Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: RickInVA

Could the OP, or others that have the same frustrations, offer some examples? There could be a quick answer available.

I started with Ageod's original AACW, so I got acclimated to unit purchases that way. However, I found having them all on one screen far superior to the current model. The biggest problem I always have had is managing how much I spend -- and doing it all on one screen made it easier to switch, say a 3 element Zoauve out and a 1 unit volunteer in. And with them all grouped by states and general type (Inf, Art, Cavalry, Support, Naval, etc) you knew where they would go. In CW2, in order to be able to recruit to a specific region (which I like), you just have 10 spread along the bottom, but it is hard to determine the logic of the lineup. It sort of seems like overall strength of the group, but if you're trying to put together what will become a division in NY state, that turns out to be a real chore -- and by the time you've put in the third or fourth unit, you've forgotten what/where the other ones you bought were. It would be nice to also be able to segment it off by state as well as theater. The pop-up that can get you inf, cav, art, etc, is useful and I suppose the theater one is as well, but a more specific state option would also help. I think the replacements page works fine, but the new units one is very clumsy.

As a fix, I'd suggest a separate screen modeled on the old AACW screen; with the addition of a pop-up box appearing next to the purchase icon with checkable regions in it -- that way you can select the NY Zoauve box three times and then you can check Brooklyn for one, NYC for another and Putnam for a third (or whichever series of NY cities you can have it appear in). Indeed, you can have the option of having the computer select what cities they appear in if you don't check the region yourself. That way you can either micromanage their arrival or leave it to the computer just like in AACW.

I'd find something like that helpful.

I do not like complexity, but I love this game. One element which simplifies the creation of division is that I use a staging area; Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cairo initially. I forward my newly built units to those areas and form division in this area before sending troops forward.
This makes planning simpler and building divisions easier.

A staging area is a great way to assemble divisions.

I think from what I remember in Civil War 1 was that a division should have 11 Infantry, 2 Cavalry, 2 Artillery and one sharpshooter. Or something along that line. What should a division be composed of in Civil War 2? Same outfit?

Yes, the same composition works fine. There are actually reasons to vary from this idea, terrain, assaulting forts and so on, but your numbers are a good target for divisions. Also, hold a cavalry and artillery for the corps or army.
I should have added, as the South, I initially stage at Richmond and Nashville.

ORIGINAL: v.Manstein

A staging area is a great way to assemble divisions.

I think from what I remember in Civil War 1 was that a division should have 11 Infantry, 2 Cavalry, 2 Artillery and one sharpshooter. Or something along that line. What should a division be composed of in Civil War 2? Same outfit?

It took me a while to fully grasp the AGEOD system, but once I did their games quickly became my all-time favorite. One thing that initially threw me off in understanding division composition is that a "unit" (the small force of 1-5 elements) that you move around on the map is not the building block of a division, the unit's elements are the building blocks. So a unit might be a brigade, for example, and it might have one regular infantry element, one conscript infantry, and one cavalry. When you are figuring out how to build the division, you look at how many elements you have (in the units), not the units themselves.

A division in CW2 has a maximum of 18 "elements," with the divisional general as one of those elements. While there is some difference in opinion on the ideal divisional composition, the standard view has it as: 1 leader (required), 4 artillery, 1 sharpshooter, 1 cavalry, and 11 infantry. Some infantry elements can be substituted for cavalry or sailors/marines or extra artillery as needed.

A must-read resource for understanding division composition, as well as several other key game strategies and concepts, is this strategy wiki for the first AGEOD civil war game. All the points in this wiki are relevant to the second game:

http://www.ageod.net/aacwwiki/AACW_strategy_guide

Thanks guys, seems a division outfit hasn't changed then. Good to know.

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

I look at this and I am surprised. I am by no means a rocket scientist, but I had no problems grasping this game.

Am I missing something?

Frankly, I'm a bit baffled by all the confusion as well. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer either, but I learned these AGE games basically just by playing them and asking a few questions along the way. There were growing pains when I started too, but for the most part the mechanics clicked. The manual and other player's experience closed the gaps. It's not the latest and greatest RTS with slick controls and interfaces. There's a lot of information to disseminate here, so it takes more than one or two menu screens to do it effectively. To each his own, I guess. What's pleasing/easy to one person isn't necessarily so for a lot of other people, and that's fine. [:)]

It just occurred to me that a major source of confusion could be resulting from the fact that players cannot form divisions and corps from the start of the major campaigns. That ability is unlocked after 3/4 of a year to a year (?) or so for each. If you are new to the game and don't know this, it will be majorly frustrated to not know why you can't do what the manual says you should be able to do. I don't recall how evident this inability is from the in-game or campaign starting instructions.

It tells you in-game via a message when you can form Corps and divisions.

I am struggling with the first tutorial. I am trying to follow the instructions precisely, but after Grant defeats the reb force in Madison in late April, he refuses to move to McNairy on the following turn. Everybody else concentrates there, but Grant just sits in Madison. Since this next turn (early May) goes over organizing you forces into corps and divisions, but Grant is not there, you are stuck. If I order Grant to move again, and end the turn, he moves, but the instructions are then one turn out of synch and I can't figure out how to bring he previous turns instructions back. I have tried this scenario multiple times and it never works the way the tutorial says it should.

A couple of things:

1. Save the game after Grant wins.
2. Check Grant's stats and see why he doesn't move.
3. Don't worry about synch; the first tutorial has almost no new info after you move the forces down river to McNary.

Thanks - I will give it a try. What would cause him not to move? I figured in a tutorial, things would unfold as given in the text.

Not necessarily in this case. I've even lost or got a stalemate with the first battle. Lots of things go on under the hood with AGEOD games; might as well get used to it early. Remember to save often.

Oh, what was Grant's stance? He might have been resting after the battle.

I find the process of buying units no fun at all. Too much searching for the right city/unit combinations. There are many ways to improve on that (e.x. waypoints for new units, a strategic unit pool where all newly bought units are in and can then be deployed easily on the map ect.).

Also this forming Corps is not good at all. There is no real strategic or tactical depth to a system where I simply add all infantry to a commander and click and click and click. A good example for a smart and tactical hierachy building is in hearts of iron 3.