Questions regarding RUS mechanics

[Emx77]

Recently I have bought RUS and RoP on sale. I have played AACW a few years ago and now I'm trying to refresh my memory regarding AGE mechanics and I found difficult to grasp some of the game concepts in RUS 1.04. I haven't played grand campaign yet, but only short scenario "Ice March" as Red. Here are some of things which are difficult to understand:

1. Units are losing strength and cohesion with no apparent explanations. For example, my force in Donetsk region has 4 units and one star commander. During period between Late February and Late March, almost two complete units in this stack are depleted (see figure 1). There are some 1.000 men missing and units are without cohesion. The Donetsk stack is not moved or participated in any action during this period and I'm wondering why they are losing men and cohesion? Why only 2 out of 4 units are affected? Also, I haven't received any notification that these units are suffered any weather or supply hits. Desertion or illness? In that case, why there is no message related to specific force? I would very appreciate if someone can explain what happened here.

Figure 1


2. In Late March I have received message that "Soldiers are deserting ranks of the Red Army. We should create more Political commissars". When I click the message Moscow and Yaroslavl are highlighted. Is this just a scripted message unrelated to Ice March scenario or it really affect some of my units? If so, how can I create more commissars?

3. My armored train is able to pass through Novocherkassk and Rostov despite fact that I have zero loyalty and military control in these regions. Enemy also have forces in both regions and cities (through which rail line is passing)! Is this WAD and how this can happen?

4. What is needed for "DF Destroyer squadron" located in Rostov to support Rostov defenders? I have never saw it participates in battle regardless of "bombardment" setting. It just flees to "Mouth of Don".

5. Replacements - Figure above NATO symbol represents number of hits which are missing in elements who use that replacement chit. According to manual we request replacements in terms of replacement chits which is equivalent in strength to an average battalion-sized element. But how many hits does average battalion-sized element has?

Also, may someone explain what represent colors of figures and numbers located above NATO symbol? And what does signify two or three exclamation marks right beside figure numbers (see Figure 2)?

Figure 2


6. New General - In "Ice March" in Reinforce screen (F3) there is option to request "New Red general" It costs 4 EP and I choose it many times but I didn't notice that I actually had received new General. Where is he suppose to appear. Do I get notification in event message box as I have never received such message.

7. Entrenchments - Is there any way to see, at least roughly estimated, value of entrenchment level before attacking specific region? For example if I have Force in Rostov how can I tell, what is entrenchment level of Novocherkassk?

8. Is there possibility to chain up different commands for same force during one turn. For example, can I order Sablin force to go by train to Kamenskaya and disembark (needed: 5 days) and then to move toward neighboring Novocherkassk during same turn (as there is 9 free days after disembarking at Kamenskaya). If I order him to go directly to Novocherkassk by train, disembark and attack will his stack suffer penalty as he entered region by train and not by foot?

Thanks in advance for answers and clarifications.

[OneArmedMexican]

1. Sounds like the desertion event. If so you should have gotten a message.

2. Desertion applies to all your stacks. Commissars can be build like any other unit.

3. Your trains can use railway lines in enemy territory, they are slightly slower than in regions under your control (2-3 days per region instead of 1).

4. Naval units don't particpate in land battles. Bombardment only works if you are at sea.

5. Depends on the unit type: most infantry and cavalry have 20 hits per element/chit (chekists line infantry and light infantry have only 15 hits, chekists 10, ...). Artillery, tanks and armoured trains usually has 8 hits/element (heavy armoured trains 12).

6. You should get a message, the general should spawn in one of the major cities.

[barbu]

1. Look in the game main menu ("Options" -> "Game") at the "Historical attrition" setting. If you have it set at any other level than the leftmost one, you will lose troops to desertions even if you're not doing anything. The tooltips explain it all.

It is also possible that OneArmedMexican is right.

4. OneArmedMexican is wrong. Ships DO bombard in help of fighting units. I do it every time in the Finnish Civil War when I land German forces in Helsinki - the German battleships and cruisers shell the city right before the land fighting starts.

As to what happened to the Don - low cohesion prevented the ships from fighting? Do you get a message saying that the "Don Destroyers have decided not to engage the enemy due to low cohesion"?

Another possible explanation/question: are they locked?

5. Colors = the color of the army. Since you play with the Reds, they're ... uh... red. This is actually more important for people who play as the Whites and who control 5-10 different forces/nations at a time.

The exclamation mark(s) is an quick and awesome way of telling you how necessary it is to get a chit. It reinforces the number placed next to it.

6. Concerning the promotion of generals: sometimes you get a message. Sometimes you don't. Sometimes the general doesn't show up - this is a probability set up in the game code. (we're talking about a Russian civil war, remember. Just because you order something doesn't mean it's going to happen. Everything can get covered in red tape. Or "White" tape, if you play as the whites.)

And yes, I'm serious about what I wrote in the paragraph above.

8. No, and I don't think so.

As a particular observation: I know several people who tried to get in the game by playing the Ice March scenario as the Reds and got demoralized. Don't worry about it, the Reds lost it in real life and most likely so will you. The Finnish ( = Finland) Civil War is a better introduction. And it's much, much easier as the Whites.

