First game, couple of questions...... (Full Version)

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MarcusCSA -> First game, couple of questions...... (4/26/2007 12:31:26 AM)

Hiya guys,

GREAT game so far, just finishing up on my first game as CSA (winning at very low diff level).

Since you probably know more then me, I hae a couple of questions:

1) The USA proclaimed Emancipation a few turns back, my National Will (or whatever it's called) skyrocketed and I got a bunchof free Inf brigades, how is that? My slaves went free and joined the army?

2) is there any way to play Naval Battles Detailed, all I get now is BANGBANGBANG you're dead and..... a lot of sunk USN ships, kind of a shame, I spent good money on my Ironclad, I'm winning everything, but there really isn't a sensse of achievement.

3)What do the different difficulty levels do? can't find that in the manual, just give the AI more bonusses?

4) What's the best way to attack dug in forces? I usually make a flanking manouver, but it just get really ugly (for them) and the fights take forever.

5) Why aren't captured units added in the casualty report? I try to capture as many guys as possible, since it's the most efficient way of getting rid of Yankees.

6) Is there any way to not completely become hated by the foreign powers (in any other way then to throw all my cash at them at the beginning).

7) Did you buy the Detailed combat mode off Steel Panthers (Tigers?) an old WWII game? it seems really familiar in some way

I hope you can answer me a couple of these qs, loving the game so far!!!



Gil R. -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/26/2007 1:20:23 AM)

MarcusCSA,
It's great to know that you're enjoying the game. I'll leave most of your questions for the others, but will answer the ones that only a development team member should handle.

2) No, that's all there is to naval combat. However, we are considering adding a detail naval combat feature in the future. Not for many months, and perhaps never, but there's a decent chance that we'll do this. We do recognize that the naval game could be more complex -- in designing the game, we decided that most players would care far more about the land war, which is where we focused our efforts, but we always hoped to be able to enhance this part of the game down the road.

7) No, I know that I've never played it, and don't think that Eric has.



Drex -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/26/2007 2:23:57 AM)

I started with Matrix with SPWAW and it doesn't seem similar to FoF at all. SPWAW is a top down turn-based tactical game with completely different graphics, etc. In what ways do you think it is similar?



Erik Rutins -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/26/2007 3:47:44 PM)

Marcus,

Hi, please make sure you update to the latest 1.9.4 public beta (see the public beta sub-forum) as it's a significant upgrade to the game.

quote:

ORIGINAL: MarcusCSA
1) The USA proclaimed Emancipation a few turns back, my National Will (or whatever it's called) skyrocketed and I got a bunchof free Inf brigades, how is that? My slaves went free and joined the army?


For the CSA, when the Union proclaims Emancipation it makes the war an even more serious thing. You get a boost in National Will, but your diplomacy plummets (as the European powers don't want to be seen as supporting slavery) and you get a new wave of volunteers motivated to defend the institution. They're not slaves, but rather those sympathetic with the institution of slavery (or just disgusted with further Union impositions) who saw this declaration of Emancipation coming from the north as the last straw and volunteered as a result.

quote:

3)What do the different difficulty levels do? can't find that in the manual, just give the AI more bonusses?


Each difficulty level gives the AI a little more help economically and in battle. Sergeant/First Sergeant are the most balanced levels. Once you get up to say Major or Colonel the AI is getting some significant bonuses.

quote:

4) What's the best way to attack dug in forces? I usually make a flanking manouver, but it just get really ugly (for them) and the fights take forever.


Flanking a trench is definitely the best way to defeat it. Other than that there's no easy way to take a trenchline, it takes losses and effort (and odds). Artillery can also be a big help though.

quote:

5) Why aren't captured units added in the casualty report? I try to capture as many guys as possible, since it's the most efficient way of getting rid of Yankees.


