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Hi, I orderd the game in the UK, just before Easter, physical and download.
Over the holydays, I studied the manual (puh, 252 pages) and then started the game with the Standard Campaign, advanced and Sarge.

Reading a manual like this one time of course is not the way to master the game.
I see now, I don´t know how to dispatch the few generals, how to involve the new brigades, I don´t know how to use the ironglad near Cairo, or if there is any ship in the 1st or 2cd Fleet. Looks like by now I do not have any shipyards, to increase my seapower, is that right?

When I was searching the forum for some solutions to my questions, I was wondering, that nobody so far has written kind of a "First steps for the Rookie Union player"

I`m living in Kaiserslautern, Germany. We still have a lot of US installations here and it´s just about 15 miles away from Ramstein Air Base. So I have a little hope, that a gamer from our region is reading this and can offer some help in learning FoF. ( I also play TOAW III )

Please excuse my english.

Hi, I orderd the game in the UK, just before Easter, physical and download.
Over the holydays, I studied the manual (puh, 252 pages) and then started the game with the Standard Campaign, advanced and Sarge.

Reading a manual like this one time of course is not the way to master the game.
I see now, I don´t know how to dispatch the few generals, how to involve the new brigades, I don´t know how to use the ironglad near Cairo, or if there is any ship in the 1st or 2cd Fleet. Looks like by now I do not have any shipyards, to increase my seapower, is that right?

When I was searching the forum for some solutions to my questions, I was wondering, that nobody so far has written kind of a "First steps for the Rookie Union player"

I`m living in Kaiserslautern, Germany. We still have a lot of US installations here and it´s just about 15 miles away from Ramstein Air Base. So I have a little hope, that a gamer from our region is reading this and can offer some help in learning FoF. ( I also play TOAW III )

Please excuse my english.

Guten Morgen,

I haven't played the Union all that much so can't really help you over there in K-town.

I was in Wonderful and Scenic Baumholder for 30-months from early 1971 to late 1973 with the old 8th ID's 2nd Bde., 1/39 Inf. Gets a bit windy on the mountain top there.

Actually, the country side is very beautiful there, food is good, etc.

Nice to meet. Take care, Chris

Hi, thanks for the answer.  1971 - 1973 ?. You must look like Gen. Lee now. I was a soldier belonging to the Staff battery (don´t know if this is right english) of the Arty Reg. 5 at Idar-Oberstein. 1983 - 1985. (ha ha, right I must look like Grant now ) So I saw "Truppenübungsplatz" Baumholder too.
 
I assume my questions can be answered even so you play the CSA. You have to detach Gens too, etc.
But I can start the Standard Campaign as a Rebel too, most important to me is to learn the game.

Hi, thanks for the answer. 1971 - 1973 ?. You must look like Gen. Lee now. I was a soldier belonging to the Staff battery (don´t know if this is right english) of the Arty Reg. 5 at Idar-Oberstein. 1983 - 1985. (ha ha, right I must look like Grant now ) So I saw "Truppenübungsplatz" Baumholder too.

I assume my questions can be answered even so you play the CSA. You have to detach Gens too, etc.
But I can start the Standard Campaign as a Rebel too, most important to me is to learn the game.

Ha ha ha!!! Nope. Not yet. People think I am in my mid to late 30's or early 40's, but I do have a bird's or crow's nest (bald spot) on the top back of my head but I am not a 'chrome dome' yet.

Yes, Staff or HQ battery in US Army and USMC. Idar-Oberstein is a very nice, scenic and historic town. I remember somethings very well.

We satyed in old unrenovated Wehrmacht barracks with bad heat in the Winter. Baumholder was better than Korea, Alaska, Vietnam or Grafenwohr etc. but not by much.

What is the area of mountains that Baumholder is in, what is the German name?? I think the name means 'High Wild Place' or something like this in English. I saw something similar on a map once, but I cannot find this German name for the Baumholder area. The Hunsruck Mtns. as you know are just to the north. Great place for hiking and finding gem stones etc. Attila the Hun supposedly crossed through the Hunsruck or Hun's Path or Way into Roman Gaul.

There is a German Kasserne in the very north part of the Baumholder Base, and I forget the name, but that is where visiting German troops and French troops and other NATO troops would stay.

