Easier to win as South??

[WarGrad]

I can win as the south by holding out until Nov 1864, by then I have several union states, direct routes to canada and the capitol under control. The north, I can have 90% of the mississippi, several southern states, Richmond, all armies wiped out except for some garrisons and lose. How is that?

[Paper Tiger]

Largely it is because all the CSA has to do to win the game is survive beyond the historical point, and if you are playing the Standard scenario as I have tended to do the CSA is significantly bonused over history. Try Southern Steel as the USA that is the historical income levels.

[Hard Sarge]

Go for the throat, the ANV is the prime target, kill that in a couple of large battles and you got lots of points, take a few Caps, and your home free
 
I have won in 62 as the Union, but better plan for 63 (as everything needs to work out right for a 62 win)
 
think like the Germens in Russia, taking land means nothing, killing troops is the goal

[Erik Rutins]

It does depend on the scenario (and the version). Try Southern Steel in the beta update as the CSA or try the updated Coming Fury in the beta update, giving the AI Union a +2 Power Advantage and the Greater Population and Richer economy options on.

Regards,

- Erik

[Gil R.]

WarGrad,
Which level are you playing at?

[cesteman]

Right now I am playing the CSA AI and getting my butt kicked when I try to take Memphis.  Every time I begin the siege, he seems to keep a superior force nearby and wham, the next turn I am forced into a battle when him and he kicks me back to where I started and to top it off both of my gunships are lost so I have to start over
Christian

[Yogi the Great]

ORIGINAL: cesteman

Right now I am playing the CSA AI and getting my butt kicked when I try to take Memphis.  Every time I begin the siege, he seems to keep a superior force nearby and wham, the next turn I am forced into a battle when him and he kicks me back to where I started and to top it off both of my gunships are lost so I have to start over
Christian

Well if it makes you feel any better I have been having similar problems. [&:]

New to the game and I really like it, but so far I just have not been able figure out the best actions to take. Thinking it should be easier to win as the North (If I remember correctly they won the actual event) I decided I should start my game experience playing the easy side. After several restarts (for similar situations you describe) I finally got through a game, but lost. Yes eventually the North would have prevailed and won the war I had most major cities by then, but took too long and every turn the South got another point and eventually won beacuse of year.

Anyway since that time I still can't get much going as the North. Like real life if I try a Virginia offensive they tend to lose. The surprising thing is that I can't get anything going in the west either. I start off attacks ok, but somehow huge Reb armies appear and go on the offensive. Even If I can fight them off, I'm too weak to do much more. Seige after Seige I very slowly at high cost take cities and Forts, but it takes so long the reult is bound to be like my first try to finish.

The other fun thing is as I try to keep land forces strong enough to survive, the Navy does not grow and yes, the Rebs build a good Navy and even go on the offensive.

Away from battle, what should I build? Land Forces - I don't gain ecomomy or Navy and eventually can't keep up. Build Navy, and land forces get kicked and no economy. Build Ecomomy (Money, Labor Iron etc) the Military gets kicked. Same for trying to do too much research of anything. In the mean time, the South seems able to do great research, while building a Navy and a huge Armies. I've been trying to play at sergeant level difficulty with normal power for both sides.

I know, there is probably a balance and something I'm missing, but so far I just haven't been able to figure out how to get the North winning. I haven't tried the South yet figuring that sooner or later I might stumble across what I need to do to make a reasonable Northern strategy.

Any basic strategy tips anyone can give t help this poor guy out?

[Gil R.]

Yogi,
What level are you playing at? If it's a higher difficulty setting, that does kick in some AI bonuses to make things more challenging.

A common rookie error, especially when playing the North, is to rely on mustered men and garrisoned units, which have very low quality, instead of purchasing new infantry units, which come in at a significantly higher quality level. You need to have a good number of these better units to have a chance of beating the South. Over time, your poorer units will gain quality through combat and training, but if you've got nothing but poor units you'll be routed every time. (Purchased units, of course, represent those that are raised and then trained properly, which explains their higher quality rating.)

Also, buy Engineers for your brigades and some siege artillery (and buy the best guns for that siege artillery!) so that sieges go more quickly.

