Today's 1.2.16 observations

[Grand_Armee]

OK after three aborted attempts to start the 1792 scenario (see my "I've never seen this before" thread), I finally got one going without a premature French surrender. Difficulty was at normal, scenario set for 23 years, highest glory...all countries set at normal strength.

I was playing Prussia. First thing to do was to get France to surrender after setting economics and production as well as beginning trades...without them my poor nation was only producing 4 linens!

After giving my armies one turn with supply to raise the partially depleted divisions to fighting strength, I set them off toward France. Prussia seems to be very cavalry poor which is odd since Frederick the great managed to raise many regiments during his reign.
I've waited for someone else to squawk about this, but haven't seen it happen, yet.

Due to this lack of cavalry, the Prussian army has no chance against a French force in quick battle, so as in many times in the past, I took them on in DB. On to Paris!

AFter a few turns, The French surrendered with the Austrians sitting on their capital and their armies shattered into little bits. EVery nation seems to do this instead of consolidating.

After this, the scenario degenerates into the "get the biggest guy" gangbang. This of course happened to be Austria. Since I was already allied to Austria, I decided I'd maintain the alliance by proactively destroying anyone who interfered with our white-clad brothers down south.

The first coalition consisted of France, Spain, and Sweden. I pledged to the Austrians that I would defend them if they would defend me as well as exchanging the right to free passage. Surprisingly my diplo advisor said they'd likely reject. I didn't have much more to offer, so I sent the treaty anyway. Amazingly it passed.

Hanover, that ripe plumb, was the first to fall to me. Conveniently during the seige of Bremen, the Ivans decided they needed to expand by dow'ing Poland. Since Lucchessini had been busy improving relations with Poland, Saxony, and Mecklenburg I was hopeful the Poles would look to us as their natural protectors. Fortunately they did, and doubling our good fortune, the Ivans acquiesced to our ultimatum. I hate that German trap known as the two-front war.

After the fall of Hanover, the Brits were expelled from the continent for a while. With no way to reach them, and no appearance of the Swedes, I sent my Poles in two small armies to bother Spanish interests. Here I witnessed first hand that a force containing only cavalry cannot conduct a seige. Naples fell to us when the AI decided to have the garrison join the few Neapolitan divisions roaming the country attack my Polish army containing infantry. Sicily and the very bottom of Italy became completely Spanish provinces. ...is it still supposed to do that?

Austria meanwhile had begun to send armies north to Sweden. Sadly the Danes sought British protection and the Austrians drubbed their land forces into nothingness. Now was my chance for some rich states!

It seems that taking Hamburg first while the nation is a protectorate always leads to that province only becoming controlled, I began to gobble up the others. I took them all but island province...which fell to my allies.

So, now my empire stretched east and south to Russia and Turkey, north to the Barents sea, and south into the Med. Despite all the battles I'd been in, I still hadn't gotten another new commander after Blucher. ...despite some very good battle results.

I built very little in the way of troops. The Poles were making em' faster then I could build corps.

Sweden surrendered to me even though we'd never actively fought due to Austria floogin her enough to cause inssurrectionists to demand it. They didn't have anything I wanted so I took reparations.

War with Spain was was a bit of a joke at this point since no main Spanish force had come to central Europe. Still, the rotten little buggers were getting enough protectorates in central Europe to keep me and my Allies busy in seigework and expansion. I netted Wurtemmburg while my ally netted Baden. For Baden I offered to trade the two Norwegian states and Jutland. The Austrians didn't refuse.

Turkey at the present time was at war with Spain...and surrendered to her! Oh, the horror!

My next item was to declare war on Brunswick since none of the German minors seemed to be anywhere near picking a protector. This DOW had the effect of drawing the Saxons and the Hessians under the Black Eagle. I was hoping for Bavaria too, but this wasn't to happen.

During my Swedish/British/Spanish adventures France and Turkey had managed to find themselves at war. I gave both the right to cross my territory. I've complained about the Turks resting in Brandenburg before and it happened yet again. But, I think I am beginning to understand and have developed a new hypothesis:

France needed to get to Constantinople, and Turkey needed to get to Paris. The Turks, having gained my permission set up a long line of supply from Moldavia to Kovno to Berlin. This line seemed excessively long...they could have saved a few depots by going through Silesia and Breslau. They got to Berlin and parked there while the French violated Austrian territory to to reach Turkish territory. So, I hypothesize that there is some bogus AI scripting for our Turbanned friends.

