Handicap level / see the opponent's

Frank Hunter's Campaigns on the Danube is an operational study of the campaigns along the Danube in 1805 and 1809. Campaigns on the Danube's system focuses on trying to present the player with the same sort of decisions placed on their historical counterparts; how to feed an army and move that army according to a plan, all the while trying to fight a campaign. There is also an option to allow players to play out the battles with miniatures and input the results.
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Taal
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Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 6:46 pm

Handicap level / see the opponent's

Post by Taal »

Hello,

Could you tell me what precise use I have from gaining Handicap level? In the instruction – 3.3 – there's not a word about it.

Does the electronic antagonist have extra strenght points?
I'm asking because for example I saw Hiller guided by a computer (2-7-3 meaning a really meager opponent) defeat an aggresive Lefebrre corps (8-4-8). Previously, when I was in charge as an Austrian commander, he could barely manage, often overhelmed by stress. Louis or Kolowrat were defeated when their corps were defending over the river (9.4).

3.2.2 Enemy – it is often that I can see the opponent's soldiers from many fields away. On the other hand I don't know their strenght points even if their next to my units – I can not judge whether to attack or not.

Taal
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Rasputitsa
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RE: Handicap level / see the opponent's

Post by Rasputitsa »

ORIGINAL: Taal
Hello,
Could you tell me what precise use I have from gaining Handicap level? In the instruction – 3.3 – there's not a word about it.

Does the electronic antagonist have extra strenght points?
I'm asking because for example I saw Hiller guided by a computer (2-7-3 meaning a really meager opponent) defeat an aggresive Lefebrre corps (8-4-8). Previously, when I was in charge as an Austrian commander, he could barely manage, often overhelmed by stress. Louis or Kolowrat were defeated when their corps were defending over the river (9.4).

3.2.2 Enemy – it is often that I can see the opponent's soldiers from many fields away. On the other hand I don't know their strenght points even if their next to my units – I can not judge whether to attack or not.

Taal

The Manual does not mention 'handicap level' and I have only ever used 'Neutral', but I suspect that there will be a 'Combat Results Table' (CRT) and combat results are determined by a virtual die-roll and, if a side has been set to 'Favour', the calculations will be shifted in the CRT to give more chance for a favourable result. The die roll doesn't change, but is applied to a more favourable line in the CRT. That's my guess.

The Manual is clear that the AI does not get any extra benefits

quote :

'The computer opponent is programmed to play either side against a human player. It operates under the same conditions as the human player; there are no weighted dice, augmented strengths, lack of fog in favor of the computer, or any other types of “cheating“'.

Combat is not just resolved on the attributes of the commander, but terrain, weather, supply, presence (or lack of) artillery, cavalry, strength can be lost in stragglers. Even the most aggressive and effective commander can brought down by low morale, high stress, fatigue and you cannot know what is going on in the command tents of the opposing army and how the commander feels. You can only assess what the state of your opponent might be from what has happened previously, how far have they marched, have they been victorious in previous battles or running from a defeat. Command is not an exact science, but is more a feeling for events, which this game presents very well and is where the challenge lies.

Additionally, it depends what orders have been issued, even the most aggressive commander will retreat if he has been ordered to 'Withdraw' and you will not know what orders the opposing Army commander has issued, but you can guess by the way enemy units are reacting.

You do not see the strength of the enemy on his counters, as part of the fog of war, how would you know the strength of a Napoleonic army before aerial reconnaissance. You only get to see an army when it lines up for battle and even then you will not see everything and by that time you will have had to make your battle decisions.

You are not seeing the enemy from many fields away, it is information you are getting from your scouts, from commanders in the leading units, all of whom may exaggerate, or underestimate, nobody on a Napoleonic battlefield sees everything, the commander needs to assess from incomplete information, even false information, what might be happening. No radio, by the time a messenger has ridden, maybe many hours over bad roads to bring you information, it may all have changed.

War is chaos and the successful general is the one who can make some sense out of this chaos (having more troops helps a lot [8D] ).

Uncertainty rules. [:)]
"In politics stupidity is not a handicap" - Napoleon

“A people which is able to say everything becomes able to do everything” - Napoleon

“Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress" - Napoleon
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Rasputitsa
Posts: 2902
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2001 8:00 am
Location: Bedfordshire UK
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RE: Handicap level / see the opponent's

Post by Rasputitsa »

ORIGINAL: Taal
3.2.2 Enemy – it is often that I can see the opponent's soldiers from many fields away. On the other hand I don't know their strenght points even if their next to my units – I can not judge whether to attack or not.
Taal

You will only ever see one counter to show enemy forces, but there could be several units in the same hex. When you mouse-over a hex containing unit counters a 'Stack Number' shows in the top bar of the game screen. This is useful as a general guide to how many units are present, especially when enemy units are mixed in the same hex as your own units. When you check the stack count in a hex where you have 4 units and the stack count comes up at 6, then there are 2 enemy units there as well. This sometimes happens when units of both sides are mixed in the same hex after a battle.

I have commented on the forum that there should be some information on enemy counters, even if it is not entirely accurate because of 'Fog of War', but you should know if an enemy unit has large strength factors, or only a small number, also whether there are stragglers reducing the strength of the unit.

I don't know if there is to be further development of this game, but I hope that some idea of enemy strength can be added.
"In politics stupidity is not a handicap" - Napoleon

“A people which is able to say everything becomes able to do everything” - Napoleon

“Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress" - Napoleon
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