Kriegsspiel News Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Latest topics
» Impromptu Games
by Uncle Billy Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:35 pm

» Beginner doubts
by Martin Sun Mar 10, 2024 7:07 pm

» New player advice on maneovring to attack
by Uncle Billy Sun Feb 25, 2024 3:52 pm

» Our KS Group and 2024
by Martin Wed Feb 14, 2024 9:20 pm

» SoW OOB Editor
by RickMandar Tue Feb 13, 2024 4:23 pm

» Scenario Generator/ Artillery Question
by ARCH93 Thu Feb 01, 2024 4:08 pm

» SOW Scenario Generator
by Uncle Billy Sat Jan 20, 2024 4:24 pm

» KS mod ARMY command
by Uncle Billy Fri Jan 19, 2024 3:02 pm

» Europe in the XIX. century - ARCANUM Maps
by Martin Sat Dec 16, 2023 10:40 pm

» Mapping software?
by Martin Sat Dec 16, 2023 10:03 pm

» Cigar box pocket kriegspiel
by Martin Mon Dec 11, 2023 4:00 pm

» Scourge of war Waterloo remastered on Steam
by Martin Sun Dec 03, 2023 10:41 pm

Statistics
We have 1560 registered users
The newest registered user is chanceyseth

Our users have posted a total of 30495 messages in 2294 subjects
Log in

I forgot my password


Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

+15
Mark87
Iberalc
Calpurnius
Ike
Mr. Digby
Hannibal
Uncle Billy
Baldwin1
Leffe7
Father General
Martin
WJPalmer
The Fox
kg little mac
MajorByrd
19 posters

Page 1 of 7 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7  Next

Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:48 pm

Apart from Berto who is still on vacation, army lists and news updates have now been sent to everyone. The early August turn is running so please respond with your orders and any letters as soon as you can.

Many thanks.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Thu Sep 04, 2014 3:00 am

A word about cavalry tactics.

Cavalry are taking enormous losses in the campaign battles. As an example the Army of Cataluna started the Battle of Ordal with 6 squadrons. Two battles later, after Barcelona, it has 2 left. Losses have been high elsewhere as well. Players have a tendency to hurl cavalry into melees at the first opportunity, even against fresh infantry and even against squares.

Even fighting fresh infantry in a line frontally will get you lots of empty saddles. You'll probably force the infantry back but if there's 400 of them and 110 of you they will recover and still be able to fight with their 300 remaining men while your 90 remaining cavalry will be almost useless because a unit that small will refuse to charge even if its morale is high and it's not fatigued.

There is an art to using cavalry correctly. Its a bit like a nuke. It can be very effective but when used, both sides get taken out. So its best use is as a threat. We have several experienced cavalry players now, Martin, Niall and Mitra are all good with mounted troops and I've seen Martin use cavalry in a way that secured victory for his side and resulted in negligible losses. Yes, the infantry on his side in that battle took a pasting, but there's 1000s more of them. They can take the losses that cavalry cannot.

Cavalry is best used to face off and neutralise enemy cavalry (this does not necessarily mean engaging them), and to chew up tired and weakened infantry. When infantry are weakened, even squares won't hold under a fresh cavalry charge but a cavalry commander, to be successful, must be patient. This isn't the way cavalry is being played in most of our games, hence the long butcher's bill.

Please take note. Battle C-in-Cs, when choosing players to command your cavalry make sure they are given to an experienced player and not to people without much experience with the Napoleon mod. The heavy losses have always been incurred where new players have command of them.

This has been a public service announcment by the "Out to Grass Peacefully" horses retirement home.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:23 pm

Some very significant events have taken place in August so far and marches with potentially major impact have been ordered but I can't report anything yet because several players have yet to issue orders. We also have more players too busy with work and/or family life to continue with map command roles, so there's a couple of key gaps in things at the moment.

I am in correspondence with some new people to fill empty slots in the French OOB (Junot and Moncey) and I could also use two new Spanish player-slots (Palafox - who since the lifting of the siege of Zaragosa has suddenly become very important again) and a Junta player. The Junta role effectively becomes Spanish C-in-C so any power-hungry control freaks out there - please drop me a line.

While I talk to people and try to get these posts filled, it would help me immensely to receive orders from:

Josh/King Joseph
Mike/Cuesta
Neal/Vives
Morsey/Belvedere
Kevin/Blake
Sven/Llamas
Baldwin/Wellesley

Thank you everyone.