This is by design as for most of the war, prisoners ended up paroled, whereas casualties were gone (this is abstracted through the camps system). It's still a major benefit to you in terms of the balance of forces, just not in terms of direct victory points.

quote:

6) Is there any way to not completely become hated by the foreign powers (in any other way then to throw all my cash at them at the beginning).


Throwing a lot of cash at them tends to help a lot. As of 1.9.4, winning decisive battles can also sway them to support your side.

quote:

7) Did you buy the Detailed combat mode off Steel Panthers (Tigers?) an old WWII game? it seems really familiar in some way


No, it's entirely created from scratch and I think it works quite well! The detailed battle AI is also significantly improved in 1.9.4 FYI.



MarcusCSA -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/27/2007 12:13:55 AM)

Wow, nice replies guys! Especially Erik, you seem to really care about your product :)

Just downloaded the update, started a new game on Major difficulty level and got my ass royally kicked (in the 1st battle)... I think I'll start my next game a bit easier, lol.

3 more questions:

1) What good is cavalry?..... their fire attack seems to suck (should I line em up????) and charging people seems to have the effect of throwing a ripe peach at a ripe wall.... should I just use em to round up fleeing guys or are they actually used for something?

2) When should I charge? 75% of the charges I see result in the charger getting slaughtered.

3) In the new update, deploy skirmishers seems to fail 80% of the time, why?




pzpat -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/27/2007 12:15:25 AM)

More questions on prisoners:  in a recent battle 2 of the AI's divisions surrendered.  Does this remove those containers from the AI's order of battle?  Can the AI's corps or division containers ever be destroyed in battle?
When AI brigades surrender, is their strength immediately added back to their army's numbers in the next turn? If not, how long do you give paroled prisoners to make it back to their outfits? 



pzpat -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/27/2007 12:23:39 AM)

In reply to MarcusCSA:  Discover dragoon techniques (forgot the exact wording, don't have the game in front of me) and give your cavalry good carbines and quality horses.  The result is good firepower and the ability to move, change into line and still fire two or three times (or fire once and retreat).  Very effective, but eats up a lot of supplies. 
    In the beginning I use the cavalry to attack supply wagons and routed units, and to cut off avenues of retreat. 



Erik Rutins -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/27/2007 12:34:09 AM)

Marcus,

quote:

ORIGINAL: MarcusCSA
1) What good is cavalry?..... their fire attack seems to suck (should I line em up????) and charging people seems to have the effect of throwing a ripe peach at a ripe wall.... should I just use em to round up fleeing guys or are they actually used for something?


They help with the pre-battle scouting check and during detailed battles, they are great as scouts to find out where the enemy is before the battle lines engage (especially if you buy them the Scout attribute). If you buy them the Horse Artillery attribute along with Quality Horses, they are VERY fast with a very nice close range punch.

quote:

2) When should I charge? 75% of the charges I see result in the charger getting slaughtered.


I really only charge in three instance:

1. The enemy brigade is disordered
2. I am in the flank or rear of the enemy brigade
3. I outnumber the enemy brigade, I am of higher quality, have some beneficial charge attributes/abilities and want to break their line quickly

quote:

3) In the new update, deploy skirmishers seems to fail 80% of the time, why?


That was an unintended bug, fixed in the next version.

Regards,

- Erik



Erik Rutins -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/27/2007 12:36:22 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: pzpat
More questions on prisoners:  in a recent battle 2 of the AI's divisions surrendered.  Does this remove those containers from the AI's order of battle?  Can the AI's corps or division containers ever be destroyed in battle?
When AI brigades surrender, is their strength immediately added back to their army's numbers in the next turn? If not, how long do you give paroled prisoners to make it back to their outfits? 


Yes, if the divisions surrendered, the containers are gone. You can destroy any container if you catch it empty in a region that also has your forces and no other enemy forces.

Surrendered brigades are not added back in at all, but the camps system is assumed to include some paroled prisoners. So if you get them to surrender they are effectively gone - the only thing that makes it less attractive than shooting every last one is that (because of the parole rationale) they don't count towards battle casualty VPs.



