The Sortie!!

[Daxil]

From what I've seen, the AI tends to use at least an attack posture during a siege. I do so myself, as well, since it seems to increase the chances of catching the garrison if you gain a breech during the turn.
If the opposition is using a defensive posture though, it probably would be best to use a defensive posture as well. Defensive vs. defensive means that it's most likely no combat will occur.

That's why I would use defensive - just the off chance that your opponent's in defensive, you might be able to slip by. You'd also benefit from the terrain.

[nilam]

LOL,
I"ve decided to hit him now probaly more out of curiosity (spell check needed)
i wish Lee was a bit nearer but Hey-Ho here i go.
i will let you know the outcome late tomorrow if you are interested on this
thread.
I"m no computer expert-but if someone can explain how to paste the carnage
i will gladly try.

[Hobbes]

LOL,
I"ve decided to hit him now probaly more out of curiosity (spell check needed)
i wish Lee was a bit nearer but Hey-Ho here i go.
i will let you know the outcome late tomorrow if you are interested on this
thread.
I"m no computer expert-but if someone can explain how to paste the carnage
i will gladly try.

I finally learnt how to paste an image here (Option B) :-

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=10904

[nilam]

so you want to see my butt kicked back to Richmond!!!!
i will give it a go "thanks"

[ohms_law]

That's why I would use defensive - just the off chance that your opponent's in defensive, you might be able to slip by. You'd also benefit from the terrain.

That's not a bad point. In the end I think that Hobbes is right, it's just a "feel" thing.

I"m no computer expert-but if someone can explain how to paste the carnage i will gladly try.

When you have the battle results on screen, press the <ctrl> + PrntScrn buttons. <Alt>+<Tab> out of the game, open MS Paint or any other graphics editor, Click edit and paste the screen capture. Save that to your desktop.
Here in the forums click reply, click the "manage attachments" button, browse to the file that you just saved, close the attachments window and them post the message.

[nilam]

Heres how i lost Bonhams corps first round of three.

[nilam]

Sorry people could"nt do it,i have got to see what he does when he see"s
Lee on the horizon.
And look how many Cannons he got,they did most of the damage in the first place.

[ohms_law]

Heres how i lost Bonhams corps first round of three.

ouch!

Sorry people could"nt do it,i have got to see what he does when he see"s
Lee on the horizon.
And look how many Cannons he got,they did most of the damage in the first place.

Looks like a decent choice, to me.

[Hobbes]

Hi Hobbes,

Thats interesting to know,does it make any difference whether they are activated or not and are brownies automatically activated by proxy being in a activated Generals stack or corps.?

Just reading the thread again. Now I understand this. I'm sure I have had activated corps commanders with inactive divisional commanders so I don't think they are activated by proxy. There are odd ways around this though by keeping a few spare commanders in the stack to move your troops into if your main divisional commander is inactive for a turn - I've never been a big fan of the activation rules due to easy "cheats" like this.

As far as escaping from a region goes I don't think being in an active stack or not makes much difference but if the stack is inactive I assume it will take longer to leave the region so you may have more chance of having to face the enemy.

I'm not sure but I have a feeling that a stack with an inactive general cannot use the evade combat button? (A stack without a commander at all can - another reason I don't like the activation rules).

Cheers, Chris

[ohms_law]

I'm not sure but I have a feeling that a stack with an inactive general cannot use the evade combat button?

Correct.

[nilam]

Thanks Hobbes,
So what your saying is a inactive General (brownie) will not take part in a offensive stance if the corps commander is active,so you have to sack that
"brownie" for a active commander in the stack.
By still having them in the stack have an effect on movement or "evade combat"stances?

[ohms_law]

In a stack, the only commander that matters is the most senior one when it comes to activation.

[nilam]

THANKS OHMS

[nilam]

Hi all,
NEWS FLASH.........

YANKS RETREAT FROM SIEGE OF WINCHESTER DUE TO LACK OF COHESON
AND CASUALTIES>>>>>AND PROBABLY LACK OF CANNON BALLS.

I should of attacked when i had the chance..!!!

[Captain]

Hey Nilam,

I have just done a sorite and escaped from what I thought was certain death. I will give the details in a day or 2 as I don't want to tip my opponent off(I am not quite out of the woods yet ;-)

The only thing I can say is the result is in contrary to much of what has been said here. Needless to say I am not complaining

[nilam]

HI captain,
I will be interested to see how you get on.
I take it by your reply your like me and don"t mind being besieged
(if it serves a purpose).
After all i only do it in strategic locations and where i can continue supplying
said city.
In fact in my PBEM game i have come out of it pretty well,even in Winchester
where i got mauled Grant is now back east of Manassas to lick his wounds.

It has bought some more time,as CSA mid 63 i"m holding my own.
I was in some serious DODO in the west,but i have managed to slip
Jackson corp in behind the Yanks heading for Island 10
and captured 20 US transports on the way (result) if he gives me time
i will build a depot (supply issues) if not i will head south again.

keep me posted anyway.

[Captain]

ok, I did a commom opening where i sent polk's boys up to take cairo.
The main motive being to try and capture those naval guns and just disrupt any plans going on in the Union assembly area.
As usual it all went good winning 3 out of 4 battles. Unfortunately Polk kept attacking ? (I was on orange/blue?) until his entire force was wiped except his TN BDE guns (6lbs) and supplies. Now I was them rabbit in the hole, (same time as i came across your thread funnily enough).

So I read all the wise comments on your thread and thought naaa, let's just go plain common sense. So I went green/green and headed for Kinsale then Elizabeth (couldn't make it across the river). I might add my combat strength at this point was zero!!!!!
I was sure i would lose the lot.
Well miracles happen and Polk, the guns and the supplies all made in to Elizabeth !