Last edited by Mr. Digby on Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:26 pm; edited 2 times in total
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Martin Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:48 pm

Digby wrote:

"I am in correspondence with some new people to fill empty slots in the French OOB (Junot and Moncey) and I could also use two new Spanish player-slots (Palafox - who since the lifting of the siege of Zaragosa has suddenly become very important again) and a Junta player. The Junta role effectively becomes Spanish C-in-C so any power-hungry control freaks out there - please drop me a line."


If it would help, I can take on the Junta role....

J Murat Esq,
No 27 Calle de Raimundo Fernández, Madrid

Martin

Posts : 2519
Join date : 2008-12-20
Location : London

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  WJPalmer Fri Sep 05, 2014 3:02 pm

Another call to arms has been posted on the GCM site.

BTW, a new GCM player from Spain registered perhaps a week ago. If/when he appears again in TeamSpeak, I'll be sure to direct him this way. It would be especially fitting to have him involved! Very Happy
WJPalmer
WJPalmer

Posts : 526
Join date : 2012-08-10
Location : Colorado

http://rwberg53.wix.com/adventure-images

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Sat Sep 06, 2014 3:55 am

Thanks Ron, I'm always appreciative of your flag waving on the campaign's behalf.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Guest Sat Sep 06, 2014 5:18 pm

I have been messaging the player from Spain, he is going to get a new headset and then I will get him set up.

Guest
Guest


Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Sat Sep 06, 2014 7:30 pm

Great. Can you please send him my contact details and ask him to e-mail me? Do you know his name?
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Mon Sep 08, 2014 11:18 pm

Things are very slow this turn. I've had the British orders in and there has been a 'Battle of Rolica' which I didn't game because it consisted of Gen Delaborde with 6,000 men making Wellesley with 18,000 deploy and manouvre for 2 hours and then the Frenchman skilfully skedaddling away. The French have retired down the Torres Vadres road to a small town called Vimerio. The British are cautiously following up.

I could use some orders from the others listed a few posts above please! Or at least please begin writing letters to people to decide where your troops are going to go. Thanks.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:35 pm

Some good news. Two new players have joined us. David Commerford who is a seasoned Kriegspieler but has not AFAIK played SoW MP has taken up the demanding but fun role of the various Spanish Juntas. Expect the random draw-of-a-card orders I have been annoying some Spanish players with recently to be classed as the height of military good sense after David takes over and unleashes his fertile imagination on you all. Murat - there is hope yet!

David James (son of Marechal Murat) has taken up one of the vacant Spanish army roles. I have given him a choice of two that need filling so soon either Palafox at Zaragosa or Villava at Ucles will get a new player (Hays had to step down from his map role as Villava due to pressure of work).

Lastly, orders for this turn are slowly trickling in:

Josh/King Joseph
Mike/Cuesta (has advised will be actioned soon)
Neal/Vives
Morsey/Belvedere (done)
Kevin/Blake (being actioned)
Sven/Llamas (being actioned)
Baldwin/Wellesley (done)

Josh & Neal... please can you get your orders to me soon. Thank you.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Martin Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:39 pm

"David James (son of Marechal Murat) has taken up one of the vacant Spanish army roles."

Traitor!  And after all I've done for him (in the sartorial sense).

Murat

Martin

Posts : 2519
Join date : 2008-12-20
Location : London

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:47 pm

I had concerns about giving him command of a French corps in case Murat and that corps developed a very efficient and un-interceptable form of communication! Cool
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Thu Sep 11, 2014 11:08 pm

Having considered this some more, I decided tonight I am going to set the end of turn 5, early August, at 23:59h British Summer Time on 14th September. Thats this Sunday. 3 days. That is 2 weeks since I opened the turn, so ample time for everyone to issue orders and write letters.

Apart from Berto no-one has told me they are on vacation so I am assuming none of you are, hence time to get this turn finished!

I can sense the game stalling and I need to keep a certain momentum going.

Murat - regarding Madrid I will get the timing of events resolved properly there, so no need to panic that you've heard nothing. If the people attending your conference haven't replied, just assume a 'yes' answer to all your proposals and push on.

I'm sorry but I can't hold the game up for the slow players all the time, it isn't fair on those players who respond quickly and who invest a lot of effort in writing letters and role-playing, etc.

Thanks everyone.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Mon Sep 15, 2014 10:26 pm

Turn 5 is complete. A couple of players missed the orders deadline and their forces didn't move. I think 14 days is ample time to look at the game e-mails and reply, I'm only asking for about an hour's effort each turn, unless you begin writing letters and these take only a few minutes each.

