A bit of a report on mere solo games

[GShock]

I've tackled this game as Spain and after a few difficulties (the learning curve is much steeper than in FoF) I guess I successfully managed to understand the most important part of the game: Diplomacy.

Now, actually I have seen that the problem with protectorate levies has already been reported, another problem I haven't seen reported is that when you conquer a region, you can see there's always unallocated work factors so probably these minors are not producing the way they should.

Unfortunately, and ultimately, I guess the real problem lies in the economic simulation assigned to the AI. I am in the 1792 Campaign as Spain, maximum time limit, 3000 glory limit. While I do own all of Africa (except the parts owned by Turkey), Portugal and the entire Italy, I see France has more or less the land it owns nowadays. The overview screen shows France has a NM of 1000, 10.000+ money and all kinds of economic resources in vast abundance. My 3 diplomats working on propaganda can never beat the constant NM bonuses such simulated economy generates. It is therefore impossible for me to attack France because my 4 corps and 2 armies have only 1 three star general and if we exceed 300.000 men (and barely escaping with an even monthly balance) France surely has 3.000.000 men and vast abundance of resources.

I could say the same about Britain which, while only having conquered Denmark, has a super fleet where 28 ships have just beaten 84 of mine. Considering it takes a few turns and heavy investments to build a single ship of the line, I'd say there's something wrong here too.

I think these issues all pertain to bonuses given to the AI which are perhaps too abundant when compared to the player's real economy based on upkeep, taxes, feudal levy etc. Can anyone confirm? What is a difficulty level that gives no advantage to the AI when compared to the player's economy?

[Marshal Villars]

I have noted this and will discuss with Eric. Good post!

[GShock]

Might be good, since you find yourself discussing, to note down the fact that while both the light v of the manual and the F1 screen state that the LABOR SLIDER is supposed to increase the unit production speed, it doesn't but as Terje and I noticed, it DOES affect the production of LABOR RESOURCE.

I am now playing with NORMAL difficulty level and all economies seem much more credible when compared to mine, I suppose the STANDARD level has got some bonus to the AI but it seems really too much imho. This game is a bomb, just like FoF it could be developed for ever given its potential. Now you either develop it or not, it's just already a masterpiece as it is. Just minor flaws.

There's a problem with the sea zones in front of Cyrenaica (I guess... I mean in front of the last Lybian province, just next to the Turkish reign). This zone seems to be divided into 2 zones but there's no such marker on the map. Graphically, it's ONE sea zone, but with movement and depots it is TWO zones. When control was assumed of this minor, its lone Privateer was NOT disbanded, thus remaining on port PERMANENTLY.

Please also make sure to note the fact that if your ally wins a war with your enemy and this enemy surrenders to you while you are besieging a place like CRETE for example, the fact you CANT load back onto a fleet at sea will PERMANENTLY jam your container there (this is a problem common to FoF as well). In other words, you can only load troops on a fleet if the fleet is in the port and the troops are in the port region but if the fleet is at sea you can only disembark (unload) but not re-embark, unless the fleet enters the port which is NOT always possible as you imagine. Now, keeping the container supplied is a pain but having to disband it awhole because of this issue is a bigger pain imho.

[Marshal Villars]

Noted. Keep 'em coming.

[GShock]

Now this is a couple of SS I took while playing a new game. Spain, 1792 Campaign, NORMAL difficulty (both settings on normal) and Adv. Economy.

I am allied to Britain and France is at war with basically all Europe except Turkey and Russia.
The french fleets have been engaged, sunk and they are all blockaded and battered in Brest. The situation you can't see (out of this SS) is Veneto was Couped by Tayllerand but has revolted. Marseille is in my hands while Corsica isn't. Normandy is in British hands and Picardy in Swedish hands. This makes France 100% blockaded.

France is on the verge of being totally conquered, it's only a matter of time. Aranda's mission (my diplomat) is Pressure Peace. He is in the region just adjacent to Genoa and North of Marseilles (out of this SS).
France has been in this situation for almost 6 months now: Totally blockaded or with ports LOST to me, Fleets blocked in ports and Paris almost totally surrounded.



I would expect in this situation, catastrophic morale losses and bankrupcy at hand but look at the Overview screen and you will see that France manages to keep black in balance while its national morale is 1000 (maxed out). The NM modifier is understandable because Austria has attacked and lost in Paris already 3 times but the rest basically is not.



The concentration of troops in Paris is such that France should be out of food. There should be NO positive modifier for luxuries, spices or abundance of anything indeed. If you consider it's 100% blockaded there's no way to get any income from colonies or trade revenue either.

This suggests that even at NORMAL difficulty level, the AI is still helped too much OR (possibly) that some of the negative modifiers on the french economy are not working as intended (There is a very large stack in Paris I have no idea how it's getting resupplied in this situation). On the other hand I can't for the love of me understand why Austria is attacking in Paris and losing because this is what keeps France from surrendering: The NM bonus from those victories against Austria. Nevertheless, the soldiers must see there's no hope, unfortunately, with such a high morale, I can only hope the mobilization factors are down because of province losses. In any case this is a situation that must be fixed as soon as possible because it's a serious game-breaker. Mind that in order to get to France so deeply, I am using all of my resources on keeping the supply line of depots extended while it looks like France has no issues either in morale or in economy (which would preclude a loss of morale).

I think I am writing this report only because I love WCS. If I loved the hex battle half as much as I love WCS, I'd be reporting on FoF:GB now. I am a dumbass... I know. [8|]

What the heck... so dumb even the SS can't show up... I hope you can see them through their links. [8D]