Scourge of War - Napoleon, A Peninsular Campaign

Oh no, I wouldn't give up that battlecry for the world!

Still having troubles accessing my download links for Scourge of War - I know I've been able to get at the patches since Matrix took over, but for some reason I can't authenticate the game now. Any tips on installing it on a new machine?

Still have all the original serial keys from Norbsoft.

EDIT: Nevermind - setting up the mods again now

Can someone do a brief summary for me/others as to which mods we'd need for the Peninsular Campaign? I suspect I have most of them now, but a complete list would be excellent.

Cheers!

AFAIK, just four:

1 & 2) Gunships Nap Mod now comes in one big mod, plus a small csv file mod.

3) Kevin's "JustCouriers" mod which is the old "CouriersandMaps" mod but with most of the ACW rule changes removed.

You shouldn't need a toolbar mod since the NapMod now includes a good one.

After that you can include any environment mods you like (smoke, sounds, tree/vegitation graphic improvements, etc).

4) You'll need some of Garnier's most recent random maps mods. I think 6a is the most Napoleonic looking one.

There might be a 5th official mod in the near future when and if we decide to make any changes to the main NapMod. This'll be either a HITS/GCM Nap Mod Mod, or it might become part of "JustCouriers".

Also - nothing to do with your question but something I've been looking for for a good while now... this!

http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/battles/1808/Peninsula/BritishArmy/c_MondegoBay.html

http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Britain/Cavalry/Wellington%27sCavalry/c_Wellington%27sCavalryIntro.html

Yes! Yes! *punches the air*

The whole Napoleon Series site is brilliant:

http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/c_organization.html

Outstanding, all set - can't wait to see the OOBs.

Thanks for putting so much work into getting this off the ground - I'm sure it'll be spectacular!

Mr. Digby wrote

"Maitlandtoo - Waiting on an answer for you but if you are not a Scourge of War player you could play the role of the Central Junta when it convenes in September. Prior to that I could give you a minor Spanish command."

Been in an internet free zone with swmbo, back now

As yet I don't have SoW so the suggestion of the Central Junta and the small Spanish command would be good.

Cheers

Mike

Progress report, 01 May. I have prettied-up the player list and their in-game personas in the first post of this thread, near the bottom.

I am still open to players shifting positions about if you'd prefer something else. Please PM me.

Wittman, you get Bessieres who will be responsible for the French LoC/LoS admin work although you do have several subordinates to help you out - Verdier (Stefan) on the west end of the Pyrenees and Duhesme/St Cyr (Suchet and Mitra) on the east end (coast of Cataluna) so you guys can share the load. That will need to be something to discuss.

Note that no Spanish general is subordinate to another, and no-one is commander in chief. Haha.

I have yet to start on the actual SoW OOB csv files but I've been giving thought to troop ratings.

The Anglo-Portuguese actual (non csv) OOB is complete.

The French actual (non csv) OOB is about 90% complete.

The Spanish actual (non csv) OOB is about 70% complete.

When I've done these I will have private forums set up and players given access to them, the OOBs will then be sent via PM to each player with the two senior French players (Murat and Bessieres) getting a more comprehensive list.

Starting positions will be marked on a map.

Strategic discussions may then begin. The French will need to very carefully look at what places they need to garrison, or add men to the existing garrisons of, in order to even begin to wage war in this hostile country. Their field armies will be reduced in size by garrisons. Historically a lot of the reserve units such as the provisional regiments, legions of the reserve and National Garde units sent as reinforcements did these jobs.

Then we'll be off.

Outstanding work, Digby - I'm getting fairly excited about this, can't wait to see how it plays out.

Mr. Digby wrote:2.2 ... The smaller northern provinces; Cantabria, Vascongadas and Navarra, and Extremadura aside, each of these will produce and support its own army(ies) which must draw supply lines back to their own supply depots.

Did you mean to say something else instead of Extremadura? Also - can you clarify this rule a bit - do those Northern provinces have armies/generate supply? I'm confused.

This is really looking interesting. A cursory glance at my situation is quite worrying!

Blackstreet wrote:

Mr. Digby wrote:2.2 ... The smaller northern provinces; Cantabria, Vascongadas and Navarra, and Extremadura aside, each of these will produce and support its own army(ies) which must draw supply lines back to their own supply depots.

