Jimmer
Posts: 1968
Joined: 12/5/2007 Status: offline
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The other thing that needs to be realized is that there is no need to know the map, except in the area around your country (which includes by sea if you have an unblockaded navy). If you wind up in control of a minor, the system will tell you before you can exit the reinforcement phase. For countries YOU might be interested in, they are all next to you (by definition -- you cannot go to war with a minor unless you can physically access it one turn's movement). Play against the computer. If you play as France, you'll be in the dominant zone, and thus wind up taking control of the most minors). The first chance you get, bring up the "Diplomatic Reactions for XXX" screen. You can get to this with the ninth button from the left, in the upper left corner of the interface. If you hover over the right button, it says "Show Diplomatic Reactions". Now, double-click one of the nations in the far left column. This will check all of the nations, so, when the "dice are rolled", you have at least a chance to get some of them. Click OK. Now, don't declare war on any countries yourself. Then, hit the "End Current Phase" button (second from left, same set of control buttons). A few majors WILL do some declaring of war, and you are bound to "own" a few of them. However, you won't know this without looking at another screen. But, let's say you are new, and you don't know about that 12th button yet. When you attempt to end the reinforcement phase, the computer will realize you have not placed the factors for any of your new free state minors. So, one at a time, it will move the screen focus to have that nation in the middle, and prompt you to add the factors. Now, you COULD exit, but this is for learning, so try to add the factors. When you finish with the first, try to exit reinforcement again. The computer will repeat this as often as is needed. To add factors to a newly acquired minor: Click on the capital of the country. But, the computer just did that for you, and now it is being stubborn. So, click somewhere else in the country to start the process rolling. A new dialog box shows up in the upper right corner of the main screen area. There is a smaller square box in the upper right corner of this "Selected Nation" dialog box. There's more that this box can tell us, but we're only interested in corps counters (and fleet counters) at this point. If the nation has a corps counter (or 2), when you click the small square, it will bring up a large grey-black screen, and the corps counter(s) will be towards the left. Pick one or two by clicking them. Then, right-click the grey-black area to close the window (but, leave the corps counter(s)) selected). Then click on some space in the minor country. Usually, the capital will be the right place to put them, so click that spot. The corps counter(s) you pick (and/or fleet counters, if any) will appear where you clicked. Now, pick one of them and click it. This will select it, putting a thin red border around it. Now, check out the area in the lower left corner of the interface. There are some buttons here, and they change depending on what phase we're in. The upper left button (on the first page, if there are two) is "Add Forces to Unit". Click that. Up pops the "Adding Reinforcements to Unit" box. Here, you can transfer units from the "Reinforcement Pool" to the corps counter you picked. Fill up that corps (as much as it holds, or all of them minus one factor of infantry if it's too big). Click OK and you are done. The corps is now on map, ready to fight. You can repeat the process for garrisons, except you don't have to add a corps counter. Instead, click the capital city to highlight it. Then, click the second button from the left in the top row, right next to the one in the last paragraph. This one is titled "Add Forces To Garrison". Add that factor I told you to save. Now, you have a corps to fight in the field, and a factor to defend the city (in case you lose, which is VERY likely with minor nations). Play on!
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At LAST! The greatest campaign board game of all time is finally available for the PC. Can my old heart stand the strain?
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