KS Napoleon Mod 1.34 & KS SOW Supplemental Maps 1.24 Uploaded

I'm definitely a convert to the defsave process. Much simpler than the old way. I assume that the .bin file takes the place of changing the start time on the .ini file and deleting the previously executed commands on the battlescript? The restart.ini file can be activated and it will always read the last defsave which saves a lot of copying and pasting. Big improvement for MP.

If the detach/guard thing is a recent innovation that's fine too. I had just never seen it happen before but I was still using 1.31 until a couple of weeks ago. It actually makes sense:

For God's Sake be sure you do not risk the cannon.

- John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough

Does the mod pick the weakest battalion, or the closest one? In my experience, the latter is the case.

On an unrelated note, will the AI-controlled divisions independently send out cavalry screens/scouting parties?

Does the mod pick the weakest battalion, or the closest one? In my experience, the latter is the case.

I think its both. It looks for the weakest unit within X radius (maybe 100 yards or something?)

That would agree with what I have observed, although it is sometimes frustrating to have a brigade’s attack strength substantially reduced when the largest battalion happens to be the closest.

That would agree with what I have observed, although it is sometimes frustrating to have a brigade’s attack strength substantially reduced when the largest battalion happens to be the closest.

Yes definitely. Sometimes you have a brigade with only 3 battalions and the artillery commanders take 2 of them lol. I'm usually content to let them have their bodyguard though unless I particularly need it, in which case I'll TC them.

It would be nice to have the Guard behavior able to be toggled, rather than always being active. Sometimes the AI assigns battalions to guard duty even when the situation clearly doesn’t warrant it.

Have you observed either:
a) AI-controlled cavalry units independently sending out patrols , or
b) AI-controlled artillery units selecting “withdraw by recoil” when being advanced upon by the enemy?

It would be nice to have the Guard behavior able to be toggled, rather than always being active. Sometimes the AI assigns battalions to guard duty even when the situation clearly doesn’t warrant it.

If you want to release a unit from guarding a battery just select the unit, go to the Orders tab and press the green Select Unit To Guard button. The unit will then be available for other duties.

AI-controlled cavalry units independently sending out patrols

The Ai doesn't do this. It currently has no way of using any information about enemy locations. This is part of the strategic AI who's code is in the game engine. This is one of the areas that can hopefully be rewritten for the next mod update.

AI-controlled artillery units selecting “withdraw by recoil” when being advanced upon by the enemy?

The Ai doesn't do this either. It's a good idea and shouldn't be too difficult to implement. Under what specific conditions should this be implemented? How close should the enemy get before beginning to withdraw?

I would think the artillery commander decision would be a function of the artillery battery’s own position, available supports, number and distance of enemy

All things being equal:

-less chance of withdraw when in better defensive terrain
- less chance of withdrawing when own potential support in vicinity is on par with what is coming at it

And if under Phils command:
- When away from woods always withdraw to woods
- when in woods stay there and haul guns up into trees by rope/pulley

I have found that the “Select unit to guard” button only works temporarily for releasing a battalion from guard duty; if no other battalion is in the vicinity, the battalion in question will generally be recalled to guard duty shortly after being released.

The Ai doesn't do this either. It's a good idea and shouldn't be too difficult to implement. Under what specific conditions should this be implemented? How close should the enemy get before beginning to withdraw?

It doesn't? Is them pulling into squares something different then I guess?

As for when they should do so I would say it should be a certain range. Maybe 50 yards? What is the range the guarding infantry will move to engage any approaching enemy? It might be good to have the guns withdraw at the same range or so? That way the defending battalion can march up and the guns can withdraw behind it safely (providing guns can move through infantry, which I think they can).

Or maybe it could be different depending on stance? The higher the aggressive stance the closer the enemy must be before they retreat? On All Out Attack maybe 30-50 yards. On Regular Attack maybe 70 yards. On more defendy stances maybe 100, but that seems like it might be too far, but then I rarely put guns on defensive anyway. I'm not tied to these numbers if they seem too close or too far, I was just trying to ball park it.

Regarding cavalry patrols being independently sent out by the AI:

I feel that this would establish a "picket" functionality which is currently lacking in defensive positions. I was playing a scenario the other day involving Prussians defending against a French attack, and the AI reacted to the oncoming enemy forces when they were significantly within artillery range (only unlimbering the guns at that point), even though they had been visible for some time before that. Now obviously that was due to the LOS being dependent on the flags and not whatever is going on graphically; but, if there had been some sort of picket line, the force would have been detected before that point, possibly allowing the AI to take preemptive measures.

Having patrols sent out in front of the main force would allow for some amount of early warning (as was seen historically), both on the offense and defense.

EDIT: Alternatively, you could have the current scouting/skirmish companies be sent out on defense as well as on offense, although I'm not sure that they have the same enemy reporting implemented as the cavalry patrols.

I have found that the “Select unit to guard” button only works temporarily for releasing a battalion from guard duty; if no other battalion is in the vicinity, the battalion in question will generally be recalled to guard duty shortly after being released.

I have never seen this behavior when I unguard a battery. Sometimes after a long period of time, (many minutes), a new battalion will be reassigned from whatever brigade happens to be closest and the battery is in close combat.

Just changed from 1.33 to 1.34

Notice that my infantry are not returning fire, this is all battalions in a brigade when AI is selected (white flag).
When Take Charge is selected using Take Charge All then battalions are firing as normal (1.33) . Has something changed or have I got a duff install?

Cheers

dran-yam-nai I’ve noticed the same thing with units not firing but I’m new to this mod and didn’t realise anything was wrong. It has been frustrating ordering units around the map and then having to take command of every unit to engage in combat.

That's certainly not something we see in any of our games. Try downloading the latest Modules dll from the Discord channel and see if anything is different.

I compared my mods with what I think are the latest  mod files on the discord channel. Are these the right (latest)

Almost certainly, the issue is incompatibility with the mods that you use (presuming you are activating the non-KS mods at the same time as the 3 KS mods) . There's some great features in the Grog mods but KS mod contains many formation changes too and much more. We play exclusively using the 3 KS mods running. Even the French oob mod will not be compatible.

I think Grog is right. Disable the top two mods in that list, and the bottom one and rename the folder of the Sprites Mod so the "(1)" is not on the end (or even a blank space).

The Grog toolbar is definitely NOT compatible with the KS Mods.

Grog and Mr Digby, you were right! The units are now doing what their supposed to. The game is much more enjoyable now. Thank you.

You have to approach the KS Mod as a "complete overhaul" mod and just use its three files/folders. Think (if you play Total War) of playing NTW III or DarthMod but trying to chuck in some key mods from elsewhere. The game just gives up because its getting conflicting instructions.

EDIT: Pleased you got it working! Now join us for some MP!