Using military manuals as basis for the game interface

[TBR]

What I have wondered about since playing Fighting steel is wether any game designer or counselor has knowledge about the venerable real life NATO tactical signals and maneuvering book, which dates back at least to the second world war. In there are all the formations, course change orders etc. you would like to be able to give as a gamer, already in structured form for flag, light or tactical voice signals.

FYI, as the title and rough content of the manual is unclassified and released on the internet, for instance here on the swiss army site: http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/de/home/themen/peace/partnerschaft0/interoperabilit.parsys.0015.downloadList.00151.Dow nloadFile.tmp/mti.pdf
I'm not revealing anything classified here, there is also a releasable NATO PfP version of the document.

STANAG 1174 (ATP- 1C Vol.II) – Allied Maritime Tactical Signal and Maneuvering Book

PCP-1(A) - Partnership for Peace Naval and Maritime Air Communications Instructions Naval and Maritime Air Communications Instructions.

As a grognard I'd like to be able to use correct signals procedures to order my ships about, with correct TacNav procedures used by the individual ships AI to assume new formation positions but perhaps this is asking a bit to much... :)

Though if you could program that, even simple cartwheeling ("fleet ballet") would be fun :D and your game could be used by naval cadets and signaller strikers for training...

A realistic approach would be to use the abbreviated "shorthand" fast attack craft signals.

[jdkbph]

What I have wondered about since playing Fighting steel is wether any game designer or counselor has knowledge about the venerable real life NATO tactical signals and maneuvering book, which dates back at least to the second world war. In there are all the formations, course change orders etc. you would like to be able to give as a gamer, already in structured form for flag, light or tactical voice signals.

I agree, this would be a great basis for a game interface. I had that thought some years ago... and I believe BH and I had several discussions on the subject. My thought was to build an age of sail game with both tactical and strategic components, with the tactics and interface based primarily on the RN Fighting Instructions c 1800.

But that was back when I worked for the US Gubmint and had lots of free time on my hands. Then my wife made me get a real job and my leisure life hasn't been the same since.

:nuts:

JD

[RCNVR]

This was a feature I would have liked to see in Jutland. It would certainly make control of the battle feel different if you could only send orders in preset terms. It also might make control over large numbers a bit easier or maybe not. If done well you could also let the player have as number of customizable orders just like commanders did historically. In WW2 most escort groups originally had their own instructions as well as the Admiralty issue.

[rgreat]

I bet user will have alot less controls this way.

I'm against it, unless it is an option.

[TBR]

It would give the player MORE control, not less. You could order anything you can already order in the existing interface and a lot more besides, especially the various formations would be usable.

[JebUSMC]

The problem is speed. How would you order a course change with a specific heading as quickly as you can with your voice unless a very reliable voice command system that the AI wouldn't have trouble interpreting was used?

[RCNVR]

You could use T(urn), C(orpen) or S(peed) for example with the appropriate number etc following. What I see TBR saying is you could have a set of prearranged formations F(ormation)1 on a course XXX speed XX then the units would carry out the order. You might be able to have a set of programmable orders so DDW might be destroyers attack the head of the enemy line while DDX might be destroyers attack enemy destroyers etc That could be much faster than setting up the attack as it is now.