This is the point at which i wrote that i may have a situation you would be interested in.

With cavalry surrounding me i didn't dare want to give and clue as to my whereabouts away, though he must have seen me.

The river was occupied by naval forces from both sides, so I aimed to cross further up. I still thought the union cavalry would ride down my tired gunners and teamsters.

But I awake this morning and low and behold a very waterdrenched Polk and both units arrived in Union where i had moved a Brigade to meet them.
Polk and his dixie boys simply blew kisses to the Union cavalry on the other bank.

Truely the tale of the Great Escape!

[nilam]

nice one,
Strange things do happen in this game,unfortunately i am not experienced
enough to know why.
In my game i think the games up (deep depression)in the last two turn the
yanks have really turned the screw, i am going to have to retreat from
Nashville and with my NM down to 84 his now 115 i"m definately on the
defensive against my nature really.
In the east i have LEE & B"gards army (large corp really) being pushed back
each turn (still hold Winchester:neener .
i cant believe the ammount of art the north have ammassed so in june
i off to Cannons R US.

KEEP me informed-we should in AAR but who cares....

UP THE SOUTH

[ohms_law]

I might add my combat strength at this point was zero!

There was nothing left to fight, then. The unit was gone already...

[Daxil]

As usual it all went good winning 3 out of 4 battles. Unfortunately Polk kept attacking ? (I was on orange/blue?) until his entire force was wiped except his TN BDE guns (6lbs) and supplies.

Ive seen this too and dont know if its wad but think maybe its a bug. You would think they would stop attacking after they were out of ammo. It seems to happen when you have forcee an enemy unit into passive mode, but they cant retreat from the region due to lack of military control surrounding them. Maybe this should be brought up in another thread.

[nilam]

Hi ,

I can"t remember if Polke has reckless trait"s (dought it beinga preacher)
but do traits overide the stances or are they are roll of the dice thing-
IE Lee being reckless,no point using blue/blue he will attack anyway.

[Captain]

There was nothing left to fight, then. The unit was gone already...

The units are very much alive and regaining strength in Tenessee now they are across the river.

To clarify Polk + Supply wagon + 6lbs (with no combat factor left) escaped from Cairo to TN, now the arty is regaining its strength points.

I can only assume that the critical factor was it was light artillery. Still I would have thought his cavalry would have found me and mown me down.

Just lucky I guess

Reminds of the title of that old Hardy Kruger film "The One That Got Away"!

[ohms_law]

The units are very much alive and regaining strength in Tenessee now they are across the river.

Right, because they started receiving replacements.

To clarify Polk + Supply wagon + 6lbs (with no combat factor left) escaped from Cairo to TN, now the arty is regaining its strength points.

Right. They were out of supply and on enemy terrain, so everyone either died or deserted, except for the officers. It's easy enough for those people to "loose" themselves amongst the city or the countryside until their back in friendly hands.

Not being able to completely eliminate an entire unit is common wargame design which AACW (and I assume the rest of the AGE engine games) uses.

[Captain]

So as long as my Colour Guard survives the regiment is in tact ?

[nilam]

Hi captain,

Whats this Isandlwana reference - are you into the Zulu war?

[Captain]

Hi captain,

Whats this Isandlwana reference - are you into the Zulu war?

There was a very famous incident at Isandalwana when the army knew it was going to get wiped out when the Colour guard was ordered to take the Colours and escape.

They almost made it but were killed and thus one of those rare moments in British history where a unit was "recognised" as being wiped out because it had actually lost its Colours.

Just wondering what defines Unit death in AACW?
In my Cairo example the supplies escaped at full strength, the arty at zero.
So the teamsters obviously escaped with their cumbersome wagons, (maybe they had road maps unlike the persuing cavalry . Don't know about the arty .ohms seems to think they must have spiked their guns and donned farmers straw hats. I don't know. I can't see a unit losing its total table of equipment and personnel and then reforming some 20 days later
Even at Dunkirk, the core of units escaped if not the 'majority of their gear'
Many similar situatons in WWII on the eastern front with the Germans, units continually escaping pockets ,etc

I really can't see an Isandalwana scenario where if the colours got back to Cape Town the army would be reformed in 20 days

[nilam]

Hi Captain,

See your point,you Obviously hav"nt heard the the CSA had Klingon cloaking
devices at hand.

As to my thoughts on sieges i have decided they are a bad thing if the city
etc is totally isolated with know chance of relief.

They work well for me in the early days but now i could do with the forces
else where.

ps As for Isandlwana is was only part of the 1/24th reg which was wiped
out as Chelmsford had split the force and know one will ever know whether
Col Pulleine ordered Coghill and Melville to save the colours or not,which they
did (then lost in the river).
Thinking about it was"nt Rorkes Drift a siege which went rather well!!!

[Captain]

Hi Captain,

See your point,you Obviously hav"nt heard the the CSA had Klingon cloaking
devices at hand.

Romulan actually

As to my thoughts on sieges i have decided they are a bad thing if the city
etc is totally isolated with know chance of relief.

They work well for me in the early days but now i could do with the forces
else where.

Yes I may stand corrected but wasn't that Johnston's motive for abandoning Atlanta ? To save the troops.

ps As for Isandlwana is was only part of the 1/24th reg which was wiped
out as Chelmsford had split the force and know one will ever know whether
Col Pulleine ordered Coghill and Melville to save the colours or not,which they
did (then lost in the river).

Absolutely correct !

Thinking about it was"nt Rorkes Drift a siege which went rather well!!!

Yes and it was an engineer officer commanding

Captain

[nilam]

If only the Yanks had spears.

[Captain]

If only the Yanks had spears.

LOL !!!

Remember the first rule of Colonial British Empire?
Under no circumstances must the adversaries possess firearms
Pointy sticks made them think twice !