It seems a few people took vacations during this turn, but no-one gave me the courtesy of letting me know so I could put the game on pause.

If you're going to be away for a significant chunk of the turn time (turns are usually about a week and a half) then please let me know. I'm pretty much on the ball with most things but my telepathy powers are lacking so if you don't tell me you're away I won't know and I have no way of interpreting the lack of response to e-mail chasers for orders except with mild frustration! Smile

Thank you very much to all the players who submitted their orders well within time this turn and who have since been waiting patiently for some progress.

Anyhoo, with my grumpy librarian act out of the way, there's a series of micro-manouvers going on around Madrid at the end of the turn which may or may not result in a battle. It should take another day or two to finish those off. If no battle, we'll press on with the next turn, late August, very soon. You'll be able to recognise the new turn start by a long post here closing turn 5 with a newspaper summary, then an e-mail in your in box with your updated OOB and troop locations, plus any local/private news for you.

Teaser: there have been some shocking and potentially campaign-changing events in early August... not one but two important fortresses have fallen! Also the Spanish Juntas are awakening with full (in)effectiveness! The regional and in particular the Central Junta at Seville are the army C-in-Cs. They may not comprise military men but they do have full military authority.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Wed Sep 17, 2014 5:13 pm

Turn 5 is complete. I'll try to get everyone's updated OOBs and such e-mailed over the next 24 hours.

I'm away for a few days for a long weekend in France and will be back by Monday evening, so you won't get any replies from me until then.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:17 am

E-mails with sitreps and updated OOBs have gone out to all players. Turn 6 - late August - is underway. I'd like to have this turn concluded in about 10 days unless we get any battles, so do please be prompt in writing letters and sending me your orders. As always you can make adjustments if late news conflicts with what your forces were doing.

I am away for a long weekend from tomorrow midday-ish. I'll have my laptop but will quite possibly be too drunk busy to keep a check on progress. If that's the case I'll get cracking on responses on Monday evening.

Thank you all.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Thu Sep 18, 2014 2:19 am

The list of which nation controls which settlements has been updated in the rules:

http://forum.kriegsspiel.org.uk/t714-campaign-rules#6411

In early August the French are at rock-bottom, collecting taxes from only 10 settlements in Spain. Less than 10 settlements under control indicates a complete failure of the campaign. Due to the tax collection rates so far and the balance of lost and won battles, the French are losing.

Sitting in Madrid is not working. Killing Spanish soldiers is not working. To win, the French must hold territory.

This has been a public service announcement.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Father General Sat Sep 20, 2014 1:42 am

I am recovering from a computer crash and will be getting back up to speed this weekend. My SOW is deleted, so I'm not 100% sure how to get that back on here. Will review everything and get orders out by Sunday evening.

I really gotta stop visiting those hardcore scripture sites, they can really smite your hard drive.

-Neal
Father General
Father General

Posts : 945
Join date : 2012-03-25

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Sat Sep 27, 2014 4:10 pm

The second half of August appears to have been especially hot and sunny as some heat-madness looks to have struck a few generals! As well as the first battle for the British on Portuguese soil vs Junot's corps, we probably will have up to four more battles this fortnight.

North of Barcelona a Spanish force under Vives is attacking near Hostalrich against part of the new corps of General Reille. I am awaiting an e-mail reply from Sean on whether a battle will occur or not.

In the north, around Bilbao and Miranda its possible we could have a battle. I am awaiting news from Sam regarding his army's moves there.

Around Madrid things are coming to the boil and a major battle seems inevitable this turn. There could even be two. I await some input from Sven and Morsey on some details of what their forces are doing
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Mr. Digby Tue Oct 07, 2014 7:29 pm

STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS

Where we are with the campaign at the end of turn 6, end of August.

The campaign has hit a few lumps and bumps in the last few weeks. On the players side of the fence we have had some unsatisfying battles; these are my fault as I thought we would get major actions in each case but the commanders of one side or both chose courses of action that meant we had some disappointing encounters with not much happening. I had got a sense from people in the map process that battles would result but when it came to the MP games people were more cautious.

I dislike it when this happens as much as I know you guys find it unsatisfying - its a waste of a Saturday session, doesn't especially progress the campaign and you probably think I'm lacking in umpire skills not to double check with players before hand that they really are going to fight rather than fall back or otherwise avoid action. I agree with these views if you hold them - I should always check with players what their intentions are on the battlefield. My bad, quite a serious bad as it means players begin to have doubts if the camapign is working correctly - or in a worst case even worth playing.

