WoN current state

[veji1]

I've played over 300 hours of WoN against the AI and after 2 full campaigns I gave up. There are so many problems with the game I finally uninstalled it as the devs are obviously not doing any improvements to the games which was a shame as I really was looking forward to a good Napoleon era game and this was a major disappointment. I'm still looking for a good Napoleon era game to play against an AI.

Same the game is simply unplayable as single player. It only makses sense if you play MP or are one of those superior minds who enjoy playing hotseat against yourself.

Myself I am just waiting impatiently for the Ultimate general game on the napoleonic period that will inevitably come.

[Durk]

I will suggest to both of you to enjoy pbem multiplayer gaming. There are other Napoleon games for AI play which are great, but this one, like the classic game Diplomacy, requires live opponents.

[elxaime]

I will suggest to both of you to enjoy pbem multiplayer gaming. There are other Napoleon games for AI play which are great, but this one, like the classic game Diplomacy, requires live opponents.

I think there is an audience for that, but it is a hard core niche of a niche. Aside from the practical problems of getting seven players who are punctual and history minded and able to engage for the long term (e.g. you don't get someone who decides, as Spain, he would like to transport his army by sea to attack Russia in 1805), the diplomatic system for all the small nations is problematic and the scripting issues for some events require house rules. Yes, it can be done, just like you could set up the old monster board war games on a ping pong table in your garage back in the old days. But as a practical matter, many potential customers will be deterred by the amount of effort required to make a supposed leisure activity fun.

This is backwards, from a commercial perspective. AGEOD should focus on designs that are accessible, including to those who choose to play the AI. As the money rolls in and the customer base broadens, including the necessary young new customers, then you can use those resources to develop DLC or options for the hard core.

I am with you in spirit. But having already tried multiplayer PBEM, unless you hit the sweet spot and have your closed circle of grognards - which is not most people - it is a frustrating experience. Add to that the fact that AGEOD has an unfortunately small team that struggles to support and fix flaws in a timely way. I love the AGEOD approach on substance and have bought most of their products. But I have to be honest as well about the shortcomings.

[Durk]

Well, I do disagree. I would describe the players I engage (mostly) as players out for fun and for a quasi-historical experience. You can parse the seven players to three if this provides you more manageable group
Several options: But letting the diplomacy lead so players shift countries played. For instance, France and Spain initial are one player, but when Spain revolts, if it does, then England controls Spain.
It is a fun game, well designed, and actually pretty accessible for any player who loves AGEOD games as much as I do.
But for a dedicated gamer who loves only playing AI, just play all the factions of your side:
If, for instance, you start playing France and Spain, you work to get Austria, Sweden and Prussia on your side. It is very doable single player if you are willing to play all factions on your side, which is what you would do if the game defaulted to you playing this factions. In other words, think of playing the French or the British alliance instead of a single nation, and it works fine.
And, I think you will find few bugs with the most recent patch.

[csiemers]

And, I think you will find few bugs with the most recent patch.

After the last patch and starting a new campaign game, when I found a Russian horse artillery unit running around Holland by itself was the last straw with me. That was when I finally said enough was enough.

[BigDuke66]

Same with me and CWII when the army protection Richmond thought it was a good idea to march off to West Virginia, I assaulted Richmond, game won in 1862.
Although AGEOD seems to orientate their games for Human vs AI gameplay, you can only play the more complex game human vs human and in my eyes it's a lost opportunity to put out DLC that provide scenarios made for PBEM. For some games there already mods in that direction like EAW, and a some effort such mods could provide the community with really good PBEM games while AGEOD get some income that in the game business is always handy.

[Captain_Orso]

Way wAy WAY back when--god, I feel so old --when I was playing Empires in Arms with a big group--weekly FtF (what a rollicking time )--you didn't get to play two allied factions, only factions, which had little to do with each other, like Spain and Turkey. But that's just how we did it.

In the AAR game I was playing with Steelwarior77, we divided up along allied lines; he played Britain and Prussia, and I played Austria and Russia. We massively coordinated with each other as well, so ...

Athena does some things which appear illogical, like marching away from Richmond or northern Virginia, which were actually very historical moves by Lee. Only most players don't listen to Lincoln's panicked cries and just march on Richmond, regardless of what happens, because, hay, sudden win is sudden win, and you can always rush back to defend Washington for a last second save; no one has ever been fired by Lincoln yet in this game, so...

[BigDuke66]

Northern Virginia would have been fine, but as far as I remember it was West Virginia, it seemed Athena aimed for Pittsburgh.

[Captain_Orso]

But of course! Pittsburgh is one of the Union's most important industry cities, and for it's importance and proximity to the Confederacy, one of the least garrisoned. Until I learned to take the danger serious, I had Jackson or Longstreet setting in Pittsburgh a bunch of times

I think the most interesting story was once when I had finally scraped a force large enough to challenge Longstreet's Raiders sitting the the Steeler's city, and battled with him a couple of times, winter was pitilessly marching on the northern Appalachians. Athena wasn't even cooperative enough to stand still, so that I could run against her entrenchments. Oh, no, she had to send some brigades to attack and capture neighboring towns, leaving my poor shivering boys to glare hotly at the Johnnies, while snow floated merrily onto their ranks. And then I receive some desperately needed reinforcements in western Pennsylvania, when in the last minute, Longstreet and his raucous boys jumped on to the steamboats (RivTP) and sailed merrily down the Ohio to freedom, drunk on all of the best Pennsylvania bourbon they could carry. I have never been so surprised by Athena than in that moment