Some advice on long campaigns, please

[xamevou]

Dear all. I'm new to AGEOD games. In the last weeks I discovered their games and, after playing some demos, I bought BoA and ACW (yes, the cheapest ones). I realized that BoA is probably the easier AGEOD game for learning the ropes, as the other games seem to be built on the BoA architecture and features. I plan to buy Napoleon, BoA2, etc, in the future.

In any case, I've been able to win a lot of scenarios in BoA, playing with the brits or with the american-french. However, the big campaigns are impossible for me. Around turn 45 or so, I've lost so much terrain that I stop playing because my defeat is absolutely clear...

If I play the brits, I advance very very slowly and finally the americans are able to defeat even my greatest armies. If I play the americans, it is even worse. My "George Washington army" is destroyed even before turn 30, and the british armies overpower me in the north and in the south.

I don't know what I am doing bad. Maybe I should spend more turns "resting", specially in the winter, instead of rushing to defeat my enemies. Is that right?

[arsan]

Hi!
Welcome to the forums
Its hard to me to give any detailed advice on BoA as i have not played it for years. I can't help but think on BoA2 terms, as its what i play lately
Have you checked the BoA AAR forum??
http://www.ageod-forum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12
They should give you some good ideas.
As well, using the forum search function can be very helpful for finding concrete info.
Oh, and don't forget this threads
http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=348
http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=1024

As very general advice...
- Beware of winter, is a killer if you are on a region without a friendly structure. While there is snow around you should be better stay at winter quarters refitting for the spring.
- The long campaigns are long don't try to win on the first year. Historical events can change the situation a lot. For example on 1775 the USA has to bid time and survive the British as bests they can and wait for the french intervention.
- Take care of keeping your units supplied.
- Don't ge fixated on engaging and destroying the enemy. The game is won or lost by capturing and controlling objectives and strategic cities. I you have them the enemy will have to come after you.
- Try to use leaders and units abilities to the fullest. Its one of the most important things.
- If you can't defeat the enemy on the field of battle (USA vs British for example) elude his main forces and concentrate on smaller ones. Be a pain in the ass, hitting where less expected. He can't be strong anywhere at anytime.


Mmmm... don't know what more to say...
Cheers!

[xamevou]

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I checked the faqs but not AARs. Actually I thought did not need to, as I was able to win the small scenarios. It's the long campaign where I'm having problems, just when I thought I was becoming a good player...

I think the best advice is probably not trying to destroy your enemie's army. In other games I usually play (mostly from Paradox) I am used to pursuing the enemy's units (or encircling them) until they disappear from the map. I guess that in BoA you need to play more conservatively. Maybe this is not about destroying the enemy but exhausting him.

However, when trying to play conservatively and putting to rest my units, I realized a problem related to reinforcements: they are there, on the ledger, but it seems to be difficult to bring them to actually reinforce my armies (in unsieged structures and passive posture, of course). I have some units that remain for more than one year without being reinforced at all. That's strange and breaks a little this philosophy of "rest until the opportunity comes"...