My question is simple - if there is more than one pop center on a world (either the same empire or different empires, it makes no difference to the question), how if at all do you direct your attack to a specific target on the ground? Seems a bit odd if you can attack multiple centers simultaneously with just the one order.

You do have to declare war against the empire you want to attack before you execute the GATK order so it does not seem odd to me to attack multiple pop grps of the target empire or empires you are at war with.

A GATK normally attacks all pop centers. If you want to spare a few allies centers, give Pete a message.

Yep. Even if you are a total ally with someone, if they have a pop center on the planet, it will be attacked in the GATK order. That also means you would attack any army they have there as well. If you tell Pete ahead of time he can catch this and prevent a disaster. He tries to catch things like this and have the armies fight as allies against any other parties (such as two players attacking a third on the third's HW). But, he's currently only human. So he should be notified ahead of time to avoid mistakes.

So one successful attack captures ALL population centers then - still sounds really weird to me. But thanks for the info.

Me too. I thought you could only attack those empire pop groups that you Declare War on.

No, in fact a DW is not even necessary. The DW, I believe, is still only relevant as to ROE settings and who you attack. It has NO bearing on Ground Attacks. A GATK will attack all pop groups on the planet, unless, as others have stated, you email Pete and warn him.

It helps Pete to decide how to group armies in a multi party ground battle. I know this, becaus I got a GM Note telling me, that my one empire had no PAP with my other empire on and griound invasion with both empires and an ally against a drop. He grouped the correct, despite the lack of PAP

I had mailed him beforehand, though, but it seems he had not used *that* knowledge, but the PAP.

Yep. Even if you are a total ally with someone, if they have a pop center on the planet, it will be attacked in the GATK order. That also means you would attack any army they have there as well. If you tell Pete ahead of time he can catch this and prevent a disaster. He tries to catch things like this and have the armies fight as allies against any other parties (such as two players attacking a third on the third's HW). But, he's currently only human. So he should be notified ahead of time to avoid mistakes.




Hmmm......you say Pete is currrently only human....is there a change we need to know about coming up in the future...it makes brain pod 147 reflect in a whole new light......

Early on I assaulted a dropped HW and it required several turns as I captured one empty pop group at a time until I finally got to the native pop groups.

The watchword here is that you have to tell Pete up front.

In addition, GATK happens immediately in the processing. It is not like Naval combat that waits until all orders for the impulse are completed. This is one of the things that makes joint operations on the ground more difficult. Still, having friends on the ground with you is really nice.

I also wondered about this only human line. I seem to recall comments about his tentacles working over time a few Friday nights. Could be mis-information I guess.

If anyone sees him at the Con, count his appendages and please report.

Octus

Another question for the combat experienced (guess how many ground attacks I've done!) - do troops that have not been assigned to armies do any fighting if their pop group is attacked, or are they boxed up for shipment and thus non-combatants, so to speak?

I think that depends on Pete's mood

But it was said, that they form an ad hoc army and fight.

Damn!

Thats about every little scheme I've had been thrown out of skelter this turn.

^%^%W%$*&^#%$$%!!!!! (or words to that effect)

Sometimes they do, but this is not guaranteed. Absolutely assign divisions from pop group stockpiles to an army to ensure that they will fight in defense of their world.

I'll confirm that. I took over a dropped neutral recently and there were 69 of one type division that sat it out and 6 of another type that did not participate. Both were in stockpiles of the HW. Nice little boost, makes up for the losses their brethern incurred on me!!!