Matrix Games Forums

During battles, the player's nation/side is always on the bottom (?), but how do you tell which side is the attacker?

On the battle resolution message pop-up, I assume the side with it's swords pointing "up" is the winner, but is there any significance to which side is displayed on the right or left?

After I finally figured-out that the player had to hit the "next turn" button to play the Jutland scenario, I am at a loss to understand naval warfare battle screen as the manual seems to explain more of the mechanics and not the method.
I use ships based on the range icon on the right, but I'm not sure why there is another sea front; is this only in large sea battles, as in large land battles?

I have yet to see an aerial dogfight.

Re reinforcements: most reinforcements appear in the HQ's already on the map, but some have to be placed on the map (?) If so, how can the player tell which reinforcement units must be physically dragged onto the screen?

Any answers or tips would be appreciated; this game certainly has depth, but fathoming it is difficult; I only recently discovered that hitting the nation flag in the upper left not only gives stats, but the scenario parameters for a win, yet i didn't recall seeing this in the full pdf manual.

Personne?

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

During battles, the player's nation/side is always on the bottom (?), but how do you tell which side is the attacker?

The defending side has a blue arched line in front of its units on the battle line. The attacker has a red arrow pointing to the enemy.

On the battle resolution message pop-up, I assume the side with it's swords pointing "up" is the winner, but is there any significance to which side is displayed on the right or left?

You are correct; swords up indicates victory. IIRC, when on the left side of the battle ending info box, you are the attacker.

After I finally figured-out that the player had to hit the "next turn" button to play the Jutland scenario, I am at a loss to understand naval warfare battle screen as the manual seems to explain more of the mechanics and not the method.
I use ships based on the range icon on the right, but I'm not sure why there is another sea front; is this only in large sea battles, as in large land battles?

The naval battles were the toughest part of this game for me to understand. There are formation choices which impact the battle too. It takes experience to properly guess what formation would be better. I have used the second battle box on occasion-larger battles and or reinforcements utilized that space.

I have yet to see an aerial dogfight.

If starting in 1914, you will not see any dogfights for many turns. It is hard enough to get a successful recon. The respective techs need to be researched and the new aircraft types built. By mid 1915 you should be seeing an occasional air battle. Assuming you have built up a good size AF, by '17 you should have air battles galore.

Re reinforcements: most reinforcements appear in the HQ's already on the map, but some have to be placed on the map (?) If so, how can the player tell which reinforcement units must be physically dragged onto the screen?

If the new/returning divisions appear in the reinforcement block, those need to be dragged onto the map or to the HQ quay.

Any answers or tips would be appreciated; this game certainly has depth, but fathoming it is difficult; I only recently discovered that hitting the nation flag in the upper left not only gives stats, but the scenario parameters for a win, yet i didn't recall seeing this in the full pdf manual.

This game really has some depth to it. It took me months to come to grips with some of its finer points-some little things take some time to notice. One can be playing it smoothly in an hour or so, but not the whole game...[;)]

A couple tips;
Use the right click on the line showing a movement route to bring up the little white arrowhead. When you move the unit further, it will not re-plot the whole route-that can get aggravating. The control is there to bypass a province if needed. If moving more than 2 provinces I will normally use that function.

Adjust the game settings for optimum speed. My PC is not quite cutting edge, but I can make the units move like they are all in rocket cars if I so choose. You can adjust the speed of ai movements too. Tinker with the options. Low color depth has no negative aspects as far as I can tell. Turning off the ai memory may help also.

After you have become familiar with the game, I suggest you try the army by army mode in strictly turn based. There are additional, and important, game capabilities in that mode.

Love them trenches...

ORIGINAL: 06 Maestro

The defending side has a blue arched line in front of its units on the battle line. The attacker has a red arrow pointing to the enemy.

I don't know how I missed that one; it should have been obvious, but what isn't is how I get into the game's diplolmatic management window.

I'm playing the 1918 scenario as the Entente and I have 3 ambassadors in Paris, but I don't know how to send them on their missions as there is no step-by-step procedure in the full pdf manual.

First off you send your diplomat...then you have to wait a turn for them to get there...then you can tick the box needed to talk to the country (can't remember what it's called now).

Also try and get two diplomats to a country as that helps swing them your way.

Joe

You send diplomats during the diplomatic phase of each turn. During that phase you enter the diplomatic dialog by clicking the highlighted button next to the mini map.
There is a diplomatic tab at the top of the screen. By clicking on a county, then clicking on that tab that nations info screen will show appear. This can be done at any time. Other than giving aid in this dialog, it is just for informational purposes.

ORIGINAL: 06 Maestro

Joe

You send diplomats during the diplomatic phase of each turn. During that phase you enter the diplomatic dialog by clicking the highlighted button next to the mini map ...

Thank you, I missed that button next to the map, but I think I figured-out how to send my ambassodors.

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

ORIGINAL: 06 Maestro

Joe

You send diplomats during the diplomatic phase of each turn. During that phase you enter the diplomatic dialog by clicking the highlighted button next to the mini map ...

Thank you, I missed that button next to the map, but I think I figured-out how to send my ambassodors.

Sending a diplomat is straightforward. Send on mission means that the diplomat(s) will attempt to sway that nation in that phase. You can chose just to send and gather more in the target nation before using the "ask for audience" choice. Merging is a bit more tricky. I may not be able to accurately explain it without error-so I won't try. It is easy enough after you see how it is done-just need to tinker with it a bit. Roughly, you need to select one of the diplomats on the left pane that is already on the country then select the other in the right pane. It matters which one is picked first-I don't recall the requirements of that-but you can figure it out in a few tries.

ORIGINAL: 06 Maestro
... Roughly, you need to select one of the diplomats on the left pane that is already on the country then select the other in the right pane. It matters which one is picked first-I don't recall the requirements of that-but you can figure it out in a few tries.

But shouldn't the pdf manual explain it step-by-step?

Another issue is how to transport troops by sea; apparently it involves putting a force next to a friendly fleet, clicking the transport button on the fleet, and then moving the fleet to a friendly port preferably thru friendly waters.

No need to have a transport fleet near the forces to be transported.
The fleets you see stacked on the map are not transport fleets, they are instead warfleets.
Transport fleets are abstracted in the game, so that forces move by sea "alone". See the other posts where I answered you, also in the official AgeOD forum.