One feature a day series #4 : Units and Generals
Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:10 pm
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Units in CW2 are greatly varying in their role and size. When we developed ACW1, some years ago, we really asked ourselves if this was not an error to propose to players units ranging from a few dozen men to large brigades nearing the thousand troopers. We can definitively give the answer now: it works!
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But why does it works? Because units are not the smallest entity handled by the game. Units are made of another smaller echelon named elements. These elements are really what matters when you command troops or fight a battle. Elements are much closer in size between each other and this by itself solves a lot of issues in a very natural way. For example takes the concept of frontage or battlefield width to put it in a more understandable way. You don't expect the game to allow an infinity of soldiers fighting at the same time against each other, particularly in cramped places like a fort, a wild and thick forest or in a mountain pass. CW2 handles that pretty well and automatically, because the number of elements allowed to fight is what matters, and not the number of units (imagine 3 divisions against 3 bands of partisans, that would be a short and bloody affair for the partisans in this case!). Command works the same, with bigger units needing more 'command points', so a general will often not be able to command more than 3 divisions worth or alternatively a lot more of smaller units.
Talking about generals, these fellows are very diverse in CW2. Some are Army generals and can command a lot of troops, some are more humble brigadier-generals. They all have three important statistics though: strategic rating, offensive rating, defensive rating. A few also have some special abilities, providing various exceptional effects, like Training Officer, Blockade Runner, Artillery specialist, etc. One of the particularity of CW2 (and the AGE engine series of games in general, pun intended) is that bad generals can't be disposed easily by the player, so that good (but still unknown historically) generals get the best soldiers. If you do so, by removing from command the most senior generals, prepare yourself for a bit of turmoil, as their grumbling will translate in lost victory points and national morale!
There would be much more to say about units and generals. They are one of the pillar of the game and handling them with care and attention, nurturing them even, is one of the joy of CW2. At first you may want to grab troops in huge stacks and throw them at the enemy, to satisfy some hunger for blood... but we really advise you to look at these virtual men in more details, so you get to learn of their strengths and weaknesses. They are definitively worthy of your attention, if only to remember that they are the electronic avatars of people who gave their life for their country, a long time ago.
[ATTACH]24263[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]24264[/ATTACH]
Units in CW2 are greatly varying in their role and size. When we developed ACW1, some years ago, we really asked ourselves if this was not an error to propose to players units ranging from a few dozen men to large brigades nearing the thousand troopers. We can definitively give the answer now: it works!
[ATTACH]24266[/ATTACH]
But why does it works? Because units are not the smallest entity handled by the game. Units are made of another smaller echelon named elements. These elements are really what matters when you command troops or fight a battle. Elements are much closer in size between each other and this by itself solves a lot of issues in a very natural way. For example takes the concept of frontage or battlefield width to put it in a more understandable way. You don't expect the game to allow an infinity of soldiers fighting at the same time against each other, particularly in cramped places like a fort, a wild and thick forest or in a mountain pass. CW2 handles that pretty well and automatically, because the number of elements allowed to fight is what matters, and not the number of units (imagine 3 divisions against 3 bands of partisans, that would be a short and bloody affair for the partisans in this case!). Command works the same, with bigger units needing more 'command points', so a general will often not be able to command more than 3 divisions worth or alternatively a lot more of smaller units.
Talking about generals, these fellows are very diverse in CW2. Some are Army generals and can command a lot of troops, some are more humble brigadier-generals. They all have three important statistics though: strategic rating, offensive rating, defensive rating. A few also have some special abilities, providing various exceptional effects, like Training Officer, Blockade Runner, Artillery specialist, etc. One of the particularity of CW2 (and the AGE engine series of games in general, pun intended) is that bad generals can't be disposed easily by the player, so that good (but still unknown historically) generals get the best soldiers. If you do so, by removing from command the most senior generals, prepare yourself for a bit of turmoil, as their grumbling will translate in lost victory points and national morale!
There would be much more to say about units and generals. They are one of the pillar of the game and handling them with care and attention, nurturing them even, is one of the joy of CW2. At first you may want to grab troops in huge stacks and throw them at the enemy, to satisfy some hunger for blood... but we really advise you to look at these virtual men in more details, so you get to learn of their strengths and weaknesses. They are definitively worthy of your attention, if only to remember that they are the electronic avatars of people who gave their life for their country, a long time ago.
[ATTACH]24263[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]24264[/ATTACH]
