional men.

Thoughts?
Or does this prevent loading troops, u are the expert on uc abilities.

AxisWarlord · #9 June 23rd, 2017, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxisWarlord

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRG

ALSO in the Slovak OOB ( apparently nobody plays as the Slovaks........) the Bicycle Platoon has the bikes set up in the scout vehicle UC so troops can use them as transport then dismount like some cav units...the bikes need a " crew ' but that's the game

Hmmm, never noticed that oddity before Don.
Upon examination it seems to be the only Slovak unit in uc 32, therefore for the next update I would think it should more correctly be in UC 172 - Bicycle Section.
This automatically moves the Bicycle Plt to uc 172 also.

Thoughts?
Or does this prevent loading troops, u are the expert on uc abilities.

Ok, valid point on size Andy.
But what about correcting the unit class for future patch?

Regards,
Mark

AxisWarlord · #10 June 26th, 2017, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxisWarlord

Thoughts?
Or does this prevent loading troops, u are the expert on uc abilities.

Thanks Don,

The explanation explains the odd class usage precisely.
Makes sense now.
I think it was a fair query.
But I will try to remember to check out the workability in-game for future also.

Thats precisely why I had stated the above when originally questioning the unit class.

Regards,