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Your best battle? - 7/5/2006 9:59:50 AM

ktotwf

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What has been your best battle in all the time you have played Empires in Arms?

What about your largest?

< Message edited by ktotwf -- 7/5/2006 10:02:06 AM >

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RE: Your best battle? - 7/6/2006 12:51:55 AM

Ursa MAior

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Unfortunately I have not had a possibility to play the boardgame, but in EU2 I beated Wellington's army in Belgium.

Only problem it was 100,000 french vs 75,000 english with no prussians in sight.

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RE: Your best battle? - 7/6/2006 1:34:41 AM

rod

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Best battle was one where i controled Denmark, and GB landed in Copenhagen whit 5corps 60 faktors, and i broke him on the 2nd day of combat whit 1 faktors left. Bye bye whole english army. As to biggest i seen a few battle whit over 300 faktors but they usely not that fun as it's normaly in the end game.

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RE: Your best battle? - 7/6/2006 3:03:17 AM

Hoche

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quote:

ORIGINAL: rod

Best battle was one where i controled Denmark, and GB landed in Copenhagen whit 5corps 60 faktors, and i broke him on the 2nd day of combat whit 1 faktors left. Bye bye whole english army. As to biggest i seen a few battle whit over 300 faktors but they usely not that fun as it's normaly in the end game.

Ouch!!!

But it was stupid of the GB player to invade Denmark with that many factors. The battle of Copenhagen always that that frightful possibility. A smart player only attacks Copenhagen with the minimum number of factor with win. Demark only as something like 7inf and 1cav so GB only need 10 factors to succeed

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RE: Your best battle? - 7/6/2006 3:24:08 AM

Hoche

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My best battle was with 1792 Prussia. GB and Russia decided they wanted to crush me. Normaly as Prussia I would have folded facing such a coalition. But they were noobs and I was an experienced player so I thought I would try my luck. While Suvarov was marching on Prussian controled Warsaw a British and Russian army under Fersen (Russian leader) landed in Hamburg, with about 50 factors. I had full corps and several minors. My main army was about 90 factors under the command of Burnswick (2.1.3, Hey he was my only leader). Knowing that they had a Russian leader and the noobs like to get the +1 moral for picking defend I outflanked with Brunswick. They indeed chose defend and so I got a +1 on my outflank. I rolled a 2 and they were mine. That was years ago so I don't remember exact casualties but all that was left was a single Russian cav corps. All the Brits died so he made an informal peace after the battle. I had already conquered Hanover from them and they didn't have an army to fight with. There was not much I could to stop the Russian led by Suvarov (4.5.4*). But with the complete destruction of the second prong of his invasion he decided that the destruction of Prussia wasn't worth the effort. He contented himself with the conquest of Polish Lithuania and Polesia. The he too went informal. So with a virtually leaderless Prussia I survived a British and Russian invasion with the intent of crushing me and snagged Hanover.

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It is a general popular error to suppose the loudest complainers for the public to be the most anxious for its welfare.
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RE: Your best battle? - 7/6/2006 11:24:58 AM

ktotwf

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Wow, who knew that Brunswick was such a good general?

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RE: Your best battle? - 7/6/2006 1:19:18 PM

bobble

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A 1792 campaign:

I was playing with Turkey. Almost at the end of game (about 1800). Allied with France. In war against Prussia, Austria and Russia.

Hoche conquered Vienna and Napoleon was next to him, in the south zone.�The composition of Hoche army was the elite of frenchmen. Napoleon was commanding some French corps and almost all Turkish and Ottoman army (Syrians, Egyptians and so on).
Suvarov attacked Vienna with a combined army of their allies with almos 100 factors. They choose "Escalated Assault". Hoche choosed "Outflank", Napoleon reinforced and made the outflank at the first attempt. At the second round, the Suvarov's army broke. Then Hoche pursued the enemy army with 73 (!) cavalry factors and destroyed almost everything behind him (rolled 6+1=7)

It was some years ago, so I can't remeber the exact number in this battle (only the cavalry charge), but you can imagine it.

