Options

[Erik Springelkamp]

I would like to check if I understand all the options.

Media

Regroup armies (Off)
I don't understand why you would check this? It hides information (multiple stacks). It is already a pity that for enemy forces this option is always on, so you can see a stack with one size bullet, and not see the other stack with four size bullets.

Game

Activation Rule (Middle)
Middle position (large penalty, not prohibited) is standard?
Would the 3rd position (no movement) be more realistic?

Delayed Commitment (4th position)
I think I read somewhere that the long delay would give the most historical results?
Who would it favour?

Randomized Generals (1st position)
I don't think I changed this setting.
I guess you only change this after multiple replays?

Foreign Entry
This setting has no effect?

Naval Boxes Handling
What does this do?

Historical Attrition
Why is the default option not the historical attrition?

AI

I think learning the game is hard enough, so I try not to give the AI any bonuses until I start to win.

AI Detect bonus
1st setting

AI Ranking
1st setting. I assume this means the AI is not getting bonuses, not that it is beginning to act stupidly on purpose?

Aggressiveness
I left it at standard, as I assume aggressive doesn't necessarily imply better?

Use all behaviours
I leave this on as recommended.

Give AI more time
I checked this, because I want an intelligent AI (just not a AI with bonuses)
I find the calculation time negligible compared to my own orders, even on my low performance machine

Activation Bonus
No bonus. The game is hard enough as it is.

System

Error Logging
I checked this, just in case something happens.

Display Borders
I checked this, despite the large effect on scrolling when zoomed out, but I don't want to miss the information of the borders. I can live with the slow scrolling.

[yellow ribbon]

*whistle*
hard to give coordinated answer if the question is that long... first of all, the Options are the standard options of all Ageod games. some are not actively used from the game!




[color="#FFD700"]Delayed Commitment [/color](4th position)
I think I read somewhere that the long delay would give the most historical results?
Who would it favour?

if delayed, there will be a time gap between orders issued from you and stack acting like the orders, if i recall right. The troop enter the province but will not behave like orders were set, but hesitate more and more to attack.
since COHESION is important in AIE, i couldnt advise to set it higher if you play PBEM or as Barbarian faction. The idle troops regain full cohesion after long marches and you will have to face even harder situations



[color="#FFFF00"]Randomized Generals (1st position)[/color]
I don't think I changed this setting.
I guess you only change this after multiple replays?

not sure, but i believe it doesnt affect AIE. thinking about older games, there could be different stats for generals. that was the time generals were really scarce on the battlefield.
there are plenty of Commanders in AIE, you would simply exchange the good ones or concentrate them in a single major stack


[color="#FFFF00"]Foreign Entry[/color]
This setting has no effect

NO FOREIGN ENTRY IN AIE.
FI is handled by options and decisions



[color="#FFFF00"]Naval Boxes Handling[/color]
What does this do?

this is originally a option from Ageods American Civil war. there they split naval trade box from naval blockade box. Not important for AIE, at least not yet.




[color="#FFFF00"]Historical Attrition[/color]
Why is the default option not the historical attrition?


use historical attrition and [color="#FF0000"]YOU will suffer[/color] a lot of losses already if your troops stay idle and even inside structures/cities, as far i remember. It would spoil the game for most rookies, [color="#FF0000"]thus default is OFF[/color]

[yellow ribbon]

[[color="#FFFF00"]I]
AI Detect bonus[/I][/color]

for my part the testing was mainly on setting the TOOLTIP asked for, the normal medium setting. A good part of balancing was done around this setting.
of course everyone can use simpler situations


[color="#FFFF00"]AI Ranking[/color]


the lowest Rank you set penalties FOR THE AI

the highest rank, AI has more replacements, moves faster, regains cohesion faster, Stack penalty is reduced (command points penalty)
[color="#FF0000"]BUT NO NOMINAL BONUS, just recovering for AI is more easy[/color]


[color="#FFFF00"]Activation Bonus[/color]

the bonus means just, that the AIs dice roll on Activation (needed for offensive posture) based on the stratwegical value if i am right, will be passed more easy.
As AI tends to lay sieges and not to attack red-red, most of you will not see much deviation if playing around with this option

[Bertram]

On the "no movement" option for activation:
It is more realistic in some situations. It would forbid you to move troops when the commanding general isnt activated. At the standard option you get a movement penalty, but as the stack goes automatic to offensive mode when entering enemy territory, you can still attack. You can also dodge most of the penalty by assigning a different commander, of shuffeling between stacks. With locked units that isn't possible.
On the other hand, locking units is sometimes pretty unrealistic as well. A large force, locked one region away from supply, that stays there for several turns, starving to death, even when on friendly terrain and with no enemy in sight is pretty frustrating... A general hesitating to attack enemies, or to march into enmy terrain is one thing, a general taking over a year marching from Messina to Rome, because of low strategic rating is silly...
I personally think the locked units are ok with one week turns, but undue harsh with month long turns. Two week turns are somewhere in between .

[yellow ribbon]

On the "no movement" option for activation:
It is more realistic in some situations. It would forbid you to move troops when the commanding general isnt activated. At the standard option you get a movement penalty, but as the stack goes automatic to offensive mode when entering enemy territory, you can still attack. You can also dodge most of the penalty by assigning a different commander, of shuffeling between stacks. With locked units that isn't possible.
On the other hand, locking units is sometimes pretty unrealistic as well. A large force, locked one region away from supply, that stays there for several turns, starving to death, even when on friendly terrain and with no enemy in sight is pretty frustrating... A general hesitating to attack enemies, or to march into enmy terrain is one thing, a general taking over a year marching from Messina to Rome, because of low strategic rating is silly...
I personally think the locked units are ok with one week turns, but undue harsh with month long turns. Two week turns are somewhere in between .

especially since the main commanders (strategic value higher 3) have barely a problem with being inactive. for my taste simply to exploitable in PBEM, but i havent done since AACW

[wodin]

I had attrition on and stupidly moved across the Alps in Feb. My force went from PWR of around 900...down to 265...

Very stupid of me, but showed how historical the game is. As it would be suicide crossing the Alps in Feb.

Anyway on the whole attrition is tough for a newbie, mistakes or no mistakes.