Erik Rutins -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/27/2007 12:37:24 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: pzpat
In reply to MarcusCSA:  Discover dragoon techniques (forgot the exact wording, don't have the game in front of me) and give your cavalry good carbines and quality horses.  The result is good firepower and the ability to move, change into line and still fire two or three times (or fire once and retreat).  Very effective, but eats up a lot of supplies. In the beginning I use the cavalry to attack supply wagons and routed units, and to cut off avenues of retreat. 


Good advice, Dragoon tactics work quite well indeed. I think Hard Sarge loves that upgrade too. And of course once you can give them Spencer Carbines, you will no longer find that they have weak firepower.



MarcusCSA -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/27/2007 8:43:59 PM)

Thanks again for the great replies..... but now... more questions!

1) With the new camps system, there is no way in hell I am ever going to be able to replace CSA battlefield losses (I think), any advice?

2) When is the next update due? My main tactic on the battlefield is getting my troops in 'march formation' ------> Deploy Skirmishers -----> hide in a forest/rock tile ---> flank some poor guys, watch them panic ---> mop up.

3) Speaking about the 'rocks' tiles, what combat bonuses do these give, obviously some cover, but from all directions, or is there a system in what way the cover is facing?

4) Is there any reason to deploy skirmishers in a line formation, ever?




Gray_Lensman -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/27/2007 9:12:57 PM)

MarcusCSA:

edit:

1) concerning camps... either put a high priority on building some more, or if you feel there are not enough at the start you could "mod" some into the "AcwStartBldgs.txt" of the particular scenario folder you are looking at. In this case you have to know the Building Id #, and the Province Id#. Note the listing in the "AcwStartBldgs.txt" file is in Building Id# order, and it is scenario specific.

2) concerning next update... I too am eagerly awaiting it, especially to fix the "deploy skirmishers" bug, since it seems to work way less than the percentage shown on the button.

3 concerning rocks... see page 117 of the manual.

Rocks - Occurs along the edge of a hex, add +2 to the movement cost, cannot be charged across
I would presume, since "occurs along the edge" that this would be from all directions, but that is only my opinion.

4) concerning skirmishers see the tip at the top of page 125 of the manual.

Tip: Skirmishers can be a good formation to use against firing and charging, especially when put in terrain with protective values (e.g. forests, towns, villages, etc.) Skirmishers also get a bonus when firing or charging out of rough terrain, whereas other units normally receive a penalty for such offensive maneuvers.




ChuckK -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/28/2007 8:27:43 AM)

Since we're addressing detailed combat, let me ask this:

Do I need to keep units of the same group (IE, brigades of a division) relatively close to each other and together during detailed combat?  I didn't see a command penalty in the manual for not keeping a group together but I might have missed something.

Thanks.



Gray_Lensman -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/28/2007 9:09:09 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ChuckK

Since we're addressing detailed combat, let me ask this:

Do I need to keep units of the same group (IE, brigades of a division) relatively close to each other and together during detailed combat?  I didn't see a command penalty in the manual for not keeping a group together but I might have missed something.

Thanks.


Couldn't find a penalty per se, however, there is a bonus for keeping them close, see page 146, Flanking bonus, Corps Double the Bonus



Ironclad -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/28/2007 2:47:26 PM)

Also keeping close together they can best take advantage of the sequential movement for units in the same group.



Erik Rutins -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/28/2007 2:55:37 PM)

Yes, the initiative system activates divisions together and the flanking bonus for having a unit in the same formation adjacent means that it is really more effective to keep those divisions together. There's no penalty that I'm aware of either, but the absence of those two bonuses is a pretty significant one if you split your divisions up.



ChuckK -> RE: First game, couple of questions...... (4/28/2007 3:12:23 PM)

Thanks guys for the help!

I'm so used to being penalized for violating command structures in the various games I played I didn't think to look for ways I might be rewarded for keeping within historic norms.  [8D]

Best



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