Matrix Games Forums

Dear all,

Recently bought Tin Soldiers Alexander, and love it. Been a figure gamer including ancients for many years. Best game of it's type I have seen. However I need a little more information as the manual (even on the CD) seems a little light.

In particular you have options to move, attack, charge, counter charge and defend. There is no real explanation as to the benefits and disadvantages of each....

Charge - often gives you a bonus but you can only go in a straight line. I am a bit unsure as to whether you HAVE to charge the target you inidcated, or whether it will charge a different target if they move...

Counter charge - never used it, no idea when it is a good idea.

Move - basically pointless? Only when you don't wish to fight? Does it have any other strengths or weaknesses.

Attack - One I use most as you can change direction more than charge

Defend - If I am surrounded I go onto Defend to get a defensive bonus, but not at all sure this achieves anything?

ORIGINAL: AndyWatkins1963
Charge - often gives you a bonus but you can only go in a straight line. I am a bit unsure as to whether you HAVE to charge the target you inidcated, or whether it will charge a different target if they move...

All commands are given in Alexander/Caesar independent of what your opponents do. So, they charge forward -- no matter who is there. In terms of charging bonus, it is an offensive attack, so you get a bonus to hit when charging. This order should be used when you are attacking an unit that you have an advantage over. However, there are some units that will suicide by taking this approach -- e.g., cav going against spear. (See th combat tables for details on the bonus that spear get against charging horse.)

ORIGINAL: AndyWatkins1963
Counter charge - never used it, no idea when it is a good idea.

Counter charge is an offensive/defensive order. You get a bonus to hit when first attacked followed by defensive bonuses for subsequent combat. Again, it is used when you know that a single unit is likely to attack you and a charge bonus will be advantagous. Using it against multiple attackers may not be wise as you are likely going to suffer greater causalties.

ORIGINAL: AndyWatkins1963
Move - basically pointless? Only when you don't wish to fight? Does it have any other strengths or weaknesses.

Remember, there are 3 sub-phases to each turn: command, reaction and reserve. Only a move command allows you to take advantage of all three phases for movement orders. E.g., if you wish to move a mounted unit forward 3 spaces, only the move command allows you to do this. Equally, if you wish to move forward, turn clockwise and move forward again, only the move command allows this. If you are not using "move", you are greatly hurting your starting position and formations for each battle.

ORIGINAL: AndyWatkins1963
Attack - One I use most as you can change direction more than charge

Exactly, attack is used when you are not charging -- due to want to change facing or when a charge is ill-advised based on the opponent you are attacking.

ORIGINAL: AndyWatkins1963
Defend - If I am surrounded I go onto Defend to get a defensive bonus, but not at all sure this achieves anything?

It does! A defensive bonus, in this case, gives you a 10% against hit. Infantry that are defending are very hard to root out -- and the AI will use this often.

Deride

Hi Deride,

Thanks very much for speedy and helpful reply.

Charge - Only once seen a charge figure as lower than an attack figure. Guess that was cav V spear. Will watch out for that one.

Counter charge / Defend - Don't really understand why counter charge will cost more casualties if attacked by multiple attackers? Think I have missed something. (Think I got it, you don't get the 10% bonus for defending that's the difference isn't it?)

Move - I did not realise you only got the 3 moves on a move. I have noticed that charge shows 3 moves but it doesn't move 3. Do you ever get to move 3 times in a charge, if not why does the computer show 3 moves?

Move - I thought the ability to move turn and move was about the same for move as attack. Hadn't realised you could turn more with move?

Do you work for the development company? It really is a superb game, once I am bored of Alexander I shall buy Julius Caesar. Any idea what is coming out next? Biblical perhaps? or Belisarius and the Byzantines V Arabs and Persians, that would make a good game?

Andy

ORIGINAL: AndyWatkins1963
Counter charge / Defend - Don't really understand why counter charge will cost more casualties if attacked by multiple attackers? Think I have missed something. (Think I got it, you don't get the 10% bonus for defending that's the difference isn't it?)

Yes, you got it. The defend order gives a 10% defensive bonus -- therefore, over the course of a game, defeding units would lose 10% less troops than a non-defending unit.

ORIGINAL: AndyWatkins1963
Move - I did not realise you only got the 3 moves on a move. I have noticed that charge shows 3 moves but it doesn't move 3. Do you ever get to move 3 times in a charge, if not why does the computer show 3 moves?

Perhaps it is a bit confusing, but when you select a spot to attack, your unit will move NEXT to that spot and attack. For example, if your unit is facing directly north and you ask him to attack 2 spaces to the north, his orders for the turn will be: move forward (command phase), attack (reaction phase), attack (reserve phase). However, if you gave him a move order 2 spaces north, his orders for the turn will be: move forward (command phase), move forward (reaction phase), defend (reserve phase).

Since infantry units can only move 2 times during any 1 turn, selecting to attack or move directly 3 spaces forward will result in the same final position at the end of the turn. However, a unit that is "moving" will get a defend bonus for the last phase; however, an attacking unit will get the chance to engage an enemy unit directly in front of him during the reserve phase.

ORIGINAL: AndyWatkins1963
Move - I thought the ability to move turn and move was about the same for move as attack. Hadn't realised you could turn more with move?

Yes, when moving, you can receive up to 1 turn during the turn. So, you can turn, move forward, move forward (ending up 2 spaces forward and 2 spaces to the side); move forward, turn, move forward (ending up 2 spaces forward and 1 space to the side), etc., etc.

ORIGINAL: AndyWatkins1963
Do you work for the development company? It really is a superb game, once I am bored of Alexander I shall buy Julius Caesar. Any idea what is coming out next? Biblical perhaps? or Belisarius and the Byzantines V Arabs and Persians, that would make a good game?

Yes, I do work at Koios Works, and thanks for the compliment. I can't say exactly what is coming next, but we should have some news over the next month or two.

Deride