Tactics,Tactics,Tactics

So as I am waiting for Scourge of War Waterloo, I'm wondering what tactics you use in a multiplayer battles. Thanks Bob

That's a HUGE question

It is best to get into the game and you will find out quite quickly what works. You can soon get a feel for how resolute an enemy is - or whether his infantry are close to breaking and how blown enemy cavalry is. Only experience can tell you this but it will only take you a few battles to "read" an opponents forces.

For me:

1) Keep artillery well supported and protected by units that can easily counter charge if the enemy charges the guns - or keep them well out of harms way behind your lines.

2) Keep as much of your cavalry as you can, back and unused as long as you can. Its mere presence as a threat is its potential. Some players use their cavalry early, when in fact fresh cavalry used late in the combat against tired and shaky infantry can quickly win battles. I prefer to meet enemy cavalry with my infantry - in squares of course. Keep an eye on what the enemy is doing near your cavalry; its possible to order a squadron to make a quick charge and catch enemy out of square and do a lot of damage for little cost. If cavalry hit steady infantry formed in square the squadron will be destroyed or almost useless thereafter.

3) Make full use of your skirmishers to soften up close order infantry. I usually TC(*) mine and keep a close watch on them.

4) Use your cavalry to drive off or ride down enemy skirmishers. They are vulnerable to this and the cavalry is hardly tired by it as its not even a stand up fight.

5) Don't move your artillery often but try to set it up in a position on rising ground with a good field of fire over where you expect the battle to be fought (see #9 below). Letting it plug steadily away at an enemy at medium ranges can be very effective. Resist advancing it too closely against an enemy who isn't close to breaking.

6) Stay tightly in contact with your friendly divisions; close co-operation wins battles.

7) Communicate.

8 ) Learn to have good situational awareness. Try to understand what the other commands on your own side are doing and where they are.

9) Just because you meet an enemy there is no need to fight him where you find him. I have seen many fights lost because players see a red mist when they meet an enemy and go into a fight at an inappropriate time or place. Try to manoeuvre so the battle is fought on ground favourable to you - not to him.



* TC = Take Command. Its an option to turn off the AI decision-making system and it places the unit completely under your control. They will do exactly as you order. The downside is they become brain-dead and won't react at all to any threats so you should use this option sparingly. You can't use it too much in engagements where you command a big force like a division because it reduces the game to an exhausting clickfest.

SoW's AI is about the best RTS on the market. Of course it still has its faults but given how complex and good it is it's possible to explain these faults away as the whims of individual AI commanders interpreting their orders in different ways to what you'd expect. Players have all kinds of styles and our group ranges from people who like to TC everything to those who TC almost nothing and let the AI fight the battle for them.

Thanks

I will simply post a couple small details many seem to miss;

1) Hide your troops: woods, streams, valley's, reverse slope. Hide Hide Hide Hide!

2) Conception of mass: do not advance in line. Mass your men and overwhelm the critical point. Use the Ordre Mixte and advance rapidly. This leads to my last point;

3) Do not rush into battle if the enemy is deployed to fight! One must find the critical point, IE the place that once taken will expose the remainder of the enemies line to collapse.

Fill the void with artillery fire, skirmisher probes and light cavalry charges to hit vulnerable enemy targets (like exposed guns or skirmishers).  When you find the place you wish to attack the rule of 2:1 should be observe: As a division commander two brigades forward one in reserve, as a Corps commander two divisions forward one in reserve, as an army commander two corps in formation and la garde in reserve . The attack should commence quick and should not rely on firepower. I like to use the bayonet to drive quickly, which is why the 2:1 is so important. Your first several brigades will be exhausted and vulnerable, your reserve brigade can then deploy (in line!) and hold your gains while you rest and the army redeploys to exploit your gains!

There is a method to my madness! I am very aggressive, but a lot of that is posturing and puffing. I like to hide my moves and if you are seeing troops and guns that is not usually where I will attack

I'm like a peacock with fangs

Message received. Allow me to rephrase my artillery comment

So one should take care to observe friendly batteries and see if they are shooting anything, which could be for any number of reasons to include poor placement, (among others) and alert your team mate who owns the battery.

And other tidbits now:

Also, it is always a good Idea to confirm that you got a message. If you are asked/ordered to do something then send a courier back that acknowledges the order. Couriers can get shot, lost. It helps to do this

Also, periodically (depening on situation but at least every 15 minutes or so) send a courier to your commander letting him know what you see and what you are doing, even if it is nothing.. Doesn't have to be long winded.
It helps his SA. There is a fine line between helping SA and spamming, but let your commander (or subordinates) tell you that.

Before a game begins make sure you are clear about the commanders intent. Ask questions. He might say "attack" but what he really means is "feint" ... make sure you know.