During this time the Dutch and the Piedmontese had asked for British protection. We marched into both states and began to seige the non-port provinces. Finally I got a new officer after drubbing the Dutch army...this after 9 years of war! Taking Groningen before taking Antwerp was a mistake since that province only became Prussian controlled.
I didn't feel like repeating the fiasco with Liguria, and new threats to my ally caused me to march for Vienna.

This time, I had to declare war on France and Turkey who had managed to come to peace without me noticing it earlier. Later map scrolling showed me that the Turks must have surrendered. Both had marched into Austria with about 180K men each.

To get the French away I marched a force on Paris. Amazingly this didn't have the desired affect...they kept away at Vienna. My ally and I drove them both from Vienna in QB. I wasn't privy to the battle since my force was called in as a reinforcement.

After a long time, France surrendered to both of us...national pride keeping her from doing what any military man with half a brain would see as necessity. Turkey surrendered to us due to very low NML.

Britain seems to be smarter then before. On three separate occasions it landed forces on the mainland. Still, not smart enough in that not one force was more than 8 divisions.
She seems to handle her fleets a bit better, too.

[TexHorns]

Playing as France in a 1792 scenario, I faced a two front war against Russia, Spain and Sweden. Poland is France protectorate. I defeated Russia first, then Spain. I then turned my attention to Sweden. I conquered two Italian protectorates of Sweden, and Holstein. I then marched a large army through Jutland and up to Stockholm. After many months Stockholm fell. Sweden army was destroyed and all but nonexistent, Sweden had lost 3 protectorate provinces and it's capital. Her national morale was -250 and falling. Yet she would not surrender. Sweden happened to be at war with Turkey and Spain, which occured after she was at war with France. Turkey marched a large army through finland and parked in French occupied Stockholm and immediatly got a surrender. Meanwhile Sweden continued to attack piecemeal with the few divisions it had left and continuing to get drubbed. Then Spain marched a large army up the same path I took and parked in occupied Stockholm and immediately got a surrender. At this point a pissed off French emporer began to pillage Stockholm, attacked protectorate Mecklenburg and the other Swedish home provinces. Only after two more provinces fell did Sweden surrender. Spain and Turkey by the way never conquered any provinces.

Is this buggy swedish ai or by design? Was playing on normal setting. Also only able to get 19 divisions into a French Army using 3 Corps or 2 Corps with other units attached directly to the army. Using 1.214 I regulary got extra generals when I had significant victory. Have yet to have one with 1.216.

Of note, in my game Turkey has rarely ventured with more than a small force into Germany or the Rhine area. Instead it has parked in Russia. Loaned divisions as part of a loaned Corps stayed with me while the empty container marched back to Russia. Army's of countries that I am at enforced peace march unhindered through my country.
I know these last issues have been brought up before. Just confirming their continued appearance. If a country violates my nuetral border during enforced peace, enforced peace should be cancelled.

Cheer's to the new flag image on divisions of protectorate provinces.

[garoco]

It doesn´t exist a line between Burgundy and Berry in the Screen of Pick rally allied Advisor Military

[Russian Guard]

Playing as Russia, 1805 campaign, solo game - Very hard setting. VC = highest Glory -1.2.16

Let the Austrians fend for themselves, then the Prussians, both stomped by France and Spain while I sat back for 2 years and increased the Russian economy and slowly increased Army size and morale.

As always, used both diplomats to first Insurrect and then Coup Finland; this doesn't always work, but worked great this time - coup took place in early 1806. Finland is critical to improved Russian Textiles production. Diplomats seem to work the same as in 1.2.14

Set up the trades necessary to bring an extra 20 Textiles in monthly. Mostly with England, also a trade route with Austria and Prussia. Trade Wood and Iron, mostly, for the Textiles. Trading works the same as with 1.2.14

(By the way, a suggestion - it would be nice in the development screen to have an icon or something that shows that the province you are looking at, has a trade route connected. that way I won't accidently break the trade rout with changed development settings [;)])

After bringing in 4 Corps and a number of Cavalry, Infantry, and Artillery, I went on campaign in spring 1808 with about 300k men and a war chest of $2200 gold, which I augmented by asking Britian for $750 in exchange for a long-term forced Alliance; she agreed. How historical, the Brits funding my war efforts [:D] The French were once again on a rampage, attacking both Austria and Prussia. Austria was on the ropes and I could't save her; I went to the aid of Prussia.

Set the British and Swedish rally point to Paris, then headed that way. A large battle at Berlin left the French Army pounded, as I and my Prussian Allies handed them a resounding DB defeat. The French were determined to take Berlin, and kept hammering away. I send 120k men to Paris, where a sizeable British force had arrived, and Spain - having declared on France as well - showed up with some 200k men. All three of us sieged Paris. The Swedes showed up and sieged Batavia - the French actually reacted to this and obliterated the smallish Swedish Army. But that delayed the French a month.

