Question About the Battle Screen

[richfed]

While a battle is ongoing, there is an animation that appears on the screen. There is a bold circular bar around it that is colored green and red. The amount of [color="DarkGreen"]green[/color] versus [color="Red"]red [/color]varies.

Is there any significance to this? Can you determine who is holding the upper hand as the battle progresses by watching this?

[Spruce]

green is good,
red is bad,

but it's only an indication that shows how things are cooking. F.e. if one of your corps makes it to the sound of guns - you'll see this in the green bar - so you might rejoice and actually "feel the battle".

But a more important indicator is your NM figure - that changes "real time". So if you see this flip up a few digits - you know you are making the day.

So - just for flavour and role playing - but check your NM indicator if you are fighting the real important ones.

F.e. you might lose 20.000 soldiers and the enemy only 10.000 - but if you destroy a large amount of his brigades that's also important.

That brings us to the concepts of tactical victory and strategical victory. For the CSA - the strategical victories are most important =

try to destroy the Unions corps (or at least dismantle them somewhat before they turn up North).

[richfed]

Thanks ... that helped a lot!!

[Spruce]

Thanks ... that helped a lot!!

just to give you the idea - I just won the game as CSA. In a last attempt to capture Richmond (Richmond costs you 50 NM) the Union invaded VA with 6 corps. Eventually I lost about 10 brigades - but the Union lost nearly double - enough to drive the NM above 175 and I won the game.

Casualties were roughly 35.000 (CSA) and 65.000 (USA) - 4 (5) confederate corps against 6 Union corps.

great game

[Big Muddy]

I've had several instances where the bar was 90% green and lost.

[aristoteles]

Same here,...

[McNaughton]

I think that the bar is a snapshot in time. The bar could be 90% green for that period of time, meaning that you actually won the last part of the engagement, but, as a whole, the battle was a defeat. Imagine it as a successful rearguard operation, that saved your army from complete defeat. I have seen the bar go from red to green, and back to red again, all depending on different ranges, and engagements (close assault vs ranged). It isn't a matter of watching the bar go green, and everything is ok. The longer it stays green, and the more green it is, the better.

[Big Muddy]

I think that the bar is a snapshot in time. The bar could be 90% green for that period of time, meaning that you actually won the last part of the engagement, but, as a whole, the battle was a defeat. Imagine it as a successful rearguard operation, that saved your army from complete defeat. I have seen the bar go from red to green, and back to red again, all depending on different ranges, and engagements (close assault vs ranged). It isn't a matter of watching the bar go green, and everything is ok. The longer it stays green, and the more green it is, the better.

I know what you mean, others may enter the battle at different times. A sure guide is to monitor morale, although this can go + or - at times also, (in same battle), I find it more reliable.

I notice in small battles the morale will change before the fight is over, so I know if I won or lost while the battle still rages.