Did you mean to say something else instead of Extremadura? Also - can you clarify this rule a bit - do those Northern provinces have armies/generate supply? I'm confused.

This is really looking interesting. A cursory glance at my situation is quite worrying!

Nice catch. I need to edit that. The inclusion of Extremadura there was from an early draft before I found evidence of the Conde de Belvedere's Spanish army in that region. Initially the small northern Spanish provinces around the Basque region didn't have a formal army as the French were too close in too great numbers. Armies formed here later, but I'll delete "Extremadura" from that list and also clarify it.

Thanks for the catch.

Excellent work Digby! Time to print out the graph for me and bust out the push-pins.


Not to nit-pick but Oporto (Portugal's starting city) seems to lay on (6,15) on the map, not (6,16) as listed.

Also, I drew on the map to help everyone have a visual reference for the start, apologies for the quick coloring.

(France=Blue, Spain=Orange, Portugal=Green, Britain=Red)

Click on the Image for a larger version

Nice map!

I'll double check Oporto later. It lies on the north bank of the Douro River if that's any help but I could easily be guilty of a typo, it's been known before.

I could really use one more French player to be based in the north-east. The situation around the Pyrenees-Aragon-Cataluna is really messy early on with French troops arriving and being formed into field forces as needed and several Spanish armies "popping up" so to speak. An extra player to command some of these and take some of the pressure off you as Bessieres would be a big help.

Any takers?

Do you need another French player or a Llama more?

Really don't mind which roles I'm filling and when - wherever I'm needed.

Khryses wrote:Do you need another French player or a Llama more?

Really don't mind which roles I'm filling and when - wherever I'm needed.

I need a Llama more than I need another French player.

We could lose Joseph I and Hannibal could take the slot, or we could lose our Central Junta player and Maitland could take it. It would be nice to have another player though.

Wittmann - I fixed the issues you raised. You were quite right about Oporto.

Wow, great job Digby.

Sorry I'm late but I just got back from one week of vacation.

I love these campaigns and certainly I join it with pleasure.

Now I'm going to study rules. It's possible that I will have some questions.

Great to have you on board Suchet. I have set aside some Italian troops for you

Well I've finally managed to get SoW working properly with my suoer-duper new laptop (http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Asus_N56VJ_Core_i7_Windows_8_Blu-Ray_Laptop_with_2GB_Dedicated_Graphics_N56VJ-S4164H/version.asp#top) but which has the Windows 8 crap installed. I wish that I had been given a choice of Windows 7 when I ordered but I wasn't :-( Damn Microsoft.

For those who are thinking of getting W8, my advice is: DON'T! If you have to, Sow works in XP Compatibility Mode (via the icon's Properties). End of Rant.

Anyway, I have completed all of the tutorials bar the Corps one and I have yet to play an online multi-player game. So I am interested but I should probably play a minor commander (French, for preference).

Also my IT contract has just ended so I should have the time to play!


Cheers,

Richard
PS Did I see another post somewhere about getting some Napoleonic mods?

Hello Richard and welcome!

The links for the Napoleonic Mod are in this first post:

http://forum.kriegsspiel.org.uk/t698-special-waterloo-hits-event-sat-april-13#6110

If you need help, just shout. You'll need to get teamspeak as well but once you have that we can get online talking to you and get any issues resolved much faster.

Welcome. If you are interested in a game, a few of us will get together Sunday at 20:00 Brit time which is 15:00 EST. I think.

Thanks to Mark, our kind host, we have two secure forums now for the two teams. To join one, please click on the 'usergroups' link on the top of the page, like this:



and then apply to the correct group. This last bit is important! I can only confirm or reject applications so if you apply to the wrong team, I'll only be able to reject that application and ask you to reapply.

Belay all that nonesense. I can (and have) added everyone to the correct groups.

The campaign is NOW RUNNING and you are all encouraged to go to the secure areas and begin planning.

The map movement stage isn't going to happen just yet, but you should begin discussions (in-character please) and I will get the OOBs to everyone asap along with where everyone and their troops are, plus the reinforcements that are known to be on their way, or mustering, and where, in the first weeks of the conflict.

Digby - what are the rules concerning radio-silence? I mean, can I directly email a fellow player? What can we post on the shared forum, etc?

Also, one other thing - what are the objectives / victory conditions? Or is it all roleplay-driven?