On my side of the fence my enthusiasm and self-confidence has taken some heavy blows in the last couple of months because a lot of our regular players have dropped out of the map campaign. I am still somewhat bugged by this when it happens because the campaign really is not that demanding and you can get by with giving it only an hour or two hours attention per week, and usually if turns are held up because battles need to be fought, much less time is needed.

I am sure that almost everyone really can in fact find an hour a week to devote to this. Doing so is vital to the success of the game because by dropping out, my task becomes much harder and the whole group of almost 20 people suffer a loss of detail/enjoyment/continuity/whatever. This comment is beginning to sound like sour grapes
as though I blame those who really don't have time for hurting the campaign. Of course family and work must always come first, and if you genuinely are a busy person I'll of course respect that. I would like to say though that the game doesn't require as much time as you may think. I don't need flowery language and long letters from you to other players - a 1-liner saying what you want to write is enough. I can use a pro-forma to dress up your communication into an in-character format to save you time.

Second item on my side of the fence is my new job. Good news for my financial and mental well-being after a long period of unemployment but bad news for the campaign. Its a busy job and during it I cannot check e-mails or the webforums or do any computer work so this past 2 to 3 weeks my time to run the campaign has fallen off dramatically from 100% at the middle of September to around 15 or 20% of my day now. Processing of post battle reports and data and most critically, sending out information packs to new players have been delayed. I can only apologise for the slowness of some of my answers recently, I used to reply to everything within a day. Not any longer.

Rather unfortunately this lack of personal time also led to me making some bad judgement calls ("I made a decision, and it was... wrong. It was a bad call, Ripley. It was a bad call," as Carter Burke said in "Aliens") regarding battles and some map movement incidents. I have also been a bit ratty in some e-mails too.

I can only apologise for this recent behaviour.

Moving on to the techy issues in the campaign I sense a growing frustration in one team of players commanding armies that always get beaten. Its not surprising, its natural to want to win, or at least be given an even chance in games like this. However, looking historically at how the Spanish armies behaved, they always bounced back, by some amazing internal resilience that other armies did not seem to have, in Spain a battle lost would put an army out of commission for a few weeks but soon it would be back as good as before. The Spanish, as the war went on, even seemed to get stronger and especially their artillery. Given that they habitually lost lots of guns in lots of battles I am not sure where they got the extra guns from but I suppose the major arsenals in Cadiz, Valencia, Seville and Santiago were making the bloody things at an incredible rate. Gunners often ran away so there wasn't much need to train new gunners and gunnery officers, it was the horse teams, transport and cannon they managed to replace fast enough to keep their armies supplied with enough artillery.

So my message to the Spanish players is - don't become shy of losing a battle. I thought the decision by Castanos at Sesena was a fatally bad move. Its one reason I made that game an MP scenario - because I was convinced he would push north towards Madrid; had he got a part of his army between Murat and the capital it would have been a very different result from what occurred but I suppose players are naturally wary now of risking any battle with the Spanish armies. My point here is you should not. You should bite the bullet and fight. The French cannot easily reinforce their armies in Spain while the Spanish can, so there is little reason not to fight, especially in such a critical situation as we have (had?) around Madrid. There are second line Spanish forces forming, more armies will be raised. Don't be afraid to fight.

In addition to that, the Spanish players should take heart from the fact you are winning this campaign easily at the moment because the French are making no attempt (around Madrid) to suppress the rebellion. They've drawn back into a tiny area immediately around the capital which is a move of political suicide and will end the campaign with at the very least Murat's dismissal! An extremely strongly worded letter from Napoleon himself explaining what the Emperor wished was received by the Marshal recently (my attempt as umpire to prompt him that disaster was looming) and he still chose to follow his own strategy. Eek. The French must attack and occupy towns and cities and territory to win. They must occupy whole provinces! So the Spanish team need not look at taking Madrid, you need only look at consolidating your gains and let the French stay behind the Tagus and Guadarrama.

I am going to manipulate the Portuguese situation so we get a Convention of Cintra event. I need to do this because if I do, I can release significant British forces to begin to move east. I think the campaign needs this in order to create some fresh battles with different troops and to make the French redeploy some assets to face them. There is no Junot player so this isn't a damaging event for him. Junot's corps can rejoin the war from France at a later date as it did historically.

