Bought the game, first questions.

[stormbringer3]

I just purchased RoP Gold. What are the recommended AI settings? I remember from ACW it was advised to have the AI play on a less aggressive setting.
The PDF manual that came with the game is version .10 2/15/2010. Needless to say, there is no info about the Gold enhancements and changes. I looked in the game folder for some kind of readme but I didn't see one. Is there somewhere to read about the Gold features not in my manual such as the Regional Decision Cards?
Thanks for any opinions and help.

[Pat "Stonewall" Cleburne]

In my previous experience the AI worked pretty good on default settings with maybe a +1 or 2 to detection rating. I play on Lieutenant difficulty for a decent challenge. The gold version mainly adds some 1740's scenarios and a 4 player pbem version of the grand campaign.

[loki100]

For the cards, I think the only information is the tooltip. They are mostly intuitive but a couple of things to bear in mind. The one that improves your military control (scouting? - not got the game open at the moment) is good for allowing your heavier units (guns, supply trains) to move into enemy territory. For others, if you look at them, they cost something (NM, EP, Cash) and give something different in return (those + manpower). So regard them as a means to either gain something you really need at a particular stage or to convert a surplus (say cash as the Prussians) to something you need.

Good choice to buy, it is a gem of a game and covers a period too often overlooked. Its worth playing the 'Saxony' scenario a few times to get used to the differences. As to AI, give it more time but don't give it a detect bonus - if you do that it tends to start doing rather suicidal deep raids

[stormbringer3]

A new question. I was playing the Saxony scenaio as recommended. I was given the messages that several generals were promotable and their names were highlighted red in the ledger. However, when I looked, I couldn't find any promotion icon. Are promotions enabled in this scenario and if so, what am I missing.
Thanks for any help.

[loki100]

best is to note the names (from the event file) and then find them on map - I forget quite the mechanism but I think it is a flashing medal.

In the full campaign, from about 1761 onwards, its not always a good idea to promote (you may need more brigadiers than corps commanders for some armies)

[stormbringer3]

Thanks for your answer, especially about not always promoting. The officer unit detail panel in my game has a slightly different format than the manual and the line "May earn promotion: " is not there. I think that could be the issue unless RoP Gold has a different promotion method that I haven't figured out yet.
Thanks for any help.

[Erik Springelkamp]

best is to note the names (from the event file) and then find them on map - I forget quite the mechanism but I think it is a flashing medal.

In the full campaign, from about 1761 onwards, its not always a good idea to promote (you may need more brigadiers than corps commanders for some armies)

But you can still use 2 * commanders to command a brigade/division can't you? Or 3 * commanders to lead a corps.

I didn't notice disadvantages to promoting commanders, apart from the temporary disruption: you must take the officer out of the line of command, and when they become inactive, it takes a while to rebuild the hierarchy. But the extra command points are always nice.

[Erik Springelkamp]

A new question. I was playing the Saxony scenaio as recommended. I was given the messages that several generals were promotable and their names were highlighted red in the ledger. However, when I looked, I couldn't find any promotion icon. Are promotions enabled in this scenario and if so, what am I missing.
Thanks for any help.

The promotion button is in the special orders panel, middle tab, lower right.

The icon of the commander should be pulsing when he can be promoted, you must put him on his own, take away his divisional command, and use the promotion button as the last action for this officer. Next turn he is promoted.

[stormbringer3]

Erik,
Thank you so much. Your instructions were perfect!

[loki100]

But you can still use 2 * commanders to command a brigade/division can't you? Or 3 * commanders to lead a corps.

I didn't notice disadvantages to promoting commanders, apart from the temporary disruption: you must take the officer out of the line of command, and when they become inactive, it takes a while to rebuild the hierarchy. But the extra command points are always nice.

No you are right, its just I've most often played with the Austrian side and even by mid-game you are still short of EPs, so losing a brigade activation and having to spend EP to regain it is a cost to avoid. Equally I tend to find that by 1761-2 I've lost enough of the army that CPs as such are no longer the real problem but I can have a lack of brigadiers.

Maybe a matter of play style and something that varies according to the side you have chosen?

[Erik Springelkamp]

No you are right, its just I've most often played with the Austrian side and even by mid-game you are still short of EPs, so losing a brigade activation and having to spend EP to regain it is a cost to avoid. Equally I tend to find that by 1761-2 I've lost enough of the army that CPs as such are no longer the real problem but I can have a lack of brigadiers.

Maybe a matter of play style and something that varies according to the side you have chosen?

I don't think forming a brigade/division costs EP in ROP? One recruit I think it is. I generally didn't really notice the resources for using it, while EP's come in singles for the Russian or French player.

Last games I played (Russian in a very enjoyable 4-player PBEM and French in 4-player AI game) I promoted a lot of generals. It meant I could make even small forces a corps, or use a replacement Corps commander when the original commander was passive, and as the French players I could make the Austrian units in the French force somewhat useful, because they have the foreign command penalty (CP x 4) and no brigadiers available, but with a few 2* officers there were enough CP's to lead decent groups of those guys.

[Erik Springelkamp]

Let me add a remark - a bit off topic - about the AI in the 4 player game.

I think the 4 player game against the AI offers some nice scenario's if you play the French, Russians or Austrians, as you can concentrate on one front.

The limitations of the AI work both ways in this case, as, with good play, you can beat your Prussian AI opponent on your front, but when you come near to the Prussian heartland, you discover that your AI partners didn't perform so well.

I was happy to beat the Hanoverians with my French, but when my armies reached the Elbe at Magdeburg and Wittenberg, I discovered that the Russians never left Eastern Prussia, while the Austrians were still somewhere in the South, so now my French are facing a superior Prussian army around Berlin.

While it is disappointing that the Russian AI cannot advance towards Pomerania, the resulting overall situation does offer an interesting wargame.