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Epidemics
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:34 am
by DEL
Does anyone else think that epidemics are just totally devastating not just in their effect but also frequency? Ex. In my current July 61 campaign I've had it strike 4 times so far (bedtime has prevented me from seeing if it would happen a 5th time) to my CSA forces in Harpers Ferry causing more than 90% losses and draining my replacements at an incredible rate. Also, do medical units have any effect on stopping epidemics?
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 7:18 am
by veji1
I think they have to be in the stack to act. Where your troops inside the city ? because it should help...
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:03 am
by DEL
In the example I used, Jackson's Corps was in Harpers Ferry inside the city but didn't have a medical unit. I loaded up K Smiths division with all 18 elements and his pwr went from mid 400's to 13. Most of his elements were almost full red. I did have a medical unit in Manassas in an army stack which didn't suffer as many casualties. However, the army corps in Manassas suffered the 30% strength 50% cohesion loss of epidemic. Jackson's Corps just got hit 4 times in a row so even after sucking up a whole boatload of replacements, his elements are barely half full.
Do you need a medical unit in each Corps to be fully protected? If yes, then I don't know if I'll be able to round up enough doctors to go around when all the men seem to want to do is
FIGHT!!! 
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:41 am
by Hinkel
I think epidemics are quite historical.
From 600,000 americans died in the civil war, only 200.000 died by combat action. 400.000 died by diseases, epidemics etc.
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:48 am
by Korrigan
Hinkel wrote:I think epidemics are quite historical.
From 600,000 americans died in the civil war, only 200.000 died by combat action. 400.000 died by diseases, epidemics etc.
Exactly. Do not undersestimate how important it is to take care of your troops...

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:14 am
by veji1
Well I think the question here is how do you take care of your troops ?
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:17 am
by DEL
Korrigan
I take damn good care of my troops!!! You should see how fat and lazy my eastern troops have become

while the real fighting is being done out west in my perhaps futile attempt to hold off the Union masses.
But seriously, I know that more troops died of causes other than combat action. Just the idea that more than 90% of an entire corps is wiped out seems extreme, especially for game purposes.
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:21 am
by DEL
veji1
During this 4 turn epidemic, Jackson's Corps hadn't moved or engaged in combat. In my campaign I have let the east stalemate while I try to hold in Missouri and gain ground in Kentucky.
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:57 am
by jhdeerslayer
DEL wrote:Does anyone else think that epidemics are just totally devastating not just in their effect but also frequency? Ex. In my current July 61 campaign I've had it strike 4 times so far (bedtime has prevented me from seeing if it would happen a 5th time) to my CSA forces in Harpers Ferry causing more than 90% losses and draining my replacements at an incredible rate. Also, do medical units have any effect on stopping epidemics?
I've had the same struggle. Three division Jackson Corp in Harpers and get hits very frequently with epidemics and all my resources going to making replacements. In the city in this case and not sure if in or out matters or the role of medical units in this case. Maybe the AGEOD Designers can comment if this is intended or not and general advise.
I wonder if units can be totally eliminated by epidemics Team?
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:39 am
by Pocus
Epidemics have a tendency to be on the same troops, and they are perhaps a bit numerous... we will tweak numbers down, while trying to stay historical.
Second, we will reduce the amount of health lost (casualties) while keeping at a fair level the amount of cohesion lost, so that a medic is very important if you want to speed up recovery (the medic must be in the same stack).
Epidemics can never entirely kill an element, this would have led to unwanted side effects.
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:41 am
by jhdeerslayer
Pocus wrote:Epidemics have a tendency to be on the same troops, and they are perhaps a bit numerous... we will tweak numbers down, while trying to stay historical.
Second, we will reduce the amount of health lost (casualties) while keeping at a fair level the amount of cohesion lost, so that a medic is very important if you want to speed up recovery (the medic must be in the same stack).
Epidemics can never entirely kill an element, this would have led to unwanted side effects.
you da man as usual.

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:43 am
by Elmo
This feels like deja vu all over again. The exact same concern was raised in the Forge of Freedom forums when that game came out and they adjusted the numbers down. Great minds think alike.

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:51 am
by Pocus
problem is that if you want to be historical, you piss 90% of the players!
you da man as usual.

proposal done after some discussions with Philippe Thibaut, we decide these things together, two brains are better than one

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:53 am
by veji1
The whole thing is to actually make the epidemics more of trickle effect i'd say : ie 3-8% attrition on a stack per turn for 2 to 6 turns would represent pretty well a stack affected by an epidemic, with a greater loss of cohesion (ie 7-15%...).
Epidemics should not be too brutal, except if coupled with a situation where the unit is out of supply, besieged, stranded in swamps or something like this...
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:41 pm
by Pocus
We are hitting a scripting limit here... Epidemics will be upgraded to a full module, in the code, but not before several weeks at least.
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:22 pm
by DEL
Pocus wrote:Epidemics have a tendency to be on the same troops, and they are perhaps a bit numerous... we will tweak numbers down, while trying to stay historical.
Second, we will reduce the amount of health lost (casualties) while keeping at a fair level the amount of cohesion lost, so that a medic is very important if you want to speed up recovery (the medic must be in the same stack).
Epidemics can never entirely kill an element, this would have led to unwanted side effects.
Thx for the quick response Pocus. Just what I wanted to hear.
OUTSTANDING job to you and your team!!!

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:51 pm
by Primasprit
Pocus wrote:[...]Second, we will reduce the amount of health lost (casualties) while keeping at a fair level the amount of cohesion lost, so that a medic is very important if you want to speed up recovery (the medic must be in the same stack).[...]
Does a Medic actually influence the probability of Epidemics or only the recovery rate?
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:09 am
by Pocus
only the recovery rate... this would need a far more buffy scripting chains to achieve the effect you describe, so if we go that route, it is better to do that by code.
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:20 am
by Primasprit
only the recovery rate... this would need a far more buffy scripting chains to achieve the effect you describe, so if we go that route, it is better to do that by code.
OK, thanks for the info.