Greetings,
Pablo Alonso

< Message edited by bobble -- 7/6/2006 1:20:44 PM >

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RE: Your best battle? - 7/7/2006 5:33:05 AM

hlj

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The best battle i have ever been in was as Spain. I was paid by France to be at war with Austria. After I had conqured almost all of italy from Austria, France got seccond thoughts and declared war on me.

I had only three corps led by Castanos and france came after me with 2 corps under napoleon. I was standing in some mountains in italy. I cant remember the chits but both of us broke and I was down to two corps. Next month he moved first and attacked this time with 4 corps, I think the chit was probe against esc. counter attack.

I didnt win the war against france, but it felt good breaking napoleon twice with Castanos.

The largest battle I have seen was france against prussia/austria/Russia. It wasnt fun, just bloody.

The funniest thing I have seen in EIA was the face of the player in charge of GB, when he faithfully as he did every month after an econ, asked the other players how many ships they were building and found that france had put 93 ships on bidding

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RE: Your best battle? - 7/14/2006 8:53:01 PM

Murat

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My "best" battle was actually a loss. I was France in an 1805 and lost about 25% of my army to a 4 power army (BR/AU/PR/RU) but it convinced Spain that I was "crippled" so he joined me, forced the Channel, and we salted the fields of Britannia in the resulting unconditional to me and conditional to Spain.

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RE: Your best battle? - 7/20/2006 5:54:51 PM

montesaurus

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One of my favorite victories was when I played France against a coaliton consisting of Ru, GB, SP, and TU. PR was my only ally. Anyway, GB had moved some corps into France with Wellington and combined with the Spanish Army. The British player figured he could always easily withdraw with Wellington if the French ever caught him in a battle. As the French I did a double turn, and concentrated enough forces on the Spanish and Brits to get a 2:1 advantage with Napoleon in charge, and Murat there as my Cavalry commander. The Brit played a withdrawl chit while the French played an accelerated assault chit. The Brit who thought it was a guaranteed withdrawl with Wellington in charge was surprised to learn that an accelerated assault reduces the chances of withdrawl. The Brit unfortunately failed his withdraw attempt and was promptly defeated. The ensuing pursuit eliminated the rest of his army, and Wellington was subsequently captured! A glorious day for France indeed!

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RE: Your best battle? - 7/20/2006 6:01:22 PM

ktotwf

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Ouchies. Poor Wellington.

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RE: Your best battle? - 7/20/2006 8:31:03 PM

Murat

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Execute him

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/4/2006 1:46:24 AM

Will_L_OLD

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Best and largest was in a Grand Campaign game where I was playing Turkey. Russia controlled Romagna, Tuscany and Papacy and Turkey controlled Naples, though not Sicily. France controlled Lombardy, Piedmont and Venetia as minor free states. It was August 1808 and France decided that it was time to end his truce with us after defeating Austria and Prussia in a springtime war. Russia and Turkey had been firm allies up to this point and Turkey answered Russia's Call to Ally and declared war on France.

The majority of the Russian and Turkish armies were in Italy, well over 200 factors in all. Napoleon attacked the Russo-Turk force under Pechlivan Khan and Kushanz Ali on the Tyrhennian coast in the Papacy with a strong force, including his Guard and Artillery plus a number of below strength minor Corps, his army was not at full strength due to losses to in the earlier war with Prussia and Austria. Since we were not using the extended drop in leader ratings optional rule, the tactical ratings were 3 for Napoleon and 2 for Pechlivan Khan, die roll modifier of 0 for the attacker to -1 for the defender, the -1 was erased by Russo-Turkish cavalry superiority. The picks were Assault versus Counterattack! A +1 for the Russo-Turkish morale since Pechlivan Khan was in command.