The major German unit in the area when I was there was the 9th Panzer Division I do believe, and we trained with them, as well as the French etc.

Chris in Detroit, MI

Hi Arminius,

Your English is great, no need to apologize! Please have a look at the Flash Tutorial included with the game (from the Game Menu) and also read through the pinned PBEM threads in the main forum. Most players have said that reading through those PBEM reports from the developer vs. tester game gave them a great deal of additional insight on how to start and how to play a turn.

This game is not actually very complex, but it is quite deep!

Regards,

- Erik

I don´t really know if this region is belonging to that area too, but the name should be "Nordpfälzer Bergland".
( North Palatinate mountainland ) I don´t know why they named it Bergland. There´s only hills.
I don´t know the name of the "Kaserne(n) in Baumholder. I remember there is a nice museum inside the installation with WWII vehicels outside, like the german "Hetzer" Jagdpanzer, or a Priest etc.
My Art. Reg. was part of the 5th Panzer Division, I can´t remember seeing elements of the 9th at Baumholder.
 
Well Christof (sounds like a german name ) it´s really nice talking to you `bout your biography.[;)]  But since that I did not make any progress in learning the game.

ORIGINAL: Arminius

Reading a manual like this one time of course is not the way to master the game.
I see now, I don´t know how to dispatch the few generals, how to involve the new brigades, I don´t know how to use the ironglad near Cairo, or if there is any ship in the 1st or 2cd Fleet. Looks like by now I do not have any shipyards, to increase my seapower, is that right?

When I was searching the forum for some solutions to my questions, I was wondering, that nobody so far has written kind of a "First steps for the Rookie Union player"

I've played union alot and ill see if i can answer some of ur question.
Btw im some what closer as in 500km to the north of u in Jutland. Not sure if count that as in ur region. [:)]

First u played without the beta patch? the mention of few generals leads me to think so.
Its a great upgrade and all u have to do is registre ur purchase then u can download it.
I would start by doing that.

I don´t know how to dispatch the few generals, how to involve the new brigades

Im making an assumtion here and please correct me if im wrong. I know when i started playing the predecessor to FoF, Crown of Glory that it toke me a few to get the hang of the container system the game uses. I get the feeling u havent done that yet. Again if im wrong let me know.

Basicly generals and all other units need to go into containers. A container is a fleet, at sea or a Division, corps and army at land. So what u need to do to generals and new brigaes is when u have them selected you need to left click them into the containers.
U can open and review containers by right clicking on them.
You can build new container as u need too. Be aware here u can build division in cites with 1 barrack. Corps and cities with 2 and Armies with cities with 3 barracks in them. You start with no cities with 3 barracks so its a prioverty to build a barracks. Possibly in Harrisburg that starts with 2 barracks. That way is the fastest to make Army containers.

Some of ur generals should go out West. Again i asssume u playing unpatched. U start with very few generals and its sorta random which u start with. With out knowing which generals u have its hard to advice specificly. Also whether u play with historic generels or random plays in. That said generals are a nice forcemultopiler so i'd say move some generals u think would be good and rail them out west. Over time many more generals will appeare.


I don´t know how to use the ironglad near Cairo

This one is easy. Dont do any thing until u already have units besieging forts or cities. Then move it in by clicking on the river province in question. If u move it into an enemy province alone it will die in seconds.
One thing about riverine ironclads. They arent put in containers unlike just about any thing else in the game.

or if there is any ship in the 1st or 2cd Fleet

Have you tried to right click the fleet containers? I see 4 ships and 1 and 5 in the other.

Looks like by now I do not have any shipyards, to increase my seapower, is that right?

No. If u click on the city list in the buttom menu and then click the ship prod selection bar at the buttom on that page. There should be filtered in the 3 cities that start with shipyards. Boston, Brooklyn and Philly.


Hope it helps, if not please PM me or ask more questions here.

Kind regards,

Rasmus

ORIGINAL: Arminius

I don´t know the name of the "Kaserne(n) in Baumholder. I remember there is a nice museum inside the installation with WWII vehicels outside, like the german "Hetzer" Jagdpanzer, or a Priest etc.