Finally the French returned for some whopping DB battles in Il de France. The forces I had left in Berlin began siege operations in eastern France.

Went almost broke in 9 months; so expensive to campaign, moreso than 1.2.14. I had taken the Improved Foraging upgrade and just stayed at war. Losses mounted through forage attrition, but France finally surrendered when her NML plunged. I took Bavaria, Reparations, and Colonies. Surrender worked normally. Poor France, doesn't pay to be the top dog...

At this point Russia was first in Glory via Arts development, and sitting in a comfortable 3rd place overall, just a few hundered Glory out of first.

Returned to mother Russia to recoup and build up treasury for the next round of wars. Decided to try to enhance income by building additional Merchant fleets. Costly in textiles...

To my surprise, Turkey invaded mother Russia in late 1809 while I was sitting around, unprepared, cities full of recouping Divisions and scattered Armies foraging in Russia's best forage provinces. Pays to watch the diplomatic news.

Before I could get my Armies together, Turkey (totalling some 400k men scattered over 3 Armies and a number of Corps) had successfully sieged Georgia and was 1 province from Moscow. I cut Turkish supply with Cossacks and met the Turks in two battles, one in Moscow and another smaller in Smolensk. I lost the smaller battle (QB) but decisively won the large DB battle at Moscow. 3 months of battles occured around Moscow before the Russians were able to restore order. Turkey took horrible foraging losses on occasion - nice to see that working as expected.

In the meantime, the Austrians attacked Turkey (kinda like an old EiA tactic - jump in on the cripple) and marched on Constantinople. Shortly thereafter the Turks surrendered to both of us. I took Bessarabia, Wallachia east and west, and Reparations.

Something I noted during this time - definitely, all Nations are suffering under 1.2.16 from the more draconian economic policies of higher difficulty settings - most nations were broke alot of times, excepting France and England. Turkey was broke most of the campaign in Russia.

After this war, Russia briefly held the top spot and "All of Europe was alarmed at Russia" but fortunatley within a few turns, Spain pushed past me, keeping me out of the dreaded doghouse. I went back to my quiet period, building and saving cash for the next campaigns.

The Merchant fleet tactic didn't work for me. I build two additional merchant fleets but once I found myself at war with France and Spain again, they were easily attacked and driven to shore. I never bothered to upgrade my fleet, and it was thrashed by a resurgent French fleet. Without protection, the merchants were useless except in the Baltic, where cash was slim.

The game concluded with an amusingly historical invasion of Russia in 1812. I saw it coming; France and Spain whalloped Prussia (I let that happen, what a rotten Ally) and then France marched into mother Russia with a huge Army (I never saw a Passage treaty, but somehow they were able to just march into Russia).

French tactics in Russia were interesting. The AI did NOT just beeline to Moscow. It sieged multiple cities and spread out, even marching up into the northern-most Russian Provinces. This made it more difficult to cut off their supply in Russia; I ened up sending Cossacks into Prussia and cutting it at the root. After waiting in Moscow for a battle the didn't come, I began hitting the French where I could. A series of smaller battles occured (mostly QB) before the grand battle happened, in of all places Tver. A bloody Russian victory pushed the French massed Army back, where - no joke - they got hit by a snowstorm. 40,000 more French casualties. This helped carry the day, tipping the balance in Russia's favor. Amusing.

Once again the Austrians came into play, declaring on France and meeting up with the pesky Brits in Il de France. The rest is predictable; the French ended up surrendering, and that put me over the top in Glory, in early 1813. Then it was a game of holding on for two years as the top dog, which I did, edging out Spain in a close game.

In my opinion, 1.2.16 is a clear improvement over 1.2.14. Some additional observations:

* The undo feature still is unpredictable - at times, I end up undoing other player moves. Doubtless the AI doesn't appreciate when I undo their moves.

* Definitely prefer the 1.2.16 change that disallow supply for simply conquering a city - much, much better, the French weren't able to supply themselves in Russia simply by taking a few cities (nor was I able to, campaigning in France)

* I received 3 new Generals over the campaign. IMO that was about what I'd expect and prefer.

* Lost Kutusov, Raevsky, Platov, and 2 new Generals to KIA - *sigh*

* All nations upgrading

* Turks still - as has been noted elsewhere - mass in Berlin for some reason. Seems to happen most games. Strangely, in this campaign, they showed as Prussian units on the strategic map and were referred to as "Neutral units in Prussia" but had Turkish flags and were clearly Turk units, when I right-clicked on them. Huh?