The battle raged for three rounds of combat, neither side committed its guards and neither sides morale broke! Both armies decided to stay and continue the fight. The second day of combat went three rounds as well though I don't remember the chit picks exactly, I do recall that they were not advantageous to either side. Again, neither sides morale broke and the battle ended.

Then next turn France sued for peace and Russia and Turkey both took a conditional peace. After that peace the French admitted that he had only 17 infantry left and he was unwilling to risk his guard, cavalry and artillery. The Russo-Turks lost their entire force of feudal infantry and a fair number of Russian infantry also, the proportional losses optional rule was not being used in this game.

The Russians ended up winning this game with Turkey in second place, the alliance lasted the entire game.

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/4/2006 1:00:16 PM

ktotwf

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How was Napoleon's Tactical Rating a three? His army was like over 12 corps?

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/4/2006 4:21:36 PM

McGuire

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As I must admit my "best battle" was simply pure luck.
It was right after the Alliance AU/PR lost against FR in the beginning. I was playing GB.
PR was forced into a CP and AU agreed to an informal peace because the TU were coming from the east. But all three of them were weakened if not crippled.
So I grabbed as many troops as I could spare and attacked FR from behind. There was just 1 battle. I don't know the exact numbers but it should be a good estimate.
GB: 20 Inf, 5 Cav, 1 GD
FR was about twice as strong and had Napoleon.

But after 2 rounds of the battle (both 5 or 6 on my side and 1 or 2 on his) the FR army ran! But that wasn't it! Best of all: Napoleon was killed during battle! :-)
After the next political phase AU reentered the war against FR (after I bribed the TU not to attack him) and SP saw some chance and attacked too.
It needed only two more months to have FR suing for peace!

Great day for the GB!

< Message edited by McGuire -- 8/4/2006 4:22:48 PM >

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/4/2006 5:30:26 PM

ktotwf

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Ouchies. Napoleon being killed = France Screwed Hard

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/4/2006 6:34:03 PM

Joisey

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The most fun I had was a game where we had a noob controlling Britian who played quite foolishly, defending the British home islands with Morroccans and Swedes in Portugal and the Brits in Holland. France, Spain and Russia combined to defeat the British fleet, (chiefly due to the British player's obnoxious trade practices) and Spain took out Morrocco making his garrisson troop in England vanish. Then the Russians shuttled over a couple of corps and took an undefended London. LOL!

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/8/2006 9:09:02 AM

Will_L_OLD

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"How was Napoleon's Tactical Rating a three? His army was like over 12 corps?"

Yep, Napoleon had 14 Corps in that battle including both Piedmont Corps, Lombardy, Holland, Baden and Wurttemburg. All low in numbers (except Lombardy but it was nowhere close to full) and a drain on French morale. He probably counted on the Russo-Turks not having cavalry superiority and his picking Assault (or even Escalated Assault) was a major error because of the morale boost it gave the enemy.

Those minor forces come in handy sometimes, but when I've played France I have usually tried to limit them to seiges, attacking depot garrisons or small armies with approximately equal morale where the secondary French leaders can make a world of difference.

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/8/2006 9:57:26 AM

Murat

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Will_L

"How was Napoleon's Tactical Rating a three? His army was like over 12 corps?"

Yep, Napoleon had 14 Corps in that battle including both Piedmont Corps, Lombardy, Holland, Baden and Wurttemburg. All low in numbers (except Lombardy but it was nowhere close to full) and a drain on French morale. He probably counted on the Russo-Turks not having cavalry superiority and his picking Assault (or even Escalated Assault) was a major error because of the morale boost it gave the enemy.

Those minor forces come in handy sometimes, but when I've played France I have usually tried to limit them to seiges, attacking depot garrisons or small armies with approximately equal morale where the secondary French leaders can make a world of difference.

That would have made him a 4.

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/8/2006 2:08:06 PM

ktotwf

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I don't think so. His Tactical Max rating is a 6. So, at 12 he would be a 4, past 12 he would be a 3...