Ever been to the Panzer museum in Munster?
Its great, the uniform of 1st Leibhussars(Totenkorpf hussar's) is worth it alone if u a Prussian Napoleonic fan [:D]
Yes, lots of panzers too. Dang, the proposed Marder 2, that never made it into production is HUGE. Think they read to many stories about the Maus when designing that. No way to hide that one. Very nice selection of WWII panzers too. Tigers, Panthers among others.


Kind regards,

Rasmus

@Eric Rutins: Hi, txs for your answer. I did the Flash Tut. So Ihink I do it again. But as a suggestion the old phrase "learning by doing" is always right. So the Tut should be in a way like many other games, where you have kind of an AI Teacher who is telling you lesson by lesson, what to do. ( Now we wanna move our unit by rail, therefore you have to select your brigade, klick the railroad button and then move the unit to Frankfort. Very good. Now we need to build a shipyard, therefore....) You know what I mean.
 
Hm PbEM. You not talking about the AAR, do you?

@Walloc: Hi, txs for your answer. Well Jütland is northern Danmark. Don`t know, but it´s already about 800 km`s (500 miles) from my town to the german-danish border, when you go by car.  We`re located just about 50 km`s or 30 miles north to the french border. Never knew that there is a military museum in Munster. I`ve been to others like the British war museum, London.

Beta patch: Are you talking about the FoF update v123, or is there a patch I missed ?

Yes I do not really know how to use the containers, or build new ones. But I think I understand now, how to produce them. So far I can produce Divisions.  But what do I have to do, if I want to unite the 3 parts of the Army of the Potomac? Is it not possible?

The CSA Army at Fredericksbourg right now has about 150 000 men. I can not attack with 45k. Another problem is, when I put the curser over that CSA Army (must be Army of North Virginia) sometimes it says 851,236 for example. I don´t think this is manpower. Is it a bug, or what can it be?

In detailed battle, I`m very poor in the offensive, but I managed to win the battles when I`m in defence.
I don´t know what to do, to drive the rebels out of their trench. On the other hand, I can not build trenches. Why?  Another thing. I opened advanced menu and ordered my brigades to fortify. Since that I had no more control over them until the end of the battle. Why?

Arminius,

He's talking about the 1.9.4 beta update, which is quite stable and at this point I'd recommend for everyone to try. You can find instructions for getting it in the Public Beta sub-forum.

Regards,

- Erik

Hi Arminius,

The museum is certainly worth a visit loacted about half way between Hannover annd Hamburg. Well im not that much above the bordeline. 800km it is then.

Beta patch: Are you talking about the FoF update v123, or is there a patch I missed ?

There is a public beta patch. It requires u have first registred ur game on the matrix site then go into members download u can find it there. 1.9.4 IIRC.

Yes I do not really know how to use the containers, or build new ones. But I think I understand now, how to produce them. So far I can produce Divisions. But what do I have to do, if I want to unite the 3 parts of the Army of the Potomac? Is it not possible?


Containers are alfa and omega to the game, but u will get the hang of it soon.

Basicly. If u have a brigade outside a container, You after selecting them then left click on the contaither to add it into the container. Notice here there is a limit to how much can be in each container.
Same applies or container them self. Left click a division(full of brigades or not) on a army or a corps container to add them. U can add a division to a corps or an army and a corps to an army.
So brigade into division, division into corps or directly into armies. Corps into arimes

So u optimum wana add brigades to division container and then add division containers to army or corps containers. I ofc assume u have any avaible and u dont start with any corps so u will have to attach divisions directly to the army.

When u start. U if u right click the army container in potomac river province, Washington DC, it will open. Then u can in turn open division containers inside the army container by rigth clicking on them too. That should give u an idea of a simple build of containers.

Yes as u have noticed u start with the Army of the Potomac split up in 3.
All 3 are army containers so u cant combine those. Army being the highest container.

My advice is. Chose 1 of the 3 army containers to be ur main AOTP for the moment. Transfering divisions from the other armies into that. after opening all the armies containers and then selecting the division and left click on the 1 of the 3 armies u want to be ur main. Notice here there can be a max of 35 units or 8 containers in an army so prolly all the division cant fit into 1 but most can. You should have 1 army free u can rail it out west and assemple it there with some of the free divisions.

