Historical Difficulty Level

[ktwine]

I love the historical difficluty level with couriers only. However, I have a couple of questions:

1. When the courier-only tools come on (sending or reading messages are the only options available on the right-hand toolbar), I can't move the leader at all. So, before I send any messages, I have to find the best place to observe the battlefield. After I send my first message, I am stuck there, cannot move my horse at all. Is this the way it was designed? I think it's critical that the leader be able to move around the battlefield while sending messages, because there's no other way to find out what's going on.

2. Many times, subordinates receive the messages but don't do anything at all. Sometimes I have sent multiple couriers with the same message, and the subordinates still stay in place. Yes, some of the couriers get killed, but most of them get there, I can see the message being delivered. Is this the way it was designed? Some of my subordinates may be reluctant to go into battle, but certainly not people such as Johnson Pettigrew, who sat in one spot despite repeated orders, and watched the Yankees chew my attack up. I wanted to ride up to him and kick his butt, but I couldn't do either (see #1).

[KG_Soldier]

Are the subordinates in take command mode? Because they will not respond to couriers while TC'd.

I wish that were changed. I'd play with couriers if TC'd units reacted to courier messages.

[Neal]

Courier play is a bit tricky but it triples the fun when used. I think a comprehensive guide to courier play would be useful, a single thread or post where all the need-to-know and tips and tricks are kept. I think it's a shame that couriers are so under-utilized. Of course, the couriers need work too, but when and where they work, they make all the difference in fun.

And give me couriers in MP where I can write messages, and I think the entire MP community will be in heaven!

[Armistead]

Agreed. Disable game chat and make it function only as a free text-chat to be sent by courier.

[Marching Thru Georgia]

ktwine wrote:

1. When the courier-only tools come on (sending or reading messages are the only options available on the right-hand toolbar), I can't move the leader at all. So, before I send any messages, I have to find the best place to observe the battlefield. After I send my first message, I am stuck there, cannot move my horse at all. Is this the way it was designed? I think it's critical that the leader be able to move around the battlefield while sending messages, because there's no other way to find out what's going on.

I've never seen that happen before. If you are trying to use the keyboard to move yourself around, that will not work. You have to doubleclick on the ground to move about. Finding a good location to observe the battle is critical when playing in the saddle. Finding a good observation spot is critical when commanding from the saddle.

2. Many times, subordinates receive the messages but don't do anything at all. Sometimes I have sent multiple couriers with the same message, and the subordinates still stay in place. Yes, some of the couriers get killed, but most of them get there, I can see the message being delivered. Is this the way it was designed? Some of my subordinates may be reluctant to go into battle, but certainly not people such as Johnson Pettigrew, who sat in one spot despite repeated orders, and watched the Yankees chew my attack up. I wanted to ride up to him and kick his butt, but I couldn't do either (see #1).

Yup, just like humans. If the immediate sub-commander is already engaged, he will decide if your orders make sense from his perspective, before he complies. If he decides you don't know what your talking about, he will ignore you and put your order on his 'to do' list for later consideration. It doesn't matter that you can clearly see that enemy brigade bearing down on his flank, if he can't see it. Also be aware, if you are a corps commander and you give one of your brigades an order, he also may not carry it out if his division is engaged. Chain of command is important. One technique I have some luck with, (meaning it works more times than not), is to give your engaged commander a 'no orders' first and then write the rest of the orders you want him to carry out. For instance, this is the only way to get an arty battery to move if it's already firing.

KG_Soldier wrote:

I wish that were changed. I'd play with couriers if TC'd units reacted to courier messages.

This was fixed in the latest patches. But why TC them if you're playing historically?

Neal wrote:

And give me couriers in MP where I can write messages, and I think the entire MP community will be in heaven!

It's on the list for the next feature patch along with a number of other courier improvements. It will certainly take MP to a much higher level.

[KG_Soldier]

"This was fixed in the latest patches. But why TC them if you're playing historically?"

I only play multi-player, and sorry, but I don't trust the brigade commanders' decision making ability.

[KG_Soldier]

So now TC'd units respond to courier orders?

[Marching Thru Georgia]

Yes, they should obey courier orders, whether TC'd or not.

[KG_Soldier]

Hmmm. . . I'm at ver 1.103, and I just tested that. I put my brigade commanders on TC and they wouldn't respond to courier orders; took them off, and they did.

I'm talking about movement and formation courier orders. I didn't test attack, defend, etc.

[Marching Thru Georgia]

I just tried it and it works for me. Two things to check; first make sure the the orders time is the same as the execution time. That's the most likely cause of a unit not responding to an order. Second, make sure you have not TC'd the regiments. They will not respond unless you give each one a specific order to move, fight, etc.