1813 Scenario

[ptan54]

For future updates, the developers might consider making this scenario, which I think would be very interesting - the French have seemingly lost it all with 1812, but Napoleon rebuilds a large army of "greens" to face off Britain, Prussia, Russia, and later Austria. Perhaps this scenario should start in August 1813 when Austria enters the fray on the allied side? In real life the 1813 campaign was probably the last chance France had to ensure its position beyond the Rhine - certainly the best case scenario for 1814 and 1815 would have involved keeping France and Belgium.

[ericbabe]

1813 would be a nice scenario. Though I think my favorite new year is 1803 -- a good year for flexible opening-game options. I also think an 1812 scenario starting in the thick of the invasion of Russia would be an interesting scenario.

We had originally hoped to do 1803 and 1812, but the scenarios took much more work than we anticipated -- having to research all the political changes and OOB's and diplomats and then to work out all the kinks from the data files. Maybe we could start discussion threads for these scenarios and if people can help us do some of the research then we can stitch it all together into new scenario files.

[ptan54]

I should also add that the game doesn't seem to make historical transitions. For example, starting in 1792 or 1796, you will never get Caulaincourt the diplomat nor Napoleon as Emperor - the leader of the nation remains Paul Barras. Would there be a way to work in some events to change the leader of a nation at certain dates, or in the event of defeat (Napoleon's exile)? Furthermore, historical generals don't come up. I started in 1796 as France and it is now 1811 - no Suchet, no Oudinot, no Macdonald, etc.

I recently (ha!) found out that frigates give chase after victory in a naval battle. In the 1813 campaign, chronic lack of cavalry meant unreliable or nonexistent reconnaissance work for France, and the inability to convert tactical victories into strategic victories after Bautzen and Dresden. I would like to petition for a similar feature in the aftermath of land battles - if the victor has more ordered cavalry on the field, the likelihood of chasing and/or inflicting greater casualties upon chase should increase.

[ericbabe]

Cavalry perform the exact same function as frigates following quick combat. In detailed battle there is no automatic pursuit casualties (as is the case after quick battle), but it's much easier to inflict casualties on routing units with cavalry in detailed battle with cavalry than with other units.

We originally intended that the main campaign start in 1805, and so most of the commanders are found in the reinforcement schedule of this campaign. However it seems that a lot of players also like the 1792 campaign. One of our ideas for a subsequent patch is to include a variation of the 1792 campaign that is more of a "grand campaign," and would have all the commanders on the reinforcement schedule.

[Hard Sarge]

that sounds good

lets get to work

I bored

OOOPS

[ptan54]

If that could be done, then very good. If 1792 is more popular, then by all means work on that first - but I think for the sake of consistency, the reinforcement schedule should be done for 1796 also - after all this is when Napoleon first made his name in a campaign!

So there is no way to change the leader of a nation?

[ericbabe]

ORIGINAL: ptan54
So there is no way to change the leader of a nation?

One of the ideas being batted around is to have a mechanism for leader promotions. Basically you'd get ratings based on your provinces and developments in them that would specify whether you qualify for a 4* commander, and then how many 3* and 2* and perhaps 1* commanders for which you qualify. Then every so often if you are below this minimum the game prompts you to pick a commander for promotion. So say France qualifies for a 4* and Napoleon is killed in combat or removed by treaty clause, a month or two later the player might be prompted to choose one of his commanders to promote to be the new 4* leader of France.

This is still in the idea stage, and it'd be something we'd add in a future patch or perhaps a game expansion pack.

[ptan54]

Thanks for the response, but that wasn't actually my question. If you check the country details screen after clicking diplomacy, you see who heads each nation - George III for Britain, Barras for France (in 1796), Tsar Paul for Russia etc.

What I am saying is that monarchs died and new ones came to the fore. Napoleon took over as the leader of France in 1799, Tsar Alexander took over in 1801. Is there any way to code in these changes, so that by these dates, the old Kings/Tsars/Dictators disappear and new ones come around? It's just odd seeing Barras still heading France in the 1800s.

[ericbabe]

Oh *those* leaders of the nations. There aren't any plans to change those in the immediate future.

One of the ideas for a COG expansion pack that we're considering is to add rules for many historical details from the period -- the execution of Louis XVI, the Assignat Crisis, etc. We would most likely include changes of national leadership as part of these rules (though changes of leadership might be more dynamic rather than fixed to an absolute schedule.)

[ptan54]

If there's going to be an expansion, and if those historical details could be added (giving the player the option of course) that would definitely add a lot to the flavour of the game!!!

[ktotwf]

More 1813 scenario is always better than less.

My personal favorite part of the Napoleonic Wars.