AGEOD's New Game - ALEA JACTA EST

[Nikel]

The translation is not mine of course, the texts come from the Loeb edition

Aquatio means just getting water, in a military context or not.

[Baris]

I think WIA supply is just fine. Remember a situation of a failed assault in Quebec. It can have dire effect of remaining supply of units. And generally WIA is very good at representing harsh weather and supply problems. But too much supply can be contradictory problematic in Roma as was the case in Trapezus Garrison.
I think mountains should be the Verdun. Wagons or donkeys should not easily pass or move.
What I wonder is how the supply from lower nile(especially Alexandria) will have impact game on WIA supply. And what are the regional decisions mainly ?

[GlobalExplorer]

Real-time delenda est. But this game will be rad. Reporting back for duty now!

I am already spreading the news in the gutter.

[Hobbes]

I don't know what effects loss of control of Alexandria etc would have on the game but it should be easy to add events that lower NM / increase chances of unrest if important regions of Roman supply are not controlled.

Cheers,
Chris

[GlobalExplorer]

This is a good introduction with nice images and maps.



Cheers,
Chris

Peter Conolly - Greece and Rome at War. Pricey, but the illustrations are absolutely worth it.



http://www.amazon.com/GREECE-AND-ROME-AT-WAR/dp/1848326092/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1335605228&sr=8-2

[Hohenlohe]

Both books are good enough to get some insight in Roman history, especially in Roman Warfare...

I own both...

greetings

Hohenlohe

[Razz]

Finally another game with the Roman Empire...

Looking forward to more details.

[Person of Interest]

While the box art looks magnificent the screenshot of Italy looks absolutely gorgeous. I have a feeling that this game will absorb a huge amount of my future gaming time. Can't wait for more screenshots.

[Aphrodite Mae]

Awesome! What we were looking for!

+1!

Encore un jeu Ageod que je vais attendre avec impatience.

+1!!

Please ! don't forget Marius (battle of sainte victoire near my city Massilia) and Sylla !!

FOR THOSE ABOUT TO PLAY WE SALUTE YOU !!!

Strategic level games of the ancient world are few and far between and this one promises to do the subject justice based on the excellent AGEOD engine. [...] A long neglected period of history finally getting some notice in the computer wargames market.

+1!

War, war, war; war never changes. Won't you ever make a wargame without war?

Thanks, ERISS! I'm still giggling!

[Florent]

I saw the screenshot with Spain at Father's home computer this week-end with a larger screen and i was stunned by the quality of town and leaders work.
The leaders almost look real whereas they come from marble not photos

The cities showing the level of civilization and romanization is also outstanding, the temples, trees houses and i didn't see them at first the walls of fortresses all finely done. Bravo to the artists

I can't wait the different legions from the Samnite war to the fall of Rome...and their friends and ennemies.

[Bohémond]

New Alpha Sreenshot ;

You can see the Strategic Map and part of the map with weather filter.


[url=[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/220/stratmapweathers.jpg/][/url]][/URL]


Regards

[yellow ribbon]

New Alpha Sreenshot ;

You can see the Strategic Map and part of the map with weather filter.


[url=[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/220/stratmapweathers.jpg/][/url]][/URL]


Regards

thank you so much...

hum... a map half way to Russia and trade zones / fleets in being for supply then... *guessing*

Icons look like the "empire strikes back" in the east, or Alexander the Great has won

[Solemnace]

New Alpha Sreenshot ;

You can see the Strategic Map and part of the map with weather filter.


[url=[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/220/stratmapweathers.jpg/][/url]][/URL]


Regards

That's Very interesting. After a lot of Thinking I don't have a clue to the campaign your showing us. Can you tell me?

[Bohémond]

It's the "infamous Year of Four Emperors 68 AD"" scenario.

Could you guess which faction ?

Regards

[Solemnace]

The Only Faction it could be is Vespasian But why can you see troops in Britain. Didn't it support Vitellius.

[derblaueClaus]

Seems to be Vespersian. The possession of Alexandria and Judea is traitorous. :P

[Bohémond]

The Only Faction it could be is Vespasian But why can you see troops in Britain. Didn't it support Vitellius.

Maybe Vespasians have performed some politicals actions that allow them to get Loyalty increase in Britain and troops from others factions are somewhat detected....

