Seeing Battle Screens in PBEM

[Longshanks]

As some of you know from reading other posts, I'm in my first PBEM game and therefore I have lots of n00b questions. Here's one.

One of the problems of PBEM is that I can't see the battles on the hour by hour animation, so I'm missing details of what happens in them. Is there anyway I can see these (I'm not talking about replay which doesn't show these anyway)? Is this only for the host to see?

Thanks!

[Durk]

You miss the animation, but you are not missing the details, just the battle play. The details are all in the red battle note in the bottom panel.
The battle play is interesting to watch, but you really do not care about the battle blow by blow. This is simply a way to keep you interested while the game machine resolve the battle.
The after action report displayed when you double click the red turn by turn report is a fully detailed account.
It took me sometime to realize this in my first PBEM.

[Longshanks]

Yeh, I go over the battle report for important battles with a fine tooth comb. But it looks like there's no place to see the blow by blow account, or at least perhaps it doesn't matter.

[Durk]

That is my take. You cannot watch the blow by blow unless you volunteer to host. Then you can see the blow by blow.
As for game play, you have all the vital data in the battle report summary. When you learn to read the conditions making you more successful or less successful, this provides you an idea of the effect of doctrine, strategies and leaders. The animation is just fun.

[Pat "Stonewall" Cleburne]

I'm actually playing a PBEM where we both host half the turns. You get a turn from your opponent, input your orders and process like normal. Then you save your orders for the next turn and send them with the other files. Voila, each side processes every other turn.

[TheDoctorKing]

And if you really insist on seeing the whole thing, have your opponent send you the .rpl file and you can watch the turn execute.

[Carrington]

And if you really insist on seeing the whole thing, have your opponent send you the .rpl file and you can watch the turn execute.

I'm guessing he actually does that. It's just that he doesn't get to see the animated dial that shows the course of a battle.

[Longshanks]

Yes, Carrington is correct. I do like the idea of co=hosting. very nice.

[Cromagnonman]

Sounds like PBEM without sharing the rpl file could give a big intel bonus to the host.

[Mickey3D]

Sounds like PBEM without sharing the rpl file could give a big intel bonus to the host.

Definitively the host have to provide the rpl file to his/her opponent. Running the replay can sometimes provide you with useful information on ennemy moves.

[Pat "Stonewall" Cleburne]

Yes, Carrington is correct. I do like the idea of co=hosting. very nice.

The great thing about co-hosting is you get to put in orders for 2 turns at a time instead of one. It helps my strategies be more coherent.

[Durk]

What a great idea to co-host.
Thank you so much for adding this idea.

[Longshanks]

Just to be clear, I do get the replay files. I'm going to be proposing the 2 turns at once approach in my current PBEM, if I can get through the language barrier. Dudosh is German, and his English is better than my German. We get the commo done, but it can be a bit slow. I bet he's already done this anyway.

If you're reading, Dudosh, what do you say?

[John Sedgwick]

Huh, that's a really good idea, hosting every other turn. Do you find it makes the game go faster, too?

[Pat "Stonewall" Cleburne]

Huh, that's a really good idea, hosting every other turn. Do you find it makes the game go faster, too?

TheDocterKing is the one who showed me how to do it. 2 turns at a time should be faster. On some hard turns, it's taken me 2 hours to finish my orders though. You also have to resist the urge to rush or postpone attacks for the turn you can see it on. Stuff like "I was going to attack next turn, but I'll atack this turn so I can see the result immediately" type of things.