Some questions

[Freddy Fudpucker]

Okay, so I've owned this game for twenty four hours now and it's time to start plagueing you all with questions. I was advised to start small with the tutorials etc and so have taken your advise by starting with the large US civil war scenerio [:'(].

1. Reconnaissance
Does air superiority play any part in recce? It seems that for such a modern scenerio, my knowledge of enemy dispositions is appalling. Huge US formations just 2 hexes away are invisible to me until I advance straight into them! I can imagine such things with scenerios of earlier dates, but whole divisions being invisible so close to my cities in 2006 when I have parity in the air is a bit much to believe. How can I increase my recce results?

2. Bridges
Bridges are important strategic targets. But what do you actually gain from destroying them? It certainly doesn't appear to halt enemy units. I've seen my own armour prevented from river crossing but not the AI's. And infantry that has armour attachments crosses rivers without problem even when the bridges are destroyed. Maybe I'm missing something, but it looks to me like a tweak to crossing penalties would be beneficial here.

3. Evaporated Units
Are they permanently destroyed or will they reconstitute and appear as reinforcements? I rather hope they're permanent casualties.

4. Air Units
I think air units are a bit fubar in this game. They seem to die horribly. Anybody have any tips on how different aircraft are best used?

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: Freddy Fudpucker

Does air superiority play any part in recce?

Nope. In small scenarios you can trigger theatre recon increases and decreases off the capture of airfields, but that's about all.

It seems that for such a modern scenerio, my knowledge of enemy dispositions is appalling. Huge US formations just 2 hexes away are invisible to me until I advance straight into them! I can imagine such things with scenerios of earlier dates, but whole divisions being invisible so close to my cities in 2006 when I have parity in the air is a bit much to believe.

It sounds like the designer should have set Theatre Recon levels higher.

Bridges are important strategic targets. But what do you actually gain from destroying them? It certainly doesn't appear to halt enemy units. I've seen my own armour prevented from river crossing but not the AI's. And infantry that has armour attachments crosses rivers without problem even when the bridges are destroyed. Maybe I'm missing something, but it looks to me like a tweak to crossing penalties would be beneficial here.

Bridges assist in the movement of units and supplies. However they are not essential for crossing a river. Minor rivers can be crossed at a penalty by any unit, and that penalty is reduced by engineering assets located in the hex. Super rivers are impassible unless there is a unit with a ferrying capacity in the hex. There is some discrepency also in the ability of units to enter a super river hex with a destroyed bridge. The same goes for canals.

In short, blowing bridges is a worthwhile activity. But don't expect it to stop the other guy.

Are they permanently destroyed or will they reconstitute and appear as reinforcements? I rather hope they're permanent casualties.

Evaporation doesn't mean that every tank is knocked out, every artillery peice captured and every man dead or wounded. It merely means the unit has ceased to operate as a formed fighting unit. Stragglers and even a number of component units may have made their way back to friendly lines, to be rebuilt over time and re-enter combat.

I think air units are a bit fubar in this game. They seem to die horribly.

AA has been acknowledged to be too powerful in the current release (was too weak in COW). This is being fixed.

[ralphtricky]

ORIGINAL: Freddy Fudpucker
Are they permanently destroyed or will they reconstitute and appear as reinforcements? I rather hope they're permanent casualties.

ORIGINAL: golden delicious
Evaporation doesn't mean that every tank is knocked out, every artillery peice captured and every man dead or wounded. It merely means the unit has ceased to operate as a formed fighting unit. Stragglers and even a number of component units may have made their way back to friendly lines, to be rebuilt over time and re-enter combat.

However, if they are out of supply they will be destroyed. Out of supply means that at the end of the last turn, they were totally unable to trace a supply line back to a supply hex.

The manual should have a full description of what the supply rules are.

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: ralphtrick

However, if they are out of supply they will be destroyed. Out of supply means that at the end of the last turn, they were totally unable to trace a supply line back to a supply hex.

Does this mean they then won't reconstitute?

[ralphtricky]

ORIGINAL: golden delicious

ORIGINAL: ralphtrick

However, if they are out of supply they will be destroyed. Out of supply means that at the end of the last turn, they were totally unable to trace a supply line back to a supply hex.

Does this mean they then won't reconstitute?

The unit may still reconstitute, but all equipment is destroyed.

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: ralphtrick

The unit may still reconstitute, but all equipment is destroyed.

Yeah. What I thought.