Historical mode and map view

[Majick]

Hello All,


I prefer to play in historical mode to fix the camera on the commander. However, particularly when playing multiplayer it's frustrating (and rather unrealistic I think) to start off with no idea where my subordinate commanders are in relation to one another.

One solution to this would be to have map view available with the fixed camera. Is this possible via ini tweaks or something similar?

Cheers

[Davinci]

One solution to this would be to have map view available with the fixed camera. Is this possible via ini tweaks or something similar?

As far as I know, the map-view is available when you are in the locked-position-of-the-commander, unless there is a Mod that someone is using to disable the map-view.

davinci

[Majick]

Davinci,

I didn't realise 0 on the camera distance meant no limit until I hovered over it after your reply. Yes that works fine thanks

[con20or]

This is something I would love to see changed as well and i have a request in for it - a map visibility setting that shows 'starting positions only'.

And Majick - custom difficulty lets you change all difficulty settings individually, you can tweak map and camera settings with more freedom than just picking Historical.

[IronBMike]

Or a map that you can draw on in-game and also erase your marks.

[Davinci]

Or a map that you can draw on in-game and also erase your marks.

Yeah, I like this idea, I would think that it would be fairly simple to implement, considering that the current code already allows for markers to appear on the map. (i.e..such as destination )

davinci

[mkeogh76]

I didn't want to start a new thread and so I thought this one would work for making some comments on the Historical difficulty level.

I've been playing at the Historical difficulty level going through the scenarios from one of the Gettysburg bonus scenario packs.

I played the Blocher's Knoll scenario in which the player takes the role of Jubal Early. And I got hammered! I think had -770 score. (1,500 is needed for a major victory.) It wasn't even a contest. I was really stunned as I watched XI Corps units quickly rout two Louisiana Tiger regiments and best JB Gordon's seasoned regiments in close combat. By the end of the scenario, the XI Corps was actually counter-attacking all along the line.

I was left thinking: "Boy, I really botched that one." So, I went to the replay to see what had happened. It was then that I discovered that the sad-sack XI Corps had been transformed into a force of seasoned vets with great leaders! No wonder I got smacked around!

I was not aware that the Historical difficulty level awards the AI force with significant experience and leadership boosts. It appears each AI regiment gets a 3-4 level increase in experience over its "normal" value. But this is not mentioned in the manual. I don't mind the AI getting boosts, but I'd like to know about it before hand.

I thought the Historical difficult level was "normal" ("historical" strengths AND "historical" experience levels) just with HITS, couriers, and a blank mini-map. I found-out the hard way that assumption was wrong.

[Saddletank]

I agree. That's hardly historical.

[mkeogh76]

It took me a while to figure-out that the Historical difficulty level was giving ahistorical boosts to the AI unit leadership and experience levels.

I started playing Historical with the Lynchburg add-on with the "Crook to Reconnoiter" scenario. And I was a little puzzled why a significant portion of the opposing Rebel force consisted of "Elite Veterans"- the very highest experience level in the game. At the time, I chalked it up to the scenario designer maybe being a Lost Causer who went overboard in rating Early's admittedly very experienced Army of the Valley. (Needless to say, I was getting creamed in "Crook to Reconnoiter"- the Rebel regiments seemed impervious to flanking attacks and repeated blasts of canister.)

However, the blinders finally came-off when I ran into an XI Corps consisting of seasoned, regular, and veteran regiments. Since I had taken it on the chin previously playing as the XI Corps in "The bullet is not molded...."scenario, I knew that their regiments mostly had low experience levels with generally lousy leaders. It was then I realized that Historical difficulty was giving pretty significant boosts to the AI forces.

I guess it's back to a custom difficulty level. I enjoy playing with HITS and couriers, but I'm not nearly a good enough to overcome an AI force that receives heavy buffs to their experience and leadership. (Although I did win a couple of scenarios on Historical difficulty, the beat-downs I took in scenarios such as "Crook to Reconnoiter" and "Blocher's Knoll" reminded me that I'm not that good.

[Little Powell]

Nice to hear some feedback on the Lynchburg scenarios. That was a challenging battle to simulate. Early's force was outnumbered, ill equipped, but still managed to fight off Hunter by the use of earthworks, and devious tactics (most famously sending an empty train up and down the tracks to give the impression of constant flow of reinforcements). How anyone gave Hunter command of anything, is unfathomable.

"Hunters deeds were those of a malignant and cowardly fanatic, who was better qualified to make war upon helpless women and children than armed soldiers". - Lt. Gen. Jubal Anderson Early