Same with generals. U add once my after selecting left click on the container.
this is a bit mroe tricky advice wise. Generals have abilities and they have rank
1 star cant command more than a single unit inside a container.
2 star command divisions.
3 star corps
4 star Armies.
5 star can command several sepereate armies in same province but that is for later in
the game.

So u wana assign 2 star to ur division and 4 start to command ur armies.
U do it same way. select them and left on the containter u want it in. Helps to open that container first.

The CSA Army at Fredericksbourg right now has about 150 000 men. I can not attack with 45k. Another problem is, when I put the curser over that CSA Army (must be Army of North Virginia) sometimes it says 851,236 for example. I don´t think this is manpower. Is it a bug, or what can it be?

No its Fog of War. Ur reports on enemies will vary alot.
My suggestion isnt to attack Army of North Virginia (ANV) just yet less u wana just try and see what happens.
Ur gona get ur ass kicked. You would be attacking a similar sized force but u inferior quality and attacking.

In detailed battle, I`m very poor in the offensive, but I managed to win the battles when I`m in defence.
I don´t know what to do, to drive the rebels out of their trench. On the other hand, I can not build trenches. Why? Another thing. I opened advanced menu and ordered my brigades to fortify. Since that I had no more control over them until the end of the battle. Why?

Yes, dont be alarmed by this. When u defend ur troops get a +2 quality boost. Thats alot early in the war when the quality isnt great. Hench my advice on not attacking Fredericksburg.
The defending auto AI trenches are removed in the beta patch, one of many reason to use it.

Its very hard to attack early on cuz of the trenches. So get the patch they are removed in that.
In case u dont.
The way to overcome it very early is. Bring ovewhelming troops. Buy long range weapons. Use them to out shot the rebels at ranges longer than their weapons.
Use artillery. U start with Non. So have to build.

You, you self cant build trenches until. Either u get the hasty entrenchment tech upgrade or u happen to have a unit with the special ability digger and then only that unit can. So dont order them to fortify. Nothing will happen


Hope it help and ask away.

Kind regards,

Rasmus

Not fair Erik,

U know how long it toke me to write all that and in the mean time u answer [:'(]

Kind regards,

Rasmus

I don´t really know if this region is belonging to that area too, but the name should be "Nordpfälzer Bergland".
( North Palatinate mountainland ) I don´t know why they named it Bergland. There´s only hills.
I don´t know the name of the "Kaserne(n) in Baumholder. I remember there is a nice museum inside the installation with WWII vehicels outside, like the german "Hetzer" Jagdpanzer, or a Priest etc.
My Art. Reg. was part of the 5th Panzer Division, I can´t remember seeing elements of the 9th at Baumholder.

Well Christof (sounds like a german name ) it´s really nice talking to you `bout your biography. But since that I did not make any progress in learning the game.

Wie gehts Arminius,

Yes, "Nordpfälzer Bergland", that is the name that encompasses the entire Baumholder area and the Hunsruck etc. of the Rhine Pfalz, but there is another local German name for the mountains that Baumholder is in, and I actaully saw this name on a map and it is similar to 'High Wild Land", something like that.

I can look at a NATO map from that time and see if it was the 9th Pz. Dv. in the area, and I think it was, since my Battalion was part of the 39th Inf. Regt. of the 9th ID in WWII, and my uncle was in the 9th Armored Division and fought elements of the 9th SS Pz. Div. in the Bulge, I tend to remember 3's and 9's. Famous Regiment from Detroit is the 399th Inf. Rgt. that foughtthe Bolsheviks up around Murmansk after WWI. 3's and 9's always show up. Had a friend in the 9th ID in Vietnam in the Delta, he was an Engineer and was attached to one or more of the 3 Battalions of the 39th IR that were in Vietnam, well, after his 2-tours in Vietnam he was transferred to Germany into the 39th ADA (Air Defence Artillery). So, you can see what I mean about 3's and 9's. [8|]

Just recently I knew of the name of the Kasserne in Baumholder, but have also just recently forgotten it again. [8|][:)]

I use Christof for Kryztof or Kryzstof etc., a Polish version of Christopher that is also about the same as the German version. Then when added together with the 1/39 Inf. Bn. = Christof139. See, I am a genius. [8|]

I also have a Divine/Latin/Roman/Sicilian connection in my family, in that Silvanus was the Roman diety of forest and field and the surname Silva dates to ancient Rome, with several Silva's being of military prominence such as Cornelius Flavius Silva that was Legate of Legion X Fretensis in the Holy Land at the Siege of Masada etc.

