How Complicated?

[ktotwf]

Ok guys. Hey, I am a new member here at these boards.

I have been watching EIA for a while, and I think it looks like a great game. I plan on buying it, but before I do, I wanna know: How complicated is it?

I am used to playing games like Europa Universalis and Victoria. EUII dealt with the Napoleonic Wars terribly, so I looked to this game to deal with it better.

How much more complicated is this than say Europa Universalis or Victoria? Whats the learning curve? Should I be intimidated?

[Nordiska]

I've played both Victoria and Europa Universalis. Now comparing those to EIA the board game is some what like comparing apples to oranges but I would say it is roughly the same complexity as those. EIA is more complex than either Axis and Allies or Risk (shudder even saying those in the same breath). Hope that helps some.

[Pippin]

EiA is definitely more complex than A&A. Any newbie can read the A&A manual and grasp it instantly, but the EiA rules are quite a bit hard to swallow. Just compare the size of the books. In any case, just remember that there is also the EiH rules, and each time around they seem to be getting more and more complex when they updated the rulesets. EiA is the simplest of the bunch, as it was the earliest.

[donkuchi19]

Many of the more complicated rules from the board game will be taken care of by the computer. I think it will depend on the interface on how complicated the computer version is. (and how many EIH rules are added that I will have to learn to work with)

I think from the board game, the most complicated parts were figuring total morale, foraging and supply, and stuff like that. That will be taken care of by the game.

[ktotwf]

Ok, good. I feel better. I was afraid it was going to be super-complicated like some wargames.

[Hanal]

Question...I do hope there is none of that real-time nonsence in EiA that abounds in HOI, EUII and Victoria?

[ktotwf]

Real Time is great!

[wodin]

No I dont think it is real time. If it isthen they will have ruined it in my opinion. Leave real time for the likes of C&C and SS and Blitz not strategic games like this. HOI was ruined for me due to the continous time aspect.

[Hanal]

I was wondering about real time because of this sentence from the web page: "All movement is simultaneous with battles occurring at the end of the impulse." Now I take that to mean that everyone plots their moves, then you advance the turn to see all the moves "simultaneously" executed.....at least I hope that's what it means.......

[NeverMan]

ORIGINAL: J P Falcon

I was wondering about real time because of this sentence from the web page: "All movement is simultaneous with battles occurring at the end of the impulse." Now I take that to mean that everyone plots their moves, then you advance the turn to see all the moves "simultaneously" executed.....at least I hope that's what it means.......

Yeah, I hope that got rid of that because if not, then why even call this game EiA? Marketing purposes maybe?

[Pippin]

Question...I do hope there is none of that real-time nonsence in EiA that abounds in HOI, EUII and Victoria?

EIA will definitely not be a RTS. IF so, how could you ever play by email?

[eg0master]

EiA the board game have very complicated rules but most of that will be handled by the computer (or there is nop point in using a computer...).
The only remaining complex part of EiA will be the diplomacy. Diplomacy is a large part of the EiA game.

[ardilla]

You are totally right, so the main complexity of the game, calculing the morale levels, chit tables, foraging and everything else will be pretty simple, just pressing a button, so it will be more practice and hope faster!!!

But besides the rules, a PBEM EiA game will take lots of hours of e-mail, chat, phone, etc...

And of course it can not be a RTS game because each battle is done after each player movement and will be PBEM game as I read in this forum and latter we will have a net connection to play online, but I guess lots of waiting and chatting with other players.

[Marshall Ellis]

Ktotwf:

EiA is what I the developer would call "rich in detail" You should note that even though our version will have AI available for all nations that one of the very best elements in playing EiA was having your friends over to the house for hours of diplomatic intrigue. Combat in this game typically happens when your diplomacy fails or your treachery succeeds!

The most complex elements are in fact the morale calculation, foraging, supply and combat resolution. All of this now takes a mere click on the PC to do.

BTW: Somebody above in the posts mentioned that we talked about simutaneous movement resolution??? That was left over from our original Napoleonic Wars website BEFORE we decided to do EiA so we need to change that! ALSO, our game runs in NRT (NOT REAL TIME).

Thank you

[BoerWar]

BTW: Somebody above in the posts mentioned that we talked about simutaneous movement resolution??? That was left over from our original Napoleonic Wars website BEFORE we decided to do EiA so we need to change that! ALSO, our game runs in NRT (NOT REAL TIME).

Marshall,

Thanks, I hate RTS. Give me a game where strategy and diplo skills have more to do with winning than do fine motor skills any day.

[Marshall Ellis]

BoerWar:

Not a problem!
EiA would not be EiA with RTS. I've seen games where diplomacy between players would take more than an hour. RTS lends itself to a first person shooter BUT I'm old school ... play until you end your turn ... just my 2 cents.

END TURN

Thank you

[yammahoper]

A turn in EiA represents one month, so real time would be almost impossible (thank God!). Every player takes their turn in a set order each month, and part of the tension gets created by seeing when and where your foes move. Many a long month have I sat as the British with a corp in port waiting for the French to be to far away to declare first move and by force marching stopping my gamble to capture a city I have his fleets holed up in. Ya can't do that sort of planning with a real time game.

yamma

[Pippin]

Yamma, do they ever fall for this a second time?

[yammahoper]

I have not seen this ploy fallen for twice by the same person, but I have seen the garrisoned buffed up to 20 or 25 factors and the French just taking a chance they can hold if I try. Far to often, the French player gats so infantry hungry he fails to garrison enough, leaving one or three factors to defend his ships. When this happens, the British should be looking for a chance to score a quick victory.

A disadvantage of this ploy for the British; if you destroy ALL or even the bulk of the French navy, you have just eleiminated a potential political point source in the future. This manuever can so disgruntle the French player he may even forgo redeveloping the fleets, which hurts later in the game. I have never played with EiH rules, so those fleets get scuttled in EiA rules, not captured (though I did argue I should be able to capture them, so I am not surprised someone invented rules allowing for it). It is a double insult when the British gain three or four political points and the French loose an additional three points for scuttling.

Still, it far to fun NOT to try at least once. I am eager to see how smart the AI. Does it garrison its provincial capitals and ports? Not only does this protect assests, it allows forces in the rear of the enemy to be roused if the garrisons are simply marched past. Also, if a ports guns are not manned, an enemy fleet can enter the port, gauranteeing they will land troops. This is a death knell for GB early in the game, who needs to garrison ALL ports from the start of the game. If you start the game as france and are not blockaded AND see an open GB port, rush it with a nice sized corp, then reinforce Napolean in next reinforcement phase. England will fall unlessit has enough fleets in the area to intercept (and it wont successfully intercept them all if you spread the fleets out and launch from multiple ports unless he is amazinly lucky). I have played GB several times and it has some galling weaknesses that can spell doom if not addressed.

Oh, did I mention I love this game?

yamma