RFE: Assign unit to force from Hanger screen

[mjbroekman]

Environment

MekHQ 0.47.16
Java version 15.0.1
Platform Mac OS X 10.15.7 (x86_64)

Description

When you start getting into dozens of units and a handful of forces, it can be desirable to assign units to forces from the Hanger screen, so you can pick 'the correct Griffin' (for example) for the appropriate force.

Similarly, if you rotate units in and out of forces regularly(*), it is often easier to do that from the Hanger screen rather than hunting through the TOE to find the unit you're looking for.

Examples would be:

• if you're rotating through refits, you can move a unit out of a unit so it can be refit while you put a newly refit unit in its place...
• if you're pulling units out to be repaired, you can then move a fresh unit into the spot previously occupied by the damaged unit

Requested enhancements

Add a right-click menu item for "Add to Force..." which expands to the force layout that the player has created in the TOE. Force entries should include name and number of units in the force. Add a "None" item in the Force list to allow the player to remove the unit from its current force without assigning a new one. Alternatively, if a unit is already assigned to a force, have a menu item to "Remove from Force".

[dtsosie]

Basically, you want to a) add a unit (mech, whatever) to the hangar tab, b) add a force to your TO&E (in the TO&E tab, by right clicking the root force)

[mjbroekman]

Example: I have the following TO&E:

• Company A
• • Lance 1
• • • Mech A1a
• • • Mech A1b
• • • Mech A1c
• • • Mech A1d
• • Lance 2
• • • Mech A2a
• • • Mech A2b
• • • Mech A2c
• • • Mech A2d
• • Lance 3
• • • Mech A3a
• • • Mech A3b
• • • Mech A3c
• • • Mech A3d
• Company B
• • Lance 1
• • • Mech B1a
• • • Mech B1b
• • • Mech B1c
• • • Mech B1d
• • Lance 2
• • • Mech B2a
• • • Mech B2b
• • • Mech B2c
• • • Mech B2d
• • Lance 3
• • • Mech B3a
• • • Mech B3b
• • • Mech B3c
• • • Mech B3d

In my hanger, I additionally have:

• Mech C1a
• Mech C2b
• Mech C3c

I would like to be able to be viewing my hanger, and right-click on Mech A3a ==> "Add/Assign to Force" => "None" to take it out of the TO&E and then right-click on Mech C1a ==> "Add/Assign to Force => "Company A/Lance3"

The reason for this is two-fold (for me)

1. It reduces the number of clicks to chance force composition
2. It reduces the chances of having to redo changes to the force composition because you accidentally selected Joe's Phoenix Hawk instead of Jim's Phoenix Hawk because they have the same identification (other than the pilot).

The first is an overall improvement in experience for all players as it allows you to perform the force comp changes while being able to see the information in the hanger screen (such as condition, pilot, etc), instead of having to flip between the hanger and the TO&E screen.

The second might just be an issue of mine as I have a tendency to collect many mechs of the same type and then have to remember which Phoenix Hawk (or Crusader or whatever) is the one I was really trying to add.

The "Add Unit" fold-out interface for the TO&E is, at best, clunky. It works, but there is much more information that is needed when managing a larger unit and building out the force composition.