Support / Reinforcements

[Drummerboy]

Sorry, I didn`t make that clear, i WAS talking about the sandbox battles, and not the historical scenarios. I would say, out of 100% of the sandbox battles I have fought, where there were many units in reserve, and I have asked for support in each of these battles, I only was sent help one time after asking for the support. And it was totally unexpected when it did happen.

[Marching Thru Georgia]

Since I replied in this thread last week, I've had a chance to play several games on the Alpine map as a corps commander in small army-sized battles. I deliberately asked for help during different parts of the battle and also tried to pay attention to my fellow corps commanders as they requested help. I can say conclusively that a request for support does work if the rules I gave earlier are followed.

If I asked for help as soon as I spotted the enemy, even if there were a lot of them, I never received any. Meade, even though he was out of sight, somehow knew that I was not in immediate danger. If I called for help when I was lightly engaged, less than half of my forces fighting, I was also ignored. Again Meade somehow knew that I still had resources at my disposal. Only when most of my forces were engaged, 4-5 out of 6 brigades engaged, would my request be met. Then without fail, Meade would send a division to my aid. In fact on one ocassion, I asked a second time for help as the rebs kept pouring men into the fight, and he sent yet another division. Meade is a very good general!

I also took note when one of my fellow AI corps commanders would request support, always too late to save the poor fellow's command, Meade would sent out requests for aid to all the other corp comanders, myself included. If someone had a spare division, off it would go, riding to the resue.

That seems to be how the game works. When someone asks for help, that commander will send requests to all his immediate subordinates. If someone has a division that is not engaged or about to be, then it will go off and try to help out. If everone is engaged, no one will come. Remember, that all these couriers riding here and there delay the appearence of the help. On the Alpine map it usually takes 15-20 minutes for help to arrive. All in all, it seems pretty realistic. Norb gets another "atta boy."

The order structure that I use and works well if the conditions I gave above are met is as follows:

1. Set order time to execution time. (Critical for any order given)
2. Under Information: Execute the following Orders (I don't know why, but its needed for reliable response to this order)
3. Under Support: Request Support (no other order in this menu works, only this one. All the others are for MP games)

I hope this is of help to those who use the courier system.