[Yogi the Great]

Thanks Gil,

I am only playing at Sergeant AI difficulty.

I have only used very limited mustered and/or conscripted troops so far

As I indicated the length and cost of seiges has been a big problem for me up to this point. I haven't done much with Seige Artillary early however, so maybe I can step that up a bit. Nor I have I worked with engineers. I appreciate the tips.[:)]

I have tried to build troops up, but maybe not quick enough. I think I've been hestitant to not build economy & research for fear of losing in the long-term. I have in particular had a hard time building cavalry & artillary, as the horses or iron get used on other things. Speaking of horses, at 100 horses for camps, when I decided to try a game building camps (as my loses just weren't getting replaced) it left me with very little left to build anything else that needed horses.

[Gil R.]

Oh, you're not playing the public beta patch, or you? There are A LOT of changes there (including the cost of camps).

As the North you definitely want to build up your economy some more, especially by building mine and maybe one or two more ironworks as well. Assuming that you're not toggling off the relevant game options, you do need to invest in economy and research, or else the South really will get a large (and ahistorical) advantage.

I like to play with winter movement restrictions, so that there's a nice period of two months when resources are not immediately needed for armies in the field and, by turn supply to various divisions off or to the low setting I get a lot more money I can use to buy research institutions, build up the economy, purchase units, etc.

That raises another point: you do know that by turning off supply to forces with good supply levels you can save money, right? If you've got the AOP in Annapolis and are not about to use it then turning off supply to most of its divisions will save a lot of money each turn.

[Erik Rutins]

Yogi,

Which scenario are you playing? They can be pretty different as far as the challenge level for the North. Also, are you on the 1.9.4 version? I could write a book about the rest and might just, if time allows today. [8D]

Regards,

- Erik

[Yogi the Great]

Thanks Gil and Erik for your help,

I'm on the current official download patch I believe it is 1.23.  Because of the warnings (no support, beta test etc.) I have not loaded the most rcent Beta Patch but plan to as soon as they make it official.  If you think I should just go ahead and load it now let me know, but I like to wait for official "fixes" so that I know it is backed by the company and more likely to not be full of bugs. 

I am hopeful form reading about the expected update that it may help resolve some of the play balance issues, costs etc.  Do we know yet when it will be issued?

Oh forgot - I've been playing the standard campaign game, Sergeant level, normal power for both sides.

[Walloc]

While those disclaimers are made Yogi. Get the betapatch. I think it will solve some of ur issues and are as stable if not more so than the 1.2.3 patch. IMHO. its not that i dont understand where ur going just in this case i think ur fears are groundless, but where should u know that from.

Kind regards,

Rasmus

[Erik Rutins]

I agree - Yogi, upgrade to 1.9.4 per the instructions in the sub-forum and try the new Southern Steel scenario at Sergeant level as the Union. I think you'll find it a more manageable place to start learning the game as the Union.

[WarGrad]

Standard campaign, sergeant difficulty, have made it until mid-late 1867 because the south did not get enough points to win. I do use entrench for sieges to minimize losses and increase damage to defenses. Where are the new scenarios and patches? I downloaded the first patch and haven't seen anything else. How do you gain engineers?

[cesteman]

I am using the beta patch. I installed it after reading multiple people saying that it's stable and work installing. I am thankful for the responses to yogi because they also apply to me. Maybe I'll give Southern Steel a try.
Christian.

[WarGrad]

Where can I find this beta patch?

[Walloc]

tm.asp?m=1412553

[Walloc]

ORIGINAL: WarGrad

How do you gain engineers?

its an attribute u buy for ur units. When u have a unit selected on strategic map. I assume here the the unit doesnt have any attributes alrdy. U will see 2 blue box down in the units menu. Right'is side, between the flag and weapons. Press 1 of the boxes and it gives u options of buyable attributes. Note it will only give u options u have resources to buy, so u might not necesaaily see all attributes.

kind regards,

Rasmus

[Yogi the Great]

Thanks again to everyone for the responses.
 
I will probably try the new beta patch soon BUT before I do, does anyone know when the next official patch is going to be released?  Some of the thread discussions seem to indicate that it could be very soon.  Doesn't seem worth installing the Beta patch if the official one is going to be released in the near future.