Scourge of War

[undercovergeek]

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.

do another AAR with the courier system and i maybe a buyer - whilst ACW isnt my thing, the battles look great and the strategic will they/wont they and the officers interpretations of the orders make it very intruiging for me

[mikeck]

Toonces, do you play HITS (HQ in the saddle) or do you move around? Meaning, do you lock your view on the commander at ground level or do you move around like normal. The former is really cool. If youwant to see part of the battle commander see what he would see

Heist simulate the porch mother commanders by moving to that commander but still keeping the Camelot to him so I can see what that commander sees

[undercovergeek]

Heist simulate the porch mother commanders by moving to that commander but still keeping the Camelot to him so I can see what that commander sees

either your tablets wore off, your 'herbal' cigarettes kicked in or youve been auto corrected to look like a madman!!

[Rayfer]

Heist simulate the porch mother commanders by moving to that commander but still keeping the Camelot to him so I can see what that commander sees

either your tablets wore off, your 'herbal' cigarettes kicked in or youve been auto corrected to look like a madman!!

LOL...so it wasn't just me scratching my head.

[Pete Dero]

I'm asking Matrix for a refund : I don't have Camelot in my game.

[Father Ted]

Heist simulate the porch mother commanders by moving to that commander but still keeping the Camelot to him so I can see what that commander sees

either your tablets wore off, your 'herbal' cigarettes kicked in or youve been auto corrected to look like a madman!!

That is pretty funny - competition to guess what he actually meant?

I've just this afternoon had my first play-through of the first combat scenario using HITS and like Toonces said, it's exhausting.  So far I'm really enjoying it, and would recommend it Geek.  My only caveat is that it's a bit rough around the edges and certainly not a looker.

[Staggerwing]

porch mother commanders

That should be one of the number-of-postings achievement titles available here!

[undercovergeek]

porch mother commanders

That should be one of the number-of-postings achievement titles available here!

lol brilliant - so it should

[Toonces]

I haven't done HITS yet.  I need to get way more comfortable with the courier system before I try that.  Right now I need/want the ability to move the camera around freely so I can verify my orders are being executed properly.

Also, I have not figured out how to solicit feedback from other units regarding their status.  I send "request status" courier messages but I've never seen a response.  This is going to be a real problem when it comes to managing a full Corps or larger if I can't get dispatches from my Division commanders in a timely, accurate manner.  Which may be realistic? but will make the game very hard to play.

Having said that, I tried to keep the camera more or less co-located with "me" and moved my HQ around as necessary...sort of implementing a soft-core mode of HITS on myself.

I think a few more sandbox battles and then I'd like to try some of the scripted scenarios that come with the game.  I'm thinking of playing them in the order they actually occurred; start with Antietam and work my way up to Gettysburg.

[panzerde]

I find that HITS as a brigade commander isn't too bad. In fact, I tend to prefer to play that way.

HITS as a division or corps commander of course gets progressively more challenging, but with a few brigade sized engagements under your belt for practice is really pretty cool.

Subordinate commanders don't always seem to respond to status requests, but they do tend to yell pretty loudly when they think they're in trouble. Sadly, it can often be too late by the time you get the messenger! They will also report contact pretty reliably.

Whenever possible when playing HITS, keep a decent reserve. Playing this way illustrates the need for a reserve more effectively than in pretty much any other game I've ever played. Since you often don't know a subordinate is in trouble until it gets bad, being able to dispatch reinforcements from your reserve is often the only way to keep your entire line from crumbling.

[Toonces]

^ Thanks.  I think I'm going to have time to spend on this today.  I'll post up some more impressions after I get a few more skirmishes under my belt.

[bob48]

Heist simulate the porch mother commanders by moving to that commander but still keeping the Camelot to him so I can see what that commander sees

either your tablets wore off, your 'herbal' cigarettes kicked in or youve been auto corrected to look like a madman!!

I was thinking much the same  :)

[Toonces]

Yeah, that post is pretty damn funny!

I downloaded the Lynchburg mod off of Matrixgames' mod section, installed it, but haven't tried it yet.  I may later on today; right now I'm reading Foote's second book in his Civil War series.

[Nefaro]

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.

do another AAR with the courier system and i maybe a buyer - whilst ACW isnt my thing, the battles look great and the strategic will they/wont they and the officers interpretations of the orders make it very intruiging for me

It's still an excellent game even when you don't use the courier system.  I actually recommend putting a lot of playtime in with that mode, first.

[Nefaro]

I think a few more sandbox battles and then I'd like to try some of the scripted scenarios that come with the game.  I'm thinking of playing them in the order they actually occurred; start with Antietam and work my way up to Gettysburg.

The scripted scenarios are quite fun.  Just be prepared to bring your 'A' game, because some of them can be quite tough. 

My biggest issue, when I first started playing them, was realizing that I needed to post a general at the specific VP locations which grant points over time and keeping them there.  At first I had thought that simply capturing them and moving on was enough, but it's not.  So keep that in mind, if you're not already familiar with the scoring on those types of victory locations.