AGEOD Forums

Hi! I've just picked the game up and am starting to get used to it. So far its wonderful, thanks so much to everyone involved. I have a few questions but let me start with some specifics. Thanks for any help.


I've played the tutorials, Bull Run, Shiloh, and the New Mexico Campaign. I'm now playing the Western Theater Campaign. All settings on default.

Q1

I'm playing the Union, I have 2 turns left in the game. I hit F9 to get the objectives' screen. I'm playing against the computer.

5 Objectives have a union flag Tucson (2), New Orleans (10), El Paso (5), Cairo (20), St. Louis (20).

But I own 4 Cities that just have crossed rifles: Nashville, Louisville, Chattanooga, and Memphis. What does the crossed rifles mean? Am I getting points from them? In looking at the difference, do I need a general in the city to get the points?

Q2


Are the victory conditions in these scenarios realistic? In Bull Run, I thought the game was so one sided for the Union, I tested it out by never moving a single unit and just hit end turn and won easily! Some of the other scenarios seem to be very one sided.


In my current game, I would think I did everything to win - I did get a little lucky in battles between Curtis and VanDorn But I am sitting at the end of January, I've taken every objective city besides Little Rock, Mobile, and Vicksburg. I've pretty much conquered all of Tennessee, have gotten to El Paso in the West, and conquered Arizona. I've taken Madison and am on the way to Little Rock, but probably won't capture Little Rock on the last 2 turns.

My National Morale is 150, but I'm not going to get to automatic victory levels. The Confederates have a NM of 78. I've won most of the battles, probably 80%, and Grant is undefeated. I've inflicted 83958 in casualties and taken only 59111, and I have 29,700 prisoners.


I would think that I have achieved a victory, but I am going to lose. I won't get the automatic victory in time. I'm behind on VP's 1364-1424. Are these results really 'losing'? I know I haven't played a lot of cards for victory points and used a few options on the F3 menu, but still I would think this should be a solid victory? Some of the options helped, I got VP's from a few. Its a little depressing.

Thanks again for any help.

The crossed rifles mean that your side has less than 50% loyalty in that region. Move a large force of troops there to improve loyalty.

I believe that some of the scenarios are just meant to be stepping stones so that the player can gradually work their way up to playing the campaigns.

Welcome to the forum!

To be a bit more specific, you need at least 1 "regular" Line infantry unit (not vols) to get vps from a province where you have less than 50% loyalty.

Hi breunorgamer and welcome to the forums

The crossed rifles are a bit more complex than that. They show contested control of a city, ei no faction controls the city.

To control a city depends partly on the loyalty of the population in the region.

- If your faction has >=51% loyalty in the region:
+ If your faction was the last to have an uncontested (no enemy units, which were not in PP (Passive Posture)) non-artillery combat unit not in PP in the region, your faction controls the city, until an enemy unit takes control of the city.

- If your faction has <=50% loyalty in the region:
+ If your faction has an uncontested (no enemy units, which were not in PP (Passive Posture)) regular infantry and/or late war cavalry unit not in PP in the region, inside or outside the city, your faction controls the city, until these units leave the region, at which time the city becomes contested, regardless of how much MC (Military Control) your faction enjoys in the region, even if 100%.
+ If your faction has >=1 non-artillery, non-irregular combat units not in PP inside the city, your faction controls the city.

In your case, dropping any non-artillery, non-irregular combat unit, including militia, into Nashville, Louisville, Chattanooga, and Memphis will gain you control of those cities, for as long as one of these units is inside the city, or loyalty increase to >=51%.

Thanks everyone, that really helps! I appreciate the detailed answers!

breunorgamer,

To address Q2 about Victory Conditions, several of the scenarios are lopsided and nearly impossible for one side to win, especially the short ones (Sibley!). CW2 doesn't give you a big victory splash screen, (on purpose) so it is kind of left up to you to award yourself a win or not. In your case, I would consider it a win, it sounds like you are dominating.

That said, if you want to "win" that scenario (1862 West) you need to take a look at the Objectives screen and interpret it carefully. The Union must take objectives early to gain a VP lead with enough turns remaining to overcome their initial deficit. It sounds like you might have "won" had you known earlier about the crossed rifles and the obscure rule that governs them.

The victory conditions in the 1862 West scenario are some of the best balanced in the game, IMO. Both sides can "win." In fact, it is so closely balanced in VPs that against difficult settings or a strong opponent the VPs in the Far West can actually decide the game. (It is hands-down my favorite scenario in the game, I actually like it better than the GCs.)

If you took all those objectives in 24 turns, then you are A) ready to up your difficulty settings, B) more than capable of winning in the Grand Campaigns, and C) will probably really enjoy replaying 1862 West as the other side on harder settings.

More on Q2:
(Not comprehensive)
Winnable for both sides:
Both GCs
1862 West
1863 something-or-other where you fight in the East and around New Orleans/Vicksburg (DLC?)

Totally Unbalanced:
Bull Run (Union)
Sibley (Union)

In other AGEOD titles, short scenarios often have a specific solution that you must uncover, and once you have figured it out you can pretty much win it every time. I feel like Atlanta and Shiloh are like that, but I haven't found it.

Thanks Armchair general. I'm trying to figure out exactly how VP's work. I haven't played much but I really like this Western Scenario.

Thanks also on the comments about the Sibley scenario and Bull Run, I also thought they were skewed.