Army-Army Activation

[von Sachsen]

After getting to know the game a bit I've decided to try out Army-Army Activation. I'm pretty sure I have the basics, but one thing stopping me at this point. At the beginning of the Grand Campiagn, Russian I Army is obligated to attack Koenigsburg, and so I dutifully tell it to attack there. However, it stops after moving only one province, despite being told to move further and also being able to move further. This causes it to not fullfull the madatory attack and so not let me end the turn. Any help?

[Drakken]

After getting to know the game a bit I've decided to try out Army-Army Activation. I'm pretty sure I have the basics, but one thing stopping me at this point. At the beginning of the Grand Campiagn, Russian I Army is obligated to attack Koenigsburg, and so I dutifully tell it to attack there. However, it stops after moving only one province, despite being told to move further and also being able to move further. This causes it to not fullfull the madatory attack and so not let me end the turn. Any help?

As long as your target is Koenigsberg, you will be able to move on after your movement is completed and then you can activate other armies on the Eastern Front.

Remember that you cross the Vistula to land in Wehlau or Gumbinnen, so it eats up your movement points before you can reach Koenigsberg. It takes more than a turn to reach that city.

Really, 1914 mandatory attacks are akind to forced moves so the players implement their chosen warplan for the first few turns. So you shouldn't worry about taking Koenigsberg, 99% of the time the Germans will beat Rennenkampf and stop the Russian I Army.

That said, I agree that, if an Army has a mandatory attack targeting a named target, the mandatory offensive should be maintained over the next turns unless it is soundly beaten or the target is taken.

Also, I have noticed that as long as the last waypoint is set on the target, the player can place as many waypoints between its army and the target to reach wherever it wants on the map, even if it goes away from the target. It shouldn't be : In mandatory attacks, only one waypoint should be set on the target to make sure the player is completely forced to make this offensive on this turn.

[Drakken]

Just as an example of what I mean, look at this screenshot.

The Russian VIII army has a mandatory attack on Posen for this turn. Yet, I can set a waypoint in Piotrkow, away from the German border, to intercept the German III Army, and the movement is allowed as long as my last waypoint is set on Posen.

[von Sachsen]

Thank you very much, but that is not my problem. I Army reaches one province away from Koenigsberg and the stops, and also no longer has the line of movement running towards it's objective. Having already been activated and moved, I can not tell it to continue to fullfill the mandatory attack.

[06 Maestro]

I have had that happen a few times also-not reaching the objective-flag still red, but can no longer move the unit. However, if the unit made it into enemy territory, it should not stop you from completing the phase.

Are you sure that there are no other armies anyplace, no new ally, that still needs activation?

Again, I have had this happen multiple times-particularily with A/H forces. However, after activation of all the Turks and all, I can complete my portion of the phase.

[von Sachsen]

I have had that happen a few times also-not reaching the objective-flag still red, but can no longer move the unit. However, if the unit made it into enemy territory, it should not stop you from completing the phase.

Are you sure that there are no other armies anyplace, no new ally, that still needs activation?

Again, I have had this happen multiple times-particularily with A/H forces. However, after activation of all the Turks and all, I can complete my portion of the phase.

Yep, that was it, thank you. Now is there any way to easily hunt down those pesky wayward armies without searching the map two times over? Also, one mostly unrelated question, as France I moved two armies into provinces just occupied by the Germans, but did not fight that turn, which made sense as I remember reading somewhere that armies can only fight once per turn. However, they proceded to occupy the same province witht the enemy, and did not fight the next turn, instead I got a message that they had been defeated far from supply sources, though now battle had taken place. The army was then reduced to a frontline art. and one reserve division. My question is, why did all of this happen?

[06 Maestro]

Yep, that was it, thank you.

You are welcome.

Now is there any way to easily hunt down those pesky wayward armies without searching the map two times over?

At some points in the game I will go through an entire nations force by the number using the a (next) key. That way you are sure to get them all in one pass. At other times during the game, such as the beginning of the GC I will deal with the armies I have big ideas for and then take a look at the generals/army tabs on the right side of the screen. Those with orders have the envelope-one with a lock don't matter. By clicking on the general the map is centered on that force. You can then update that army's orders. If you still have many armies to issue orders to after you finish your initial actions, it is best just to use the A key and roll through them all.

An advantage of the A key is that when you go to the next army, it is already "selected". My preferred method for finishing up on issuing orders (sometimes at the very start of a quiet turn) is to keep one hand on the keyboard and the other on the mouse. I click A, then "activate" with the mouse' then "execute" (arrow) with the mouse. This takes about 2 or 3 seconds per army.

When you are finished with one nation under your control just click on another one of your nations on the mini map, then click on the actual map and the appropriate generals will appear on the right side of the screen. Chose the first army and activate it, then switch to the a key and mouse routine. You will be surprised in how quickly you can get through a military phase like that.

I started a thread at Matrix to give some pointers on the army by army mode.
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2469544

Also, one mostly unrelated question, as France I moved two armies into provinces just occupied by the Germans, but did not fight that turn, which made sense as I remember reading somewhere that armies can only fight once per turn. However, they proceded to occupy the same province witht the enemy, and did not fight the next turn, instead I got a message that they had been defeated far from supply sources, though now battle had taken place. The army was then reduced to a frontline art. and one reserve division. My question is, why did all of this happen?

I cannot say that I have had this happen before. I have ended turns with friendly armies in the same province at the end of a turn, but not opposing armies-at the end of a turn. I have had enemy forces in the same province after a battle, but before a breakthrough battle.

So, I can't help you with that one, but I will certainly keep an eye out for it in my games.

[calvinus]

After getting to know the game a bit I've decided to try out Army-Army Activation. I'm pretty sure I have the basics, but one thing stopping me at this point. At the beginning of the Grand Campiagn, Russian I Army is obligated to attack Koenigsburg, and so I dutifully tell it to attack there. However, it stops after moving only one province, despite being told to move further and also being able to move further. This causes it to not fullfull the madatory attack and so not let me end the turn. Any help?

Let's say the game engine worked fine, because the stack used all his movement capacity. So I believe the setup of forces could be improved, putting the HQ of I Russian army one area closer to Koenigsberg.