Scourge of War Boards

Whelp, I bought the thing. I've just completed the tutorials. My God, but the last one is probably the biggest battle I've ever fought, and this is from a Total War veteran. I really didn't believe that a game could so accurately simulate fog of war and the disintergrating nature of battle without coming across as unfair, but it looks like you guys have got it.

I was ordered to hold the left flank off Neville Road, and to set about it quickly as a Confedrate force was on the march. I saw the back of my General's neck below me, atop his horse and stroked my chin thoughtfully. 'Whelp,' thought I, 'Better grab the dozen or so units and get to work.' I rotated the camera and my jaw dropped slack. Before me was a veritable horde of yankees. "Argh," I added.

After a brief and disasterous dalliance with the courier system where I attempted to tell my army to move to a grid reference, but merely ended up telling my general to go for a country ride, I started clicking on brigadiers and telling them to line their men up. At this point I was frowning mightily like a thwarted Salmon Chase denied access to the buffet bar. How the hell am I supposed to control all these men? The answer of course is, you're not.

It took me a while to figure out this. But first I built two huge batteries between the town and the front line. I told 'em to do what they felt like and concentrated on the infantry. I had no real plan accept holding the left flank and making full use of the fences for cover, and attempting to use the Zouaves and a couple of supporting units on the extreme left to flank and roll up the line. In the operation of this plan I came to discover two things...

1: In a great battle there's no such thing as a 'line'.

2: Retreating enemy units in Scourge of War don't have the decency to stay out of the fight, as Total War units do.

So, a scrap began on the far left at the foot of the hill. The Confederates had the height, but I had the fences and a stationary mass firing on the approaching greys. Meanwhile, my centre and right of my army were doing surprising well, and I managed to create a wedge that enabled me to flank two units, causing them to rout. My Zouaves were a tad disappointing, breaking repeatedly even when not directly threatened, but soon I was able to control that hill. Things were looking good. I decided to go after the enemy artillery in the centre with a concerted push.

This wasn't as easy as it looked. Though I managed to push up the slope to the left of the artillery, they kept retreating to bombard me. Plus, their crews took a suspiciously long time to drop dead before my fire. I decided to harbour a not so secret resentment at Mr Game Engine for refusing me this glorious carrying of the battery, and revised my plans. Time to link up with my right and roll the entire line up.

I looked to my right, to the armies of my brother Generals.

They weren't there. They'd completely broken. Suddenly my hill and slope capture seemed like peanuts, and I was faced with half the confederate army swinging round. Some detached to try and take the batteries between myself and town. I gritted my teeth and flung everyone I could into one long line North-South along the fences and creek bridge. I pulled off everyone I could from the extreme left, judging the two remaining confederate units there to be irrelevant, and tried to shove everyone I could to meet the coming tide.

Blues stampededed back pell mell as the massed confederates moved in. My batteries, still firing, blasted shrapnel into their ranks. My reserve line, a few tired units to replace a few exhausted ones, fell in and started firing. I was pretty much resigned at this point. I figured that the Confederates had won the day again through sheer grit. I couldn't see any way of stopping them from taking the town.

And then, unexpectadly, I won.

I'm not sure how, but the casualties provide some clue. 4,500 Confederate dead to 3,500 Union. They must have quit en masse and pulled a retreat, being as exhausted as I was. That's what I assume, anyway. It was very pleasing to win, but I have to say I have no idea as to what factors made it declare me victor. I was sure it had me. Is there a way of knowing? Have I won through a tutorial's generosity, or can I light up a cigar, spin a homilie and then run for President like a true Union war hero?

Whatever happened, I had jolly good fun, and look forward like one big eye to being further utterly baffled by this game. Finally, two questions:

1: Is there any point in trying to destroy with infantry an enemy's battery? It seems remarkably tricky, and their crews quite resilient.

2: How do I know when I'm winning, or does it take everyone by surprise? Does amount of battlefield occupied compared to enemy count? If they fail certain hidden objectives, does that grant me victory?

3: Does anyone use courier? I couldn't get my head around it. I can see it being great in multiplayer to tell your mates, but how can you easily see who's in command of what, who you're sending to, if they've received it and if they've even understood what you've done if you're so tremendously busy trying to fix everything else.

Ah well, c'est la guerre I suppose. I have to say I was remarkably impressed to see my AI officers take charge when I wasn't holding their hands, they did a decent job. Naturally, it was due to my own superior cunning and grit that we won the day, but they were a very helpful aid indeed.

Well done the people who made this curious thing!

Pete

2: How do I know when I'm winning, or does it take everyone by surprise? Does amount of battlefield occupied compared to enemy count? If they fail certain hidden objectives, does that grant me victory?


Pete

I agree that sometimes I am surprised by the newspaper headlines. What we need is a win/lose meter. The more the needle points to the left (where "empty" would be on a gas gage) the closer we are to being defeated. The more the needle points to the right (where "full" would be on a gas gage" the closer we are to a victory.

Welcome to the game. I'm very impressed that you pulled off a victory in historic mode. Whether using the courier system or toolbar, it's not easy to do while still learning the game. There are a number of posts in the HITS sub-forum of Command&Staff that will give you a good understanding of how to write proper orders. I play almost exclusively in historic mode using couriers. It's not easy to play that way, but when you do manage a victory, it's extremely satisfying. I probably win 60-65% of my battles this way, but it has taken me a year and a half to reach that level.

I can see it being great in multiplayer to tell your mates, but how can you easily see who's in command of what, who you're sending to, if they've received it and if they've even understood what you've done if you're so tremendously busy trying to fix everything else.

Find a good observation point otherwise you will never know what is going on. Your subordinates have their own personality. How they interpret your orders and choose to carry the out or not carry them out is based on how they are feeling at the moment. I tend to find a division or corps that I like and keep using it in many battles, so as to get to know my underlings. In some battles they are at the top of their game and they carry out my plan exactly as I wish. Other times they seem to be nursing a bad hangover and are completely inept. This 'human aspect' of the game is incredibly entertaining. I pity the players that TC everybody and never enjoy this feature.

Courier play has a very steep learning curve but it is well worth the effort IMHO.

I fear that I did not use Historical mode sir, I was TC'ing, but figured on trying by courier as well to see how tricky it was. Your vantage point is sound, though, as is the 'getting to know your units'. Do you play with the same ones mostly throughout the campaign, then?

I'll stick with TC a while longer until I'm au fait with it all, but the full historical setting is pretty intriguing and I would like to take a proper stab at it.

Hi,

You can also use 'custom' settings. I mainly now use custom settings, with courier set to 'Brigade' but I allow myself to see from up to 200 yards from commander so I can fly around a bit. I also have the map set to 'in sight' which also makes things much easier than historical.

To work out what's happening, I played a sandbox game where I had no real intention of meeting the enemy. I just moved units around and played with formations etc.

HTH

nervouspete wrote:

Do you play with the same ones mostly throughout the campaign, then?

No that is for sandbox play only. In the historic scenarios, you are assigned a unit.

I would echo what Blaugrana wrote. Use the custom setting when learning how to use couriers. You'll have the historic delay in orders being carried out, but you can move around and see what is happening on the battlefield.