Couriers \ Line-of-Sight \ Thoughts?

[Davinci]

Question \ Thoughts:

Well, considering that this game is no longer going to be updated, this question really has nothing to do with changing this particular game but…..

Should couriers be allowed to see the enemy’s position and reveal that information on the screen, instantly?

Now, in real-life, yes a courier would be able to see this, but they would only be able to report this once they reached their position, or to a higher command.

Now, I’m aware that one solution would be to get rid of the map-icons, but I’ve tried that in the past and it didn’t work out too well.

It’s sort of difficult commanding 100,000 men without the icons to show you where the units are engaged.

In this particular battle the Commanding General is stationed in the center of what I think is a secure circle. This way I can send couriers to all of the men without the fear of getting them killed.

The unit with the red-arrow arrived too late to watch this road to the north allowing a large enemy force to breach my circle without my knowledge.

I immediately sent two-couriers to order my units to the north to halt so that they wouldn’t walk into the enemy units, these two couriers revealed more enemy units.

So…..should couriers be allowed show the positions of enemy units that are not in the LOS of other friendly troops?

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Thoughts!

davinci

[Marching Thru Georgia]

It’s sort of difficult commanding 100,000 men without the icons to show you where the units are engaged

That's what 19th century commanders were faced with. They did not have perfect information of enemy and friendly unit dispositions as your map shows. Try turning them off and experience the real chaos of battle.

[Davinci]

That's what 19th century commanders were faced with. They did not have perfect information of enemy and friendly unit dispositions as your map shows. Try turning them off and experience the real chaos of battle.

Thanks, but I think that I'll pass on that.

I still don't see how you guys are playing from the saddle, I tried that also and that didn't work out too well either.

The biggest obstacle that I noticed was that units would become engaged without the players knowledge.

If this was somehow added into the newer game that would help out a lot.

I still say that the courier-system is one of the best features , but a little bit of improvements can make it a lot better such-as commanders sending back reports of enemy units and estimated strength.

davinci

[Saddletank]

The biggest obstacle that I noticed was that units would become engaged without the players knowledge.

Yes, happened/s all the time in real warfare. I suppose its all about what sort of game you are looking to enjoy. I like the complete fog of war and lack of control in 1st person view, others of course don't.

I always play with a bare map, full couriers, 2 yds height fixed camera, trees never toggled off, no unit flags or road markers, no rangefinder, trees go invisible at the shortest distance (which I think is 50 yds). I fully accept that its not everyone's cup of tea but if you are looking to simulate the command problems of a 19thC general rather than a 20thC one there is no better game out there.

Couriers might I suppose give information of what they saw but not always and the info could be out of date when it arrives, and a single rider with an important task of seeking out a person to deliver a despatch to is not usually going to spend time data-gathering, nor be inclined to do so. My preference is that they don't give it.

Then again making this a toggle-able option seems fair to all types of players; the game needs to be accessible to all and it is supposed to be entertainment and not a struggle in stress management which some HITS games can be!

I guess you should make this a suggestion in the Waterloo thread if you feel strongly enough.

[Marching Thru Georgia]

The biggest obstacle that I noticed was that units would become engaged without the players knowledge

In SP, your AI commanders send you two messages, when they first spot the enemy and then when they first engage. Of course it is up to the CinC to have a general idea as to where his troops are located.

[Davinci]

I always play with a bare map, full couriers, 2 yds height fixed camera, trees never toggled off, no unit flags or road markers, no rangefinder, trees go invisible at the shortest distance (which I think is 50 yds). I fully accept that its not everyone's cup of tea but if you are looking to simulate the command problems of a 19thC general rather than a 20thC one there is no better game out there.

I also play with most of those settings, except the in the saddle part of that.

I’ve also removed the ability to run, melee, and use the couriers for all movement of the units. I do take-command of the units once they reach the front-lines and micro-manage the units from there.

But, the biggest improvement that I have ever done was to give the AI twenty thousand more men and to assign each enemy brigade fourteen regiments.

Now they attack as if they have three brigades lined up together which is great, the longest battle-line that I’ve had using this technique was well over six miles.

I guess you should make this a suggestion in the Waterloo thread if you feel strongly enough.

It really takes one of the Team-Members to endorse a new feature, and the newer game is just around the corner so I’ll wait and see how the newer engine runs.

In SP, your AI commanders send you two messages, when they first spot the enemy and then when they first engage. Of course it is up to the CinC to have a general idea as to where his troops are located.

Hmm, in all of the games that I have ever played I have never received a courier-message from anyone.

I would guess that if the divisional-commanders have the TC active that it would prevent them sending any messages.

Thanks, for the info!

davinci

[mkeogh76]

I recently started playing HITS mode and having a lot of fun with it. Lost every battle I've fought, but it has been fun.

However, I am bit frustrated with the minimap icons options.

Initially, I was playing "Historical" difficulty which gives you a blank map. That'd be fine if my subordinates had an ability to inform me as to their locations. Yes, I get the "enemy in view" and "I'm engaging" messages, but have limited ability to gauge "where" those events are occurring.

It'd be great if the message contained a general location as to where it was written by the subordinate commander. Or if the HQ icon of the reporting subordinate popped-up on the minimap to represent the commander (me) asking the courier, "Where is Colonel or General so-and-so right now?" That minimap icon would remain in place as aging intelligence until I received another report. It'd also be great to receive "I've reached my objective" messages from subordinates or if I could send "where are you?" messages to them to get a better picture.

Since none of the above is possible, I decided the blank map was just "too much and too little." So, I started using custom difficulty. But the other minimap icon options aren't great. "All in sight" is just way too much info. The "all within 700 yards or 1000 yards" options are better, but they remove ANY FOW within those 700 or 1000 yards which isn't good.

What happened to the "Player Sees" option that is mentioned in the manual, but isn't part of the game? I think that would have been a pretty good medium between the extremes of the blank map and "all in" options. Another option could have been "Player and subordinate units see" to represent subordinates sending messages back to their immediate HQ as to enemy and friendly movements.

Anyway, I just wanted to ineffectually rant a bit. I've enjoyed HITS very much so I can't resist thinking of ways it could have been even better.

[Gran Capitán]

You must be playing big battles, I mean at corps level at least.

HITS multiplayer is even better. :woohoo:

[mkeogh76]

You must be playing big battles, I mean at corps level at least.

Yes, I really noticed this issue on the corps level battles.

After practicing HITS with the Lynchburg add-on scenario, "Crook to Reconnoiter," in which you command a small infantry division with no attached artillery, I started going through the Gettysburg scenarios in their order with HITS. So, I have recently played the corps-sized scenarios of "Three Times is Not the Charm" and "Sickles Stays Home" in which the blank map makes things ridiculous due to the lack of any useful information from your subordinates. "You're engaging? Well, that's nice, but where the hell are you!?!"

It's unfortunate that the map icon options either provide the player with way too little info or way too much. There doesn't seem to be a happy median. The blank map would be ok if there was some way for the player to inquire as to the location of subordinate commanders. Or if they could send some sort of cursory intelligence reports. "Enemy infantry sighted near..."

[Davinci]

It's unfortunate that the map icon options either provide the player with way too little info or way too much. There doesn't seem to be a happy median. The blank map would be ok if there was some way for the player to inquire as to the location of subordinate commanders. Or if they could send some sort of cursory intelligence reports. "Enemy infantry sighted near..."

A Modded mapicons file might be what you are looking for, this way you could erase the icons that you don't want to show up.

Basically, if you only wanted the Commanders to show up - you would just erase all of the other icons from that file.

davinci