[Person of Interest]

Thanks for the screenshot. More, more!

[jack54]

Thank you again! Looks really good.

I was trying to see if there is a Sundial in the top right, LOL.

[Bohémond]

Seems to be Vespersian. The possession of Alexandria and Judea is traitorous. :P

You should be right. Blue squares in Judea seems to be trouble malers...

Regards

[Philippe]

It's the "infamous Year of Four Emperors 68 AD"" scenario.

Could you guess which faction ?

Regards

Is the scenario infamous because the year of the four emperors was AD 69 and not AD 68?

I'm guessing that the date of the scenario has to do with the death of Nero.

[OneArmedMexican]

A lot of well deserved praise! I can't wait for this!

One question if I may, will you adopt the WiA and PoN system when it comes to divisions, corps and armies? Or will we get a more complex order of battle?
My suspicion is that the simpler system may be better suited for the time. On the other hand, I would love to see at least corps (or columns as they are called in RoP)/armies since it adds complexity and tactical possibilities.

[Bohémond]

A lot of well deserved praise! I can't wait for this!

One question if I may, will you adopt the WiA and PoN system when it comes to divisions, corps and armies? Or will we get a more complex order of battle?
My suspicion is that the simpler system may be better suited for the time. On the other hand, I would love to see at least corps (or columns as they are called in RoP)/armies since it adds complexity and tactical possibilities.

Ancient Command and Supply System (based on the Wars in America system), allowing for a good representation of historical army command in the Roman era.

Regards

[Philippe]

Presumably this means legions (with or without parallel complement of auxiliaries, depending on the period), the occasional consular army, legates, tribunes, and the odd proconsul.

The game covers three different centuries, during which there was a fair amount of evolution in urbanization and road grid. How does the game reflect this? The changes should be pretty dramatic in any area (like Gaul) that was outside the civilized world at the time of the first scenario.

[Ilitarist]

Weren't most wars of the period decided by a couple of decisive battles? I find it a big issue in Paradox games were most wars (except maybe between big alliances or superpowers) should end after I wipe out enemy army (or army in the region if it's a colonial war), but noooo, heroic Ulm wouldn't face the truth till France occupies all his provinces.

[El Nino]

Presumably this means legions (with or without parallel complement of auxiliaries, depending on the period), the occasional consular army, legates, tribunes, and the odd proconsul.

The game covers three different centuries, during which there was a fair amount of evolution in urbanization and road grid. How does the game reflect this? The changes should be pretty dramatic in any area (like Gaul) that was outside the civilized world at the time of the first scenario.

The game reflect simply the urban evolution and road system because roads and cities are'nt fixed on the map. On different scenarios, we can change the road grid (no road, little roads or the big roman road system (like via appia per exemple)).

Same thing for the size or the presence of the cities on the map...

[Hohenlohe]

Is it possible to build cities ingame like the roman colonies with veterans using a supplywagon and a veteran legion unit...this should be possible only for the romans either per event script or by doing as player...just my sixpence

greetings

Hohenlohe

[GlobalExplorer]

I have a question, concerning what I think are the three major flaws of the previous games.

1. One thing which I didn't like at all about the last AGE game, RuS, was the many regions which could not be entered. In some cases this makes sense, but I still think that if a player wants to violate a neutral border, it should be allowed.

2. The other was the fact that there were many scripted events and the game did not notify in advance. What point is there in developing a global strategic plan, if every next turn an invasion army will show up, but the game does not tell me in advance? I sometimes didn't even understand what was going on, like with the French force that I could not ship to Russia at all (that was on an unpatched version though).

3. Too many shipping and regional boxes. Campaign in Siberia simply too fragmented for my taste, transport to/from Murmansk completely fragmented.

Will it be possible to enter all regions in AJE?
Will there be notifications of upcoming events, for example: an invasion force will arrive in X in Y turns?
How many shipping / regional boxes?

Does recognize AGEOD these as major problems?

[OneArmedMexican]

Thank you Bohémond! It's really amazing that you and El Nino take the time to humour our questions.


@GlobalExplorer: while I agree with some of what you write, other things you call flaws, I would consider as strengths of the AGE games.

