Facing the Charging Monster...leaving me totally confused, and broken.

[Michael Slaunwhite]

Hi.

I just played an Army vs Army (thanks to MTG, for his suggestion in an earlier post), line of site, Gettysburg map, and from the get go the Confederates charged, and almost every federal line was soon swamped, and fighting for their lives.

I have been charged before in earlier battles, but nothing like this. It was like the Confederates smelled blood, and decided to go for it, and charged every line they saw. The A.I was using the Blitzkrieg tactic but man the AI is just vicious, it appeared the AI couldn't care if the Rebs were shot dead, or captured. Immediately after the first set of charge(s) the AI pulled up fresh troops, and it started all over again. The Confederate troops were relentless, they gave the Feds no time to breath. It was like watching a swarm of angry hornets.

As I pulled back in a slow retreat, other fed lines were doing the same thing, and then there seemed to be a lull in the action, and all hell broke loose again. The charging started up again this time they sighted my cannon, and my cannon were firing off canister shot after canister shot into the Rebs ranks, and the Rebs just kept coming. I formed my men to try to protect my artillery but nothing, and I mean nothing could stop the enemy. My cannon were captured, my men were a fraction of the size they once were, and I had to finally give the call for a full retreat.

How in the name do you battle against this sort of thing? The AI tactics in this particular battle has me bewildered, and lost for words, and my character died in this onslaught which has never happened before.

Is this typical for such large battles now?

Norb, my hat is off to you for such a great AI, or I am the worst commander known.

Cheers.. Excellent work.

[JC Edwards]

I'm used to this sort of thing! Practically re-wrote the book on it for TC2M. If I were you Mike, I would start out with an easier mode - instead of normal, play it on easy till you get the hang of it....then move up from there. Field some strategy........
The AI for SOW is just as similar to TC2M (that's why I still play TC2M regularly) - it's always going to surprise you - that's why I've always said "NORB IS THE MAN"!

That is, of course, until he gives it to me and I take it apart! :laugh:

regards

Sarge

[RDBoles]

Great post Mike what settings were you on ? This looks good!

[SouthernSteel]

That would be the X-Navy Seal Setting. Don't believe me? come play MP.

How in the name do you battle against this sort of thing? Seal's lack of tactics in nearly every battle has me bewildered, and lost for words, and my character died in this onslaught which has never happened before.

Is this typical for Seal?

Seal is the worst commander known.

:whistle: I think my work is done here.

The only deterrent found thus far is to mass cannon and make them eat cannister 'til there ain't enough of them left to make the charge. Unfortunately this also encourages people to roll their guns up, but against the AI you should be safe. Put your guns on recoil by fire if they are in danger of being captured. Under 100 yards I believe they fire double cannister, and even the largest units will only take a couple hits of that before they break. If you're forced to melee, know that numbers tell the most: a large regiment will beat a small one basically every time, no matter their difference in skill.

Other solutions include utilizing defensive terrain, particularly making it so that the enemy must cross a creek or the like to get at your troops. The more rifle fire you can pour into them as they charge, the better. It is rare, but I have broken charging units with rifle fire alone.

[Michael Slaunwhite]

Great post Mike what settings were you on ? This looks good!

Hi RDBoles.

I have my settings at normal.

Well I have started another battle (not finished it yet, still figuring out how to counter this attack strategy), and this time around the AI is playing it very differently, they are still charging but not as much as before which has given me time to figure out a way to counter their charges, and capture as many men as possible, and make the rebels think twice before pulling that type of attack.

I figured out since the Rebs are experts at melee, and want nothing more than squish as many feds underfoot, I decided to double up on my troop formations to answer each charge. First I would allow the Rebs intended target to engage, and I would have another regiment close by in column formation,TC'd, and ready for action at a moments notice. Once the rebs, and my men are engaged I send in my columned troops charging like wild men bayonets at the ready, and with orders not too stab themselves or friendlies, just poke the enemy, and run them over...(Columned troops no longer charge in column so that takes care of the gamey part).

So far it has worked, and in this particular battle I have been charged 4 times, and each time I used this tactic, and I have won each charge, captured the Rebs, and made off with their loot (boots, hardtack you know nice things).

