Newbie frustrated in engaging the enemy

[lparkh]

Hi,
I've read manual and done tutorials. Got through shiloh and now trying 'seeing the elephant' (Bull Run scenario). I am having a hard time engaging the union as rebs. I immeditely rail my shenendoah army down to join my virginian army. I put them on aggressive assault. The union figures they are in for a beating as the two armies enter the region (Btw will my two armies fight together or do I have to merge them under one commander? would prefer not to since presumably will suffer penalities for low command ability with so many troops). So then I chase them towarrds DC. eventually I'm in alexendria region with the union army and my two armies . I am still on aggressive assault. I cannot get a fight to happen (generally). The union does not seem to be in a structure.
I notice my command penalty is -35% in my armies.. figure that might be part of issue. But I have no divisions to improve command structure. Should I jettison brigades? Will less command penalty make me more able to engage?
Basically cold someone please explain to me the dynamics of getting at the enemy
THanks!

[decaro]

If you do a drag and drop of your stacks onto the enemy stacks and see a pursuit icon on top of your stack, these troops will eventually meet and do a fight or flight.

Re flight: I wouldn't go after the enemy w/a 35 % organizational penalty; if you can't form armies and corps, at least try to get your troops into divisions.

[lparkh]

Thanks for your reply. In the bullrun scenario looks like I can't even create divisions. So best I could do was take units out of the armies.
I am trying dragging on the enemy but not seeing any special icons Any particualr area of the enemy I need to get my mouse over?

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: lparkh

Thanks for your reply. In the bullrun scenario looks like I can't even create divisions. So best I could do was take units out of the armies.

I hate to suggest this, but maybe turning the activation option "off" will help you form divisions/corps w/reluctant officers.

ORIGINAL: lparkh
... I am trying dragging on the enemy but not seeing any special icons Any particualr area of the enemy I need to get my mouse over?

Try dragging your force -- by its tab -- over the top of the enemy; keep trying until you see the red pursuit icon on the upper right of your force. This process is called interception and it's described on p. 38 of the AACW printed manual, but it doesn't have a picture of the pursuit icon!

[lparkh]

Thanks for replying. On divisions the game specifically mentions 0 divisions avaialble when try to form so pretty clear I can't. Why no corps formation is not clear. As for pursuit, the tab you men is the one at the bottom of the interface? Not some part of the protrait on the field?
Since I'm having no luck forcing battle (much) I'm trying to out manoever and take harper's ferry why holding at mannass. I also sent jackson down by himself to manassas to add command points which seems to be helping.
There is a lot not in the manual

[decaro]

No, the pursuit marker will appear on the top of the force portrait icon, to the right of the posture icons.

It's been awhile since I played the "elephant" scenario, so I may have to run it again and see what's up.

[lparkh]

Thanks for your patience. I understand where the pursuit icon*would* appear You were referencing how to drag. I've beendragging general portrait on to general portrait (enemy). But you mentioned using "tab" to drag. Do you men tab at very bottom of interface with name of force?
  The scenario takes maybe 5 to 10 minutes to play. I'd be very interested to be shown a way to win as confederates. My latest effort involves taking winchester why retreating behind river positions like fredericksburg. I still end up in 50s why union ai ends up in 70s. sigh
  I'm putting more effort to try to understand this game then most I've done (and I've played plenty of complicated wargames).. It has such good reviews that I am ssticking with it. But not easy. Have read manual twice.  Played bull run maybe 15 times now. SHiloh 3 times. sigh

[decaro]

Yes, you can click and drag the officer's portrait, but it's easier to click on the corresponding tabs (w/the name of the force) on top of the unit panel, and then drag them over your intended target.

I played two games in "elephant": As the Union, I put the reserve arty in McDowell's Army, and then dragged Parker -- the Northern most Union unit -- south to Harpers Ferry; that put Parker in the same district as McDowell, and since Parker has 2 stars, after I separated him from his other units, I was able to make him a Corps of McDowell. Then I added the other units back into the new Corps and sent Parker to join McDowell in Alexandria.

Impetuous Beauregard attacked from Manassas, but failed. I counterattcaked along the railroad to Manassas, retook the town and won the scenario on points.

The Confederates were trickier; two Armies, each one w/its own 2-star general; I did the same thing w/them as I did w/Parker, promoting them both to Corps commanders. Then I filled-in their Corps w/as many troops as they could handle w/o creating any penalties.

I set each Army w/its corresponding Corps to "synch" move and attacked McDowell, but the game ended as a stalemate.

If you're still having problems, check out the pdf tutorial as it's more explicit than the manual, esp. in how to make Armies, Corps and Divisions. And don't forget to go into the replacement ledger and allocate yourself some replacements; you'll need them.

[lparkh]

I really appreciate your taking such time. Were you a beta tester? THe good news is prior to you email I was able to finally win with confederates by forgetting the historic action of reinforcing manassas and concentrating on taking harper's ferry and winchester fast with jackson and the army. Plus I played defensive to advantage at manasss. BUT I never figured out corps so your email is very very helpful. I will go try that. Also replacemnets is smart (didn't think I would get any in scenario so never looked).' On dragging to get pursuit did you ever manage to make the icon appear? I would like to figure that one out.
Thanks again! I know strategic command quite well if you ever get interested and have questions. Also I knew campaign series well at one point (was a tester)

[lparkh]

One further followup to my reply just above. I went back into scenario as rebs and made Jackson a corps commander. However both holmes and Theo do not give option even though I had them in same area as johnson and with separate troops. Perhaps relates to if promotable or not? Jackson is promotable while others are not?[&o]
Actually figured it out (yes he can reason for himself!). The 2star can't be a brigade commander. Once I separated a two star from it's brigade troops then I could make it a corps.

[decaro]

No, I wasn't a beta, but I played BoA from its inception all the way to 1.13a, so I'm familiar w/the AGEOD engine, although the concept of Corps are new to me.

Interception is an important part of the game, not only for offense, but for reinforcing your own troops when they're on the move. Using the tab, mouse over the portrait of what you want to intercept, starting from its top; if you're successful, you will see a red pursuit icon on the upper right of the portrait of your unit. Keep trying: I know it works.

Yes, you have to hit the Combine Units button (when it shows a minus) to remove all the elements from the 2-star's command. After he becomes a Corps, you can always add them back. I made one Corps w/Jackson, and there's another eligible 2-star in the other Southern Army, but his name eludes me at the moment.

Fighting defensively always provides a bonus. After the battle, if your unit is in/near a city or in passive posture, it will get replacements first, so make sure to allocate some ahead of time in the ledger.

One of the longer scenarios uses almost all the ledger options, financial, economy, loyalty, etc., so I recommend you play it before you start a campaign; there's a lot more to AACW than meets the eye.

[lparkh]

Thanks I will work on generating a pursuit icon And will look for the longer scenario. Just read through the "101" from the AEOD site. QUite helpful.