Is there a Grand Campaign option?

[soundoff]

I suspect I know the answer already to the above.....I think its no. But I thought I'd check it out properly before making a decision whether to purchase as one might have been included in a patch.

Its just that from what I've read, with the exception of Spain 1808 -1814 the other campaigns are more what I would call 'senario's'.

Having finally got into AACW I do so like the engine and as a Brit the Napoleonic era is a favourite.

[Rafiki]

You are correct; there isn't a full-fledged campaign as you know it from AACW. NCP focuses on the military aspects of Napoleon's wars from 1805 onwards, thereby leaving out e.g. economics and political stuff.

[Korrigan]

Indeed, and we have introduced through patches some new campaigns.

In NCP, you'll find some scenarios (eg: 3 monthes), some campaigns (Russia), a grand campaign (Peninsula war, should take you a bunch of nights to finish it...), but no Grand campaign covering the whole period.

Indeed, the NCP engine is a pure operational engine and is unable to deal with the peace periods (where you focus solely on economy, politics, diplomacy, etc.). As you know, between each coalition there were long perios of peace. That's why we could not design this Grand Campaign, futhermore we really wanted to design a great operationnal engine to simulate the Napoleonian wars. To get it right, you know...

Our next "big" game, (Vainglory of Nations) will offer some comprehensive economy and diplomacy modules. Hence, using this engine, expect a Grand Napoleon game later on... but with perhaps less emphasis on military manouevers. To design a good game, you have to make choice. You have to decide which kind of gameplay you want to offer, otherwise you end up with an unplayable monster...

This is AGEod philosophy

[Rafiki]

"Operational" was the word I was looking for. Thanks Korrigan

[soundoff]

Many thanks for the prompt and informative response good people. Very much appreciated. I can understand where you are coming from. Its merely that my preference is for how the sum of the individual parts fit into the 'whole' For example if Mac had not got himself so out manoeuvred at Ulm what effect would that have had on Napoleons subsequent strategy. I fully accept though that we are not all made the same and its different strokes for different folks

[rwenstrup]

Just to add...I have to say that Birth of America and Napoleons Campaigns are simply excellent. The military scope is very well done, and the focus on the military strategy is not lost by trying to do all things for all people.

I would recommend these games to anyone who enjoys operational level wargames.

[Kev_uk]

I think, for a future Grand Strategic Napoleonic game, you should be able to keep the current engine of NCP and 'overlay' some sort of campaign. Keep what you have, which is good, and add a campaign element. Its such a shame to see such a wonderful map go to waste on the shorter scenarios....although the Thames or Danube scenario makes good use of the western european map.

[GlobalExplorer]

That's what I also don't understand. Why not have a medium campaigns without diplomacy? I mean as a compromise. What I gathered from the reviews was that the NCP campaigns are short and static - and people who liked the army building in AACW will be dissapopinted. However, if it had 50 - 80 turns campaigns in which I can also build my armies (like in AACW) I would buy this anyday!

[eleven_west]

Perhaps a compromise would be to offer a module where the results of one scenario (ie manpower and/or territory losses) could be ported to the next scenario - in search for continuity without compromising realism and historical flavour.

Ie if anyone has played Panzer General they'll know what I mean by continuity. The player would be able to carry their veteran/battered armies to the next campaign and upgrade them, reinforce them etc

Such a system would enable a grand campaign mode without the need for continuous gameplay. Plus each scenario would be different - since the army parameters would be greatly dependant on previous results. And I don't think that this is vastly difficult to program either, you just take the result of the previous stage and make it the starting point of the next stage, with some given balancing involved.

So please, please Ageod do us a huge favour and include such an option in a future patch!! (Unless a bunch of modders gets there first which is just as good!!)

[Lasse]

super idea. the panzer general approach would be a cool way to go.

[arclight]

Indeed, and we have introduced through patches some new campaigns.

In NCP, you'll find some scenarios (eg: 3 monthes), some campaigns (Russia), a grand campaign (Peninsula war, should take you a bunch of nights to finish it...), but no Grand campaign covering the whole period.

Indeed, the NCP engine is a pure operational engine and is unable to deal with the peace periods (where you focus solely on economy, politics, diplomacy, etc.). As you know, between each coalition there were long perios of peace. That's why we could not design this Grand Campaign, futhermore we really wanted to design a great operationnal engine to simulate the Napoleonian wars. To get it right, you know...

Our next "big" game, (Vainglory of Nations) will offer some comprehensive economy and diplomacy modules. Hence, using this engine, expect a Grand Napoleon game later on... but with perhaps less emphasis on military manouevers. To design a good game, you have to make choice. You have to decide which kind of gameplay you want to offer, otherwise you end up with an unplayable monster...

This is AGEod philosophy

So, from this, is there a plan to use this type of engine to develop another Napoleonian wars game? Since VON will have (pretty much, IMHO) the needed elements, would it be easy to port it over?

Maybe a dumb question, but, there is a market for us old grognards

[Heldenkaiser]

Actually some of the larger scenarios in NCP are rather much "campaigns", say the Russian one. Quite enough of a campaign for me, at any rate.

[Clovis]

So, from this, is there a plan to use this type of engine to develop another Napoleonian wars game? Since VON will have (pretty much, IMHO) the needed elements, would it be easy to port it over?

Maybe a dumb question, but, there is a market for us old grognards

The AGE engine, being used for NCP, will be the base for VGN and expanded with new modules. So I guess a great Napoleonian Campaign will be possible.

[eleven_west]

Come on guys, NC is lacking the immersion brought by political options and a seamless campaign that made AACW such a big standard setter in wargaming circles..

What's the point of winning a battle if it doesn't get you closer to winning the war..

I'd personally enjoy an unplayable monster over an oversimplified game, the same way I've enjoyed the Axis vs Allies boardgame vastly more over Stratego anytime.. otherwise we'd all still play chess to quench our wargaming thirst and thus be content...

You have sussed simplification in the game design excellently with the battle system and engine. That surely gives you more space to experiment with the variables. If you come cheap with the number of variables , then you'll end up serving us the same dish warmed in a microwave. As far as I am concerned, you came close to that with NC - in terms of variety of an already beloved engine.

** And not even start about less emphasis on manoeuvres. Don't kill the franchise yet, otherwise I'll have to go back to playing Risk online he he **

[Offworlder]

I'd love to have an extended campaign but I can see the problems inherent. Napoleonic warfare was not total war in a modern sense, ie he never really had the option of completely destroying his enemies. In the game this can't really be replicated.

[Carnium]

Would there be a chance to link scenarios in a kind of grand Campaign for France like the HPS games where you can have different strategy options before every (linked) battle/theatre. Maybe in the add on