Matrix Games Forums

I just got this game recently and after playing awhile I came to the conclusion that the skirmish option here has some of the same weaknesses as in Battle Academy skirmish mode--it just screams for more options. This is what I mean:

1. One cool option would be to purchase units for both sides so you can stage quickie SP battles that mimics historical scenarios. As it is, a small high end army is impossible to face off against a larger low quality army without building the scenario.

2. Failing this, an option for unit quality type would be nice. High, low, mixed. This way you can have two peasant armies slug it out or two elite armies.... or elite against peasants if you're a sadistic bastard like me. [:D]

3. Some other map options like towns and rivers. For example: a town map for defense would put you defending the town, attacking would mean you're attacking the town, and a meeting engagement means both sides are fighting around the town.

4. A little control over reinforcement: how many pts and an option for when or make it random.

5. Option to have units from multiple armies. This one might be complex, but it'd be totally awesome to have an option where you can select allies. There is plenty of precedent for this since different armies fought side-by-side all of the time. The total point purchase would still keep the total army the same size, and the unit quality setting (if that were added) could help balance which units are made available for purchase.


Now for my question: it is quite apparent that this engine could be used to sim almost any kind of warfare from ancient to American civil war at this scale (not so much the wars after unless you shrink the scale). Are there plans to branch this engine out to other periods? I hope so as it is a nice engine and fun to play around with....

Okay, I don't want to go overboard--although I've probably failed in that regard already--so I will stop here. What does everyone think of these ideas?

Thanks for your suggestions.

We are indeed working on a game using this engine (with enhancements) for another period.

Wonderful news! Any hints about what the era might be? Just a hint... do any of the combatants speak Latin? Are any of them on a mission or, say, a 'crusade'? [;)] I won't tell anyone else....

But seriously, this is splendid. Although I am thrilled that there will be enhancement, to be honest I think the game is quite good as it is. As you can see, my main issue is in the skirmish generator. If I had to give any feedback for the game itself I would suggest a way to rally routing units. What the game lacks is a leader unit or something like that--a unit that can run after fleeing soldiers and shout, "Fools, did you want to live forever!?" (Paraphrasing Fred the Great). Alternately, you just just give an occasional rally point as is sometimes available in BAcad scenarios. This may end up being a more elegant solution and far easier to implement.

BTW, I have had a few more ideas. I really hope some of these are helpful. Here goes:

1. On the casualty feedback screen, would it be possible to give more info? There is a difference between soldiers in the process of routing and soldiers who have routed off screen. Also, some units run off screen only to return. It would be nice to know: how many troops are routing but are still on the map vs how many troops have routed and, well, gone home vs how many troops have evaded combat/pursued off the map but are likely to return.

2. Back to skirmish mode: what about a sandbox mode? Drop the points and basically enter whatever armies you want. I would LOVE to marry this game to a boardgame where I could operate strategically by board and fight battles on your game.

3. I know this would be a major undertaking, but it would be a truly astounding game if you were to marry this game, or other future games like it, to a strategic game. This would allow what I am describing in #2 to be done more elegantly. It would be so neat to fight out battles with armies you've built.

Okay, I think I am fresh out of ideas, which is probably good seeing as these would probably entail a lot of work. Despite my "vast" programming knowledge (this is programmed in COBOL, right?) I have to admit I don't really know how feasible most of these suggestions will be to implement in current or future
versions.

Out of curiosity is anyone else as interested in beefing up the skirmish mode as I am? Also, does anyone else want stuff like more info on the casualty screen or keep it minimal? Minimal would be far more in line with the time period. After all, these commanders really had little idea of some of the details we like to have in games, like number of men lost at any given moment.

Well that's enough work to keep us going for the remainder of the century.

ORIGINAL: rbodleyscott

Well that's enough work to keep us going for the remainder of the century.

Nah, I bet you guys can get it done by mid-century at most!

But seriously, i know the idea of linking this game to another is a significant task (okay, huge if you include actually making said other game) but I hope most of the other ideas are reasonable/feasible. I'm holding out hope that one or two might even pop up in a future version of this game.

BTW, I've been trying to make really big battles in skirmish mode and ran into maximums around 3700 points. I then ran across info that said the engine is limited to 64 units per side. Is that correct? Why is that? Is it a speed or memory issue? I suppose this would be another thing to add to my wish list as I'd love even bigger battles. The more electronics peeps there are to kill the happier I am..... this is probably a bad indicator of my mental state. [:'(]

ORIGINAL: AEWHistory

BTW, I've been trying to make really big battles in skirmish mode and ran into maximums around 3700 points. I then ran across info that said the engine is limited to 64 units per side. Is that correct? Why is that? Is it a speed or memory issue?

Speed. Memory isn't really an issue these days.