Newbie question

Empires in Arms is the computer version of Australian Design Group classic board game. Empires in Arms is a seven player game of grand strategy set during the Napoleonic period of 1805-1815. The unit scale is corps level with full diplomatic options

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RedSandman
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Newbie question

Post by RedSandman »

Just purchased the game but really struggling on basics. I have read the manual, not completey but the first few chapters. I have a few questions.

1) When I setup I place all the units on the map then end the setup phase. I get an error saying 'add or remove units' but it doesn't give any indications which ones to remove. I've added all the units on the counter page so I can't add any more.
2) What are 'factors' and how many should you put in a unit?
3) I run on Vista so I downloaded the winhelp32 program so the inline help would work but it just seems a repeat of the pdf manual. Is there another help programe or even better a tutorial.

The game looks very comprehensive but I seemed to be struggling with fundamental issues. The manual is good except I think it assumes a certain amount of knowledge about the game engine which I dont have.

Thanks in advance
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zaquex
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RE: Newbie question

Post by zaquex »

u dont need to place all "units" but u need to place all factors. the message you describe comes from having "empty" unit counters on the map
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Ted1066
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RE: Newbie question

Post by Ted1066 »

Hey RedSandman,

They guy you want to talk to is Murat and he has a Tutorial FAQ running here: tm.asp?m=1695769

Ask him when you've got any questions, as his info tends to be the most accurate.

Cheers,

Ted
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Murat
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RE: Newbie question

Post by Murat »

Well Monadman and Marshall are REALITY and thus far more accurate info than mine but when I am wrong it is usually in the right direction (I think [:D]).
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nukkxx5058
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RE: Newbie question

Post by nukkxx5058 »

matrix promised to write a tutorial.

you are not alone struggling with the game. I personally gave up until i have a tutorial explaining me what I should do , in what order and why ...
Winner of the first edition of the Command: Modern Operations COMPLEX PBEM Tournament (IKE) (April 2022) :-)
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Murat
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RE: Newbie question

Post by Murat »

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

matrix promised to write a tutorial.

you are not alone struggling with the game. I personally gave up until i have a tutorial explaining me what I should do , in what order and why ...

I guess mine is worse than I thought [:(]
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nukkxx5058
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RE: Newbie question

Post by nukkxx5058 »

sorry, i didnt read yours ... were can I find it?
thx
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pzgndr
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RE: Newbie question

Post by pzgndr »

I personally gave up until i have a tutorial explaining me what I should do

This cracks me up. I have a refrigerator magnet that reads: THIS LIFE IS A TEST. IF THIS HAD BEEN A REAL LIFE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO. [:D]
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Grapeshot Bob
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RE: Newbie question

Post by Grapeshot Bob »

ORIGINAL: pzgndr
I personally gave up until i have a tutorial explaining me what I should do

This cracks me up. I have a refrigerator magnet that reads: THIS LIFE IS A TEST. IF THIS HAD BEEN A REAL LIFE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO. [:D]


The difference is that you didn't pay to be born and God doesn't hand out quick start guides.

He paid for this game. A functional manual with a quick start guide is an industry standard.

And, like life, this game isn't a test. It is entertainment.



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Murat
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RE: Newbie question

Post by Murat »

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

sorry, i didnt read yours ... were can I find it?
thx

tm.asp?m=1693001
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nukkxx5058
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RE: Newbie question

Post by nukkxx5058 »

Ok the tutorial helps a lot for the first steps. Thanks. However, I didn't find the "attached ZIP" which I guess contains the full setup. Where is the zip file ?

I also had a look to the rest of the tutorial and it well done but the game seems INCREDIBLY complex ... rather discouraging IMO.

