Gents

Does anybody know if the new game will pause, when the mini map is in use? I don't know about you, however, it takes me awhile to familiarize where I am on the battlefield, and lose time or troops in the process, also, trying to evaluate the victory conditions at different locations chews up the clock with the mini map on. The detail information about a unit has the same effect as using the mini map, as a result I have to forgo that information to keep a handle on the present conditions of the battle, especially if it is intense, the amount of units requires alot of clock time, in that space of time I feel vunerable with the loss of playability to get that information.

One other thing, would it be possible to have a click pause button on he screen, As well as keeping the keyboard Pause? My experience has been only with the AI, as I gain knowledge about the game will I feel ready to play MP, untill then I will remain a student of the Game and Love every minute of it..

Thanx, hoistingman4

hoistingman, how long do you stare at the mini map?
Never thought about it, but i think the game pauses when viewing the map and unit stats though i don't know if the battle timer itself pauses likewise. Maybe someone here knows for sure.
What i'd like to see is an entirely different method of viewing a unit's stats at a glance without clicking on a control panel icon to bring up a sub page and then having to do an extra step to get rid of the page.
Maybe a small stats box somewhere in the control panel which would automatically show a unit's critical stats when its flag is clicked-on. That info would stay there until another flag is clicked. All this with the battle in progress and in full view.
In fact the control panel could be cleaned up a bit by including morale and fatigue in that stat box also. I think it should stay somewhere in the control panel area rather than printed elsewhere on the screen to keep the battle picture as uncluttered as possible.
Included would be amount of ammo, types of weapons, etc. For example, whenever i need to order cavalry on a mission, its critical i know what unit has the pistols and what unit has the rifles along with fatigue, morale and ammo. This would be especially useful for a gun's ammo level along with an indicator on the gun's flag which would signal its resupplyable.

The answer is........Micro-management men!! Micro-management!

I agree with your suggestions, for what you had to say makes sense to me, and would make the game more enjoyable to play with less screens to close out. Yes, I do spend time on the mimimap trying to decipher where the units under my command are located and not to be confused with like sided units not under my command and of course to find my opponent and assess where his known strenths are, then make an educated guess how to deal with it. When I'm on the mini map, I can see he clock ticking away, as should know that time can be the enemy as well as your opponnet. My wish would be that some, if not all of what your talking about be incorperated into the game, it has the making for smoother play with less keyboarding or clicking so that you won't be distracted, so one can concentrate on how to beat the enemy.

Thanx, hoistingman4

ironsight- the game doesn't pause when the mini-map is up.

If you have CMP3, a given unit's weapon type, is in the upper right side of their toolbar.I've also noticed that your when dealing with two regiment, cavalry brigades, put them in double line formation. It puts the regiments on either side of their commander, and for some reason, will have the carbines on the right, shotguns and pistols on the left.
Also, a lot of your units critical stats are signified with various icons at the top of their toolbar.
For Favorable unit status, there's -morale bonus from commander- -morale bonus from unit- -defensive terrain bonus- -elevation attack bonus- -unit resting- -unit rallying.

For Unfavorable unit status, there's -unit is visable to enemy- -flank warning- -target is blocked- -high fatigue warning- -low morale warning-.
It would be cool if there was an icon to warn if a unit is getting low on ammo.

I use the map basicly for two things.

1) to keep an eye out for possible enemy flank manuvers.I usually keep cavalry posted in positions where the enemy will be seen, no matter what they try. An added benefit to that is, in the course of a battle, it's easy to concentrate my cavalry behind the enemy, because they're already halfway there. Then I can wreak havoc on their art'y.

2) to identify enemy commanders, and know who I'm up against.

Ephrum

I'm not familiar with CMP3, but do own BR & TCM2. It"s been years since using BR, what I relate to in my inquiries is from TCM2, which dosen't show in a calvary closeup a difference as to what arms the unit has, at least I can,t tell. I should clarify 2 things when I said unit details, {1} combat report & {2} unit training as the selections when used allows the game clock to continue running. Let's say one calvary unit has a better raiding capacity than another, or their type of arms, as you said, which has been important to me also. Each catagory under those items a player has to try and move onto the next unit and repeat the process until it sticks in the gray matter, it's hard to retain all that information and put it to good use when it is a good situation to do so.

I'm still learning tactics and stratergies including what I learn from you.