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/8/2006 6:36:17 PM

Sardonic

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I played an 1792 Game w me as France. No one else was willing.

The ENTIRE WORLD allied against me. The combined allied army under Suvorov was Marching against France
with over 100+ factors.

I had what you start with.

I took England aside and I agreed to allow him to sink my fleets, if he would avoid landing or giving money to Spain.
He kept his word.

Spain advanced and immedietly bogged down trying to take my cities and fortresses.
He also lost 30 factors thru supply attrition.

Still it didnt look good. I was foraging because I had no money.
I did an immediate Levy on mass

Suvorov crossed the Rhine at Cologne. I double marched and met them at Cologne.
He decided to meet me outside the city with everything he had.
I dont recall the exact numbers but I was easily outnumbered 3-1.

I did the logical choice. Suvorov is the only Allied leader that is good at flanking.
I knew the Russian player would be tempted to use him that way.
He sent the entire Prussian army to flank me, and left the Russians and the Austrians to hold me.
I picked Cordon.

And I had him. I rolled a six and he rolled a one. Even better.
The Prussians never showed.
I reamed that Russian army, and their Austrian lackeys.

The vision of the broken allied force trying to make it to the bridges, warmed my heart.
I took Cologne by default.

Dumuriez was my leader.

I had 5 Cav so it was not a complete victory. The Prussians got away.

French militia ruled the day.

Natually later in the game Dumuriez was exectuted in the terror.

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/9/2006 12:22:39 AM

Joisey

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Well played! I don't think I could ever give up my fleet like that, unless the Spanish are going to be hopeless British Lackeys.

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/9/2006 12:49:39 AM

Will_L_OLD

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ktotwf

I don't think so. His Tactical Max rating is a 6. So, at 12 he would be a 4, past 12 he would be a 3...

Exactly.
And if we had been using the optional rule to continue reducing the tactical ratings than Napoleon would have been one of either a 5-5-6, 5-4-12, 5-3-18 or 5-2-24(That would be one scary stack) and Pechlivan Khan would have been either a 3-4-3, 3-3-6, 3-2-9, or 3-1-12.

Limiting the reduction helps the other powers to form large coalition armies under decent leadership. Wellington will never be less than a 3 tactical rating regardless of the number of Corps he commands, so he won't ever get hit with a -1 on the tactical ratings chart. I've never played EiH so I don't know if there were any changes in that version to the tactical ratings or if there will be in the Matrix version.

I do have a question about Napoleon's chit in Avalon Hill's version of EiA. On the upper right side there is a small dot, some of our group argued that this meant he was a cavalry commander and some of us (including me) disagreed because all the other cavalry commanders had a star (Kushanz Ali, Murat in the original, later on Suvarov from the General 1792 scenario). We wrote Avalon Hill waaaaaaaaaaay back in 1989 and they confirmed that it was just a dot meant to jazz up Napoleon's chit... Has anyone else's group had this argument?

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/9/2006 6:48:24 AM

Sardonic

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Joisey

Well played! I don't think I could ever give up my fleet like that, unless the Spanish are going to be hopeless British Lackeys.

Ahh yes the fleets.... But in practical terms, how will you get any use out of them?
You have only Militia and a prospect of bad harvest.
It will take years to build the Grande Armee.

In the meantime, you must defend France.
I have found that most English are quite resonable if they believe you do not intend to invade England.
In fact, if Napoleon is gone, the English are often willing to make peace.

But again, France is NOT, my forte.

I always bid very low, in fact, as low as possible.

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RE: Your best battle? - 8/9/2006 8:08:38 PM

Murat

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Murat

quote:

ORIGINAL: Will_L

"How was Napoleon's Tactical Rating a three? His army was like over 12 corps?"

Yep, Napoleon had 14 Corps in that battle including both Piedmont Corps, Lombardy, Holland, Baden and Wurttemburg. All low in numbers (except Lombardy but it was nowhere close to full) and a drain on French morale. He probably counted on the Russo-Turks not having cavalry superiority and his picking Assault (or even Escalated Assault) was a major error because of the morale boost it gave the enemy.