I hardly imagine how this could have been played on a boardgame !
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fvianello
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RE: Newbie question

Post by fvianello »

With a lot of beating each other over the rules :)
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Marshall Ellis
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RE: Newbie question

Post by Marshall Ellis »

The boardgame was nicknamed "Empires and Arguments" right? :-)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thank you

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RE: Newbie question

Post by NeverMan »

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis

The boardgame was nicknamed "Empires and Arguments" right? :-)






Pretty much. Mostly for differing "rule interpretations", as most like to call them. I sometimes call them "rules rapists". Either way, it's a lot of arguing.
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ZoomBoy27
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RE: Newbie question

Post by ZoomBoy27 »

I thought it was EiA - "Ending in Arguments"
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nukkxx5058
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RE: Newbie question

Post by nukkxx5058 »

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

Ok the tutorial helps a lot for the first steps. Thanks. However, I didn't find the "attached ZIP" which I guess contains the full setup. Where is the zip file ?

I also had a look to the rest of the tutorial and it well done but the game seems INCREDIBLY complex ... rather discouraging IMO.

I hardly imagine how this could have been played on a boardgame !


Any answer regarding the ZIP file?

thx
Winner of the first edition of the Command: Modern Operations COMPLEX PBEM Tournament (IKE) (April 2022) :-)
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yammahoper
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RE: Newbie question

Post by yammahoper »

1) When I setup I place all the units on the map then end the setup phase. I get an error saying 'add or remove units' but it doesn't give any indications which ones to remove. I've added all the units on the counter page so I can't add any more.
2) What are 'factors' and how many should you put in a unit?
3) I run on Vista so I downloaded the winhelp32 program so the inline help would work but it just seems a repeat of the pdf manual. Is there another help programe or even better a tutorial.

The game looks very comprehensive but I seemed to be struggling with fundamental issues. The manual is good except I think it assumes a certain amount of knowledge about the game engine which I dont have.

Thanks in advance


Lets see...

1) As you place corp counters on the map, click on the corp counter after it is placed, then click the "add factors" botton in the lower left hand corner (or whatever the botton is called...next to it is "add to garrison" botton). Your available forces will pop up in a window. At what forces you wish with the toggle bottons. Note, if you place a corp/counter but do not place any factors in it, the game will tell you to remove them before going on. Empty counters cannot remain on the map. Also, leaders must be assigned. One thing. In set up you can place a corp anywhere and fill it. In normal reinforcement, the new corp must be in supple, either on or adjacent to a depot or in a city to recieve new troops.

2) A factor represent about 1000 men. So one factor of infantry is 1000 soldiers. There are Guard, Infantry, Militia, Cavalry, and for Fr and Ru, Artillery factors.

3) I have refused to touch Vista yet, so no help there.

yamma
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Murat
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RE: Newbie question

Post by Murat »

ORIGINAL: nukkxx
ORIGINAL: nukkxx
Ok the tutorial helps a lot for the first steps. Thanks. However, I didn't find the "attached ZIP" which I guess contains the full setup. Where is the zip file ?

I also had a look to the rest of the tutorial and it well done but the game seems INCREDIBLY complex ... rather discouraging IMO.

I hardly imagine how this could have been played on a boardgame !

Any answer regarding the ZIP file?

thx

Yes, zip files are not allowed in the War Room so I had to load it into Mods here:
tm.asp?m=1694572
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nukkxx5058
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RE: Newbie question

Post by nukkxx5058 »

Thanks
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PBI
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RE: Newbie question

Post by PBI »

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

Ok the tutorial helps a lot for the first steps. Thanks. However, I didn't find the "attached ZIP" which I guess contains the full setup. Where is the zip file ?

I also had a look to the rest of the tutorial and it well done but the game seems INCREDIBLY complex ... rather discouraging IMO.

I hardly imagine how this could have been played on a boardgame !

It's simple; us old wargamers had to learn to read the rules - all of them - and interpret them without the crutch of computer code to do our thinking for us. The best way to learn the rules for a wargame is to read through the rules once, try a test game (with the rule book open and handy), then read through the rules again in more depth, paying particular attention to the sections where one had trouble from the test game.

In this specific instance, the definition of the difference between units and factors is clearly spelled out in the manual.

As for knowing what to do, well, again, there us old-school wargamers have the advantage of having been forced to use the trial-and-error method :) We'd try different strategies (usually based around the victory conditions) and see what worked and what didn't, then make adjustments, and so on. We didn't have tutorials, but then again, we didn't have interface problems, either. It's amazing what one's brain and pen and paper can accomplish.
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