Taillebois
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How to win Carolinas 1776 scenario? Hold Wilmington?

Fri Jul 27, 2012 8:07 pm

I've lost every battle for Wilmington; I've tried bringing Moultrie up from Charleston; I've tried hiding in the swamp hoping the Brits just sail on by!

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Durk
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Sun Jul 29, 2012 2:27 am

I am not certain if you are playing BOA or BOA2/WIA, but this answer might suffice whichever you are playing. I also assume you are referring to Cornwallis's decent upon Wilmington.
You will lose Wilmington. You cannot get enough force to defend effectively. Cornwallis is slated to attack Wilmington and will do so.
So, put a force outside of Wilmington (that is, not inside the city) early enough they develop trenches and give Cornwallis some loses; or, abandon Wilmington and use your troops to defend Charleston.
My take.

Taillebois
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Sun Jul 29, 2012 10:10 pm

Playing BOA, but also tried it on BOA2. Even on easiest settings I can't get a victory.

This rather returns me to one of my bleats about small wargame companies. They are just to clever for their own financial well being. I've been playing wargames for nearly 50 years, albeit with a large break of 25 or so in between. There's too much emphasis on showing you are cleverer than your opponent or can produce a more difficult game than another company. How could you recommend a game to a beginner, young or old, if after a couple of hours they still can't get a victory on the easiest settings in a short scenario? No wonder Total War and Civilization are such successes, yet I am sure most players of AGEOD games rather look down their nose at those games as simplistic, or just for kids.

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Narwhal
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Sun Jul 29, 2012 10:26 pm

I don't think a decisive victory is even possible, but I won on points at the first attempt as US.

Those "small scenarios" are not meant to be balanced (they are not) but as a way to emulate a particular situation. In the latest AGE production (ROP, RUS,...), there is ONE short scenario as a tutorial and then it is full game only.

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Durk
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Mon Jul 30, 2012 12:06 am

I think I get what you are saying or at least something of the nature of your concern. You and I must have started wargaming about the same time. I hear your frustration, but I do not agree with it. I suspect you will find many fans of other games on the AGEOD forums. Most gamers enjoy the more abstract and simpler games for some of their play. Personally, I enjoy the Commander series from Sliterine/Matrix. AGEOD meets a unique need. The design of AGEOD system opens an avenue for exploring leadership and supply at a level not possible in more abstract games.

The short scenarios are challenging. Maybe a key difference is that victory conditions in AGEOD games are different from many other games. Rarely is victory decisive. Narwhal's advice that a win on points is a win is good to keep in mind. Additionally, these games have some of the best AI I have ever seen. I am not a master of these games, by any means, but I truly appreciate that there is a place in the wargaming community where dedication to realistic (maybe authentic) simulation is found.

I have found playing both sides, that is playing against myself, was the ticket for me to understand the game system. In this way I was not overwhelmed by watching AI make decisions I could not understand.

Taillebois
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Mon Jul 30, 2012 2:17 pm

Thanks for your replies - and Narwhal your AARs are great.

In Hearts of Iron of Iron I have found, or rather somebody very kindly showed me, that by altering one line in a defines.txt file I can change the difficulty level. Armed with this I played around from 100% victory to 100% loss until I found my level where I get about a 50:50 result. That's my ideal for games because I have too many to become an expert in any of them.

I think the amount of history available in these games - AGEOD or Paradox or Matrix is fantastic and although I have got many victories on points especially on this game's scenario and Napoleon's Campaigns Eagle scenario they are somehow unsatisfying. Now that Bernadotte has shown me that victory is possible in the Napoleon scenario I have at least come up with a high score but still not that elusive victory screen!

Anyway, thanks again for your views - I might try that playing against my self route Durk - do you do it by PBEM to yourself or two PCs linked?

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Durk
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Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:35 pm

To play both sides, open one side, say the British, make your moves and save - but do not click to resolve the turn. Then exit. Go to load games, select the other side, say the American, then make your moves and save. Now execute the turn.
You can tell if a side has a saved turn by the color of the link in the load game screen. Highlighted in red is a save has been made.
You can start the turn as either side and then finish with the other side.
It is a bit quicker than using the PBEM routine, but similar. I learned to do this because I was so used to playing both side on board games.
I forgot to add, this only works with a new game. If you have started a solo game against AI the opposing side disappears.

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Bernadotte
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Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:35 pm

Durk wrote:I forgot to add, this only works with a new game. If you have started a solo game against AI the opposing side disappears.
Isn't in BoA a button in the "Load Game" screen to load the AI nation files like it is in BoA2, NCP, RoP, AACW ?

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Durk
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Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:23 am

Bernadotte wrote:Isn't in BoA a button in the "Load Game" screen to load the AI nation files like it is in BoA2, NCP, RoP, AACW ?


Yes, but hard to find if you do not know where to look. Much easier to just start new.

Taillebois
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Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:10 pm

Yes, Yes, Oh God Yes. (You don't often hear those words at my age.)

Victory at last. Ok I know I fiddled it and sent the Brits off to the boondocks instead of Wilmington.

Thank you Durk - this has not only got me what I wanted on this specific scenario, but by the ability to play both sides for one or more moves and then revert to the AI I can achieve a great variety to all the scenarios, and presumably all the AGE games?

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Stwa
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Sat Aug 04, 2012 7:20 am

I set my version of BoA to indicate victory only when the human player or the AI actually accomplish all objective and strategic goals.

Therefore, most games result in a staltemate.

In all cases (stalemate or victory/defeat) the system indicates the points awarded to each side.

If a scenario is too difficult to win, then sometimes I alter (mod) the strategic or objective ciyt requirements for one side or the other.

If you have time to fix BoA up, it is the best of Ageod's games IMHO.

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