Those minor forces come in handy sometimes, but when I've played France I have usually tried to limit them to seiges, attacking depot garrisons or small armies with approximately equal morale where the secondary French leaders can make a world of difference.

That would have made him a 4.

I was trying to do math at 3 am and realized oh yeah it is a 3 so I hit cancel on this but it posted anyhow.

I did not even know it stayed until just now.

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RE: Your best battle? - 9/7/2006 7:03:30 PM

bOrIuM

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Hm, I was playing France in the 1740 scnario. Britain, spain and prussia allied with me and defeated me making me loose the two third of my army including boats that were all destroyed (but keep the boat but had to repair as in the advanced rules). At least i had good relations with austria that was in war with spain too. You must know that a the begining iof the game, Britain an spain did a "transaction"... Britain had the control of the Portugal and Holland. and that Spain had the Piedmont-Sardaigne and two siciles minors (that is considered as a medium in this scenario caus of its power).

Later, spain decided to attack me before i become too strong. I had an arrangement with britain, he buy me 20 of my boats so I had enough money to rebuild fast. When Spain attacked me, He did with Frederick-Emmanuel of Piemont-Sardaigne (3.3.3.A) and with 90 factors in 9 corps (in 1740 is like 150 in 1805). I had Broglie (2.4.3.B) with 6 corps including Mousketaires (cavalry guards). I had 64 factors at 3.2 of moral he had like 2.6.

I refugee myself into the French alpes near Piemont and he attacked me. We had both good strategy so it didnt influenced the combat. PBut he att into a mountain, that makes a swith into the colum for him. He had 9 corps so he had -2 to his general. It makes a combat in 3 rounds were I loose .8 moral and 4 factors. while He lost for 64 factors with the cavalry charge.

So choose not only the strategy for combat (that is hazard) but choose the combat place and other strategy to win :) its really important !!

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RE: Your best battle? - 10/3/2006 9:15:17 PM

phimseto

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Many years ago we started a game that unfortuantely did not get too far (that whole "seven people in one place consistently" problem). However, in the time that we did play, Napoleon and his Imperial Guard were bested by the forces of Luxembourg who were defending their country from invasion. Basically, it was a case of me choosing the best defense each time and then rolling extremely well (matched by France's rolling poorly). As you can imagine, that particular victory was short-lived.

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RE: Your best battle? - 10/3/2006 11:54:43 PM

Joisey

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Luxembourg?

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RE: Your best battle? - 10/13/2006 4:46:46 PM

delatbabel

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I've only played one game, but I had one good battle in it, playing Prussia. France and Turkey DoW'ed Austria, I had an enforced peace with France so couldn't join in to help, but I did have corps to spare so marched them down to face off the Turks. The turks withdrew and I followed them with Blucher, 4 of my corps (including the guards), 4 Austrian corps including cavalry, II Grenadier, and 2 infantry corps. We fought one battle outside Adrianople that didn't go too badly (we won, and caused about 9-10 cav casualties on the pursuit), but the next battle was "all in" outside of Constantinople.

I had about 27 Cavalry. Like a madman I picked escalated assault, assuming he would assume I wasn't going to pick that -- he picked cordon and it was all on. My morale was about 3.6 with the guards and cavalry, his was about 2.2, I rolled 6 and 6 and he broke on the 2nd round after handing me almost no damage in either die roll. Then I rolled 6 again for the pursuit, +1 = 7, and we were into serious pursuit losses. The entire Feudal army, gone. All of his Ottoman corps, gone. The turkish grand army reduced to a few Jannisaries, half a cavalry corps and a handful of garrison.

Needless to say my run of 6s continued and I rolled 2 of them to put Blucher in hospital (fortunately only for 3 months).

France hit us hard after that but it was worth it for that one battle.

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