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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Empires in Arms the Napoleonic Wars of 1805 - 1815 >> Newbie Stuff

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Newbie Stuff - 11/8/2009 2:24:53 PM

stevengraysteel

Posts: 3
Joined: 11/8/2009
Status: offline

Greetings Everyone!

I've been a long time Forum reader, but never considered creating an account until now and that just after purchasing the latest edition of EIA. I have some experience with the boardgame, but learning the nuances of the computer version is leaving me a little frustrated. I wish the manual had more "how to" instructions like step by step of left click here, dbl click there, highlight this first, etc. Consequently, I am slogging through the best I can. So, any help would be greatly appreciated.

First, how do I assault an enemy garrison in an enemy occupied city when there is no field battle before hand?

Second, how do I place new leaders that are not showing a date of arrival?

Third, I'm having trouble creating an outflanking force. What's the how to on that?

Fourth, against the AI in the diplomacy phase what's the best way to woo another major power to be your ally? I never seem to see the "Attempt Alliance" button.

Thank You!

Post #: 1

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/8/2009 4:17:10 PM

NeverMan

Posts: 1722
Joined: 2/24/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: stevengraysteel

Greetings Everyone!

I've been a long time Forum reader, but never considered creating an account until now and that just after purchasing the latest edition of EIA. I have some experience with the boardgame, but learning the nuances of the computer version is leaving me a little frustrated. I wish the manual had more "how to" instructions like step by step of left click here, dbl click there, highlight this first, etc. Consequently, I am slogging through the best I can. So, any help would be greatly appreciated.

First, how do I assault an enemy garrison in an enemy occupied city when there is no field battle before hand?

Second, how do I place new leaders that are not showing a date of arrival?

Third, I'm having trouble creating an outflanking force. What's the how to on that?

Fourth, against the AI in the diplomacy phase what's the best way to woo another major power to be your ally? I never seem to see the "Attempt Alliance" button.

Thank You!

1. ENTER CITY BUTTON
2. Go to Available Counters
3. Just click on the forces.
4. I have no idea, the AI sucks.

(in reply to stevengraysteel)

Post #: 2

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/9/2009 1:20:39 AM

easterner

Posts: 179
Joined: 10/9/2004
Status: offline

1 As Neverman says, there is a button in MOVE & REIN phases allowing forces to enter city, this also initiates siege

2. You can't place Leaders until after availability date.

3. Neverman means click on Corps you want as part of REIN, they move into the center and join the battle if OUTFLANK comes in.

4. There is a diplomacy screen at top where you can choose which minors you will accept control of, A request to Brits for trade and Allow Alliances. Also Access for them to your territory once they ally and DECLARE War and Call to Allies are here after you have Allies.

In General:
Turks like Fr
Sp likes FR & GB
PR, RS, AU & GB like to ally.

Allies hate to give you money or much of anything once you get them.

(in reply to NeverMan)

Post #: 3

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/9/2009 12:55:56 PM

Zuni76

Posts: 17
Joined: 10/6/2009
Status: offline

Hi,

NeverMan and easterner answers are probably enough, but to add my 3 cents:

1) assault enemy garrison - you have first click "enter city" button in land phase (your corps will move closer to enemy garrison on the map), then in combat phase it should be resolved when you click "next battle" button or you can click provinces outlined with yellow color

2) if a leader is available, during reinforcement phase he should be outlined with green in available counters pool screen, then you should click on this leader, go back to the map and click on a province where you want to place him (sometimes it is hard to hit "the right place" in the province - then you have to try one more time)

hope that helps
Zuni

(in reply to easterner)

Post #: 4

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/9/2009 12:55:58 PM

Marshall Ellis

Posts: 5630
Joined: 10/2/2001
From: Dallas
Status: offline

Neverman and Easterner are spot on!
Thanks for the help guys!

Keep us posted on your progress Stevengraysteel! I think you will find many experienced players on the forums who are willing to help!

_____________________________

Thank you

Marshall Ellis
Outflank Strategy War Games

(in reply to easterner)

Post #: 5

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/9/2009 2:34:56 PM

ndrose

Posts: 612
Joined: 10/13/2006
Status: offline

Note that when you place a leader you must attach him to a corps, or else he gets returned to the pool.

(in reply to stevengraysteel)

Post #: 6

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/9/2009 2:44:38 PM

Mardonius

Posts: 654
Joined: 4/9/2007
From: East Coast
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: stevengraysteel

Fourth, against the AI in the diplomacy phase what's the best way to woo another major power to be your ally? I never seem to see the "Attempt Alliance" button.

Thank You!

They (ie Marshall in his royal plural persona) got rid of the attempt alliance button and replaced it with check boxes on the diplo actions screen a few editions ago.
best
Mardonius

_____________________________

"Crisis is the rallying cry of the tyrant" -- James Madison
"Yes, you will win most battles, but if you loose to me you will loose oh so badly that it causes me pain (chortle) just to think of it" - P. Khan

(in reply to stevengraysteel)

Post #: 7

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/9/2009 6:26:12 PM

Marshall Ellis

Posts: 5630
Joined: 10/2/2001
From: Dallas
Status: offline

Thanks again Mardonius! (LOL!)

_____________________________

Thank you

Marshall Ellis
Outflank Strategy War Games

(in reply to Mardonius)

Post #: 8

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/9/2009 11:59:05 PM

Dancing Bear

Posts: 1003
Joined: 2/21/2008
Status: offline

Also check out the opponents wanted page above. There is a group putting together a friendly leanring game, which will be very educational.