There's been an unhappy incident recently with me not making it crystal clear that the MP battles we play may use any map NSD have produced. Players should buy all the add-on packs. I always promote this because the SoW game is so damn good and I feel we should support Norb and his team by buying their add-ons rather than use modder-made maps. I realise though that some of you simply don't have the money to buy the add-ons. I can only ask that you do when you can afford them - all of them are brilliant. However recently a battle was fought and the player commanding one side could not play because he didn't own that map pack. To clarify the situation, this campaign is a vast mountain of work for me. It generates many battles and I try to make them both interesting and design them to be fought over terrain that at least feels like it fits the location we're in. Thus I will always use any map I can to design a scenario on. Don't feel bad if you don't have it - other players do and they will command 'your' troops. If you as C-in-C can't make an MP game, its your duty to write up a battle plan and put it in the private forum so the players who do play can work to your strategy. On the flip-side I cannot design games around what map-sets players own; it would be both too much effort and too limiting on what maps we can use. I am very sorry this incident occurred and that I did not handle it more sympathetically - I can only plead high stress levels due to workload, etc as noted above.

The strategic situation around Madrid and how I've been allowing it to progress is something that concerns me. I have allowed too many micro-decisions by both sides with orders coming at me for periods not greater than every 48 hours at times. I know I said that I'd always let reactive orders be issued if something occurred in the turn but the depth of reactive orders around Madrid has got to a level where I think its not right. I want the campaign to be painted with a broader brush than this. I am thinking hard about altering how I manage the map moves at a macro level and while I want players to be able to respond to a changed situation I want to limit this to one event per two weeks. I also had the original simple design idea in my head at the beginning that armies would move, meet, fight and the loser would then retreat. That would close the turn. Activity of an administartive nature below the scale addressed by the campaign would prevent armies moving again and fighting multiple battles in a turn. I definitely do not want the game to go into that kind of territory. This again has been a mistake of my making in the last 2 turns especially around Madrid. I take full responsibility for it, but it is going to change, starting right now post-Sesena.

There may be a few other minor technical issues as well, but these points are my chief concerns right now; especially the "fun battles" and the "no more micro managing map moves" issues. I hope to bring in some events and mechanisms that will address both.

On the plus side while we have had several players leave the map command side of the game, I'm pleased to say that new names have come forth to replace them all, and the game is now a host to several new members of the group. This being the case, and so that they enjoy the campaign, I do not propose to temporarily halt the game but to continue it, perhaps at a less intense pace. If we can pace it so that some weeks we don't have a campaign battle I hope other community members will write scenarios for stand-alone fights, using other periods (ACW, 1745, Marlburian).

This ends this political broadcast on behalf of the Game Umpire Party. Comments are welcome.
Mr. Digby
Mr. Digby

Posts : 5769
Join date : 2012-02-14
Age : 64
Location : UK Midlands

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  WJPalmer Tue Oct 07, 2014 9:07 pm

First, thanks again for all your hard work in putting this together. It is no easy task attempting to recreate history on such a vast scale, but I have to say you've come as close as anyone to pulling it off! At the heart of the campaign is the challenge you face to create conditions where players are motivated to act in a reasonably historical manner for something approaching the same reasons faced by the 1808 cast of characters. With few small exceptions, I think that is exactly what is happening. Anyway, you deserve congratulations for the success so far. Try not to feel too discouraged when it doesn't work out exactly as planned. Recall that those 1808 personalities also tended to the eccentric side!

I offer whatever apologies are warranted for Castaños's decision at Sesena to withdraw back on his supplies. I'm aware that channeling Marshal Kutuzov didn't make for an especially satisfying day for any of the players. By way of explanation, at that moment the choice seemed appropo to a leader not only hungry for victory, but also conscious of his personal career, his men and especially his Junta "bosses" -- who would, no doubt, frown at the wholesale destruction of the Army. This seemed a highly likely outcome to me had the order been given to offer battle in place. Of course, early on direction could have been given to shove the army north toward Madrid, but the way I understand the supply rules, the Army of Andalucia, even had it successfully broken through Murat to the north, would very soon have found itself gnawing on boot leather and horse meat. ;-)

In any event, it was a learning experience.

Ron/Palmer/Castaños

P.S. You, Kevin, and Pepe performed admirably in your roles. Nicely done!
WJPalmer
WJPalmer

Posts : 526
Join date : 2012-08-10
Location : Colorado

http://rwberg53.wix.com/adventure-images

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Martin Tue Oct 07, 2014 11:30 pm

I agree with Ron on just about everything.  

