Reflections on the Spanish Campaign

[Offworlder]

We could plan some kind of event that triggers the game end once you set a certain level of VPs indeed

As for the British, it is true that the loss of Portugal and key ports in the Peninsula spells doom for them...although a few units should still arrive via Gibraltar. May be we should give them some leeway, like may be include Cornwall (Plymouth) as a base area... Let's see if this could be done

It would make sense to stop the game if the Peninsula is overrun.

BTW why not use North Africa? Ceuta is in Spanish hands at the begining of the game and could therefore be used as a base for gathering English forces. Considering that the French do not have any fleet and the English completely dominate the seas, it would be feasable to adopt Ceuta as a base.

Even more historical is the case to be made for the Balearics. The English kept a base in Minorca throughout Revolutionary times, and it wouldn't be that far fetched that they have one in Napoleonic times as well. Minorca was used as a base for English blockaders operating against southern French ports.

In both cases, English forces could be assembled there and then transfered to the mainland. I'm not sure if its feasable with the game engine though. Also, quite often the AI uses its fleets to bombard land targets and suffers unduly (sometimes eliminating such fleets).

Maybe I'm just daydreaming

[PhilThib]

The Balearic Islands would be the most logical and (indeed) historical solution

[Offworlder]

It happened again! Whole infantry brigades simply vanished. About six brigades disappeared, this time from what used to be Delaborde's and Thouvenot's division in the Army of Portugal, the Depot the Bayonne and Loison's forces as well. Normally this effects only the infantry with the artillery remaining intact and starts happening in when the turn counter hits the mid-40's. Another division which was sitting in garrison duty in Valencia started losing strength over time without receiving reinforcements and simply dissolved. Other divisions in the same city were unaffected...This is driving me crazy Unfortunately I can't seem to be able to attach the hist. files....

Another thing: 2 brigades (Gd Paris and 1/Pannetier) have as a second element the 7 Mecklenburg Bat. Is this an error? 2 units having the same unit attached, which gets wiped out and reconstituted over and over again. Obviously there are no reinforcements for Mecklenburgers ingame.

Last but not least, according to Chandler, the Provisional regiments and Battalion de Marche were discontinued in the army of Spain once Napoleon arrived on the scene. The Provisional regiments were absorbed in the regular army. The Battalion de Marche were reintegrated in their parent units. Can a 'reform' event be implimented through which provisional regiments become regular brigades akin to those in the Grande Armee? Battalions de marche could either be removed from gameplay, with parent units receiving consequent increase in size or maybe reconstituted as seperate regiments? This reform can be tied with Napoleon's arrival on the scene. Hope its possible gamewise...

Sorry for my whining...

[PhilThib]

It would be most important for us to get the saves in order to track the bug down

[Bylandt]

The Spanish campaign is my favourite.

Two remarks however:

1. In my last game with the Coalition I took Lisboa and destroyed Junot before Wellington appeared. A few turns later the "Cintra convention" happened and newly arrived Wellington was sent home. That seems absurd as he's obviously innocent.
BTW Shouldn't Wellington be replaced by Moore? As it is, there is noone with the rank to command the PA. Unless Hill has gained some victories.

2. How does this game end? With the coalition I took al cities on the map and still the game continued.

[FM WarB]

I've found another problem. For some reason, several French units vanish whithout reason throughout the game. This seems to be rather random, with each game behaving differently.

Ex, one unit that almost always vanishes is the Milice unit in Bayonne, and it almost always vanishes on the second turn. It is kept in play if it is integrated in a division, otherwise it will disappear over time. The same may be said of the Milice in Perpignan, but since it is part of Reille's division, it will only disappear if it is somehow left outside the division.

Of greater impact is what happens in 1809/1810. Several brigades simply vanish. I'm not talking about those units that leave with Napoleon (like the Guard) or others that leave at regular intervals when they are required to return to France (I got the excel sheet of events that lists the units to be removed). Units like the Graindorge brigades and several reserve brigades initially found in Bessiers' corps simply disappear.