You must update the game to version 1.94. It takes time getting familiar with the interfaces, and I just usally scroll from city to city on the screen rather than use the interface. Just keep playing and experimenting with the game in bits and pieces, that is only play so much and not a full game by using the small setup, and also you can practice with the tutorial game.

Chris

I agree that the business of assigning generals or units, etc., can sometimes be difficult for those who haven't used this system before, but always like to point out that it becomes second nature quickly. And as proof that it's not too complex I like to cite two family members who are in elementary school and have no trouble doing so -- so the system is different, but not difficult to master.

I don´t really know if this region is belonging to that area too, but the name should be "Nordpfälzer Bergland".
( North Palatinate mountainland ) I don´t know why they named it Bergland. There´s only hills.
I don´t know the name of the "Kaserne(n) in Baumholder. I remember there is a nice museum inside the installation with WWII vehicels outside, like the german "Hetzer" Jagdpanzer, or a Priest etc.
My Art. Reg. was part of the 5th Panzer Division, I can´t remember seeing elements of the 9th at Baumholder.

Well Christof (sounds like a german name ) it´s really nice talking to you `bout your biography. But since that I did not make any progress in learning the game.

Technically, I do believe any point over 1,000 feet may be considered a mountain, not 100% positive but I think so. I have a degree in Geology.

Highest point at baumholder was Wilson's Hill, over 900 meters, so over 2,700 feet above sea level. There is local relief in the area 300-feet and more in spots, with cliffs. Those mountains around Baumholder and the Hunsruck to the north are the Hercenian Mountains from that same named age long ago, fairly old, several hundred million years old.

The Kasserne at Baumholder is Kasserne Aulenbach.

I do see the 5th Pz. Dv. was in the area to the east, part of US V Corps now, but not when I was there. I do believe the 9th Pz. Dv. was in the area, almost positive as someone in 8th ID HQ told me that some months ago, but I could be confusing it with the 5th Pz. Dv. I have not been able to refind the map of troops dispositions I was looking for, but no big deal. Map was from about 1981, but that is almost 10-years after I left. I remember the Leopard I's and Jagd Kannone 90's, and Fiat 91(???) ground support aircraft and F-104's flying at treetop level. We and the pilots used to wave at each other and sometimes 'flip the bird' at each other. Pilots were allways laughing. I met some US Air Force F-4 pilots in town and got a ride once. Crazy people Jet Jockeys are, and chopper pilots are just as crazy. And hilarious at times.

My biggest problems with the game are the interface and errors it can help cause in inadvertent movement due to inadvertent clicking and the accuracy of the Guns.txt or Weapons file, plus I had an older compooter that caused the game to run slow, but now I have upgraded that old compooter and have a new one too, so no problems there. I was displeased with the weapons files in the old TS battleground ACW games so I and other people modded them, also in some other games.

Have fun, Chris

OT, there was a movie about an actual event in a town in Wales who had the honor of having the highest mountain in their region until the British Geological Department demoted it to a hill because it was under 1000'. the movie was about the town's inhabitants raising the hill bit by bit until it reached 1000' and was a mountain once more.

OT, there was a movie about an actual event in a town in Wales who had the honor of having the highest mountain in their region until the British Geological Department demoted it to a hill because it was under 1000'. the movie was about the town's inhabitants raising the hill bit by bit until it reached 1000' and was a mountain once more.

Thanx for that info. I don't have my Geology Diktionary anymore, and only a few science books as I lost them all when our home was incinerated in 1989 and I never replaced them. obviously I do not work in the Geology field even thiugh that is what my degree is in. However, I still like the subjects within the Geo field.

Thanx again, Chris

the movie, btw, is called "The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain".

Txs for all the help so far, especially to Ramuss.
 
One more question. When I open an Corps Container for example and I detach a 2star General, is he automatic  detached to a division? And is a 3star General automatic the Corps Commander? Is a 1star General always just leading a brigade, even so there is no 2star General in the Division?