This is quite the most ambitious campaign I have ever participated in.  You have put in a huge amount of work, Diggers, and overall I feel it's working extremely well.

It's in the nature of campaigns that they are going to throw up lop-sided battles.  That's after all what the map commanders should be striving for.  In their favour, of course!  And not all level-odds battles are going to make for enjoyable games.  I think we will all get better at recognising situations when the result is best left to our esteemed umpire, rather than playing a game.  I think your idea of getting the generals to share their plans for each battle is an excellent one, which should minimise the risk of an unsatisfactory battle.  

I would also echo Ron's point about not getting too discouraged when things don't go as planned.  I suspect both French and Spanish players have astonished you at times with their eccentric behaviour, but if this campaign diverges from history, I don't see that as a bad thing.  And the real commanders on both sides made lots of mistakes too.

Martin/Murat

Martin

Posts : 2519
Join date : 2008-12-20
Location : London

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Hannibal Tue Oct 07, 2014 11:54 pm

I want to repeat everything Ron and Martin have said.

This campaign is HUGE and I think overall it is running very, very well, especially considering all the issues you have encountered, such as map players dropping out and MP players lacking maps.

I know I'm a French player so I can afford to say this ( Razz ) , but I'm finding the campaign a lot of fun; you've packed so much historical detail, roleplaying opportunities and strategical scope in a way that is groundbreaking for many of us.

I understand Spanish frustrations with losing every battle, but I suspect their forces are getting better and better and strategically, this campaign is proving very difficult for the French as well, as the latest news bulletins can testify. I think victory is very, very much up in the air for both sides.

I don't mind continuing the campaign at a slower pace and I'm sure both French, Spanish and umpire players will get better at this innovative system as we go along.

Speaking of map players dropping out, should we do a small recruiting drive? I *might* be able to write up a small AAR written as King Josef's account of the last three months of the war, complete with pictures and everything, if that would assist...?

Josh/Josef


Last edited by Hannibal on Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:32 am; edited 1 time in total
Hannibal
Hannibal

Posts : 37
Join date : 2011-06-02
Age : 30
Location : Outback Australia

http://www.littlecaesars.wordpress.com

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Uncle Billy Wed Oct 08, 2014 1:59 am

I too agree with what has already been said. You are doing a great job in managing this campaign. I am sure it must be a formidable challenge. I think you can speed things up and make your life easier by not bothering with fighting hopeless battles. If the object of the fight is just one army defeating the other in a straight up fight, then there will not be much point in creating a scenario and trying to recruit players when there is no question of the outcome. We have plenty of experience now with hopeless endeavors. For Spanish vs French, the Spanish side will need greater than 2 to 1 odds, probably closer to 3 to 1, to have any chance. So if that condition is not present when the two sides collide, I suggest you just roll the dice to determine how badly the Spanish side is defeated and we move the campaign along. Either that or fast forward the campaign to a time when the quality of the troops are more equal.
Uncle Billy
Uncle Billy

Posts : 4600
Join date : 2012-02-27
Location : western Colorado

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Leffe7 Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:46 am

I agree with the comments above.
This campaign is HUGE. I would never even try to run such a detailed operation ;-) Thus many thanks to Digby for managing it.
I'm sorry to have dropped out from the map command. I was supposed to be Junot. I found it difficult to get a clear picture of the situation out of the very detailed mail reports, needing translation to the campaign map. I am more comfortable as a Floater player. I can even play Spanish underdogs if needed.

Some feedback on the battles I played:
- The scenarios were well designed and accurately documented in the forum. It looked like the campaign map player involved wanted to position his troops where they started the battle.
- What was lacking for me was a battle briefing per side before the battle. I would expect this from the campaign map player some days prior to the battle and to be displayed in the sides forum (Overall objectives, tasks for each division, orders depending on how the battle goes, like when to retreat). It was more than once when a player took command of a side and had to give ad-hoc instructions on-the-fly minutes before launching the game. Slowing down the pace of the campaign might help to have enough time for such briefings.
- I can't put my finger on it but sometimes I had the impression that the scenarios were too restricted, pre-determined or micro-managed by design. This creates less options for players but also more work for scenario-design. I am looking for fun and interesting battles, created from the context of a campaign and having an impact on how the campaign continues.
Leffe7
Leffe7

Posts : 468
Join date : 2012-03-01

Back to top Go down

Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As) - Page 2 Empty Re: Technical Campaign Discussion (but not rules Q & As)

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Page 1 of 7 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7  Next

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum