Empires in Arms is the computer version of Australian Design Group classic board game. Empires in Arms is a seven player game of grand strategy set during the Napoleonic period of 1805-1815. The unit scale is corps level with full diplomatic options
Just wanted to share a recent test game I was playing while tweaking the AI (modifying the computer's traditional loyalties i.e. I put a crazed dictator in charge of Russia) so when I started the game as I quietly invaded a few minors, Russia DOW'd me which forced me to pull back toward Berlin to defend! After dispatching a garrison in Warsaw, Alexander himself crawled (slithered rather) toward Berlin.
Snapshot of my situation before this battle...
Apologize for the blurred vision but again this had to be shrunk and converted to a jpg!
Yellow outlined area notes that combat is to be fought in this area.
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situation ..e combat.jpg (117.75 KiB) Viewed 278 times
Note that I've got the numbers (They tried to forage in February on their way to Berlin ... bad idea)!
Note my guard commitment button at the bottom left (one asterisk for level 1, only France and Russia could do a level 2 shift).
Note that I have a cavalry bonus!
I pick echelon and he picks defend!
I woll 5 and he rolls 6, actually about a draw
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russia pru.. round 1.jpg (78.96 KiB) Viewed 268 times
Okay now to round 2 (Round sayes 3 but my images are after round)
I've decided to commit my guards ... I lose one factor (that's ok). Glad I committed the guards because I rolled a damn 2 BUT with my committed guards, the morale impact was enough to break the Russian Peacocks!
My pusuit was lackluster but did knock off a few more guys...
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russia pru.. round 2.jpg (82.57 KiB) Viewed 268 times
It's hard saying what to do when playing an unknown (either a human, or an AI). If I were playing a human, I'd sound out France, then consider some punitive action like taking a province from him.
...but, if you wanna play like a Hohenzollern would be honor-bound to do, then eastward you must march! Vorwarts, meine kinder!!!
It depends of where are the rest of the RU troops and what are the FR forces and who is in command of them.
It could be nice to divide the army, there are not too many left in the RU stack, I guess less than 16 I and maybe 1 Cav...so I will pursuit them with 30 I and at least 2 of CAV to gain the cav superiority against them in the next combat and move the rest towards Berlin to protect your capital, just in case the FR can move over it.
Maybe you can pick up some more troops from Berlin to join your army.
BTW, how is haddle the losses, I mean, you pick where to take them of from after the battle or is done automaticaly, kind of proportional from all your corps?
If you decide to split your stack is a good time to reorganize the corps, so you can save some money in supply them and leave the guard in Berlin.
I think it is the best to split, you dont need more to attack the RU if there is not more russians around from what I see.
One point I forgot to mention is "casualty selection". This is done by simply selecting a unit at which point the available troop types will be popped up as buttons (Notice last image in the lower left). The lowest value troop possible will be auto enabled so I can by default simply click a unit and if inf and cav are available, inf will autoselect. If for some odd reason, I wish to take cavalry over infantry then I click the cav button at the bottom (haven't seen the situation pop up yet). Clicking the corps a second time will take one of the appropriate factors out of the corps. Battle will not proceed until all of my "must eliminate factors" are gone!
Hmm, first, it sounds like you missed an important rule in original EiA game. After loosing a battle, if any casualties are suffered, one must be cav if they are present (representing cav holding the rear of the retreat). This results in a steady drain on cav in the game, which is very costly. I hope this rule is there but you just forgot to mention it because you won the battle.
Early in the game and Russia declares war on my poor Prussia? Diplomacy with the French and convince him now is the time to seize central Europe as his own and beat the snot out of the Austrian.
Regardless, you must spank the Russian again. He came weak and needs to be beat down, even capture his leader, which will help you gain a conditional. If the French move in and first move to seize your capital, well, a victory over the russian in battle and war will soften the impact of your surrender to the french. If the french declare war, sue for peace after he takes your capital. If he offers a conditional, take it, and you loose to the french, gain an enforced peace, beat the russian and do not loose a troop, leaving Prussia in great shape for major moves over the next year in minors and perhaps against a weakend Austria after France is done with him (a Prussian/Turkish prong is so fun to watch).
Nope, didn't miss it. The computer takes the cav casualty automatically (if available). It does this before prompting you to remove your casualties much like the guard commitment and the computer does this because it is not an option!
We also implemented the "2.0 morale loss" rule as it deals with militia casualties.
I suggest you: Quick alliance with Austria (You have it yet, I'm sure), and Great Britain. Rejoin your army at Kustrin. And pray everithing you know. The game has 132 months, don´t forget it...
With regard to casualties, I always thought it would be cool to have a random percentage from each battle (and siege--the unfortunate Mr Mack & company comes to mind) become prisoners of war. Now with the comp in control of mechanics this would be easy to track. It would be realistic--uh oh, I said it, and it would add an extra element of depth with strategic and diplomatic possibilities. Also, corps differences (force superiority, cav superiority), national tendencies (does the Turk take many prisoners?), and of course chit picks would all influence what percentage of casualties are actually taken as POWs.
