Somebody tell me there is a Battle Planner guide somewhere...

[srd5090]

Okay, so I've played a few AGEOD games before. I'm not so great at them but I try. Probably the most played one in my game library is Wars in America which predates the battle planner.

I know the battle planner is used in a few other games, but my question is this:

Is there any sort of guide out there that describes good strategy for the battle planner?

It is so opaque I am never really sure what is a good choice in a given situation. I know good leaders allow you to see the AI's potential selections, but that doesn't help me determine what counters what. I think I sort of get when to use the delaying action so Marching to the Sound of Guns can happen more easily. When I know have more cavalry than the enemy army, should I use a particular flanking/enveloping battle plan?

Any insight is greatly appreciated. I feel like I'm throwing darts in a pitch black room at the moment.

[Phoenix100]

Switch it off in the options. That's what I do. It's a bit absurd, no? - the idea of planning an entire battle with those few options, a bit of a nod at tactical games, when this is a strategy game really. Just my opinion.

[mkeogh76]

ORIGINAL: srd5090

Okay, so I've played a few AGEOD games before. I'm not so great at them but I try. Probably the most played one in my game library is Wars in America which predates the battle planner.

I know the battle planner is used in a few other games, but my question is this:

Is there any sort of guide out there that describes good strategy for the battle planner?

It is so opaque I am never really sure what is a good choice in a given situation. I know good leaders allow you to see the AI's potential selections, but that doesn't help me determine what counters what. I think I sort of get when to use the delaying action so Marching to the Sound of Guns can happen more easily. When I know have more cavalry than the enemy army, should I use a particular flanking/enveloping battle plan?

Any insight is greatly appreciated. I feel like I'm throwing darts in a pitch black room at the moment.

I've never seen any guide, and I agree that it's opaque. However, I use it because it slightly helps the battles feel a bit more immersive.

However, one tip: as you've noticed you can view the enemy's plans prior to battle if you have a superior general and with that knowledge you can cycle through the plans to find counters. If you find the appropriate counter then some or all of the AI's plans will be highlighted green. On the other hand, if you pick an especially bad counter then the AI's plans will be highlighted in red. However, most plans will see the AI's plans remain the standard color meaning that the your plan is neither particularly effective nor ineffective.

Sorry I can't be any more help. Discovering what works with the battle-planner is mostly trial-and-error.

[srd5090]

Phoenix Ignoring a game feature isn't really a great solution. I'm used to AGEOD games not having them, due to the older titles. I'd like to get used to this feature.

mkeogh Thanks for the tip. I didn't realize/notice the color highlights. That will help a lot assuming I have a better general. Maybe some guru will appear and help us all out and provide some more guidance.

[OldSarge]

I'm far from an expert on the battle planner, but I have had success in using it. It is fairly complex enough that there is a
large element of uncertainty in your decisions -- as it should be.

The data files for the battle planner can be found under the GameData folder
in a folder labeled Battleplans under the GameData folder. The folder contains both Deployment and Battle plan files.
Deployment files can be recognized by the word Deployment in the file's name.

Battle plans are associated with one or more deployments, if you look in the battle plan file you'll see a line
that looks like:

Code: Select all

 Deployments = $bplInfMassDepl
 

A little searching and you'll find that there are three battle plans (Infantry Charge, Infantry Countercharge and Massed Fire) associated with the Form Infantry Massed Deployment.
Each of these battle plans have their own counter plans

Battles plans undergo a check and they either pass, fail or are countered by the enemy's own battle plan. The
counters to a battle plan can be found in the battle plan file by locating the labels that include the word Counter,
as seen below for the Infantry Charge battle plan.

Code: Select all

 CounterBP1 = $bplCrossfire
 CounterBP2 = $bplRefuseCenter
 CounterBP3 = $bplGrandBattery
 

The are three battle plane files for each battle plan in order to handle the results of succeed, failed or countered, ..
If a battle plan passes its check, the units attacking receive increases in the appropriate attack values (i.e. assault, range fire damage,
cohesion hits inflicted). If it fails there is a small adjustment of values, if it is countered the opponent can see increases in their
values for the appropriate attributes. (i.e. assault, range fire damage, cohesion hits inflicted).

