New BoA Patch!

[Jagger2002]

IMO, it is tough as the Brits but certainly not impossible against a human or AI. If I adjusted anything, a few additional supply wagons to allow for depot construction would help without making it too easy for the Brits. (Although I think the Americans could use a few more supply wagons for depots as well.)

The Brits are very strong on the ground. IMO, the supply restrictions balance out some of the Brit advantage of very powerful ground troops. It keeps the Brits from rampaging across the map which they could do without the supply restrictions. It spreads the Brit forces out, giving the Americans some targets of opportunity for their weaker troops.

Between humans, the game is very finely balanced. I think the Americans now have a slight but not overwhelming advantage with the current supply rules.

I also suspect that the new supply rules are not well understood yet by players. After they get use to the rules, they will adjust their playing styles which will give us a better idea of the true balance.

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: Jagger2002
... I also suspect that the new supply rules are not well understood yet by players. After they get use to the rules, they will adjust their playing styles which will give us a better idea of the true balance.

AGEOD will have to rewrite the BoA manual -- notably the "Hints & Tips" toward the end of v 1.09 -- if they decide to keep the latest supply restrictions

Besides, Pocus said he would "soften," not scrap, the 1.12 supply version.

[Will_L_OLD]

As the Brits, I haven't found the 1.12 supply rules overly frustrating. Its required some adjustments but I consider that a good thing. Ran into some supply problems with Cornwallis in the Deep South but they were of my own making and resolved by transporting two captured supply wagons down to build a depot.
Washington surprised me by attempting a 1777 invasion of Canada, at St. John. I'd just transported Burgoyne's reinforcements to Montreal and engaged, then chased the withdrawing troops to Ft. Ticonderoga where they were destroyed.
AI keeps trying to take Ft. Niagara but hasn't been able to seige it long enough before they have to leave because of supply shortage.

[Jagger2002]

In my PBEM, I am the Americans and we have reached March of 78. I had a rough winter supplying troops in the south. I actually started losing troops to starvation. I don't have any depots in the south and am currently moving two supply wagons from the north to build a depot. My total number of supply wagons within the game are currently 5 supply wagons. So devoting two of them to a supply depot down south demonstrates how desparate my need for supply was over the last winter. Over the course of the game, I have created 4 depots in the north and lost one of those.

One probably bug in this PBEM game which impacts my supply situation. I have not received any notifications of disbanded troops in January. I also haven't noticed troops disappearing. Either I am very lucky or I should have less troops than I actually have. Which means my supply needs are probably much higher than it would be normally.

Anybody else not having American troops disbanding at the end of the year?

[decaro]

How far along are you in your game as the Brits under 1.12? I was doing OK as the Brits until the French arrived, then the 1.12 supply constraints really became a problem in the face of mounting Colonial opposition as i was unable to replenish my own veterans.

It should be difficult -- but not impossible -- for Colonial troops to operate in Canada. After all, we nearly took Quebec in a snow storm! Under the 1.12 supply restrictions, it's almost impossible for the Colonials to successfully seige anything north of Ticonderoga.

As for the Brits, they can't hold on to anything south of Ticonderoga for very long; it gets harder and harded to replenish your depleted units w/so few wagons/depots to be had, esp. in the winter.

[Will_L_OLD]

My game as Brits is in September of 77.
In New England I control Boston, Newport and Norwich and will take Hartford and Springfield in the October turn.
Middle States: New York, Albany, Ft. Ticonderoga, Ft. Stanwix and Philadelphia.
South Central: Norfolk only.
Deep South: Charleston, Savannah, Augusta, Ninety Six, Camden and Wilmington.
Have all the objective towns needed except Pittsburgh and 14/23 strategic towns I believe.

Built forts at Boston, Newport, New York, Albany, Philadelphia, Savannah and Wilmington, captured forts at Charleston, Ticonderoga and Stanwix. Built or captured depots at New York, Albany, Ft. Ticonderoga, Philadelphia, Wilmington and Charleston and will be building one at Springfield.