Lastly, do not hesitate to communicate to a commander in your vicinity even if outside chain of command. Significant events. Like when uour line joins his on a flank. Or when forces are coming in vicinity he ought to know about. Or when you are going to do something that might impact his fight.

Notice my "tactics" are about communication. I wanted to clarify some examples of communication. At least in my personal view. Sometimes that message might be limited value added ("okay I am right behind you so I am seeing the same thing") but other times it can jolt the commander out of tunnel vision ("Oh crap I forgot about that battery") or just give some reassurance ("glad to know he is alive and paying attention over there because I am busy over here") ...

Point is that nobody sees the same battle, EVER. We base our action not just on what we see but also what we assume.

Interesting.

It is extremely important the use of reserves. At every level IMHO.

"It is best to get into the game and you will find out quite quickly what works. You can soon get a feel for how resolute an enemy is - or whether his infantry are close to breaking and how blown enemy cavalry is. Only experience can tell you this but it will only take you a few battles to "read" an opponents forces"

I must be stupid.
1. I haven't found "what works".
2. I haven't found " a feel for how resolute an enemy is - or whether his infantry are close to breaking and how blown enemy cavalry is"
3. I haven't been able "read" an opponents forces.

I am good at exposing general advice that doesn't work for me.

I do remember the many examples from history of good commanders who don't do well with (generalized/vague) advice/instruction's.

S,J I can tell by the noise of a fight, how intense it is. I can only tell how close an enemy's formation is to breaking by counting the bodies on the ground ha! If I witness an entire fight, I will know roughly, based upon the noise and/or the amount of casualties on the ground, how close the enemy formation is to breaking based upon how long they are in combat.


I use sound to tell how many hits an artillery battery is getting on opposing infantry. Last game, I witnessed two French batteries firing on a knoll occupied by the Spanish. I could tell our artillery was having an effect because I could see bodies appearing after artillery strikes on max zoom AND I the opposing player soon had their men laid down.

If they had stayed on that knoll (They retreated) I would have given a good 15 minutes of bombardment, and then a well rested French force could have captured that knoll without difficulty-based upon the totality of factors.

Does this make sense SJ?

I know people mean well with the advice given. Please don't ever think that I am angry or upset with anyone. I'm frustrated with myself.

I'm partially tone deaf. And that being the case, the advice given (using a hearing sense), while being good advice, won't help in my case.

I can't hear any difference in infantry rifle fights, ether I hear rifle's shooting or I don't, no in-between, I don't hear the distance difference, I don't hear any difference between one unit firing and multiple units firing.

Artillery, I can hear the difference between solid, shell and canister. I don't hear the distance difference, unless it’s well over a mile away. Thus I can't hear if the artillery sounds are friend or foe.

When I hear artillery sounds I have to spend time cycling through my men to determine if they are in trouble from arty. When I do that it diverts my attention from seeing other things going on.

Alas, because I'm partially tone deaf, the available science (hearing aids) doesn't help.

The advice on courier communications with teammates makes sense, but if I drop everything to write out a courier, it will set off other problems. I can't type very fast. I have large/strong fingers that have served me well with a bone crushing hand grip. But they are problematic with fine motor movements. Do you remember the original Blackberry? My large hands couldn’t use it. When the company I was working for found out I couldn’t use it, they let me go.

To get a feel of what I’m saying about my keyboarding, try playing a game using the end of two pencils in your hands.

If I stand to watch an infantry engagement, that will divert my attention from else ware. Setting off more problems.

I don’t multitask well I guess.

Well SJ that's fair enough, you understand the mechanics of the game and you manage your troops-that is good enough! There is a distinct difference in terms of sound for various distances and intensity of rifle and artillery fire. I do not know how to quantify it but I can concentrate on one end of my line and listen through my headphones and tell that the other end of my formation is ok; I do not need a line of sight.

I think this skill was honed through games such as counterstrike in my youth plus I have a gaming headset which really sets the sound as to the direction it originates.

As for standing and observing. I find I ride like mad all around the terrain I am planning on fighting and then I find a good observation point and observe. Especially for a bombardment.

One of the things I neglected to mention is time: you are an experienced player so you can estimate how long it takes for certain branches to do things in gametime. For an example, I can have a brigade move through a wooded area-I know that will take roughly so long, I can busy myself with other tasks while that formation is moving through the woods.

All of this knowledge comes via playing the game. Last battle, when viewing the second allied line I knew immediately that to succeed the point of attack must be along the coast. Specifically the little hill that was separated from the main ridge must be taken. If taken the French could threaten the Spanish line of retreat and also guard their own line of communication if that hill fell. Thusly, in 30 seconds I rode my cavalry division to that point. Seeing the terrain also comes with experience.

You are a good commander, but more importantly a good questioner