Scourge of War

Jarhead0331 · April 16, 2015, 01:46:22 AM

Are those mods just for Gettysburg, or will they work with the other titles, like Chancellorsville?

Toonces · April 16, 2015, 01:53:40 AM

I think all of the ones I mentioned will work with just Gettysburg. You might want to double check on the map mods, though, just to be safe.

The thread with the links to all the mod threads is here: http://www.norbsoftdev.net/forum/modifications/23871-released-mod-threads

Anything you download, you unzip it and put it into your "mod" folder within your main SoW folder. Then start the game, go to modifications and click twice on the mod you want to enable. A little box should appear next to the mod you selected when it's been enabled; this wasn't intuitive to me.

GJK · April 16, 2015, 05:20:59 AM

I was going to post last night that you should check out some mods as it looked like you're using the stock game. "Flags and Bugles" is a must and the new commands on the command bar are a big help and should of been included originally. I'm thinking that those were accessible only via keyboard shortcut before? I don't know. By the way, those will work with other campaigns; at least they do with Antietam.

I hadn't seen the Pea Ridge map pack nor did I clue in to what the "Gettysburg in 3days" mod was but that will be a must download later today.

Nefaro · April 16, 2015, 05:53:33 AM

I seem to recall that even having UI Mods enabled will prevent you from playing multi-player. I know that you couldn't use them in MP in the past, just not sure if it would tell you or just kick you out from the join. Or whether they may have patched it (don't think so).

GJK · April 16, 2015, 06:08:20 AM

Quote from: Nefaro on April 16, 2015, 05:53:33 AM
I seem to recall that even having UI Mods enabled will prevent you from playing multi-player. I know that you couldn't use them in MP in the past, just not sure if it would tell you or just kick you out from the join. Or whether they may have patched it (don't think so).

That may be (or probably is) the reason why I couldn't MP local LAN then, even though we both were using the same mods. Makes sense.

Nefaro · April 16, 2015, 06:37:24 AM

Quote from: GJK on April 16, 2015, 06:08:20 AM
Quote from: Nefaro on April 16, 2015, 05:53:33 AM
I seem to recall that even having UI Mods enabled will prevent you from playing multi-player. I know that you couldn't use them in MP in the past, just not sure if it would tell you or just kick you out from the join. Or whether they may have patched it (don't think so).

That may be (or probably is) the reason why I couldn't MP local LAN then, even though we both were using the same mods. Makes sense.

Yeah, it's really touchy when it comes to mods in MP.

Slick Wilhelm · April 16, 2015, 01:40:53 PM

Quote from: Skoop on April 14, 2015, 10:52:12 AM
this is a new engine they are doing after all.

I didn't realize that the Waterloo game was using a new engine. Is there a thread that talks about the features of the new engine?

Skoop · April 17, 2015, 06:43:31 PM

New in a sense that I think a graphics upgrade, and AI to handle nappleonics. For exact details I'd check the norbsoft site forums.

Toonces · April 19, 2015, 12:10:49 AM

So guess who figured out the courier system finally?

Yup.

Just fought the Rebel AI to a major victory in a Corps vs. Corps fight as 1st Division commander (Wadsworth) using the Gettysburg map again. Managed to figure out how to get artillery support and all that.

Fun fight, about 2 hours real time and there were quite a few tense moments. The best part, though, is that I fought the whole thing using only couriers. That is totally awesome fun. Here are a few screenshots. I'm using the battlefield smoke mod which I'm finding I quite like now.

GJK · April 19, 2015, 12:42:52 AM

Can you elaborate a bit on what you found with the couriers?

Toonces · April 19, 2015, 02:24:10 AM

Sure.

There's a tutorial thread on Norbsoft linked above that I used to figure it all out. I found that (mostly) if I followed the script exactly I got pretty reliable, consistent results.

First, in options I had "custom" and couriers required for Division and above.

Using Gettysburg Day 1 OOB I played as Wadsworth, 1st Division commander, Corps vs. Corps, so it was only Doubleday on my side for the Union (Early for Rebs).

In all cases I only gave orders to Meredith (Iron Brigade), Cutler (2nd) or Wainwright (I think, Artillery). When Cutler died I gave orders to the Major that took over the Brigade. Outside of my division I gave orders to Robinson (2nd Division) and once to Doubleday just to see what happened.

Every single time you start a courier message (I use "c" hotkey always) make sure you click recipient and select the right commander.

Next, every single time, select time and date, and ensure you select the first time given. This was the big one. I assumed the execution time always equaled the write time unless you changed it, but that's not the case and it will mess everything up if it's wrong. If you make the write time and execute time the same the orders will take place immediately. If you set execute up earlier than write then they won't get executed at all probably. And setting execute later is self-explanatory.

Then, every single time, I go to Information, please execute the following orders.

After that, what always works is: move your unit to: location, or map point; followed by use roads (especially if it's any distance, but I don't think this is required, but it does have something to do with keeping the Colonel and the Brigade together); followed by: face your unit in this direction: click direction as applicable; followed by: defend your position.

Then click send.

This always worked and got the unit to move to the location and face in the right direction. If enemies are nearby they will deploy intelligently from there. My scenario was a defense scenario, so this worked well.

The format above also worked at the Division level with Robinson, although it took a few tries due to couriers getting intercepted. Also, using the support tab never worked for me, except with the artillery support. Asking Robinson to supply infantry support to my flank did not work; ordering him to a position, facing, etc. did work.

The system is very sensitive to sequence of orders, and you have to include everything or the orders won't work. I recommend taking a look at the thread I mentioned, he explains a lot of this.

Toonces · April 19, 2015, 02:29:23 AM

Ok, here's the thread I mentioned: http://scourgeofwar.net/index.php/forum/hits-headquarters-in-the-saddle/21447-courier-battle-action-at-trostle-farm

I really prefer the courier method to the point and click method. I also really prefer to send the orders to the brigade commanders and allow them to position their regiments. The AI does a really good job of lining up the troops and reacting to threats. I have found that when I order regiments directly using point and click they have a tendency to self-motivate to move around as required and if the brigade isn't working in harmony through their commander's orders they get kind of disjointed. Letting the Colonel control the brigade works more reliably, and by using couriers I find that I have to think through exactly what I want them to do moreso than just pointing and clicking.

I need to experiment a lot more with different scenarios before I can say I'm comfortable with the system, but it was rewarding to see it work tonight.

GJK · April 19, 2015, 06:37:38 AM

Excellent, thanks. I'm going to give that a try later today. It looks like you'll be playing "in the saddle" mode pretty soon!

Last night I played a few turns of "Line of Battle" series "None but Heroes" (Dean Essig/The Gamers) and am really enjoying it. I would say that it is the boardgame equivelent of SoW. The orders are critical in that system as well.

Rayfer · April 19, 2015, 07:45:54 AM

Well done toonces...! I love this game but have never even attempted the courier system and suspect I never will.

Nefaro · April 19, 2015, 08:34:17 AM

Using the Courier system on the attack is a bit more tricky, IIRC.

I think the subordinate generals tend to splay out a bit more than I often want them to, despite giving them an attack direction. The little I used the courier system doing so, I had to repeatedly send new attack direction orders to keep them from spreading out too much.