The french provisional regiments and Legion de reserve regiments in the original 1808 french army reformed as line regiments 114-122. So if you are seing these line regiments as reinforcements, they are not really disappearing.

[FM WarB]

[quote="
d) Why do Spanish provincial militias get reinforcements from the regular soldier pool? After repeated calling of Spanish insurruction thingy, I ended up with about 150 militia unused replacements while supposed militia troops use up precious regular reinforcements.


[/QUOTE"]

Spanish provincial militia (those units at start of the campaign) were historically about as good as Spanish line troops. The game has them as sub type and Family Line to reflect this, which is fine.
If all levies subsequently raised were of subtype and Family Militia, not line, the replacement issue would be treated more accurately. A new militia batalion model would be needed (5 hits) with the other values basically the same as militia companies.
Yes, I've been looking at database files.

[PhilThib]

Spanish provincial militia (those units at start of the campaign) were historically about as good as Spanish line troops. The game has them as sub type and Family Line to reflect this, which is fine.
If all levies subsequently raised were of subtype and Family Militia, not line, the replacement issue would be treated more accurately. A new militia batalion model would be needed (5 hits) with the other values basically the same as militia companies.
Yes, I've been looking at database files.

Good point...let me know when you have found the way to do it so I can integrate it in the game, setup and events

[FM WarB]

It would involve changing the Unit files and adding a new Model file or two. Setup and Events files alterations would be needed. This I am not confident in trying, just yet. My only "modding" so far has been some model file fiddling, and giving Hessians blue coats in BoA.

[PhilThib]

Then send me by PM your models/units proposed change and we shall do the necessary for you...

[FM WarB]

Allow me a day or two to continue studying the database files, to make an intelligent proposal. I must admit, I've been somewhat diverted on the Russian Front, lately :-)

[FM WarB]

After playing out start of Spanish Ulcer (interrupted by critical error crash reported elsewhere) I dont think another class of weaker Spanish units is needed. The Spanish get killed in battles anyway, which is accurate. The French took Valencia, and Gerona and were about to grab Saragossa before Nappy even arrived in my aborted game, while historically it took three sieges to nab Gerona, and two bloody sieges to take Saragossa.
Suggestions made elsewhere to increase Spanish regular replacement pool would seem to be the way to go.

[sparta]

Or to make the militia more resistant during sieges. Historically the major problem with untrained troops with a reasonable fighting will (Militia/landwehr) was their lack of staying power in the open field, whereas they often conducted themselves reasonably well during sieges where formal training did not matter much.

[sparta]

I have now played the 1814 campaign as French - immensely enjoyable. trhe casualties and relative fighting qualities and casualties during battles seem much more balanced during this campaign. Now I am looking forward to playing 1813 which should be more of the same.

Should a review be done of the early campaigns, its a classic gaming problem that the french troops are made far to superior in the 180´5-7 period, whereas it mainly was superior operational skills of Nappy and the marshals vs the opposition ancien regime generals that carried the day.

[Prins van Oranje]

I have finally got round to playing this scenario - near the end of 1809 so far. It is quite different from the others I have played; the French are facing a dispersed and fluid allied army. As in the real thing, the Spanish war really is a difficult task for France. I cant believe people on page 1 of this thread are asking for the Spanish forces to be strengthened, and I play it 'normal' difficulty! I'm finding it very hard to get a co-ordinated strategy together, which I'm sure has something to do with the inability to concentrate force.

Whilst I think some of the problems raised on this thread are not problems of the game per se but products of a player's particular strategy, there have been a number of rather odd events that have occured. Or rather, perhaps they are odd because no explanation of them is provided.

[31KntBurke]

Hi,

While playing the Spainsh Ulcer Scenario, I noticed that Marshall Bessieres had gained experiance points up to the point that he leaves Spain, but losses them when he returns. Was this my imagination or planned? I have played this scenario to the end 3 times (all stalemates being the French) and this was the first time i noticed it.