Shipping Generating Engagement Points

[KG Erwin]

So, is there any sort of EP bonus by adding merchants to the shipping zones, or adding them to other zones (New England, for example)? I understand that the existing fleet generates EP, but do these max out (I'm referring to the French & Indian War campaign)?

Also, can ships of the line attack enemy merchants? I put a couple of ships in attack mode, but they failed to do any noticeable damage to the French. Are they simply too slow to catch the merchies?

[arsan]

Hi!

Its "engagement" points

Yes, adding merchants should increase the EP generation. Not sure if there is a cap
Your ship of the line can catch with the merchants. Adding some light ships to the fleet (frigates and the like) will help. But probably your SOL units already had some frigates. There is some luck factor involved, so you may not see engagement every turn.
When the engagement happen will not see a normal battle (on the boxes a special system is used), but your ships will get some hits on the enemy fleet, eroding their cohesion and health and you can eventually destroy them.
A lien on the message log will inform you about this engagements.

The French can also send combat ships there to protect them and you can send escorts to protect your merchant if the enemy tries to attack them.
Cheers!

[KG Erwin]

Thanks, Arsan. Sorry for my terminology confusion -- all that matters to me is that more EP equals more opportunities to buy assets. As the Brits, I try early on to build a replacement pool and buy more supply units. The key to survival, it seems, is to get depots built and establish regional power bases.

I have to constantly remind myself NOT to get too ambitious too soon. Patience is a virtue that must be acquired in order to win.

[arsan]

I have to constantly remind myself NOT to get too ambitious too soon. Patience is a virtue that must be acquired in order to win.

Indeed! You will be swamped with British reinforcements soon

[lodilefty]

There is no cap, but the return fromadded ships is 'diminishing'...

..some sort of non-linear progression [regression??] that eludes my math skills no matter how many times Pocus explains it to me

[KG Erwin]

Ahh, so there IS a point of "diminishing returns". Interesting. It makes sense, as the homeland is not an unlimited pool of engagement points to be drawn upon. After all, the Brits are involved in a world war, so assets are stretched. The maximum level for the North American theater is not immediately revealed -- the player just needs to figure out what the limit is. Yes -- understood. The theatre commander must realize that resources are finite, but must exercise accounting principles to ensure that every last bullet can be squeezed out of the empire's capital expenditures.

Dang -- economics in this game are underappreciated and not well understood, but I'm given to believe that one ignores them at their peril. The focus given upon supplies & logistics is unlike any wargame I've ever seen. This is one reason why I find it so fascinating. The basics are this -- give your men food & ammunition, and they will fight. Actually getting those neccesities to the troops is the tough part.

[lodilefty]

Ahh, so there IS a point of "diminishing returns". Interesting. It makes sense, as the homeland is not an unlimited pool of engagement points to be drawn upon. After all, the Brits are involved in a world war, so assets are stretched. The maximum level for the North American theater is not immediately revealed -- the player just needs to figure out what the limit is. Yes -- understood. The theatre commander must realize that resources are finite, but must exercise accounting principles to ensure that every last bullet can be squeezed out of the empire's capital expenditures.

Dang -- economics in this game are underappreciated and not well understood, but I'm given to believe that one ignores them at their peril. The focus given upon supplies & logistics is unlike any wargame I've ever seen. This is one reason why I find it so fascinating.

I read a quote somewhere:

"Amateurs study strategy and tactics. Professionals study logistics"