Combat screen-shot

[SMK-at-work]

As requested in another thread - here's a sceenshot of a combat from the latest Beta.

Things to note are the stats along the bottom - how many strength points were involved on each side, what quality & readiness they were (9 is highest possible), how much firepower that translated into, what the losses were both in strength points and readiness.

Not a good result for the French!

The 120 German strength points is a serious over-stack - it looks like the germans were attacking the French, and moved a 2nd echelon inot the hex, but the attacking echelon was beaten to the punch by the French and defended....probably to the detriment of the French!

[Capitaine]

If the Germans are indeed "overstacked", I'm surprised that the combat system allows every unit in the overstacked hex to participate in combat.  It seems that such a system would just encourage monster stacks instead of realistic frontages. [:-]

[sol_invictus]

I agree. Surely there is some limit to the amount of bodies that can be squeezed into the front, or at least a system of diminishing returns as forces approach the massive. Of course, this is WWI at the strategic level, so it would certainly be proper to make massive attacks with hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

[randell765]

I am probably blind, but where do you see where it says 120 strength points?

[Capitaine]

2nd line down, third stat from the right (Inf 120)

[7th Somersets]

What you are seeing is the 'combat' part of the phase. At the end of the combat the troops will return to their starting positions - save for any victorious units that may advance into a conquered hex.

Don't draw too many 'conclusions' from one screenshot by SMK.

There are stacking limits for each hex.

[randell765]

2nd line down, third stat from the right (Inf 120)

 
 
Oh, ok.  I saw that but then I saw that they had 3 Calvary under the 120 Infantry so I thought that both would be counted together for a total of 123 strength, I guess it's measured differently but that's ok as long as I get to play. 
 
Also, what happens if opposing forces want to move, not attack but move into the same hex(by accident), let's say you wanted to flank with one unit and the enemy wants to flank you and you both end up moving into the same hex.  Does that automatically trigger combat?  and if so are activation points used since you were just marching?

[SMK-at-work]

Activation points have to be used to move into any hex you do not own already - unless yuo already have units in there in combat IIRC - it is possible to have a combat where neither side actually retreats and hte combat lasts more than 1 turn.

The other exception is that cavalry stacked with infantry can move into an enemy owned hex other than a city without using activation points.

So if you are both marching into an unoccupied hex one side MUST be activated, or only using cavalry.  And yes it initiates combat - there is always combat when both sides are in the same hex.

And yes- further to what 7th Somersets said the post combat phase sees all movement conflicts resolved - conceivably troops several hexes to the rear could be shunted back if they tried to occupy a hex that was full but whose occupants had moved to another hex that was full but whose occupants had moved, etc.