New bug (1.01)

[Jimmer]

However, I'm starting a thread on this because I think there could be considerable discussion of this before I can formulate the words correctly to describe it.

Here's the scenario:

January 1805
France and Prussia are at war (start of game war)
Prussia declares war on Mecklenburg
GB gets control of Mecklenburg
Prussia invades Mecklenburg, killing the lone soldier stalwartly guarding the gates.
France invades Mecklenburg (he's at war with both powers)
France wins the battle, forcing the Prussian corps that was there to retreat.
In the next diplomacy phase, there is a lapse of war between Prussia and Mecklenburg.
This, naturally causes Mecklenburg to return fully to British control.
However, France is still occupying the capital.

This is where the bug comes in. During the reinforcement phase, I am told that I cannot continue until I add my 1 infantry to Mecklenburg. Since it's occupied, I can't do that.

gwheelock will be uploading the saved game file, since he is the host. If you want, I can upload my (British) saved game file as well.

I got around the problem by telling it I would forego the infantry.

Now for the discussion:

I suspect that the lapse of war caused what I previously thought was a dead Mecklenburgian soldier to be repatriated (must not have been dead after all, eh?) But, this request shouldn't be made when France is occupying the capital.

It's a strange end-case that really requires a convoluted set of things to happen in just the right order. But, there it is!

[zaquex]

It's a strange end-case that really requires a convoluted set of things to happen in just the right order. But, there it is!

 
True but its clearly a problem that can and will appear also in other places and not an isolated occurance. If the minor had more than one city it would probably not be a problem as long as its not occupied. In the end clearly the game cant require you to place a factor when there is no eligible place for it.

[gwheelock]

Actually; Jimmer didn't get it quite right.  Mecklenberg has 2 factors.
When Prussia attacked; 1 was KIA; 1 was POW.
When I knocked Prussia out; there was a lapse of war between
Prussia and MECKLENBERG (Prussia is NOT at war with GB);
at this point the POW was returned to Britain.
 
Now this brings up a couple of end cases :
 
Britain cannot place the factor because I am occupying M.
 
a)Does the factor evaporate
 
b)should it stay around as and only get released when MY war with Prussia ends.
 
In the case of Mecklenberg (no corp); I MUST take it
as a conquored & the factor probably should die at some point
 
c) but what if I leave (completely) before conquoring it - Britain keeps M.
and gets his released POW? or
 
d) (if this were one of minors with corp & I made it a freestate
before the end of my war with Prussia) should I get the POW as
the start of the FRENCH Mecklenberg legion
 

[Grognot]

If we interpret the rules strictly --

(a) repatriated prisoners are scheduled for the next reinforcement phase, and
(b) the placement of land reinforcements may not be delayed, and unplaceable factors are lost

the factor should probably be vaporized if truly unplaceable.

[zaquex]

I think they should be released to GB however as they cant be placed they should remain in the force pool as long as they cant and if GB losses control they should be eliminated as per normal rules about land forces unless another model is implemented and opted for.

[Jimmer]

See? I knew there would be discussion. [:)]
 
Gwheelock is indeed correct: There were TWO guys in the capital, and one got killed and one captured. I think he correctly outlines the possible end cases.
 
I agree with Zaquex and Grognot that they should die. In that case, perhaps the computer was doing it correctly? If so, I think it should present a slightly different window. Instead of telling me I have to place the factors, tell me that there is no correct location to place them, and just ask me to click OK.
 
However, this would NOT then be a "bug", but rather an enhancement, and not a very big one at that. In fact, it may still be true that the dialog box presented is indeed the right one, but it may need an addendum to the effect:
 
"NOTE: You have factors to return, but there is no legal location in which to place them. If there is only one such entity with repatriated forces, click 'Yes' to exit without placing them."
 
I'll leave the exact wording up to Matrix, but, as soon as one of them chimes in, then I'll move this to the "bug thread" above. Except, it's not really a bug.

[Murat]

I agree that it is not a bug and that the enhancement for the popup would be a good thing as well.

[Grognot]

ORIGINAL: Jimmer
However, this would NOT then be a "bug", but rather an enhancement, and not a very big one at that. In fact, it may still be true that the dialog box presented is indeed the right one, but it may need an addendum to the effect:

"NOTE: You have factors to return, but there is no legal location in which to place them. If there is only one such entity with repatriated forces, click 'Yes' to exit without placing them."

Much better than telling the player that he can't continue until he does what he actually can't do.

The computer probably shouldn't let the player refuse to place I/C/G/M reinforcements which he can legally place, but it should be possible to check for the possibility that he can't place 'em all.

One quibble -- it is possible to stand down garrisons and transfer factors during this step. It'd probably take a sadistic rules lawyer to claim that a player with full corps and garrisons but who's for some crazy reason gotten more militia -must- stand down a garrison in order to enable the placement of the militia. In the reverse case, however, it might at first look like there's no legal place to put some infantry, but a militia-heavy garrison can be stood down to make room.