Rating of Frederick in the game

[Florent]

I have verified with Christopher Duffy, the Prussians reverted (tried in 1745)back to fire after the losses at Prague.
And at Leuthen musketry was very much in evidence.

[Adlertag]

Do not forget the basic principle of all this... ANYTHING higher than ZERO is a BONUS.

Exactly, except strat. rating where anything above 3 is a "bonus".

[Rooster]

We need to judge from what they did historically... or actually, in some cases, from what they didn't.

I will pay for this game the minute it goes on order, regardless of how this issue is handled. So this is offered in the spirit of wanting the game to be as good as possible.

So, if you'll permit me to belabour you further, I'd like to say that we have evidence that Frederick was not relatively inept at defense, when compared with other commanders of his day (relatively inept being a 4 point difference with in rating with the best defender on the map).

At Leignitz he sought the high ground and let the Austrian attack come. Only when the moment was right did Frederick release regiments for the counter attack.

We also see a defensive - or at least an in-offensive - posture during the War of Bavarian Succession. Frederick encamped for months in front of enemy positions. They were not inclined to attack Frederick, nor was he inclined to assault. As a result, he precipitated negotions and prevented Bavaria from passing into the hands of Austrians.

This is a supple mind with an ability to defend and counter attack. Ratcheting down his defense rating to balance the game is one solution, but I don't know if it is the most historical one, though it may deliver historical results. That is much like the issue I have with the HPS France 1940 game - and that poor game engine can't hold a candle to this one.

[Generalisimo]

I will pay for this game the minute it goes on order, regardless of how this issue is handled. So this is offered in the spirit of wanting the game to be as good as possible.

So, if you'll permit me to belabour you further, I'd like to say that we have evidence that Frederick was not relatively inept at defense, when compared with other commanders of his day (relatively inept being a 4 point difference with in rating with the best defender on the map).

At Leignitz he sought the high ground and let the Austrian attack come. Only when the moment was right did Frederick release regiments for the counter attack.

We also see a defensive - or at least an in-offensive - posture during the War of Bavarian Succession. Frederick encamped for months in front of enemy positions. They were not inclined to attack Frederick, nor was he inclined to assault. As a result, he precipitated negotions and prevented Bavaria from passing into the hands of Austrians.

This is a supple mind with an ability to defend and counter attack. Ratcheting down his defense rating to balance the game is one solution, but I don't know if it is the most historical one, though it may deliver historical results. That is much like the issue I have with the HPS France 1940 game - and that poor game engine can't hold a candle to this one.

It is really quite obvious right now that we have a very different opinion on what is a successful defensive operation.
Anyway, we will have to wait and see... and in the end, even if Frederick is a 6-6-0 leader , you will still be able to mod it yourself to 6-6-6 if you want.
All AGEOD games are open to the modding community... and in things like this, it is most of the times, a matter of opinions.

[Sol Invictus]

I am wondering what exactly the difference would be if Frederick were rated at 1 for defense as compared with 3. Would it be easily noticeable or more subtle?

[arsan]

It would mean a +10%/-10% bonus for the units in his the stack when attacking.
IIRC each stack commander gives a +5% per off/deff point.

[Sol Invictus]

Ok, thanks Arsan.

[Rooster]

Anyway, we will have to wait and see...

That is going to be the tough part! Keep up the good work.

[Adlertag]

I am wondering what exactly the difference would be if Frederick were rated at 1 for defense as compared with 3. Would it be easily noticeable or more subtle?

So a leader (not the commanded unit receiving the bonus) with rating 3 is 200% more efficient than the one with rating 1.
So weighting carefully leader bonus is indeed important, especially because these ratings increase linearily.

[Sol Invictus]

I came across something that may have some bearing on Frederick's Defense rating. According to Christopher Duffy in his "The Army of Frederick the Great", Frederick was the driving force behind the appearance of the Ring Fort type of fortress defense at Schweidnitz that came to be the standard. This novel approach was apparently Frederick's own.

More to the point of his rating in the game, while not on par with Field-Marshal Daun in defensive camps, his fortified camp at Schmottseifen in 1759 and at Bunzelwitz in 1761 supassed the Austrian's in the opinion of Duffy. The Bunzelwitz Camp allowed his army to survive among a swarm of Austrians and Russians. Obviously Frederick prefered and was compelled toward the offense, but when called for he seems to have been very capable at the defense. Just something I came across that may help the designers in deciding Frederick's ratings.