(in reply to Marshall Ellis)

Post #: 9

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/10/2009 3:48:23 PM

NeverMan

Posts: 1722
Joined: 2/24/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mardonius

quote:

ORIGINAL: stevengraysteel

Fourth, against the AI in the diplomacy phase what's the best way to woo another major power to be your ally? I never seem to see the "Attempt Alliance" button.

Thank You!

They (ie Marshall in his royal plural persona) got rid of the attempt alliance button and replaced it with check boxes on the diplo actions screen a few editions ago.
best
Mardonius

Oh yeah, sorry, I could have answered this but I didn't get past the two letters A and I.

(in reply to Mardonius)

Post #: 10

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/12/2009 3:11:54 AM

stevengraysteel

Posts: 3
Joined: 11/8/2009
Status: offline

Thanks Everyone!

The suggestions were well taken. My assaults of enemy garrisons have been more successful. I have been able to place new leaders onto fresh corps. The outflanking corps have finally arrived. The only thing not up to snuff is my diplomatic corps. I forced a conditional Austrian surrender when Napoleon captured and held Vienna, but I forgot to name a province to ceed as part of the terms. So, I need a little work still on the diplomacy.

The only other thing for now is coordinating buying an artillery corps counter and then being able to fill it with purchased artillery strength points before losing them. We'll keep marching foward though!

(in reply to stevengraysteel)

Post #: 11

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/12/2009 12:46:03 PM

Marshall Ellis

Posts: 5630
Joined: 10/2/2001
From: Dallas
Status: offline

stevengraysteel:

Great to hear that you're in and running! It does take a little playing to get used to it. EiA is such a non-typical game with very non-typical rules so doing certain things can be a little odd at first but it sounds as if you're now one of us! LOL! Keep the questions and ideas coming!

_____________________________

Thank you

Marshall Ellis
Outflank Strategy War Games

(in reply to stevengraysteel)

Post #: 12

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/15/2009 1:26:36 PM

pzgndr

Posts: 3170
Joined: 3/18/2004
From: Maryland
Status: offline

quote:

I wish the manual had more "how to" instructions like step by step of left click here, dbl click there, highlight this first, etc.

Are you using the original manual or the v1.06 update in the /Data/docs directory? There were some "how to" instructions from the EiA tutorial in the /Manuals directory added to the v1.06 update, so hopefully newbies can read through the new manual and pick up the game quicker. The new manual also includes the Player Notes chapter from the original boardgame manual, slightly updated for the computer game version.

Any specific suggestions for making the manual better?

(in reply to stevengraysteel)

Post #: 13

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/15/2009 2:58:37 PM

stevengraysteel

Posts: 3
Joined: 11/8/2009
Status: offline

Well, when I purchased the game recently I think it was version 1.05.05, (digital download and physical copy). At the same time I noticed that a new update (1.06.03) was out so my plan was to download and install that also. In the interim before receiving the hard copy I was accessing the manual both from within the game and from the start up screen.

I believe the answer to your question is that I was reading the original manual. I didn't realize there was manual update or a tutorial available in 1.06.03. However, looking through the /Manuals and /data/docs I don't see anything labeled tutorial, but I do see the 1.06 update manual which after looking through it a little, looks to be a nice improvement. The only suggestion that I would have, since you asked, would be since there are places where NOTES and instructions are listed, why not put them everywhere where practical?

For example, looking at how to assault a city when not coming after a field battle, there looks to be no mention that one has to select the Move In/Out City button before you can accomplish this task. There is a note saying select this button to Move In/Out City but nothing that explains its linkage to assaulting. I gather from looking through other posts, that have been a few other people wondering the same thing.

Don't get me wrong. My "criticism" is not extreme. The forum has been a marvelous resource and has helped greatly, and I do realize that manuals are a very expensive element to the product (at least hard copies) and hard to keep current. Not to mention what is intuitive to one person may not be to another. Hey, I found the answers to my questions, so it's all good, and I do appreciate your suggestions.

(in reply to pzgndr)

Post #: 14

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/15/2009 4:51:43 PM

pzgndr

Posts: 3170
Joined: 3/18/2004
From: Maryland
Status: offline

OK, the tutorial is a seperate download that I probably put into the /Manuals directory myself. From the tutorial stickie above:

quote:

If you registered EIA in the Members Club and have a Members Club login, you should be able to download the Tutorial Guide via "Private Downloads" or "Registered Downloads".

I just looked and don't see this anymore, so either it goes away once you download it or Matrix inadvertently deleted it or moved it? It was helpful. What I did for the v1.06 updated manual was take those helpful "how to" instructions from the tutorial that were missing from the manual and add them to appropriate spots in the rules to help clarify things. As you say, more NOTES and other tips can improve things as we go along. That's not criticism; that's useful feedback!

Keeping the electronic manual current and adding helpful content isn't all that hard, and I volunteered to help Marshall with this aspect of the game. One of these days, after the lingering game issues are resolved and more folks decide to get back into this fine game, hopefully the manual will be comprehensive and useful for everyone. That's the goal.

(in reply to stevengraysteel)

Post #: 15

RE: Newbie Stuff - 11/19/2009 2:31:10 PM

Marshall Ellis

Posts: 5630
Joined: 10/2/2001
From: Dallas
Status: offline

Great stuff PZGNDR! I think the manual is 10x better than it was previously! It's no secret that I'm not the best writer in the world and it was tough for me to keep up! thanks for all of your help!

_____________________________

Thank you

Marshall Ellis
Outflank Strategy War Games

(in reply to pzgndr)

Post #: 16