Saves and Depots

[MarsRobert]

When doing saves it would be very useful to do 'waypoint' saves, so to speak, like at the beginning of each campaign year. This would be especially helpful in tough scenarios like playing Marius in the first one. If I could revert to a waypoint save, I wouldn't have to keep restarting from the beginning of the scenario like I've been doing. I had sort of assumed that the duplicate save function would satisfy this need. The trouble is, in testing it out it seems that after bringing up that duplicate save the game then defaults to autosaving it to that same file every turn. So what do I have to do to avoid this? When I bring up an old waypoint save, immediately name the file to something else?

Also, I have yet to build any depots. When are they necessary? It seems to me that depots would be a waste of good supply wagons that you would be better off leaving with your main armies. Also, in light of the often fluid and chaotic conditions that prevail in this game, it seems to me that depots would be especially vulnerable to another faction doing an end run on you and destroying them. Someone please tell me what I'm missing by not creating depots?

[Pat "Stonewall" Cleburne]

Go to your AJE folder and find the saves folder. It keeps a backup of the last 6 turns for each game. Backup 1 is the last turn ran before the current one and it goes back a turn each time until backup 6. Just copy+paste the files in the backup into the main folder of that save. You can just alt+tab out, switch the files, then reload the save. It's a good way to test out different strategies.

[vonRocko]

That's a good question on depots. I have yet to see the need for them. Perhaps future add ons will make them more important?

[MarsRobert]

Go to your AJE folder and find the saves folder. It keeps a backup of the last 6 turns for each game. Backup 1 is the last turn ran before the current one and it goes back a turn each time until backup 6. Just copy+paste the files in the backup into the main folder of that save. You can just alt+tab out, switch the files, then reload the save. It's a good way to test out different strategies.

Thanks Pat. Although I would have preferred being able to go back a full year or more, what you described may suit my needs if I can't find a way to effectively use the duplicate save function.

BTW, I do think that AJE is one of the strongest grand strategy games I've ever seen and a Roman lover's dream, but the save functionality is not one of its stronger features. By comparison, the Bethesda RPG's (Elder Scrolls, Fallout) keep a huge number of saves, and you can name a save whatever you like and it will never be over-written or deleted unless you want to. I know comparing the tiny AEGOD to the huge Bethesda may not be the fairest of comparisons, but as the kids would say, "Just sayin'."


The way I see it, an AJE scenario is like a big complex puzzle, and once you successfully finish one section of the puzzle it would be very helpful to be able to save it to possibly fall back on if your subsequent strategies don't work out, rather than having to restart the scenario from the beginning as if playing an 'ironman' game.

VonRocko - Thanks for the reply. It tells me that I'm not the only one who has been scratching his head in mystification regarding the creation of depots.

[MarsRobert]

OK, I figured out how to do an end of year 'waypoint' save. Do a CTRL + click as the tool tip states, save the duplicate under a new name, then go to the load screen and load the auto save game (which will at this point be the same as your waypoint save). Now the game will auto save to the usual file rather than your waypoint save. I'm also sort of assuming that when you load an old waypoint save, you will need to immediately do a rename-duplicate save again otherwise you will loose that waypoint save. Anyway, no harm, no foul.

Great! Now I can play the game year-by-year (repeating years when necessary) until I hold a triumph in Rome with Sulla in chains!

[Dragoon!]

That's a good question on depots. I have yet to see the need for them. Perhaps future add ons will make them more important?

Firstly, they increase the supply level, which is always a good thing.

Secondly, they assure that if you park a unit on a depot for a turn, they will get missing element replacements. (look for units with white chevrons on the left side)In the Spartacus scenario, for instance, most of your slave units are missing about half their elements, and if you have the replacement chits, you'll recieve the element. So, depots are critically important for repairing beat-up or understrength units.

[Searry]

Place depots to strategic locations with level 2 forts or higher. You can easily send your supply wagons there to replenish and then bring them back later. I always build my depots on the coast so I don't have to waste supply wagons. Money's usually abundant or easily acquired so spending 100 denarii in a transport fleet isn't a big investment. Level four depots are really important in more undeveloped areas.

[MarsRobert]

Thanks Dragoon and Searry for the clarification. OK, I think I have it: Build depots on level 2 (or greater) forts and they will improve the supply in the general area as well as providing instantaneous supply wagon replenishment and replacements (assuming you've allocated the replacement points).

BTW, just got my first win in the game. Definitely most satisfying.

[stormbringer3]

Searry,
Would you explain further your opinion about building depots on the coast so you don't have to use supply wagons? Are you using transports?
Thanks.

[Dragoon!]

...as providing instantaneous supply wagon replenishment and replacements (assuming you've allocated the replacement points).

I was checking out the manual and it looks like if you're playing with hardened attrition on you can only get replacements for hits and elements in depots only (assuming the manual is right about this). I've never played with it off so I don't know if you can get replacement elements (probably at a lower %?) anywhere with that rule OFF

Also, in older AGE titles it always took two wagons to build a depot. It only takes one in Aje, so it's pretty cheap

[yellow ribbon]

, so it's pretty cheap

frankly, i can imagine many things to make it harder for you (and feel i am not alone with this mind), but after the testing i thought we should rather test the supply situation in a "field test"
as you can see, many discussions were raised about the supply topic lately, as well it was a main concern in other forums and a game review even considered it an "innovation", not knowing other titles of AGEOD.
as i figure, to have too many supply wagons in game was, lets say handy for such people to get into the game. but that many supply wagons means also more depots building, exploiting players yes...

fewer supply wagons for Romans?

longer construction time for depot steps, and only one level at the time?

construction time for supply wagons considerably longer ?

[yellow ribbon]

Searry,
Would you explain further your opinion about building depots on the coast so you don't have to use supply wagons? Are you using transports?
Thanks.

the trick goes as follows,

you use a fleet, bring it to a harbor with supplies, give some supply to that units there and build a depot with the transport fleet then. this improves the situation to that degree that both, land units, as well as fleets could be faster resupplied and later, other supply wagons be refilled here and shipped to other spots of the new battle fields.
Not important in all scenarios, but in the large ones. especially if you try to seize all the map