Matrix Games Forums

I just finished my first game, and won a substantive victory against the AI as the CSA (Look away Dixieland). Anyway, I too have difficulty understanding some of the movement issues. Notably, for many turns I had had Lee and the ANV sitting in Fredrickburg, with a union force next to them in Gordonsville. I had hoped to go in and clear them out, but this was always impossible - not only were people like Jackson, with only infantry attached, unable to move, but even my pure cavalry divisions, under good commanders (cav 3 - JEB was killed in '62, to my chagrin), were unable to move in to scout or raid, regardless of whether or not they had initiative. On the other hand, the cavalry units in Richmond had no trouble. The only difference is that there's a rail line from Richmond into Gordonsville, but there is a road from Fredricksberg, shouldn't that be enough?

Just to add - on the whole, this is an extraordinary game, it accurately reproduces the dillemas faced by the commanders, it is engaging and strikes a fine balance between realism and playability. Bravo.

Cav/mtd without any leader move 3 MPs.

Fredericksburg to Gordonsville is down a road.
Roads in non-winter 1 MP, move into enemy area +1 MP = 2 MPs.
Seems to me that road movement in winter is 2 MPs so the formula is 2 MPs + 1 + 1 = 4 MPs.

To raid or scout the cav/mtd in a region must be under a leader. You can initiate combat in a region with no garrison that will rise without a leader. I've never tried to move into a garrisoned area with cav/mtd and no leader; however, that could be your problem.

You may wish to try the movement tutorial again.

Ah, but they were under leaders, you see. I tried putting them under a corps leader with supporting leaders, then under different supporting leaders outside of the corps... everything. And as I mentioned, the leaders were all with cav ratings of 3, with initiative.

Were they attempting to move during your movement phase or into a region with none of your troops during the reaction phase?

Treefrog,
Please see message addressed to you at Tech Spport FOW Disappearing in PBEM. Thanks.

Is there any chance there could be some feedback about how much it costs to move from one area to another?

Seems like this is a continuing problem with many players. They select a unit, and don't know why it won't let them order a move.

It would be nice if when you selected a unit, in addition to light/dark areas as now, that if you put the cursor over a territory it would show how many movement points it would take (or will take in the case of a green arrow) right on the movement arrow.  So instead of just a green arrow perhaps put a number right below the tip of the arrow.  A red arrow with a number for dark territories.  One could even impliment a number below the strat move purple arrow that represents how many strat movement points will be used.  And while we are at it (greedy aren't I) but for naval transport you could have #/# under the arrow to represent how many transport and amphib points will be used/would be required in the proposed move.
 
I think this would be a good things to have.  Now the question comes.. is this something that is within the scope of coding that could be done in a patch?!  I assume these calculations are being made, that is how it colours the various territories when you select a stack (I assume) it would just be a matter of displaying those numbers somehow, and also likely adding a checkbox in configuration to show them or not.
 
 

Why have the cost of movement into an area displayed?? You can either move there or not depending on whether your activated or not. Unnecessary data display jus to give you a warm fuzzy feeling?? Bleh!

The cost of movement into a region is sometimes available through subtraction.

Select a commander with initiative and high movement and do a land movement into the arrow without releasing the cursor. The remaining movement points will be displayed. Apply subtraction and, voila, the movement cost to go into the region.

ORIGINAL: Capt Cliff

Why have the cost of movement into an area displayed?? You can either move there or not depending on whether your activated or not. Unnecessary data display jus to give you a warm fuzzy feeling?? Bleh!

Actually no. The display would help for tracking why you cannot get there. it is most certainly a lazy man's way, but if I see that it costs 5 to enter a certain region after seeing that many times it will begin to dawn on me which terrain features are causing the extra needed MP.

Its like anything else, it would be helpful, it should be selectable.

I used to play one of the earliest strategic wargames for a computer Empire, and if you errantly moved an army unit into a sea area, it didn't stop you, it didn't warn you, it just said your army marched into the sea and drowned. I would have liked an option to have it ask me "March your army into the ocean?(y/n)" similarly here, if the number were displayed, I think I would quickly get a better feel for how terrain and weather worked vis a vis movement. It should be configurable so folks that don't want to see it can not see it.

That move point display thing would be expensive to code in- with the graphics  changes and all.  I am not sure there is any money in the budget right now for major game changes. That is a display thing. Nice but you already have the lit up areas. better than nothing.
    Always nice to ask about but probably not in the realm of doable.

I would just be happy if there were actually a good .pdf chart available showing movement points per unit, and cost to travel across the different regions. The chart on the back of the manual doesn't even say if it is for infantry or calvary.

The chart is for all units. The cost doesn't change, but some units have fewer MPs than others. I could see the use of showing move cost, but the highlighting is supposed to take care of showing you where you can and can't move. If you can't move somewhere you think you should, the movement cost chart will explain why.

I could also see the use of a "Reaction Range" highlight as I always end up spending a fair amount of time figuring out what the reaction range of my units will be with and without initiative, etc.