There is one drawback to this unfortunately, the way the Rebels have been behaving in these larger battles, it wears down my men too quickly, and since I normally only play Brigade level it's pretty limited in what I can actually do.

Out of all the games I have played (I have played many), I can honestly say that this game has the best AI I have ever seen.

Oh well, off to figure out what else I can do, all I know is if the Rebs in real life actually behaved like the wild men in my first battle I would have been scared sh#tless, and ran for the hills because that battle I tried to describe earlier doesn't even cover all that happened. I'm just sorry I didn't record it because some of you would have just laughed at how the enemy was behaving....what a kick arse game this is.

Cheers...

[Michael Slaunwhite]

That would be the X-Navy Seal Setting. Don't believe me? come play MP.

How in the name do you battle against this sort of thing? Seal's lack of tactics in nearly every battle has me bewildered, and lost for words, and my character died in this onslaught which has never happened before.

Is this typical for Seal?

Seal is the worst commander known.

:whistle: I think my work is done here.

The only deterrent found thus far is to mass cannon and make them eat cannister 'til there ain't enough of them left to make the charge. Unfortunately this also encourages people to roll their guns up, but against the AI you should be safe. Put your guns on recoil by fire if they are in danger of being captured. Under 100 yards I believe they fire double cannister, and even the largest units will only take a couple hits of that before they break. If you're forced to melee, know that numbers tell the most: a large regiment will beat a small one basically every time, no matter their difference in skill.

Other solutions include utilizing defensive terrain, particularly making it so that the enemy must cross a creek or the like to get at your troops. The more rifle fire you can pour into them as they charge, the better. It is rare, but I have broken charging units with rifle fire alone.

Hi.

Okay cool I'll try what you have suggested. For now I've been doubling up my formations to counter the charging Rebels (these guys are just nasty) which I can't keep up forever.

Poor Seal...

Okay later, and Thanks.

[SouthernSteel]

captured the Rebs, and made off with their loot (boots, hardtack you know nice things).

Now now, don't be silly, don't you know Gettysburg was fought over shoes? In all seriousness though, if you were looking for shoes on Rebs, you done be lookin' in the wrong place. Same goes for just about any other amenities.

Poor Seal...

Now you're just being daft, man!

[Michael Slaunwhite]

captured the Rebs, and made off with their loot (boots, hardtack you know nice things).

Now now, don't be silly, don't you know Gettysburg was fought over shoes? In all seriousness though, if you were looking for shoes on Rebs, you done be lookin' in the wrong place. Same goes for just about any other amenities.

Poor Seal...

Now you're just being daft, man!

Hi.

Haaaaa, I suppose your right, throw away the shoes, but keep the hardtack.

Seal can't be that bad, at least he shows up. B)

Cheerio my decent, and kind sir!

[SiliconMagician]

I'm glad to see that every once in awhile, an indie developer can come to the forefront with something new and amazing. They say the day of lone programming teams creating great games is past, I say bull!

The AI in SOW is simply awesome. Especially it's formation keeping. So far I haven't a "zing" moment from the AI in SOW yet but I'm sure it's coming soon enough.

I remember in TC2M I took Longstreet's Corps at Antietam and the orders were to take a field on the far side of the East Woods.

I sent one division south of the woods as a flanking division and set up a 2 division front with the right flank locked solid in the East Woods and the Left anchored in a plowed field just East of the East Woods at the top of a gentle slope.

The AI dispatched a single reinforced brigade to hold off my flanking division and then plunged virtually his entire corps into the East Woods in a desperate assault to break my right flank before his Brigade gave way under the weight of my flanking Division. The battle was something straight out of a movie with vicious charges by the union at 20-30 yds and equally nasty counter charges by my rebel regiments almost all combat took place within 50 yds. I rolled an artillery battery right into the woods up to the front line and the cannister tore the union lines to shreds yet still they charged! By the time the battle was over there was a massive arc of blue and grey bodies throughout the entire East Woods and down the slope for hundreds of yards.

I'd love to see something like that out of the SOW AI and I'm sure I will shortly.

I also like how the game models a "pyhrric victory", you may take the objective and hold it, but if the enemy takes 60% of your men with him, what good is that?