Lone Generals and Scouts or Spys

[Captain_Orso]

I'd like to here about how many of you use a lone general as scouts or spies and how well it works?

Is there any way to counteract a lone general in a region acting as a spy or scout? Can he be driven off, captured or killed? Are their abilities to reconnoiter affected by anything? What is their detection rating?

Do they have to have access to some kind of supply? Will they starve at any time, if for example you put them in a region deep in enemy territory that has been plundered and let them sit there?

[Longshanks]

It works so well, it's not allowed in the tourney!

They are very hard to affect and will not starve. I've marched them from DC to NO before, right through the CSA.

[Captain_Orso]

Thanks for the reply Longshanks.

I was kind of afraid of that. I had one hovering around Norfolk for the longest time. It would appear every now and again and had me using 3 cavalry regiments garrisoning the entire area and I couldn't get rid of that pest.

Worse yet is when they appear in a river location, because unless you are right on top of them you cannot tell whether they are a combat unit or not and even then it's tenuous. It had me wasting my gunboats on trying to hunt it down and caused a lot of confusion for me, because the gunboats just sail on by without firing a shot even if you shuttle over the river region numerous times in one turn.

[Citizen X]

Using generals that way is kinda gamey anyways. I restrict myself to not to do it in my conduct of game.

[Captain_Orso]

I personally don't think that I've ever done it, but after my last game ended and I was doing some testing with what was left of the battlefield I found out that Athena does it a lot. It was something I hadn't realized before, or had forgotten, and it really confused me.

I really wouldn't mind if 1. the generals were vulnerable to some kind of counteracting actions, like capture or death, and 2. they were much less affective; I think that a lone man, even if you assumed that he were disguised or what ever, would be all that effective at reconnoitering the enemy unless he were specifically trained or talented at such an activity.

I'll still send my really bad generals out into the back-woods to read the newspapers until the war is over

[lodilefty]

WIA has "Spy units"

They are leaders, with

• really lousy Offense and Defense settings
• High "hide" setting
• Some supply
• Master Spy ability (the better to see you Gollum Gollum)

I'm tempted to tinker with the settings, but have a few other things to do

AACW has Belle Boyd and Pinkerton units with similar settings (Pinkerton has no ability)

[Jim-NC]

As to supply, you can't starve them out. They don't use any supply up.

They are bad at detection (a 1 I think). So they don't really give any info (except which general is in charge).

[Longshanks]

As to supply, you can't starve them out. They don't use any supply up.

They are bad at detection (a 1 I think). So they don't really give any info (except which general is in charge).

But they do show whether units are present or not. Since the Union can sail WAAAYYY up some of the rivers well within the Fog of War, that's useful info!

[Jim-NC]

In that respect, yes they are valuable. Gamey, but valuable.

[Captain_Orso]

I haven't tested this really, but it is sooooo gamey, even if they only have a 1 detection. If you could kill, capture or drive them off, I would say, okay, use at your own risk; but there is none.

I'll forgive Athena for doing this, but if I ever ran into this in a PBEM game, if I ever get around to playing one , I'd be a bit POed.

[Mickey3D]

I'll forgive Athena for doing this, but if I ever ran into this in a PBEM game, if I ever get around to playing one , I'd be a bit POed.

+1

This would definitively ruin my game pleasure.

[lodilefty]

I agree, but there is very little we can do in the DB or Engine to stop this....

Actually, kudos to Athena for doing it

[Longshanks]

I agree, but there is very little we can do in the DB or Engine to stop this....

Actually, kudos to Athena for doing it

It's easily fixed in a PBEM by prohibiting it via House Rules, which we have done in the current tourney.

[Captain_Orso]

I've been wondering about how to do that. Inevitably, whether playing the CS or the US I always find situations where I'm sending generals through enemy lines to reach locations where I need them. While playing the US it's usually sending them past Memphis and Little Rock to get to Fort Smith and Fayett, or when play CS, past Cairo, St Louis, Rolla, Springfield, etc. Of course they are always on the move and not standing around trying to spy or anything. Would that be allowed?

I guess in the end you would have to trust your game opponent to stick to the rules and bring it up if you ever notice anything amiss.

So, Athena, we've got a date with destiny. Put on your best Victoria's Secrets, because we're going to the mats

[Jim-NC]

As it is a house rule, it is between you and your opponent how to handle moving lone generals through enemy lines. I myself have done that (last time getting Magruder killed in the process) . I didn't need him where he was, but needed him 2 regions over (it so happened that the force he started in was surrounded).

[lodilefty]

As it is a house rule, it is between you and your opponent how to handle moving lone generals through enemy lines. I myself have done that (last time getting Magruder killed in the process) . I didn't need him where he was, but needed him 2 regions over (it so happened that the force he started in was surrounded).

Suggested house rule:

As long as the destination is another stack with non-leader elements, or an owner controlled region, the move is OK.

Destinations "in the void" outside of owner controlled regions are prohibited.

[Longshanks]

Suggested house rule:

As long as the destination is another stack with non-leader elements, or an owner controlled region, the move is OK.

Destinations "in the void" outside of owner controlled regions are prohibited.

In the tourney we treat them just like raiders, which means no issues in your own states, or the border states. Otherwise, it depends. However, teleporting isn't affected since it has its own rules and requirements.