Blackstreet wrote:Digby - what are the rules concerning radio-silence? I mean, can I directly email a fellow player? What can we post on the shared forum, etc?

Also, one other thing - what are the objectives / victory conditions? Or is it all roleplay-driven?

You can directly e-mail a fellow player, yes, but please CC me in on all communications.

On the shared forums players are already discussing plans of strategy. I take these as being letters written and sent by courier so every single IC post carries with it a risk it'll be intercepted and read by the enemy. Note that multiple couriers would be sent so the fact the message "gets through" on the forum is okay and still sits alongside it also being captured. As always in these situations the less you talk the less risk there is.

The objective for the Spanish nation is to clear their country of the hated French invaders.

The objective for the Spanish Generals is to come out as top dog when all this is over. The French are not interested in the internal struggle in Spain since the bleatings of their generals and politicians will be moot if they gain their objective, so I haven't said much about this yet. Its something for the Spanish 'team' to deal with. Napoleon and his marshals are already aware from their dealings in the Iberian melting pot that there are different views of what is best for Spain among the senior Spanish generals. Not all of their armies will be pulling in the same direction.

The objective for the French is to suppress the uprising, defeat the Spanish armies and establish King Joseph securely on the throne in Madrid. Ultimately a Spanish Regency (government formed of a select group of nobles) or Cortes (more formal parliament) would need to recognise Joseph as King. The French must also maintain their control in Portugal and ensure the security and proper functioning of the Continental System in both countries.

For their part the British and their Portuguese allies want to bring the war to the French in any way practical so as to give support to Prussia, Russia and Austria. If they can divert more troops into Spain by their aggressive actions this will also assist. Ultimately, Britain, like the other European monarchies, wishes to see Napoleon defeated and removed from the political scene entirely and the Bourbon monarchy restored.

I've put this reply inside the campaign area and it will help a lot of we just have techy details for the game in one place from now on.

Thanks for the clarification but...

Mr. Digby wrote:The objective for the Spanish Generals is to come out as top dog when all this is over.

I guess I'm asking - "How do I become top dog?" Recruit men? Beat the enemy? Control towns and cities? Or can I be bought by a high-paying French player and retire to St Tropez? D'you see my point? (I ask because of course this happened!)

I'm not sure I agree, Ollie. My own feeling is that victory criteria would best be implicit rather than explicit, and couched in general statements, such as the one you quoted.

The historical generals didn't have a chart saying so many points for Madrid, so many for each 1,000 casualties inflicted, or whatever.

I'm not suggesting that Digby shouldn't have such a chart, if he finds it helpful in assessing victory, just that it would be best if he doesn't share it with the players. One players know there is a system, the risk is that they start playing it, rather than the situation. That increases the risk of silly moves, just made to grab a few extra points before some arbitrary date, for example.

Martin (J)

Plus it also helps with GM's Infallibility - if it turns out that one of us does something he never expected that he feels would definitely help in becoming Top Dog, Digby can model that into his scoring system with nary a word to the wise.

Coming out as top-dog would be a hard graph to draw. Castanos pretty much sealed the deal for himself very early on with his victory at Bailen. That one victory served him well in politics for years and is still revered in Spain even today, like we Brits view Waterloo. You need to win battles against the hated invader, try not to lose battles... or if you do lose them try to find someone else to blame, try and find political allies among the other generals and scheme with them; either respect and politely obey the Provincial and later the Central Juntas, or wilfully fight them if you think that stance would serve you better.

The Spanish nobility were completely beholden to the concept of honour at this time (the numbers of duels fought in this period was ridiculous) so I may well go with an 'honour points' system. On the other hand I might just run it 'hands off' and see how the role-playing builds up its own storyline.

Each Spanish player is free to e-mail me with questions or ideas of things they'd like to do or want to know if its possible. It could get you extra reinforcements; the adulation of the towns you capture; or the cold ire of the juntas.

I'd be delighted if players read a little bit around the subject; there are some good articles on the internet. You don't have to buy expensive books.

Also other generals will come into play if the campaign continues on long enough, so if you find your general is languishing with a minor command and a string of defeats to his credit don't panic, as other personas will arise and you could be granted one of those to play. There was more fluidity in command in these armies than there was in ten Armies of the Potomac.

If all of the political manouvering and scheming just confuses you and doesn't interest you, by all means play one of the several neutral generals and just focus on driving back the French, or securing large numbers of towns.