As a general observation, you got a great deal. AACW is very polished as a game, but RoP is superb. And the Russian Civil War makes the American Civil War feel like a quaint picnic.

[Emx77]

As a particular observation: I know several people who tried to get in the game by playing the Ice March scenario as the Reds and got demoralized. Don't worry about it, the Reds lost it in real life and most likely so will you. The Finnish ( = Finland) Civil War is a better introduction. And it's much, much easier as the Whites.

After first few debacles as Red I finally figured out how to win this scenario almost every time against AI. First, move all local militias and "SE Revolutionary Army" lead by Avtonomov" to Ekaterinodar. They will be able to hold it. Second, just in case, reinforce Novorossyisk with two units of Red Sailors and Artillery. Third, send "Muraviev Column" to take Kiev. Four, Combine all remaining forces in Voronezh and put them under Ovseenko command.

Now send "Ovseenko column" (approximately 25.000 men, 3.400 horses and 144 cannons) to take Novocherkassk. After that proceed to Rostov. Don't forget to leave reserves for defending Novocherkassk. If everything goes as planned Red will usually win in April.

[Emx77]

Guys, first of all thank you for answers. They are really helpful. Now regarding my questions:

1. Troops losing strength and cohesion - It is definitely "desertion event". Units start losing strength and cohesion on turn when I get message that "Soldiers are deserting ranks of the Red Army." It seems that this event is hard coded in scenario as it happens even when my NM is above 120.

2. Commissars - Unfortunately, it seems Commissars cannot be build in "Ice March" scenario. So there is no way to prevent desertion.

3. Armored trains - Yes, it is perfectly reasonable that armored train can enter enemy controlled region. What is not reasonable is that train can pass through city full of enemy units without fight! I cannot find any rational explanations for such game design decision. I mean, in reality, how hard would be to block train movement through enemy held city? Even civilians would be able to put some barricade across rail tracks.

4. Thing with river destroyers. After carefully observing ship statistics in this scenario I found out that these destroyers don't have cannons. I thought that was a reason they didn't participate in defense of Rostov. But, after few turns, I got following messages:



They are actually able to bombard after all. Even if they don't have cannons Manual says: "A Naval Force will bombard the first coastal structure or entrenched position it encounters provided a friendly land force is present in the region. Enemy batteries in fortifications or entrenchments greater than level 4 have an opportunity to return fire". This can be a key for explaining a destroyers behavior. When enemy attacked Rostov they didn't have any structure and White army was not entrenched. Hence there is no targets for bombardment. Few turns latter, enemy entrenchment leveled up to 4 triggering bombardment from Destroyer Squadron. Although it is still mystery how can they bombard without cannons.

5. Replacement screen - Colors of figures and numbers in replacement screen. I think Barbu misinterpreted my question. If you take a look at Figure 2 you can see that figure of standing man (which represent number of hit missing) is in different colors for different chits. For example, color of figure above "supply chit" is orange but color of figure above "cavalry chit" is red. Same goes for numbers which are coded in white, orange and red. I suppose red is for something like "urgently needed", right?

6. New general option. I think there is problem with this option in "Ice March" as I never witnessed that I actually got New general. Despite having sufficient numbers of EP's. Maybe it is just bad luck but I have played it many times now and he should appear at least once.

7. Entrenchment level of enemy region - This question is still unanswered. IIRC, it is possible to asses enemy entrenchment level in AACW.

8. Chaining up commands - After carefully read manual I realized that there is no need to chain up command for "Ovseenko' Column" if you going to attack Novocherkassk. Simply, "Ovseenko' Column" will "Move by Rails" but, as in Novocherkassk Reds don't have necessary 25 or more military control, they will disembark in Kamenskaya (at day 5) and proceed to Novocherkassk on foot (8 days). At day 13 they will commence their attack.

[barbu]

A reply to your reply to my reply

1. Desertion can happen all the time. I just had some in Omsk, with my Siberian Whites having a national morale of 98.

3. Two possible answers to armored trains not being attacked by enemy troops: general was not activated (in AACW, this meant 'fearful'. In RUS, it means 'drunk out of his mind').

or enemy troops were set on passive pasture (in AACW, this meant 'unwilling to attack'. In RUS, this means 'dr...' I think you got the point).

4. River destroyers should have cannons. I am a naval buff - there is no such thing as a destroyers without cannons. If there would be such a thing in 1917-1918, its only weapon would be a torpedo, but that would make it a torpedo boat.

Having just looked at the unit description... where does it say it has no cannons?

6. Press R and look carefully. What you're saying seems to be really wrong.

The Novocherkassk attack by reds is usually a disaster, but your tactics are very sound.

[Emx77]

4. River destroyers should have cannons. I am a naval buff - there is no such thing as a destroyers without cannons. If there would be such a thing in 1917-1918, its only weapon would be a torpedo, but that would make it a torpedo boat.

Having just looked at the unit description... where does it say it has no cannons?

When you hover your mouse point over FD09 or FD10 element in "Elements Window" (Bottom Right Corner of Screen) tooltip says: 120/120 Men, 0/0 Horses, 0/0 Cannons. Here is screenshot with complete info about this Force:

[barbu]

This tooltip is meant to refer to land stacks. It is a game oversight. Don't worry, the destroyer has cannons.