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

I could also see the use of a "Reaction Range" highlight as I always end up spending a fair amount of time figuring out what the reaction range of my units will be with and without initiative, etc.

I second that. You have to be a mathematician to defend the Southern coasts.

The Southern Coasts are hard to defend- some Union erosion will leach in over time- you have to make it tough for him to move inland from the coasts. For the Union holding onto swamppy south coasts regions is expensive in supply costs and some unit attrition is increased- disease was a problem in swamps in the 1860s. As the south you must make it difficult to move inland. Or send some good generals and some combat strength in and try to rub an enclave out. Usually the Union puts poor generals in swamp garrisons.

Back for a moment to displaying the MP cost to enter a region on the move arrow.
 
I don't think it would be all that difficult to impliment that.  The function already exists to calculate it I would have to believe since that would be what would determine a location being highlighted or not.  The hard part would likely be the effort in the setup GUI.  This would have to be an option I think, hence settable in the preferences GUI.  That I can see being likely too much effort for whatever return you might see.  As I said just one of those "Hey if this idea is easy to do you should consider it" its certainly nothing more than that.
 
Now to the Southern Coasts.  As the Federals I can almost NEVER get anything going from there.  Perhaps I should try, but these are the things I am seeing that prevent me going inland.
 
1.  I almost always end up with substandard leaders as garrison leaders.  I need my truly effective ones elsewhere (Virginia Kentucky Tennessee).  And with CSC even substandard leaders are hard to come by at times.
 
2.  I cannot spare Cav/Mounted so I am almost always on the loosing end of the spotted units bonus.  I am almost always spotted and hardly ever have any CSA units spotted.
 
3.  I only have spotty initiative (althoug the lateast patch might help with that, I will install it eventually).  Who can afford an AC on the coast?  And while I don't know (as I never have AC's here) I assume that your TC in DC will not be close enough to help an AC anywhere except perhaps Norfolk?
 
So I usually end up with garrisons of 2-4 INF each with a leader that is unsuitable for much more than providing a def bonus.  1 Att 3 Def 2 Inf with 3-5 Command is actually a better example.  Once I get EP I ship out the AF militia to be trained somewhere, which is a nice benefit.  But even when I get initiative I have a cruddy general unsuited for offensive operations with 2-4 Inf and no scouting.  Going inland I do not have naval guns to support me either.
 
Should I invest in better leaders on the coast and put more troops there (and cav) in hopes of breaking off of the coast?  Should I put an AC down there with a significant force?  I admit I have never done it as it seems the troops and leaders are better used elsewhere, but if other folks have a different opinion I would love to hear it.
 

I rarely have a problem on the coasts. You need at least a 2-2 leader down there but I find that by mid-62 they are easy to come by. You don't need anyone that can lead much more than 4 units. One of the things I try to do, is attack even if I know I can't win. I believe that the AI will try to defend the area harder if I push harder. In doing so, the AI has to send less troops up north. Also, I generally don't keep my best generals in DC, or surrounding areas through Harper's Ferry. I have found that the AI will only attack through there if you are very poorly defended, or it is a last ditch effort towards the end of the game. Now, Winchester, Staunton, etc. do need some better generals, but Ft. Monroe is useless save the fact you can put heavy cannon in there and blockade Norfolk.
Anyhow, you need to have a 1 or 2 strength calvary down on the coast. This pays off specifically in Jacksonville. Hit it with an early amphib invasion of 3 units and you will almost always take it. Once there, bring in a 2 strength calvary. They will clear northern FL out for you all the way up to Brunswick. These are easy points. Breaking into Southern GA is a little tougher and will require a 3 strenght calvary perhaps a couple of tries. It helps if you bring a couple gunboats up the river. While you are doing that, try to bring down a 5 strength unit and hit Savannah. The AI tends to babysit the Charleston area and you will probably only face 2 units in Savannah. Now you are linking up areas on the coast. Next, hit Pensecola with a 2 strenght unit. Often this port is completely unguarded. Bring in calvary and start to clear out the area east of Mobile and north. You may find that you will end up linking these units to your units coming north in GA.

One of the early points I hit around April of 62 is Elizabeth NC. Usually the south is busy further north and a 4 or 5 strength unit will take it. This and the above also mean your blockading ships are freed up for further action. You can push into NC a little but you will have the souths attention as they don't want VA to get cut off. That is your goal if possible. You want to tie as many of their forces up on multiple fronts because you have the numerical advantage. Forget about trying to take Wilmington via Amphib. I have done it but it takes a lot of units. Forget also Charleston. Never until late in a game have I really gotten into SC. Besides, taking areas elsewhere has a bigger payoff. Remember, TN, GA, and NC have a lot of the factories. With the blockade on, the south will need them to provide supplies. Spread the enemy out and hit them where it hurts. Basically forget VA as that is the main show but it is a meat grinder. If you can move around in NC and take down to Charlotte, you will see that by late 63 things are dire for the south. That is when you can raid and take out the remaining rail lines heading to VA and then come down out of the valley into southern VA and strike northwest out of NC and cut VA off. From there it is simple starvation. Best of luck.