The sound you hear....
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:38 pm
....is me re-opening The Can of Worms.
I am not happy with the "fix" for column charging that has been put into place.
There are still many players that use it and they defend it with the argument that "this is the fix that the dev team has put into place, the game allows it, so it is alright to do this." That is ridiculous, these are probably the same guys that go into the local convenience store and pull $3 from the penny jar. Congratulations buddy, it's legal and you can do it, but you just made an ass of yourself.
Let's put this into perspective. This is not Command & Conquer, Total Annihilation, or Starcraft. This is Gettysburg and it is a Civil War game. It should be in everyone's best interest to make this game as close an emulation of a Civil War battlefield as possible. If there is a feature of the game mechanics that prevents that, then all due diligence should be made to adjust those mechanics.
My biggest issue is that infantry should be punished for remaining in marching columns while in artillery range. It was the rule, not the exception, for infantry to deploy into lines as soon as they came into enemy artillery range. Solid shot would chew them up by the dozens at hundreds of yards. Kerflumoxed (aka Baylor) accurately described it as a bowling ball screaming down the line with arms and legs flying everywhere.
Also, any regiment that is unfortunate enough to find themselves on the receiving end of a canister blast while in line formation should pay a tragic price for that mistake. I believe that at least a third, perhaps half, of the regiment should be vaporized and that their morale should instantly break.
Likewise, infantry should be able to reach out and touch the artillery at the same range as canister. Rifles need to be effective against artillery at canister range and they should be very effective. Artillery needs to be placed behind the lines of infantry.
This leads me to artillery effectiveness. The reason that artillery is currently rushed forward to the battle lines is that it is only really effective at close range. Counter-battery fire needs to be more effective at longer ranges and solid shot needs to be devastating to columns at long range.
Right now, there is no depth to the battlefield. Everyone rushes everything (infantry and artillery) right up to the lines and attacks seem to be more reminiscent of Chinese human waves in Korea than the Civil War chess matches that we all know and love.
I suppose that I am looking for some sort of acknowledgment from Norb or the Test Team that these issues are being looked at. Norb, I know this is your baby, your idea, your concept. What you do is your choice. However, I would like to know for my own interest if this game will end up moving in the direction I would like it to. It is beginning to become a frustrating experience for me knowing that it is so close, yet it has this glaring issue. I also suspect that others feel the same way.
I say that if you agree with me, speak up or forever hold your peace!
I am not happy with the "fix" for column charging that has been put into place.
There are still many players that use it and they defend it with the argument that "this is the fix that the dev team has put into place, the game allows it, so it is alright to do this." That is ridiculous, these are probably the same guys that go into the local convenience store and pull $3 from the penny jar. Congratulations buddy, it's legal and you can do it, but you just made an ass of yourself.
Let's put this into perspective. This is not Command & Conquer, Total Annihilation, or Starcraft. This is Gettysburg and it is a Civil War game. It should be in everyone's best interest to make this game as close an emulation of a Civil War battlefield as possible. If there is a feature of the game mechanics that prevents that, then all due diligence should be made to adjust those mechanics.
My biggest issue is that infantry should be punished for remaining in marching columns while in artillery range. It was the rule, not the exception, for infantry to deploy into lines as soon as they came into enemy artillery range. Solid shot would chew them up by the dozens at hundreds of yards. Kerflumoxed (aka Baylor) accurately described it as a bowling ball screaming down the line with arms and legs flying everywhere.
Also, any regiment that is unfortunate enough to find themselves on the receiving end of a canister blast while in line formation should pay a tragic price for that mistake. I believe that at least a third, perhaps half, of the regiment should be vaporized and that their morale should instantly break.
Likewise, infantry should be able to reach out and touch the artillery at the same range as canister. Rifles need to be effective against artillery at canister range and they should be very effective. Artillery needs to be placed behind the lines of infantry.
This leads me to artillery effectiveness. The reason that artillery is currently rushed forward to the battle lines is that it is only really effective at close range. Counter-battery fire needs to be more effective at longer ranges and solid shot needs to be devastating to columns at long range.
Right now, there is no depth to the battlefield. Everyone rushes everything (infantry and artillery) right up to the lines and attacks seem to be more reminiscent of Chinese human waves in Korea than the Civil War chess matches that we all know and love.
I suppose that I am looking for some sort of acknowledgment from Norb or the Test Team that these issues are being looked at. Norb, I know this is your baby, your idea, your concept. What you do is your choice. However, I would like to know for my own interest if this game will end up moving in the direction I would like it to. It is beginning to become a frustrating experience for me knowing that it is so close, yet it has this glaring issue. I also suspect that others feel the same way.
I say that if you agree with me, speak up or forever hold your peace!