KS Napoleon Mod II 1.05

indeed - last night's fight was phenomenal. Just this morning however I remembered actually commanding the cavalry in Morsey's division last time and that I actually spotted that division spawning to his rear while on the road. I completely forgot that the battle crashed with me frantically deploying to make them form square and slow them down while asking for Morsey to come up as quickly as possible - they were actually in front of us by then and I didn't want to let them get away...

For some reaon the battle developed differently this time and to make things even more cinematic the reserve division turned to crush poor Morsey as well... I believe for once we can clear him of charges...


As for our side: indeed, my cavalry did their best in trying to deal with the Austrian Hussars and Uhlans - however they were simply too outnumbered - and if you don't TC every squadron they are also somewhat too aggressive and likely to charge infantry squares... with Kevin coming up the right flank was secure and it was very easy to take the objective.

My guns ran out of solid shot soon after that, which was when the reserve division, having dealt with Morsey, came up and counter attacked - canister dealt with some of them - and the infantry was about to deal with the rest, when time ran out - Just as another reserve force came up - there were quite a few Austrians left at the end of the fight!!


HOWEVER I believe the fight in the woods near Pepe was somewhat less decisive and would only have been concluded after Digby#s and my division wheeled left and got those Austrians in the rear...

fun battle!

On the captured artillery issue...Could we not just create a universal captured artillery Class, which is used by all nations? Maybe represented by a broken cannon sprite.

Nope, it doesn't work.  The dead cannon moves around the ground just lake a normal one and is manned by your cavalrymen.

I think the "Hold to the Last" stance is missing in the toolbar, is that to promote offensive playing?

I saw that and fixed it.  The button was hiding under the Hold button.

There was an incredible cavalry combat on my right, I think Roland gave as good as he got although the melee spilled over to hurt my right flank a couple of times. Was there anything left for your boys Kevin at the end?

My cavalry made short work of those bothering you and Roland. Once they were gone, the capture of the objective was assured.  However, the Austrian reserve division brought two fresh regiments with them.  My cavalry was finished after destroying them.  It was up to the ground pounders after that.  It was a very fun battle and ran without any problems.

One note for division commanders.  When the infantry is brought up and engages the enemy in a firefight, do not expect the cavalry to be of any use.  Without gaps in the line, the cavalry must move to the flanks in order to enter the combat.  The cavalry actually insists on this.  For combined operations, lanes have to be created for cavalry movement.  It's very realistic.

For some reaon the battle developed differently this time and to make things even more cinematic the reserve division turned to crush poor Morsey as well... I believe for once we can clear him of charges...

Well...our CinC really needs to make this decision.  I will say, the AI did decide to create a local superiority and make Mike the meat in a sandwich.  The AI then proceeded to eat that sandwich.  Mike really had no chance.  He was singled out.

unfortunately (or fortunately - however you want to look at it ) I will be unable to attend tonight's game.

YAY- no bickering, no nagging from the ever so critical Sol

The restart was not very good to me!!!  All I saw was Austrian flags and as soon I spawned their guns were a blazing.  I saw a lot of couriers heading out to the south and east.  I intercepted several going to the east, they were asking for immediate assistance and intercepting them
did not help.  I handled the small DIV quite well then I got it from bother sides by CAV. Then the Arty and INF arrived it was a lose,  lose situation.  They came up right between my 2 armies and I was cut off.  I did not know that over the hill on the other side was the whole Austrian Army.

I got trashed fast!  Tried to get out of there with a BDE but they chased us all over the map and I ended up only saving 2 badly beating up REG's.  As I skirted the eastern side of the map there were Austrians everywhere about 30% percent were routed and the others were headed east.  I decided that I would try and make it back to my staging point ans try and link up with you guy.  I figured that you were doing well with all the stragglers running by us.

Well then the CinC of the house came buy and said it is FRIDAY and I want to watch TV now.  So I left, I heard some surprise in some voices and I said to myself the replay will explain it all and plus she smells better too.

I truly got the LBH feeling yesterday at least I got away not like Custer though.  Live to fight another day!

Bad day for Mike.  The AI didn't like him.

They heard I did real well the last 2 times and wanted me off the field first.  I should blame it on my favorite critiques, wont mention any names.

Kevin
Digby
Pepe

and

Roland but he is Austrian and enjoys slapping his American protege around all the time anyways.



After looking at that map again I guess you could say that I was the fox, they were hound and my superior ability to die in place was the main cause of victory.

I believe for once we can clear him of charges.

Other than that of being dead on duty. Again.

Kevin - these restarts - why do the positions not always tally up? IIRC the only time I've seen a game with the restart positions correct was Martin's Mexican-Indian war one.

Also - second request - you can see my reserve brigade on the left in the map pic. It has 4 btns up and 2 back when I deployed it in a double line. Did you alter the brigade double line and double columns of divisions formations to form 2 equal lines?

Thanks Digby for the Dead on Duty charge that will be my ongoing defense and sounds much more interesting then being a lunatic.

Kevin - these restarts - why do the positions not always tally up? IIRC the only time I've seen a game with the restart positions correct was Martin's Mexican-Indian war one.

I forgot to set sandbox=0 in the ini file.  If I do that, each unit will be where we left it.  If I don't, then the division forms up where the division commander is located in the default division formation, compliments of NSD.  The only problem with setting sandbox=0 is that the AI will go hunting for the enemy, rather than attack or defend an objective.  There is no really good solution here.

Also - second request - you can see my reserve brigade on the left in the map pic. It has 4 btns up and 2 back when I deployed it in a double line. Did you alter the brigade double line and double columns of divisions formations to form 2 equal lines?

Yes I did.  Every number of battalions divisible by 4 will form a block.

Hm, really we need every second battalion to go in the second line so all formations are as even in the front and second line as possible. If unit #2 goes in the 2nd line and that's our sk unit then a brigade formed up in two lines won't have a gap in the front line either.

The problem arises when the brigade redeploys from double line into a fighting line. When that happen now, the old skirmisher slot is filled by the unit behind it, #4. That makes it a much smoother transition. All the other battalions move into their new positions much more smoothly too.

Ah, yes, I see.

What are the numbered unit slots in double and single line now vs what they would be if we went with every odd-numbered unit in the first line and every even-numbered unit in the second?

To me a slower/more cumbersome transition is preferable to having a double line formation (of lines of divisional columns) that most times are not of equal lengths. A transition will happen very rarely, probably not more than once or twice per battle per formation. The use of a double line of battalions is quite common and brigades hold the formation for long lengths of time. I'd prefer us to go with the lesser of two weevils as Captain Aubrey would say.

Currently even numbered battalions are on the right side and odds on the left. The problem that will arise are units trying to pass through each other as they try to form a line. The Chinese fire drill would be back.

I don't follow you, sorry (I suffer limited comprehension on stuff like this without a pictogram). Can you draw a diagram please?

I imagine we could do this:

Double rank of btns in line or in divisional columns:

- - - ENEMY - - -

[  5  ][  3  ][  1  ]
[  6  ][  4  ][  2  ]

(#2 btn is the sk unit)

Single rank of lines or columns:

- - - - - - - - ENEMY - - - - - - - -

[  6  ][  5  ][  4  ][  3  ][  2  ][ 1  ]

We still get a gap when unit #2 skirmishes Though we've always had that so its not a deal-breaker.

The skirmish position is part of the line formation. No the gap is filled by the next unit which will be #3. The problem will be moving the skirmishers out of the back rank. It can be done, however it would require readjusting all the level 5 formations to account for the new ordering. It's a bit of work,, but if you've got the time, give it a go.