I have started a grand campaign...

[hgilmer]

I wanted to do an AAR, but I think I have to wait until 10 posts before I can post pictures.

Anyway, after playing the Prussians three times in "Invasion of Saxony", Win, Stalemate (627 to 114), W, I decided to jump into the Grand Campaign 1756-1763.

I have a question. I maneuvered around and wasn't doing a good job cutting Pirna off, so I decided to just march the whole army from Dresden to Dippoldiswalde. Browne had an army hovering around and he decided to move his army up to Pirna as I was marching through. 15 days of glorious action every battle a major Prussian win. Saxony capitulated, but now Browne is hanging out in Dresden with a tiny army besieging it but I can't get him into another battle.

Does that sound right? The full army was in Dipp. and I saw in the messages that he was besieging Dresden but he couldn't make headway so I moved my army up to Dresden and now both "armies" sit in Dresden and two turns of no fighting.

[hgilmer]

Oh, it is beta patch 1.03.

[hgilmer]

Also, do you tend to wait until winter is over before you go back to offensive?

[caranorn]

Usually you should be able to engage browne at Dresden. Maybe both of your armies are in defensive (or less) stance and you both have enough military control over the region not to be forced into offensive. In any case, if you wish to engage go into at least offensive stance...

I assume you have at least one corps/column to engage combat at Dresden and not just old Fritz's Army (with or without troops). Because Armies will not start combat if there is another friendly force in the region (in this case your besieged garrison). So you'd need at least one column to start the fight...

As to winter, I always put my forces into winter quarters (essentially inside or outside large cities, preferably with depots). That way I preserve them from damage caused by harsh winter weather. In theory you could stay in the field through winter by using lots of supply wagons, but that'd eat up so many of your resources that it probably wouldn't be worthwhile, unless it was just to try winning an almost concluded siege or destroy an almost defeated enemy army. Anyhow, I always withdraw to winter quarters pretty early, usualy at the first sign of snow. I do that mostly because mountain passes will close in blizzard weather, if you wait too long your army might be caught on teh wrong side of the mountains and will eventually freeze and starve to death...

[Bertram]

Another possibility is that your troops have a low cohesion, due to the marching they did. In that case they might try to avoid combat - though you usually get a message when that occurs.

[hgilmer]

I think Caranorn is right. I have not looked at engagement orders for a couple of turns. And yes, I'm losing an army caught out in the middle of nowhere .

They also might have low cohesion for all the fighting they just did. I had at least 4-5 engagements where 60K troops were pulled into battle at Pirna. The battles destroyed Browne's army almost, but I bet it made my armies lose a lot of cohesion.

Thanks for the replies!