By the way, would you know how to reset the scores on scenerio selections? Sometimes I get a good score, but rather brutally, then learn a new tactic to have a healther outcome, particuarlly in carry over senerios. Sometimes i feel the high score isn't the best score. Thankx, hoistingman4

hoistingman4 wrote:


Hi hoistingman4

I'm not sure if there is a way to reset the scores.....usually what I do is just re-play the scenario......carry overs I just start from the 1st one and work my way through them again......with better than anticipated outcomes.

If there is a way to reset the scores, maybe Norb will be along in a bit and give you an answer.

with regards

Sarge

Sarge

Done just what you suggested {took days}, but I wish I could of started at zero again.
I know there is a method to the madness, the big picture and learning from mistakes. I would have been more conservative in the early carryover scenerios had I known what the results from those battles would have had in latter scernerios, also through trial and error my game had improved and am starting to see the light. Again I'm an AI player working my way up to be competitive in {MP} mode, it is intriuging to face a live opponnet and get a baptism under fire, win, lose, or draw I'm sure it would be a blast. Hey! Still waiting for Shilo, the Easter Bunny and Santa Cluas.

Take care, hoistingman4

The new game will not pause when the map is up. The idea is that battles did not stop while the commander was looking at his map. The pause button is to allow for intrusions of Real Life (such as the spouse, phone, crying baby etc).
In multiplayer, I don't think there will be a pause function at all. It would be difficult to keep synchronization.

hoistingman4 wrote:


Trial and error is what it's all about my friend. Right now, I'm going through all the TC2M stock scenario's again.....only this time on hard instead of normal.
A little more challenging.....but the scores are great.

Jim

Boy; you sure are full of all kinds of good news there Jim-bo!

By the game, do you mean the battle progress and/or the timer? I could swear the battle action pauses when the map page is brought up. Whether the timer pauses, i don't have a clue.
I'll admit when i command a battle its just about one hell of a concentrated tunnel visioned A-holes 'n elbows mentality with the absolute prime goal to drive the enemy back so i don't pay much attention to other peripheral game related things including as everyone knows by now VPs!

YUP!! Without the TC in TC2M, i woulda got frustrated losing most battles and quit playing long ago!

We need some real people that respond to real orders in this game. I would love not to push the TC button and just type out orders onto the screen to have it happen, and if I included, follow to the letter, they would!

Much more realistic!

Ephrum, you are quite right!
Just got done playing a medium Laural Junc. OP battle as R.E.Lee and yep, the action continues when the map is up, never payed that much attention as i typically look at the mini map only for a second or two. I'll assume the timer is still clicking also.
By the way with a 1:3 casualty ratio in that battle,
that map was cleared once again of blue bellies !

Ironsight & Hancock
On the mimimap will show the VPs with Fatigue, Morale, & Ammunition bonuses, those I find quite valuable to hold, as well as high point VPs in some senerios, and or, Way Station type VPs, other VPs don't seem worth it to hold. The manpower expended to guard duty of low value VPs, takes away the initative{sp?} of the controling side. Be it real war or a game war is about having the initative, even chess is about war, attack, defend when you have to, but always attack. As you dessimate the enemy, sure you can go back and man VPs, if you have the luxury of superior numbers of troops and your enemy is scattered to the winds. Without a foe to fight makes for a lame battle.

Jim, says the MP dosen't have pause, which would change my game quite a bit, cause I do like to pause to get info/ updates on battle damage, also I get fatigued and need a break. How you guys handle it? I don't know. I would like to observe your play.

Thankx, hoistingman4

hoistingman4- I don't think your the only one that'll have to change your game, due to not being able to pause. About a month ago, I stopped using the pause button, because I knew we wouldn't be able to pause the game during MP. It did change the way I played, but not as much as one might expect. You just have to be more decisive. It's a learning curve, but it's good for ya!

I know the Senario's can come off as unrealistic at times, but each Senario has great lessons in handling stress, in seemingly impossible situations, and learning to go with your instincts. There are a few that, even though the game declared me a winner, my troops were on the verge of getting overwhelmed and broken. But you take what you learn from it and try to put it to use on the next one. The key word is PRACTICE. That's one of the reasons I like Open Play. It's a great training ground.

As for a given unit(s) training and abilities, you could try and do what I know some of us do. Make notes. My computer desk is all but covered in post-it notes with that info. Because I can't remember all those details in the fog of war. And at times, when fighting with a corps or army, I don't worry about that stuff.
And battle reports? Speaking for myself, I don't even look at it, until the game declares me victorious.
Just keep at it, and try to be patient. You'll develope your own style as you go. And you will get better!

ironsight-Congrats on your Laural Junction victory, casualty ratio, and a map free of blue dots!! Well done Sir!!

