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dude -> RE: Detailed Combat - Noob Help Please (6/12/2007 3:46:58 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: bbmike
Are there tips anywhere on how to handle detailed combat? ie, when should I form a line, how should I attack, defend, etc.
Speaking of defending, I was attacked once by the Rebs, but on the detailed battle screen I still had to go after the Rebs who were in urban areas! Do I ever get to place my units then try to hold the enemy back??
If you are defending you should not have to go after the enemy at all (you can if you want)... are you sure you were defending? Sometimes if you are in an province but it's not yours yet and the enemy moves in... you are still considered the attacker.
Now that said... if you start on the right side of the map (attacker)... you can almost always expect the enemy to try to outflank you on your right flank. They'll show up in front eventually and frequenlty move to your right in an attempt to go around you. So keep some units handy to extend your right flank if need be. Now if you move too far to the top of the map they won't be able to flank you on the right but will now try it on the left...
I will usually move forward enough to find some good terrain to setup around. Sometimes I don't have to go very far at all. The AI will almost always send forces out after you even if on the defensive especially if you send some Cav out as bait... [:D] Once the AI spots my Cav I can usually lure his forces back to my well place lines.
I don't like to use my Cav offensively... they usually get the crap kicked out of them by infantry... so I use mine for scouting the enemy lines and luring him into my positions.
If the enemy is on the attack and you are defending... quickly find some terrain to set up in and defend around because he'll be moving towards you for sure. In most case he'll come in from your right flank again.
It's hard to give advice on some aspects of detailed combat (DC) because so much can effect the outcome... moral especially... but in my book... Terrain is the key...
I love rivers and hills! For hills... you can put a line of defenders at the base of the hill and another on top. Now you have two rows of units that can fire on his one row. Just make sure you have units that have weapons that can fire that far! Rivers are great because it prevent units from charging your line. And if you you really want to have fun get some artillary up on that hill with infantry around it.
I normally avoid battles around towns and forests as much as possible (too many adverse affect for my units when attacking unless you have some of the research techs or special traits). Sometimes if I'm on the defense and I have some towns with victory locations... I'll leave some garrisons in the right most town... pull back the regular infantry around the central town or left most (depending on surrounding terrain) and wait for the AI... Let him wear himself down marching to that right most town and waste time attaking a garrison unit or two there. Meanwhile this should buy you a little time to set up your main force elsewhere.
The real key to winning almost any battle is where you stand and fight. You don't want to go too far from your edge because supply wagons are slow... so it will take time to move them up into position... likewise any reinforcements you call up will have to march to your main line... so don't go too far, even if attacking... use a unit (I like cav) to lure him to you. Also if you can lure him further from his edge... his supply wagons may be spread out... ripe targets for your Cav units (just make sure they have Signal Corps so they can operate behind enemy lines without problems.)
but don't feel too bad if you lose early war as the USA... your moral just really isn't that great to start with and your units can break if in a fight too long... so go into battle with a larger force and be prepared to pull units out of line before they break and replace them with fresh units.
Also another thing that helps is to keep units from the same force together when deployed. They'll get a combat bonus... I make this easy to spot on the battlefield by setting all brigades in a Divsion to the same flag... that way I can spot them at a glance... I then set all divisions/brigades of a corps to the same symboled flag... (ie.. 1st Div of 1st Corps gets a white flag with a red circle, 2nd Div of 1st Corps gets a blue flag with a white circle, and the 3rd Div of 1st Corps gets a white flag with a blue circle... Units of 2nd Corps get a Triangle... etc...) This has really made it easier to locate units.
Dude
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