Mapping the icons on the battle planner to battle plans can be done by locating the icons in the Graphics folder
on the path FronetEnd\GUIBattlePlanner\BattlePlans.

I don't know if the plans are checked only at the start of battle or during each round. I'm also unsure of many of how many of the values contained in the
data files are actually applied.

HTH

[srd5090]

Thank you for the input OldSarge.

So reading your example, if I saw the AI use a Infantry Charge plan, or rather the Form Infantry Massed Deployment and guessed/assumed they would use Infantry Charge, the appropriate counter would be Cross fire, Refuse Center, or Grand Battery. That is helpful... though it still feels like a certain degree of guess work. I wonder what impacts the ability for a check to succeed or fail.

[OldSarge]

Yep, there is guesswork and no small element of luck on the plan check! But real life is uncertain as well! [:D]

Some battle plans are favorable if you have plenty of cavalry, others if you have an abundance of artillery. But Victrix is a fickled goddess! [8D]

[srd5090]

Yeah true. There shouldn't be a 100% effective strategy for sure. I suppose if I don't have artillery I can't do a Grand Battery, so there are certain things that can be counted for certain...

Appreciate the responses everyone. Any further advice is appreciated as well.

[harley9699]

ORIGINAL: OldSarge

I'm far from an expert on the battle planner, but I have had success in using it. It is fairly complex enough that there is a
large element of uncertainty in your decisions -- as it should be.

The data files for the battle planner can be found under the GameData folder
in a folder labeled Battleplans under the GameData folder. The folder contains both Deployment and Battle plan files.
Deployment files can be recognized by the word Deployment in the file's name.

Battle plans are associated with one or more deployments, if you look in the battle plan file you'll see a line
that looks like:

Code: Select all

 Deployments = $bplInfMassDepl
 

A little searching and you'll find that there are three battle plans (Infantry Charge, Infantry Countercharge and Massed Fire) associated with the Form Infantry Massed Deployment.
Each of these battle plans have their own counter plans

Battles plans undergo a check and they either pass, fail or are countered by the enemy's own battle plan. The
counters to a battle plan can be found in the battle plan file by locating the labels that include the word Counter,
as seen below for the Infantry Charge battle plan.

Code: Select all

 CounterBP1 = $bplCrossfire
 CounterBP2 = $bplRefuseCenter
 CounterBP3 = $bplGrandBattery
 

The are three battle plane files for each battle plan in order to handle the results of succeed, failed or countered, ..
If a battle plan passes its check, the units attacking receive increases in the appropriate attack values (i.e. assault, range fire damage,
cohesion hits inflicted). If it fails there is a small adjustment of values, if it is countered the opponent can see increases in their
values for the appropriate attributes. (i.e. assault, range fire damage, cohesion hits inflicted).

Mapping the icons on the battle planner to battle plans can be done by locating the icons in the Graphics folder
on the path FronetEnd\GUIBattlePlanner\BattlePlans.

I don't know if the plans are checked only at the start of battle or during each round. I'm also unsure of many of how many of the values contained in the
data files are actually applied.

HTH

I actually looked all that stuff up. hahaha Thought, "Well, maybe I could make a little chart that would..."

Nah. I don't think so, not with my pin-head, pea-brain anyway. There'd just be too many variables for each specific situation - I would think.
Thought I could make kind of a rough estimate, sort of a rock-paper-scissors type grid if nothing else.

For me, there just wasn't enough info to go on. Then, expecting a ton of images, there were surprisingly few for the multitude of situations available. So, I guess one would have to go through and, somehow, cross-reference every one? Then later, in-game is when you'd also have to account for terrain and/or leadership modifiers. But, I was hoping to at least get a better grasp.

Too much work for too small a brain I guess.

Thanks for the info though!