Just finished first campaign

[[FS] Feltan]

...as the Americans, 1775....all the way through.

A few comments:

1. Game ran well, the only (minor) glitches were a few messages that showed the link instead of the text.

2. I won rather easily by points (over 1700 more points than the Brits). In the end, the Brits held Quebec, Ft. Detroit and Norfolk -- the latter they grabbed on the last couple turns of the game when my militia there disbanded in Jan of 1783.

3. The French intervention turns the tide...no doubt about it. The "big" battle of the game was the French fleet catching some unescorted British transports and destroying what was the largest British Army on the continent. I landed the French in the vicinity of Danbury, and marched them to New York and captured that back from the Brits, then the French marched up the Hudson and finally captured Montreal. The hike to Quebec turned out to be a bit too much, and I was never able to effect a decent seige of that fortress.

4. Washington and the main Continental army never left New England. They kept the New York-to-Boston axis open and clobbered several smaller British incursions.

5. Hint: in the early part of the game as the American do yourself a favor....burn every Indian villiage you can!

6. The AI played generally well, but I noted one thing that probably needs to be looked at: the Brit AI never took forces to winter quarters until the snow was already waist deep. I saw a couple of British stacks disappear -- and I assume it was due to weather. You learn really quick that in about September/October, you better be in or close to some sort of structure.

7. Why can troops that are in a fort still entrench? Is there any value to doing so?

8. Hint: it is a game of posts and pitched battle. Do not underestimate the value of a single militia regiment entrenched within a city. The AI will almost always lay seige, and you can slow down/stop a much larger force if you play your cards smart. Also, as noted above, the Brit AI will continue to seige while the snows start -- and I am quite sure that I killed many many more Brits on the outskirts of cities due to weather than they killed by laying seige.

9. Hint: as the American simply retreat when the British advance into an area, and attack when they abandon (or reduce forces) in an area. Do not go head-to-head with large British stacks: 1) there is no need to, and 2) you will lose. Be willing to lose any city for a period of time.

I am going to download the patch and give it a try as the Brits now.

Regards,
Feltan

[Dtry]

Based on you feedback here, I can see the million and a half things I did wrong. I lost in my American campaign.

[Coldsteel]

Yes, the French landing really did help. . . turned the tide back in the North area for me. . . .