Pursue and Destroy [kind of long]

[Roger B]

My first posting. I just purchased the game last Friday and I've jumped into the '61 Campaign (I've been playing war games for 30 years so I usually just go feet first) and I have been very impressed. This is the kind of game I love: organization, logistics, grand strategy. Good stuff. Overall this is a great game and I've only experienced little of it so far!

I have the fog of war turned off since I thought it'd be a better learning experience to see what the enemy is up to. Its only Sept. '61 and I'm the Union. I see Gen. Beauregard on the southern side of the Potomac north of Winchester with a force of four artillery and a few supply wagons. Not quite sure what he's doing with this force other than supporting Jackson who along with his pals are in Winchester. I'm in Harpers Ferry and manning the Potomac line.

Beauregard did something I don't think I've seen anyone do in any wargame in my life, he crossed a river with limbered artillery and wagons into a waiting division and three brigades of cavalry. Unless I read his makeup of his forces wrong that seemed to be quite a stupid thing for the AI to do. After a good drubbing his force fled back across the river.

Now, here's my question. What is the best way to pursue and destroy as far as order given and directions? I have three brigades of cavalry with a 4 leader waiting to go. Beauregard is dragging guns and wagons. Figuring his force will be on passive to try to escape I might as well go on the attack and enter the area with the hopes of crushing his force. Barring any intervention by other forces in the area (Jackson) I'd think this could be easily accomplished.

I thought of plotting the cavalry's movement in two different directions over a couple of areas in the hopes of catching him.

Any thoughts on the best way of pursuing in this game?

[GShock]

AI logic pursues retreats quite effectively. The best way you have to destroy or capture enemy forces is by:

Inflicting heavy casualties in decisive battles (capture prisoners in mass rout).
Control territory so that a retreat is impossible (manouver for Military control).
Defeat, pursue and lock under siege (careful of relief parties).

Of the three, the second is the hardest way.
It is too soon for you...read the manual 10 times while you enjoy the game and you'll see how much harder it gets when you switch to more advanced settings.

Don't hesitate to ask any question. I suggest you to read this while you're at it:
http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=6823

[Banks6060]

Really the only way to "pursue" any enemy stack is to take your command, drag and drop it directly on top of the stack you wish to pursue. You'll see a note at the top of the screen telling you that you have "targeted" that stack. Your pursuing stack will pretty much try and follow that stack wherever it goes. But generally, it's really tough to track the enemy down after a big fight. The only way you can to that really...is hope that after he loses...he doesn't actually retreat OUT of the region....but WITHIN it so you can quickly follow up your victory.

[arsan]

Hi Roger! Welcome to the forums.
You can order you stack to directly pursue the enemy stack by dragging your stack on top of the enemy one. You will see a little icon with two red crossed sabers appears by you stack indicating they are pursuing them.
In the same way you can point on of your stacks over another of your to order them to merge together. If the second stack is moving, the first will follow them.
With this ordered your cavalry will try to follow the enemy arty wherever they go. In this case (your units are fast, the enemy slow) you have good possibilities to catch them.
But beware: your pursuing units can follow the enemy stack somewhere dangerous (like the region Jackson force are) and get in trouble.
Just in case, i would put them on offensive posture (orange) with the attack and retreat "Rule of engagement" button selected (blue) so they try to run away if things go badly.

About the AI, yes she sometimes do strange things... leure: the game is very complex and she is not perfect. But at least AGEOD continue to work on her and improve her patch after patch.
If you play with fog of war enable, instead of seeing all her sometimes questionable moves you will see just the "big picture" of her movements and the effect will be better.

By the way, are you playing with the last patch installed (1.10d)??
If not, i strongly recommend you to update as the game has turned much better since 1.00 version.

Regards!

[Roger B]

Thanks for all the quick advice!