OK i see where you're coming from now with the pause thing. I very rarely pause even in a 2 to 3 hour battle. That includes trips to the fridge for a cold one and calls to nature. Before i leave a battle momentarily, i usually make sure everything is going smoothly. If i see a menacing enemy Brigade, i'll unTC and maneuver one of my Brigades towards em before i leave the battle.
I get so wrapped up concentrating on these battles the hours seem to turn into minutes.

I think the type/size battle and commander one plays also enters into all this.
If one plays a Brigade or Division Commander there's more time to poke around looking at maps and detailed stats i suppose.
On the other hand, playing the Army Commanding General in a large battle leaves little time for maps and stats at least for me.
After playing large battles as the Army Commanding General and getting to know the enemy's AI,game peculiarities, etc., maps and detailed stats at some point give way to instinctive reactionay strategies towards the ultimate goal of winning the day. I know thats how its been for me.

Hancock the Superb wrote:
Hancock- I for one would be happy to follow your orders "to the letter".
But let me ask you this; What if you gave me an order to move my division/corps to support another, and a few minutes later, you get a dispatch from me that says, "I've run into A.P. Hills corps moving on my right flank. I can't support as ordered." ?
Don't get me wrong Hancock, it's not a trick question, and I'm not trying to pick on you. But something like that is bound to happen to all of us at some point. This is where we're going to have to learn to trust our subordinate commanders to take care of the unexpected. I mean to say, it may not be an easy transition for those of us, who prefer to Take Command of ALL our forces in TC2M.

Ephrum wrote:


*courier message from Ephrum to Hancock the Superb*

True, except when subordinate commanders are allowed their AI heads, they sometimes have a suicidal attraction to enemy cannister! Using that TC icon is a 'tight rope' balancing act for sure.
For some reason lately, even when i TC a Brigade Commander 2 or so out of 10 times he won't obey my orders and stops short of his ordered destination.
Been playing 'high' AI lately, maybe thats got something to do with it.

JC Edwards wrote:

Yeah, yeah, yeah,.............Dream on!

ironsight wrote:
I must admit, I've not tried the "high" AI cycle yet. It's on my list of things to try, before we get MP. Now that you've mentioned it, I'll do that today! Win or lose, I'll let you know how it goes for me.
For the record, if I fight for you in the future, I promise; no suicidal tactics!

I would allow for some variation, but in the game (what I mean by real people is real AI that can read) they would obey orders!

Hancock the Superb wrote:

Sorry Hancock, I misunderstood you.

Just remember any form of communication is open to interpretation, it happened in real life. The first thing that springs to mind is Burnsides orders at Fredericksburg. They were interpreted to mean use exactly the minimum forced mentioned by the main assault and on the flank they thought they were "stretching" the bounds of the orders with the "supporting force"

That was hard to understand, you saying what Burnside said!

That is exactly my point!!!

Still, Hancock's idea of a unit strictly following orders come hell or high water would be interesting to play as an experiment if nothing else! This idea or similar is on some wish lists by the way.
Lets say you order a Brigade to a specific area to HOLD and i mean HOLD dam it. Once they reach that area the HOLD orders would unconditionally stand until changed again. Now if that Brigade is attacked on the way, the Commander would fight off the attack and when the attackers are routed, he'd remember his previous HOLD orders and carry them out. The advantage is that once the Brigade reached its destination, it would not have to be unTC'd and then watched like a hawk to keep it from being decimated by foolishly wandering off to attack an enemy grand battery with no other support or just plain ignoring its HOLD orders to wander around somewhere else.

TCing the Division Commander might accomplish the same thing but then he's useless for scouting, giving orders to other Brigades, etc. Also unChaining the Brigade might accomplish the same thing which i haven't tried yet, maybe the next battle i play.

Offhand, can't remember though if Brigade Commanders can even be unchained as i never tried it. Unchained regiments currently in TC2M sometimes ignore that order and leave their position to find their Brigade. A bug? Don't know if this would also apply to an unChained Brigade.

ironsight


Yes they can. The best way to handle that is unchain him, but place him on TC. This way if you order him to stay in a certain position/area, he will. As will his brigade.

The problem that I find with TC'ing a brigade is that they do not necessarily confront an enemy, unless you move their individual units. If you place the brigade in a formation they will stay there and even if attacked they only regiments that are attacked are the only ones that will fight. I think if you TC a brigade they should stay in their spot but still have some form of self preservation.