Courier Question?

[Davinci]

Hmmm, sounds like a simple request; D wants the courier to spawn from the officer that's sending the order. And I agree, that would be more realistic than spawning from the top CO, who may be miles away.

Yes, RebBugler – that is it exactly, such a simple request that is logical, and so much resistance.

Hi Davinci, i tried replicating this last night, and i could not find a way in the courier menu to order longstreet to move a division. i could order one of longstreets divisional general to move, but that was it. Then the courier went from me (lee) to that general. That makes sense, as i ordered the general, not longstreet. How did you try do it?

I might have worded what was saying incorrectly, yes you can order one of the divisions, not have General Longstreet order the division.

But, that is not what I’m complaining about. This is after the fact that you have ordered a division to move, and you are now reversing-a-movement order.

Basically, if I click on Longstreet which I have placed nearer to the front line, and the battle situation has changed, using his toolbar button to reverse an order, using his toolbar to write the order, but the courier is sent not from him, but from Lee miles away.

The point here is that unless the courier left Longstreet, and rode over to Lee, and then Lee sent the courier message to that division – Lee shouldn’t have any knowledge that Longstreet ever reversed the order. Considering that they are miles apart from each other.

BTW – I’m pretty-sure that an Corps Command can be added to the Courier-Menu – I just never thought about adding one.

davinci

[con20or]

Hi Davinci,

Thats what im having trouble understanding, earlier you said you used the courier menu (recipient, execution time, orders etc), but now you say you used longstreets toolbar to write an order? I don't know how to do that, maybe you have a modded toolbar installed. All I use the toolbar for is to give point and click orders, and sure if im playing with couriers on they are spawned then.

This thread is a great example of how courier messages could be misinterpreted. we must be posting with FOW enabled. At the minute, i'd be retreating, LP and RB would be flanking and davinci would be waiting 100 miles away for a new consignment of shoes.

[born2see]

con20or wrote:

davinci would be waiting 100 miles away for a new consignment of shoes.

Or writing Courier messages...

[Davinci]

Hi Davinci,

Thats what im having trouble understanding, earlier you said you used the courier menu (recipient, execution time, orders etc), but now you say you used longstreets toolbar to write an order? I don't know how to do that, maybe you have a modded toolbar installed. All I use the toolbar for is to give point and click orders, and sure if im playing with couriers on they are spawned then.

OK, I’m on my way to Knoxville, so I have to postpone this debate.

I’m sure that you have the same functions on your toolbar – check under the Orders menu…

I believe that you have three functions \ Action \ Movement \ Orders

davinci

[con20or]

ill check it out

[Little Powell]

Basically, if I click on Longstreet which I have placed nearer to the front line, and the battle situation has changed, using his toolbar button to reverse an order, using his toolbar to write the order, but the courier is sent not from him, but from Lee miles away.

You can't use Longstreet's toolbar button. If you are Lee, the only toolbar you are using is yours.

RebBugler wrote:

Hmmm, sounds like a simple request; D wants the courier to spawn from the officer that's sending the order.
And I agree, that would be more realistic than spawning from the top CO, who may be miles away.

But the courier does spawn from the officer that is sending the order.. If an officer is above your command, or if a subordinate officer that is un-TC'd sends an order, he will send a courier from himself (you don't have anything to do with it.. he's acting independently, you don't give the order). That's the whole basis of my point. Hopefully I can make my point clear by example. Try this:

1. Load the game
2. Select custom difficulty, courier level: brigade
3. Load Sandbox
4. Select Army Vs. Army, select a brigade commander

Any order you give to your regiments, a courier is spawned from YOU. Notice when you open the courier screen to compose a message, it's signed by YOU. If you wait a while, you'll see commanders above you sending out couriers.. Heck, your Div commander will send a courier to you assigning initial orders.

Division:

1. Load the game
2. Select custom difficulty, courier level: brigade
3. Load Sandbox
4. Select Army Vs. Army, select a Division commander

Any order you give to your brigades or their regiments, a courier is spawned from YOU. Notice when you open the courier screen to compose a message, it's signed by YOU.

Corps:

1. Load the game
2. Select custom difficulty, courier level: brigade
3. Load Sandbox
4. Select Army Vs. Army, select a Corps commander

Any order you give to your Divisions, or their brigades, or their regiments, a courier is spawned from YOU. Notice when you open the courier screen to compose a message, it's signed by YOU.

And same goes for when you select an Army commander.

So again, and for the last time.. hopefully :laugh:

When playing strictly couriers (courier level set to brigade. This means all actions on the battlefield are sent by couriers), any unit you personally direct on the battlefield, the courier will be spawned by you. Any unit that is directed by another officer (no action on your part, this officer is above you or this offier is below you un-TC'd a.ka./AI control) the courier will be spawned by them. It's that simple.

[born2see]

RebBugler wrote:

Hmmm, sounds like a simple request; D wants the courier to spawn from the officer that's sending the order. And I agree, that would be more realistic than spawning from the top CO, who may be miles away.

Davinci wrote:

Yes, RebBugler – that is it exactly, such a simple request that is logical, and so much resistance.

Little Powell wrote:

All that stuff above...

I'm just an interested observer here but doesn't LP's post put this issue to rest? Does for me. Not to put words in his mouth, but maybe what D is saying if during a game you select a commander and send a message, it should spawn from him, not from what commander you chose when you started the game.

[Little Powell]

I'm just an interested observer here but doesn't LP's post put this issue to rest? Does for me. Not to put words in his mouth, but maybe what D is saying if during a game you select a commander and send a message, it should spawn from him, not from what commander you chose when you started the game.

That's exactly what he's saying. Basically you would become whatever officer you are selecting. And like I said before; I can understand his reasoning but to me it's not very realistic. If I'm playing courers I want full realism. If I'm playing without couriers, then orders are carried out instantly and basically you are every commander on the battlefield under your chain of command.

But just like anything else, if enough people are requesting a change, a change will be considered regardless of what I think.

[Marching Thru Georgia]

Little Powell wrote:

That's exactly what he's saying. Basically you would become whatever officer you are selecting. And like I said before; I can understand his reasoning but to me it's not very realistic. If I'm playing courers I want full realism. If I'm playing without couriers, then orders are carried out instantly and basically you are every commander on the battlefield under your chain of command.

This sums things up exactly and I have fought a lot of courier battles. It's also how the courier system should work. I have found that mixing the use of couriers and the toolbar gives the worst possible experience for playing the game. In this mode, I would not be surprised if the game yields unrealistic results of the type that Davinci is talking about. But I doubt that Norb ever envisioned his creation being used that way. In fact, for courier play, I created a non-toolbar that reclaims all that real estate at the bottom of the screen, (take that RebBugler! :laugh: ).

[Little Powell]

In fact, for courier play, I created a non-toolbar that reclaims all that real estate at the bottom of the screen, (take that RebBugler! :laugh: ).

Nice! You should think about posting that as a mod... Let me know if you need a place to host it. It would also come in handy for the keyboard lovers like me. It hurts my wrist just thinking about clicking around the screen.. Keyboard is where it's at!