Matrix Games Forums

I'm just starting to learn and play the game. Several things have struck me, as I've been reading the rules, and I wonder if any of the experienced players still look in occasionally to this forum?

First off: ranges in detailed battles. In division level battles, each hex is 600 yards across. And musket-firing troops have a fire range of 3 hexes (2 for effective fire). Erm, have I misunderstood something? I was under the impression that the muskets of the period could reach out to 200 yards or so, but only really became effective at, or under, 100 yards. In the game, artillery also have a range of 3 hexes. Just looks rather strange.

Second thing: is it possible to cancel developments in a province once they've been 'booked'? I can't find an undo for the life of me. Similarly with trade proposals. If you make a proposal and then change your mind, can you cancel it somehow?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Well, I found answers to my second question, while looking elsewhere in the forum. Short answer: no.

I'm still perplexed by the ranges in detailed combat though.

One thing does belatedly occur to me on the range issue: after seeing an enemy cavalry unit fire at me from a couple of hexes away, the penny dropped that this fire must represent horse artillery accompanying the cavalry brigade.

This idea that long range is actually 'organic' (in modern parlance) artillery seems to be borne out by the relative fire combat damage factors of the three main unit types. Art does much more than Inf, which does a fair amount more than Cav. So, problem pretty much solved by the look of it.

newmanovi, if you are still out there look into this, I believe your perception is right about the range for muskets. I believe you will find way back in the past posts that it was done for playability. I seem to remember reading a discussion about the length of a line formation and the range of muskets being incompatable for teh scale of the game.