How does the game handle Squares & Arty crews

[Champagne]

How does the game handle artillery crews sheltering in friendly infantry squares from charging enemy cavalry?

[e_barkmann]

It doesn't (at present). There is great discussion on this and other subjects over at the norbsoftdev forums

http://www.norbsoftdev.net/forum/96-discussion

(Edit to clarify - yes there are squares, they are a major part of the game but artillery crews cannot hide in them. Iain McNeil)

[Champagne]

That is disappointing.

[e_barkmann]

Sure but there have been great advances made with other facets of the tactical Ai from what I'm reading, and being a realist I understand we can't have everything straight away. So campaigning for the feature would be the way to go.

Oh, and patience, of which I have little.. Lol

Cheers Chris

[Champagne]

The tactical interface between three perfectly balanced combat arms is the salient feature of the Napoleonic pitched battle. Infantry, Field Artillery and Cavalry activities on the Napoleonic battlefield looked dissimilar from the American Civil War battlefield, because the three combat arms were not in balance on the ACW pitched battlefield. The combat arms were quite out of balance on the ACW battlefield, with the Percussion Cap Rifle armed Infantry dominating.

I'm looking forward to SoW: Waterloo. I wonder how much the new game will resemble the ACW battlefield in different uniforms.

Napoleonic tactics were quite different than ACW tactics, and, I hope that the new game makes this easy for the player to see by playing the game.

Let's take for another example, the role of Horse Artillery in Napoleonic Warfare. The Horse Artillery accompanied the Cavalry. The Cavalry would threaten enemy infantry, thus forcing them into Square. At that point, the supporting friendly Horse Artillery would unlimber at 300 meters from the enemy squares and reduce them with canister. Once the squares began to break the Cavalry would charge.

Can the new game simulate the above tactical interface? To simulate ACW, it's not necessary for the game engine to be able simulate that. However, for Nappy War, it's important that it does simulate that tactical interface of combat arms.

[AP514]

looking forward to the game......Multiplayer looks like the way to go...IMO

[thewood1]

I am kind of surprised about squares not being in. To me, it is one of the key things separating ACW from the Napoleon-type tactical combat. It does make me wonder if this is just an upgraded SOW with the Napoleonic mod.

edit...I think nevermind, the norbsoft forums seem to indicate squares are in...I just had to dig a little.

[con20or]

Squares most definitely ARE in. The OPs question was would artillery crews be allowed to detach from their artillery pieces and shelter in squares.

[smudge56]

I Just popped into this forum to take a look at this product. I have a love of Napoleonic era. I would hope that squares are in as this was part of Wellingtons strategy in dealing with the French cavalry. If I remember correctly he hid a part of the army behind a rise and in squares. To one not show how many troops he had and also to protect them from a cavalry charge if detected.

Anyhow I'm really interested in the development of this game.

I also hope that if will be expanded to cover all parts of the Napoleonic era.

Good Luck with the game and release.

[con20or]

Thanks.

Have no fear, squares are a major part of the new release.[:)]

We also have plans to cover lots more of the Napoleonic wars.

[Norb]

Officers will hide in squares. The pain in the butt test team hammered me again and again until I got this right. Had to rework the square formation multiple times to make room. We did not have enough room for arty crews though. Our implementation of square and unit spacing just does not make enough room.