Col Ret
Corporal
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 2:44 pm

Play by Email Problems

Mon Mar 05, 2018 10:50 pm

I've played Civil War II by e-mail several times and never had a problem. But playing EAW via email has been a continuous problem. We are trying to play one of the simpler scenarios, the Tannenberg 1914 scenario. I know we are following the instructions in the game manual. Has something changed? Does it matter if the host makes and saves his turn before sending the HST file to the opponent? Or should his turn be made after receiving back the opponents ORD file. Naturally the end turn is not played until after both ORD files are saved by the host.

What both players have experienced are units that are eligible to move being unable to do so turn after turn. For example both sides have had units refuse to move when their movement trace shows one day remaining to complete a move. Several Russian units sat unmoved for three turns in this status. Others had the time to arrival increased from one day to as much as 17 with no movement or status change from turn to turn. More confusing, several units changed their move orders from Wiadislavov -> Gumbinnen to Wiadilavov->Rossieny->Dorbiany->Memel and went from one day to arrival at the old destination to 27 days at the new destination. It all seems very random. As if the game is making moves for us. At the time we quit, before resolving turn 6, the Hindenburg icon was appearing at two places for the German player and several German units were also apparently frozen in place. By the way the Hoffman card was not played until turn 6. Most of the problems occurred before that turn in any case.

I've played this scenario several times solitaire as both sides and never saw these kinds of things happen. Never in any other scenario for that matter. It's been very frustrating as my opponent is a new EAW and AGEOD player who was enthusiastic about learning how to play these games. I hope this hasn't discouraged him to a point where he thinks the game system is too broken to play. It would be a shame to lose someone who teaches military history at one of the Army schools just because of a file transfer problem. If that's what this is.

Col Ret

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Durk
Posts: 2921
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:36 am
Location: Wyoming

Re: Play by Email Problems

Tue Mar 06, 2018 1:36 am

You should have no more trouble than with CWII. My guess is you two are no in the same version and perhaps have different game settings. While I have had some issues with regard to not being able to build, I have seen nothing like what you describe.
The host can make a move and create an ord at any time, before sending, after sending but before receiving or after receiving. This has no impact on game resolution.
Start by comparing the version your game reports as you open the game. Then look at options tab 2 and make sure you have the same settings (though this should not be the problem)

If you have done this and still have problems, please report back.

Col Ret
Corporal
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 2:44 pm

Re: Play by Email Problems

Wed Mar 07, 2018 2:19 pm

That's what I thought. Yes, we have the same settings. We made sure of that before we started the game. Is there something about using this small scenario as opposed to one of the grand games?

Col Ret
Corporal
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 2:44 pm

Re: Play by Email Problems

Fri Mar 09, 2018 4:48 pm

I just realized one additional thing. I have the "Breaking the Deadlock" expansion installed and my opponent does not. Surely that hasn't caused this problem. Does anyone have any experience suggesting this might be the problem?

Unless I receive some positive insight into our problem from someone I'm going to see if I can talk my opponent into just trying the game again, perhaps with another scenario. His time is limited so that might be a hard sell.

Thanks for reading.

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Nikel
Posts: 2879
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:38 pm

Re: Play by Email Problems

Fri Mar 09, 2018 6:30 pm

If you have both games, vanilla and expansion, you may try installing vanilla game in a different folder and use that installation to play with your friend.

Not sure that is the problem, but easy to try. Do not forget to apply the same patch.

Edward75
Private
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 2:52 pm

Re: Play by Email Problems

Fri May 31, 2019 3:08 pm

The same problem with game TEAW (PBEM). Non-host player orders are not executed!
All same: Patch, Options, loading the progress.

How to solve a problem ?!

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Nikel
Posts: 2879
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:38 pm

Re: Play by Email Problems

Fri May 31, 2019 8:27 pm

Col Ret said one had the expansion, but not the second player, is it your case?

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Durk
Posts: 2921
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:36 am
Location: Wyoming

Re: Play by Email Problems

Fri May 31, 2019 11:17 pm

Ok, I have a thought, one of you is not using the saves folder matched to where you pbem game is located. If that sounds odd, three times I have found playing partners in which the saves folder was put in a different location than where my computer stores it. I do not know why that happens, but chase down the saves folder, make a shortcut to the desktop and drop the opponent's file there.
Worth a try.

Then I would try changing who hosts. See if that works.

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