Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: srd5090

Okay, so I've played a few AGEOD games before. I'm not so great at them but I try. Probably the most played one in my game library is Wars in America which predates the battle planner.

I know the battle planner is used in a few other games, but my question is this:

Is there any sort of guide out there that describes good strategy for the battle planner?

It is so opaque I am never really sure what is a good choice in a given situation. I know good leaders allow you to see the AI's potential selections, but that doesn't help me determine what counters what. I think I sort of get when to use the delaying action so Marching to the Sound of Guns can happen more easily. When I know have more cavalry than the enemy army, should I use a particular flanking/enveloping battle plan?

Any insight is greatly appreciated. I feel like I'm throwing darts in a pitch black room at the moment.

ORIGINAL: OldSarge

I'm far from an expert on the battle planner, but I have had success in using it. It is fairly complex enough that there is a
large element of uncertainty in your decisions -- as it should be.

The data files for the battle planner can be found under the GameData folder
in a folder labeled Battleplans under the GameData folder. The folder contains both Deployment and Battle plan files.
Deployment files can be recognized by the word Deployment in the file's name.

Battle plans are associated with one or more deployments, if you look in the battle plan file you'll see a line
that looks like:

Code: Select all

 Deployments = $bplInfMassDepl
 

A little searching and you'll find that there are three battle plans (Infantry Charge, Infantry Countercharge and Massed Fire) associated with the Form Infantry Massed Deployment.
Each of these battle plans have their own counter plans

Battles plans undergo a check and they either pass, fail or are countered by the enemy's own battle plan. The
counters to a battle plan can be found in the battle plan file by locating the labels that include the word Counter,
as seen below for the Infantry Charge battle plan.

Code: Select all

 CounterBP1 = $bplCrossfire
 CounterBP2 = $bplRefuseCenter
 CounterBP3 = $bplGrandBattery
 

The are three battle plane files for each battle plan in order to handle the results of succeed, failed or countered, ..
If a battle plan passes its check, the units attacking receive increases in the appropriate attack values (i.e. assault, range fire damage,
cohesion hits inflicted). If it fails there is a small adjustment of values, if it is countered the opponent can see increases in their
values for the appropriate attributes. (i.e. assault, range fire damage, cohesion hits inflicted).

Mapping the icons on the battle planner to battle plans can be done by locating the icons in the Graphics folder
on the path FronetEnd\GUIBattlePlanner\BattlePlans.

I don't know if the plans are checked only at the start of battle or during each round. I'm also unsure of many of how many of the values contained in the
data files are actually applied.

HTH