1. Neutral countries: AGE games aren't sandbox games. They strife for historical accuracy. I like it that Poland, Romania, ... stay locked. Anything else would be unrealistic. These are sovereign states, they wouldn't have tolerated infringements upon their borders by the civil war parties. Just imagine several thousand Red army soldiers wandering through Poland on their way in order to attack the French forces at Odessa from the West. The Polish would have never allowed this. It would have triggered war!

2. Advance warnings: I don't remember the early patches that well, but in its current version RUS (like the other AGE games) usually gives some advance warning about the big events (e.g.: it tells you that the Germans will retreat soon, that Western powers are preparing to intervene, that the Czechs will withdraw, same for the withdrawal of the expeditionary forces and Polish intervention). True there are a lot of smaller events that lack such warnings. But to me this is not necessarily a flaw. Some events in war are surprises. Grand strategies usually fly out the window the moment the first shot is fired and the need to improvize takes over. Why should a historic simulation be any different?
Having a huge amount of historical events shape the war is what sets AGEOD games from other wargames. They provide a level accuracy that few other companies manage to deliver. Admittedly, they will also force the player into certain patterns but once reinforcements arrive it is up to you what you want to do with them.

3. Off-map-boxes: I would assume nobody likes these very much. But I believe the RUS developpers were faced with a dilemma. They had to forge a compromise between two extremes: either make a map that includes all of Russia (it would have been 4 times as big as the current one and on most of it no action would have taken place - ever!) or leave all locations removed from the main theater of war (the European part of Russia) out. Both would have sucked worse than the current off-map-boxes. Admittedly, they can create choke-points. But luckily the developpers placed those wisely: with one exception (your example Murmansk), they never have become important in my games.
From the screenshots the AJE developpers have so kindly posted here, it doesn't look as if you will see many off-map-boxes in their game. The geography of the Roman Empire is luckily more neat then that of Russia.

[El Nino]

I have a question, concerning what I think are the three major flaws of the previous games.

1. One thing which I didn't like at all about the last AGE game, RuS, was the many regions which could not be entered. In some cases this makes sense, but I still think that if a player wants to violate a neutral border, it should be allowed.

2. The other was the fact that there were many scripted events and the game did not notify in advance. What point is there in developing a global strategic plan, if every next turn an invasion army will show up, but the game does not tell me in advance? I sometimes didn't even understand what was going on, like with the French force that I could not ship to Russia at all (that was on an unpatched version though).

3. Too many shipping and regional boxes. Campaign in Siberia simply too fragmented for my taste, transport to/from Murmansk completely fragmented.

Will it be possible to enter all regions in AJE?
Will there be notifications of upcoming events, for example: an invasion force will arrive in X in Y turns?
How many shipping / regional boxes?

Does recognize AGEOD these as major problems?

1. No, in fact, the map is ready for all the romans campaigns, but it's impossible for each scenario to create all the map with all the tribes (of Russia, Germania, Scandinavia...), for many reasons : many lands where unknown by the ancients and we know nothing about their leaders and troops (but they an be open for late empire), nothing is really interesting for the scenario to go on this far countries, and more you have independant tribes, more your PC will go slowly between the turns (think to PON), etc.
But yes, if you want to agress your neutral neighbours, it's possible for some scenarios (but don't cry after if you have too much ennemies oke:!)
Many minor nations during the scenarios could ally with you or your oppenants by options...

2. Yes. You could find all the notifications of upcoming events on that books : Tite Live, Tacitus, Dion Cassius, Appian...
More seriously, it's impossible to notice all the events for 2 reasons : 1. Events could go on OR not go on (it depends of %, of chosen options, of presence in game of some leaders, etc.), 2. It's impossible to notice if an invasion force will arrive in X in Y turns but possible to understand that the invasion force could arrive between turn X and turn X+12. We hope that we can give the notifications of the major events (but it takes time, time, and time..).

3. There are no many regional boxes on the map (exemple : south Egypt, far Arabia...), who represent only far lands from Rome and possible invasions entry...out of the main map.
Shipping sea boxes in the game are representing only commercial boxes (utilised for the pirates and commercial boats, exemple : Adriatic shipping commercial box). The naval war is directly on the map (be careful of the storms at sea during the Antiquity !!)

Apologizes for my bad English !