Scourge of War Boards

Not sure this warrants a new thread or where to put it...if not, moderator, please feel free to move or eliminate.

Part I: I notice while playing TC2M this evening, the infantrymen in the second rank stepped back when firing. In actuality, the rear rank men were instructed to step forward. Quoting William Gilham on P. 102, Paragraph 118, "The rear rank will at the same time, carry the right foot about eight inches towards the left heel of the man next on his right."

Hardee's Paragraph 176 reads, "The rear rank men, in aiming, will each carry the right foot about eight to the right, and to towards the left heel of the man next on the right, inclining the upper part of the body forward."

Anyone who has served in the front rank of the "Reenactment Army" knows the problems encountered when the rank man firing over his shoulder fails to "incline...forward": the muzzle blast and subsequent spent powder peppers his ear and the side of his face. Whereas, when executed properly, the rear rank's muzzle extends past his face with no dire consequences. At the same time, leaning too far forward will place the hammer, nipple and subsequent fired camp in close proximity to the aforementioned body features.

Will it be possible to have the rear rank "lean" forward rather then stepping back to fire?

Part II: Will it be possible to increase the rate of artillery fire, especially as they become the subject of an infantry attack?

The basic rate in TC2M seems to be somewhat too slow to begin with (and I am sure there is a sound reason). However, as the opposing enemy force approached, it was common to begin firing double cannister and often times (according to original participant accounts) expedite the rate of firing by purposely forgoing "sponging" the piece before loading the new round. Could the rate be increased in either or both of these manners?

Limbering: According to the manual (and first-person accounts) the limber was brought to the piece rather than the gun being moved to the limber. In Paragraph 648, in order to limber the piece, the command is "Limber to the Front" (or "Limber to the right" or left). While replacing the implements, the horse-drawn limber is brought to the front. After passing the piece on the right, the limber is brought to the front as the gun is brought "about" or turned to ease the coupling. Will it be possible to include this in the new GB?

In Paragraph 701 of Gilham's, "At the command In Battery, the caissons stand fast, and the pieces advance...As soon as the about is completed (i.e. the limbered gun is faced about with the muzzle of the piece pointed in the general direction of the target), the pieces are halted, unlimbered, and prepared for firing; the limbers being taken to their places in battery by an about (face)." When the command "1. IN BATTERY. 2. Guide Left. 3. March." the actual movement of the battery occurs much more rapidly then evidenced by TC2M length of time required to go to an Action Front (especially when this game is supposed to be in "real time)."

Will it be possible to correct these oversights in the GB...or is this too much "Detailed Minutiae?"

Thanks for your consideration.

Jack Hanger
Fremont, NE

It's too much at this point. But what I really want to do is get something solid out, get people playing, and then really fine tune it for all this type of stuff. We just can't think of everything ourselves and lately we don't have the time to get in really deep in certain areas. Our main AI goal is to not have them pile up. That's something we all hate. But in doing that, other problems erupt. I don't know if it's ever really done, it just keeps getting better.

norb wrote:

It's too much at this point. But what I really want to do is get something solid out, get people playing, and then really fine tune it for all this type of stuff. We just can't think of everything ourselves and lately we don't have the time to get in really deep in certain areas. Our main AI goal is to not have them pile up. That's something we all hate. But in doing that, other problems erupt. I don't know if it's ever really done, it just keeps getting better.

Thanks for the reply, Norb. I fully understand your philosophy and recognize that it would be quite easy to get so bogged down in "minutiae" that nothing would ever be published...or the game would be unplayable!

Well, what are we down to...circa 168 days before the end of the year? However, I'm sure no one is counting! Perhaps we need a count-down clock prominently displayed somewhere. No pressure intended!

Jack Hanger
Fremont, NE

Updating the artillery limber/unlimber animation sequencing is on my to-do list but I will not swear that it will be in the release. If not there probably in the patch.

I agree with Norb that this may never be 'done', just that each game will be better that its predecessor.

-Jim

Thanks for the info, Jim.

Will the time between unlimbering and firing, time between firings, time required to limber the piece be changed as well?

I have to chuckle each time a artillery piece is routed in my TC2M...it seems as if the cannoneers can never get that pintle pin in place and the gun is always chasing the limber off to one side! Don't know, but it may simple be my computer! :unsure:

I am sure that any project of this magnitude will never be completed...just look at TC2M as an example.

Jack Hanger
Fremont, NE

Jim wrote:

Updating the artillery limber/unlimber animation sequencing is on my to-do list but I will not swear that it will be in the release. If not there probably in the patch.

I agree with Norb that this may never be 'done', just that each game will be better that its predecessor.

-Jim

One of the things that I like about TC2M are the multitude of sounds ranging from the birds to the drums, etc. (Except for the sound of cannister, which I think has been addressed.) Perhaps some of the commands could be included to coincide with toolbar. For example, when the "run" button is selected, the accompanying command would be heard: "Double Quick -MARCH"

Just a random thought.

Jack Hanger
Fremont, NE