Stealth technology in ACW ?

[Mickey3D]

In a PBEM, my opponent put gunboats along the Ohio river to prevent any crossing by my troops.

The issue is that I can't see the boats even if my cavalry is sitting next to the river segment :-(

Is it by design or a bug ?

Note : game version is 1.13b quickfix 9a

[Redeemer]

They went around the bend to hide until you try to cross and them come back to frustrate your designs to raid my happy citizens!

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Jim-NC]

Calvary does not have a good "detect sea/river" value. You need artillery to see ships (they have a good detect value against sea/river).

[Pocus]

That's strange because river gives +2 penalty to hide if I'm not mistaken. I can understand there is a problem if you are prevented from crossing because of ships, but your turn does not show them.

[Mickey3D]

That's strange because river gives +2 penalty to hide if I'm not mistaken. I can understand there is a problem if you are prevented from crossing because of ships, but your turn does not show them.

Here is my .trn file.

Look at messages 5 and 19 stating that cavalry can't cross the river due to ennemy fire.

[Pocus]

I think I understand, but this would need the confirmation from the other side. If the gunboat is passing by when your cavalry is crossing, then it will halt its movement, but then as it moves away, you don't see it anymore. do you see a gunboat during replay btw?

[Mickey3D]

I think I understand, but this would need the confirmation from the other side. If the gunboat is passing by when your cavalry is crossing, then it will halt its movement, but then as it moves away, you don't see it anymore. do you see a gunboat during replay btw?

Replay crashes the game

Moreover, I try several turns to cross the river with the same result and I don't think my opponent is making movement up and down the river

Redeemer, could you confirm to Pocus that you gunboats were static on the Ohio river ?

[Redeemer]

The gunboats were stationary. Files attached

[Jim-NC]

Mickey3D,
If you look carefully, your detection rating for the river zone next to your calvary is 4/1 (4 for land units, and 1 for sea/river units). Reedemer's gunboats must have a hide value of 2 or more. If you want to see how this works in your saved game, look at A. Foote's command at reelfoot lake. You have a detection rating of 4/3 (from Island # 10). A. Foote's command has a hide value of only 2. You can see his ships. From my earlier post, Calvary has a detection value of 2 for ships (-1 per area away, gives them a sea/river value of 1 in a river next to them). The Island # 10 batteries have a detection of 4 (-1 for each river area away means reelfoot lake has a detection value of 3).

[Mickey3D]

Mickey3D,
If you look carefully, your detection rating for the river zone next to your calvary is 4/1 (4 for land units, and 1 for sea/river units). Reedemer's gunboats must have a hide value of 2 or more. If you want to see how this works in your saved game, look at A. Foote's command at reelfoot lake. You have a detection rating of 4/3 (from Island # 10). A. Foote's command has a hide value of only 2. You can see his ships. From my earlier post, Calvary has a detection value of 2 for ships (-1 per area away, gives them a sea/river value of 1 in a river next to them). The Island # 10 batteries have a detection of 4 (-1 for each river area away means reelfoot lake has a detection value of 3).

Thanks for the insight.

Indeed this turn I was able to see the infamous Redeemer's gunboats. Does it mean that my detection value increase with the time or is there a random part in detection ?

[Jim-NC]

Thanks for the insight.

Indeed this turn I was able to see the infamous Redeemer's gunboats. Does it mean that my detection value increase with the time or is there a random part in detection ?

Could be either. Check the river section for detection. If it is still showing 4/1 (next to your calvary), then his ships hide value has changed. Could be that he has added ships to his fleet - lowering his hide value, or added something else (like a land unit). If the value is now 4/2, then your detection value has gone up. Without seeing your game, I can not answer more definatively.

[Pocus]

Hi,

I checked the saved game, there is no bug per se. The gunboat final hide value is 2 and the detection of cav in the river is down to 1... The code is ok for me, but Michael (Gray_Lensman) the AACW coordinator and me agreed we should raise the nav detection of land units to prevent this trouble. So expect an update in the next patch on that, and the problem will be solved.

[mikee64]

I like this upcoming change - thanks guys!

If you think about the scale of the game and the role of cavalry pickets/scouts (I'm thinking 1 or 2 man detachments here), these should be able to detect and report about gunboats guarding a river crossing or section of river easily.

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Jabberwock]

hehe

You mean I should find actual jobs for 2-1-1 one-stars? Sigh, grumble.

(ahead of time)

Not.

[Gray_Lensman]

deleted