Americans have been fighting hard in New England and Deep South. In middle states their supply source is at Oswego (which I had abandoned to reinforce Ft. Niagara) and have noticed their forces moving towards Oswego and avoiding combat enroute. They've constantly been marching small forces across frozen Lake Erie in the spring to little effect on Ft. Niagara.

[decaro]

When the French arrive circa 1780, your fortunes will change and your forces will probably get caught/squeezed between the French in the north and Colonials in the south.

Using the supply filter, you will soon discover how little clear area you have to replenish your hard-pressed troops; playing as the Brits -- normal Ai with extended processor time -- I just gave-up in Jan. 1781.

[Lightsfantastic]

As the British in this PBEM I did not fully understand the supply rules when we started, resulting in a horrible supply situation for His Majesties Forces during the winter of 1775/1776. It has taken me two years and three Depots built just to be able to rebuild and retake the offensive in New England for New York. Also my opponent has been using his armies in hit and run attacks (very historical) of my dispersed garrisons during the early winter months, and sending raiding parties to pillage areas in the late fall, reducing the supply available for the winter. [:-] I can live with the rules as they are, but concur that maybe more supply wagons are needed.

ORIGINAL: Jagger2002

In my PBEM, I am the Americans and we have reached March of 78. I had a rough winter supplying troops in the south. I actually started losing troops to starvation. I don't have any depots in the south and am currently moving two supply wagons from the north to build a depot. My total number of supply wagons within the game are currently 5 supply wagons. So devoting two of them to a supply depot down south demonstrates how desparate my need for supply was over the last winter. Over the course of the game, I have created 4 depots in the north and lost one of those.

One probably bug in this PBEM game which impacts my supply situation. I have not received any notifications of disbanded troops in January. I also haven't noticed troops disappearing. Either I am very lucky or I should have less troops than I actually have. Which means my supply needs are probably much higher than it would be normally.

Anybody else not having American troops disbanding at the end of the year?

[Will_L_OLD]

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

When the French arrive circa 1780, your fortunes will change and your forces will probably get caught/squeezed between the French in the north and Colonials in the south.

Using the supply filter, you will soon discover how little clear area you have to replenish your hard-pressed troops; playing as the Brits -- normal Ai with extended processor time -- I just gave-up in Jan. 1781.

At the end of '78 was able to get control of all strategic towns in New England, Middle States and Deep South. Controlled Norfolk and Alexandria in the South Central. The French and Spanish declared war in February of 1779. Now in November '79 after spending much of the year chasing Rochambeau around New England I've picked up two more strategic cities in the South Central and been able to hold or take back all the rest (Camden & Hillsboro fell to the Americans but are now under British control again)

The supply filter does show just how little we control beyond the reach of my forts and depots. I tend to stick close too them for the most part and strike out for more turf in the late spring and summer.

The Americans keep trying to take a decent size city and have a good number of supply wagons they are dragging around and frustatingly keep just an area ahead of my strike forces trying to catch up to them. Except for Rochambeau, who I caught with Brandt and a bunch of Indians at Brattleboro and captured an artillery and supply. Thanks for the new fort to be built at (to be determined) Rochambeau! Wondered why the AI had split him off like that.

One thing I've noticed playing as both sides with 1.12, there has not been a single militia unit removed during the winter. I don't think the Brits need more supply wagons with their reinforcements, they get enough and just need to be careful with them.

[decaro]

You're chasing the French? What are your game settings, i.e., AI, processor time?

[Will_L_OLD]

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

You're chasing the French? What are your game settings, i.e., AI, processor time?

AI is given extra time and all behaviours. No detection bonus, normal AI and aggressiveness. Fog of war, retreat and delayed commitment on.
They landed in New England without taking a port and marched northward towards Brattleboro, series of naval battles crippled both our fleets . I happened to have very strong armies at Albany and Boston and used them to crunch Rochembeau. The french troops that didn't get eliminated ran away towards West Point with their other leader. One 1.11 game as Brits they landed and took Newport and I was able to beseige them there and eliminate the entire force.
I always try to chase Rochambeau down and kill his troops, its worked for me before. I sure wouldn't try it against a human though, they'd set me up LOL.

[JD63]

Q. If you download this patch, can users w/512RRAM (ie min req) run the games?