Scourge of War Boards

Thought I would just put this on the forums since we've been talking about it on teamspeak. Is there a way to make it more devastating to the charging regiment(s)?

What I mean is this:
As the charging regiment gets closer to the regiment it is charging, souldn't they begin to take a lot more casualties and possibly a morale penalty as a result. I think this would be a good way to limit the effectiveness of mass frontal bayonet charges.

Obviously there are times and places for bayonet charges but some of the ones in multiplayer are just ridiculous sometimes. If they get cut down faster as they are charging in (especially if they are crossing a creek or up a hill) this should be a good deterrent to this tactic I think

Discuss

I think Seal would be none to pleased if this happened.

The possible fixes we have been discussing are numerous. First, I believe there is an increase in casualties the closer an enemy unit gets to a firing regiment, but I don't know how substantial this increase is nor do I know if those values can be modified. We have also proposed the possibility of volley fire to increase this effect (hold volley until 15 yards then decimate). The morale bit is tough to gauge because a charging unit's morale I would have to say would be sky-high, although taking casualties without the ability to retaliate would take its toll.

Another proposal required that units in column within a certain distance of enemy lines automatically form into line. Column charging was done away with, but now Seal just TC's his regiments and snakes them around and through the enemy regiments. This goes to show that exploits will be tried regardless of any fixes implemented, but no reason not to try.

Robinson (Muleskinner) is (or should be) working on writing up a proposal to change some of the concepts in Garnier's campaign. Primary amongst these would be a revised recruitment method so that those who abuse their divisions don't have the men replaced immediately. If they shatter their regiments, those regiments will take a long time to recover and to do so would have to be pulled from the front lines. I will leave the rest so as to allow him to fill in the blanks.

Yet another (partial) fix is to restore artillery to its levels of effectiveness in the stock game. That way, cannister will really tear into these mass charges. Currently its effect is heavily neutered (in my opinion) plus we've been observing the issue of many guns not firing cannister at all. Still, a regular compliment of artillery for a division (12 guns max) all firing cannister would absolutely decimate an entire enemy brigade in a very short period.

That is another thing that should be addressed with this--->column charges. If a unit is column charging into a unit that is unloading into them in line, they should take even more casualties than if they were just charging normal since they are nice and compact together, presenting the ideal target for both cannon and riflemen. The ill effects of column charging were well shown in the Napoleonic wars. Since rifled muskets offered more than double the accurate range, columns should get ripped to shreds.

I am pretty sure that with the last patch the casualties inflicted on troops in column formation has been increased. The developers are aware of the column charging going on in MP play. I believe casualty rates should be increased further when fired into at close ranges. It's too bad that when a brigade is advanced to attack an enemy line that the regiments usually automatically go into column formation. With all the accuracy this game tries to achieve they didn't quite get that right. I like seeing long lines of infantry advancing in line not column formation. I'll take it if I must, the game is great in most respects.

I am working on a OOB where I put some cavalry in it for those of us who like the idea of using cavalry to watch the flanks and do some scouting, but in testing Seal ran them all in column formation right for the enemies guns. He had all of his cavalry wiped out in the first 15 minutes and then when he was done charging his division of infantry the game calmed down and turned out to be a good fight. The point being the cavalry was dropped out of the OOB and cavalry is unable to be played in MP because of its unhistorical effects on any game due to tactics employed by some.


I am not sure how much more the developers can do. Ultimately, it comes down to how the players play the game. We have used a gentleman's agreement in the past, but many players will argue that those types of agreements do not work.

I see no reason to pull cavalry out of home-made OOBs purely because of one player's misuse of them. In a true MP environment, all that would do is handicap the abuser's side. After one side loses its use of cavalry through mis-management and gamey/crap tactics, it loses the best tool to use against enemy cavalry action, who is probably using their horses in a better and more responsible manner. Sure, in the beginning, everyone will need to mind their artillery a little closer if Seal is in command of a cav unit, but that would only last a good 10 minutes or so. The troopers simply won't hold up like infantry will when Seal's tactics are employed upon them.

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Muleskinner

It's too bad that when a brigade is advanced to attack an enemy line that the regiments usually automatically go into column formation. With all the accuracy this game tries to achieve they didn't quite get that right. I like seeing long lines of infantry advancing in line not column formation. I'll take it if I must, the game is great in most respects.

It's not on the stock toolbar, but the toolbar I made for MP play has the new LINEHOLD formation commands built in with split formation buttons. We provide alternatives through mods, they're obviously ignored, and you guys complain...

Maybe you don't like my toolbar, that's cool, then build your own, this game provides all the tools necessary to enhance play.

Hey Reb I love your tool bar, Er, that could be construde the wrong way. But it is great any how. This wimpering over Seal is fun to listen to. What one needs to do is be more like Grant and find a solution that works. IMHO

Hey Reb I love your tool bar, Er, that could be construde the wrong way. But it is great any how. This wimpering over Seal is fun to listen to. What one needs to do is be more like Grant and find a solution that works. IMHO

Yeah. . . it's not as if Seal is the only player who runs forward in columns. Doesn't bother me because it rarely works out well for the hard charger.

Agree on that.