Help for Cavalry Scenarios please!

[Thomas J Jackson]

Have just completed Major Victories and promotion for all the infantry/artillery scenarios. Stuck on most of the cavalry scenarios due to:-
1)Cavalry have a distinct tendency to retreat (even after capturing the opponent, they still often retreat, slightly bizarre)
2)Some of the scenarios you 'appear' to have men under your command but in fact when you try to TC them or directly order them, you cannot!?
3)GB29 has multiple objectives all with infantry on or nearby. Attacking infantry (even when they are in line, often just gets you so badly cut up your regiment is useless for the rest of the scenario.
Not sure what happened for real in the CW cavalry v infantry- certainly in the Napoleonic War, infantry caught in line by cavalry died by the hundreds.

I always felt I had hope with the non cavalry scenarios even when the first few times I played them I lost heavily. You felt if the variant came your way that helped you a little, or you changed tactics etc etc you could eventually get the victory. With the cavalry not willing to either slug it out or at least stop running away at the earliest opportunity it gets frustrating.

Any help or tips really appreciated, many thanks to All

[JC Edwards]

1) ALWAYS...TC the Cavalry. Then They will not retreat unless badly defeated during melee.

2) Check their attributes .....what have you got? Irregulars? Regulars? Militia? etc.... and are they regular Cavalry or mounted Infantry?

And if they are under your command you'll know it.

3) GB29 is a piece of cake - IF you know how to use Cavalry.

best regards

The Mad One

[Thomas J Jackson]

Thanks JC.

I try to TC as much as possible, and try to get on their flanks, again if possible.

Updated:
Got promoted on GB21:23:28 and GB30.

Not yet played: GB 24 & 27

Crushed on GB26 with a score of 872 and GB29 with score of 991.

Almost there on GB25 with a score of 683.

I never give up as there are always new ways at looking and solving a tactical problem. Just wish I had some infantry back up.

Nothing but admiration for the boys in gray and blue the way the slugged it out pretty much face to face.

Again thanks for your response JC

[Jack ONeill]

"...Pretty much face to face", eh? Wait until you try the Napoleonic Mod Battles - real "whites of the eyes" combat there. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Jack "...come see how a Marshal of France dies!..." O'Neill

[Little Powell]

2)Some of the scenarios you 'appear' to have men under your command but in fact when you try to TC them or directly order them, you cannot!?

The East Cavalry field scenarios were a challenge to design, mostly because Stuart held a lot of forces in reserve for most of the battle due to exhaustion. Some forces were never engaged at all. So the only way to balance the scenario and keep it challenging for the player is to lock down those units that were not engaged historically. If you read the scenario intros, it will tell you which units are available and which units that are not available at first, but will become available at some point in the scenario.

[Thomas J Jackson]

Thanks for input LP.
I thought it must be something like as you said.After my post I googled ACW cavalry tactics and came up with a wonderful article by a guy who had studied in depth the cavalry in the CW. How generally discipline was very much lacking (pretty much the same as the English cavalry in the Napoleonic War (in as much as not responding to orders during and after a charge and then suffering either large casualties or and exhaustion. The Southern cavalry also suffered from having to provide their own horses,often if their horses were killed or injured they would take leave to go home and get another one.
Wouldn't life/war be simpler if soldiers just did as they were told, died when they have to and make generals life easier (well in gaming I mean). World War 1 was alot like that, blow the whistle, over the top, walk slowly, don't hit the ground when the bullets fly, don't weave and make things difficult for those trying to kill you. Look where that got them (60,000 casualties on the first day of the somme battle).
Please never again.
Game design is an art and you guys are some of the best, awesome games and an AI which is many classes above the average (speaking as a TotalWar gamer).

[Thomas J Jackson]

Update:

GB22 Increased my score to 3310
G25 Got my MV with 1550
GB26 Increased score to 1464
GB29 Increased score to 2625

Still a way to go but gradually getting my head around cavalry strengths and weaknesses.

[Little Powell]

Great to hear, Jackson. Once you learn Cavalry, they can be the funnest unit type to command. But until you learn them, they can be the most frustrating.. :laugh:

[RebBugler]

Certainly appreciate these reports, wish more folks would report their efforts and seek out advice--makes our design efforts seem more worthwhile and helps us improve upon future designs regarding entertainment and challenge factors. Aside from an entertaining history lesson, number one is probably replay value without getting frustrated, these reports appear to reflect that goal of SOW scenario designs...

A BIG THANKS SIR JACKSON

Edit: FYI, when not rushed, I test most if not all of my designed variants for win-ability--these cavalry scenarios I tested and won, without TC'ing the individual regiments. TC'ing individual regiments then involves ULTRA micromanagement--for me this is UNFUN. It's easy to get distracted and forget about that TC'd regiment which can quickly become routing fodder if not constantly overseen.

[t-storm]

hmm yes i have just had the same trouble with them. i have been wondering about that so thx for the help!

t-storm.