Protect the command chain

Protect the command chain

Mechanics-based sequence; current briefing and UI take precedence.

1. 01

   Assign a leader to the job

   Check the attached officer and inherited modifiers.

   Success check

   Leadership requirements and effects fit the formation purpose.

   If it remains unclear

   Assign an appropriate available officer and recheck the hierarchy.

   Read the supporting evidence

   §Assign a leader to the job#

   Officer bonuses and penalties propagate to units below them in the command hierarchy. Review the whole modifier set, including personality tradeoffs, before assigning an officer to an assault or holding formation. A benefit aimed at one unit type may be irrelevant to much of a mixed force.

   Each formation needs headquarters with an attached officer to deploy. Reorganizing the army can change which units inherit a leader's effects. Recheck those relationships when combining divisions or transferring specialist units.

2. 02

   Review an ability before exposing headquarters

   Inspect the headquarters movement required by an active ability.

   Success check

   The intended effect has a protected approach and tolerable risk.

   If it remains unclear

   Keep headquarters back when its safety cannot be maintained.

   Read the supporting evidence

   §Review an ability before exposing headquarters#

   Passive skills provide ongoing effects, while active skills need manual activation. The diary describes active abilities that require headquarters to move to a designated area. Check that movement and the available protection before committing a valuable officer.

   Headquarters have weak combat qualities and try to disengage when attacked. Nearby headquarters support is described in the combined-arms diary, but pushing command staff into a dangerous line for support carries a formation-wide risk. Keep protection and an escape route in mind.

3. 03

   Check leadership when a formation stops

   Check headquarters status, executing plan and zone tactic when units stop.

   Success check

   A documented cause is identified before changing the operation.

   If it remains unclear

   Recheck local strength, flank security and leadership before diagnosing a bug.

   Read the supporting evidence

   §Check leadership when a formation stops#

   Headquarters casualties can wound, capture or kill an officer. The diary describes temporary formation paralysis when a leader becomes incapacitated during a mission. Inspect headquarters status when multiple subordinate units stop together.

   Also check the active plan and zone tactic. Balanced Hold can refrain from advancing because of insecure flanks or enemy strength, while a draft plan may simply be inactive. This separates documented operational explanations before you treat the situation as a software fault.

4. 04

   Review leadership after the battle

   Review surviving officers and unavailable wounded leaders.

   Success check

   The next deployment has the leadership it requires.

   If it remains unclear

   Recruit or assign an available replacement before deploying.

   Read the supporting evidence

   §Review leadership after the battle#

   The diary describes wounded officers being unavailable for the next mission and needing a replacement; capture or death removes them permanently. Check surviving leaders before deploying the same formation again.

   New officers are recruited as the campaign grows, with historical veterans becoming available through progression. Current costs, skill values and disruption durations belong to the release interface. The checklist here does not assume a particular recruit price or skill build.