The Game is Broken

[RADO]

I think the basic game program for Ancient Wars is "Broken".

If you have "Gallic Wars", play the Roman vs Parthian scenario. I thought this scenario was included simply as an "Object Leson", as it is most certainly based on Carrhae, but was I surprised.

Watch Roman Legionary soldiers catch your horse archers! I admit, I am a newbie, but PLEASE, the game has a serious design flaw. There is NO WAY Roman Legionaries catch skirmishing light cavalry in melee. It just did not happen.

I know it's a game, but this is just pitiful gents, just pitiful.

Does anyone have a direct email to the designer?

We really need to talk.

- Greg

[Jolly Roger]

Hi.

Post it on the AWWC ladder and you´ll get contact to the designers.

Cheers, Klaus

[RADO]

So far, I cannot seem to get the time of day on that site.

Joined, and have not heard from the Roman group, cannot get access into the Roman forum, but can get into the Celt & Carthage pages; go figure that one.

Icons on the main page don't work. The only one to even respond has been Rich.

Not a great start, to say the least.

[Jolly Roger]

Hi.

Send the files to my email address, attach the password and a brief
comment about what´s happened.
I´ll send them to Paul Bruffel, the designer of the ancient war series.

Don´t worry, the Romans will take care for you:)



Cheers, Klaus

[RADO]

Thanks Klaus, but I over write the file each time I try a new scenario.

I have still not heard from the Roman CiC on the site, and I must admit I am also becoming a bit disappointed in the game. The mechanics seem so very abstract, and IMO, from what I have seen so far, the game does not encompass or address what I was looking for.

By the time of the Gallic Wars, and even Sulla before then, the Velites were not a part of the Roman army. The cohort was the standard tactical unit, varying between 300 and 500 men, depending on circumstances. The game normally has 120 men units, which is a maniple.

The game includes Velites, which were a part of the Camillan organization, which was when the Roman army was organized into maniples (Like in the Punic Wars). The Roman organization in the game reflects an organization which had long since passed away.

- Greg

[Jolly Roger]

Hi.

That´s right, Velites formations belong to thr earlier republican army,
after the marian reform, the later republican army, deployed auxilliary units as skirmishers and cavalry as well.
But that´s a problem of scenario design only and will be changed by following patches.

The Roman commander will welcome you, otherwise ......:whis:

Take care, Klaus

[RADO]

Then I will wait & look forward to the corections.

:bow:

[Jolly Roger]

Hi Rado !

I´ve sent Glyn Hargreaves ( Roman World Leader ) a message,

hope he´ll contact you.

Cheers, Klaus

[rahamy]

The Parthian horse archers will evade if under the computer A.I. control but when under a player's control you need to be precise to avoid the enemy. The best strategy when using horse archers is to use the skirmish command on the same hex your unit is presently located. Once the enemy unit moves adjacent to your horse archers they will then automatically move one hex away and avoid combat. Horse archers have a range of 7 hexes and the Legionaries at best can charge only 4 hexes so long range fire is the safe approach to avoid contact.

Reading the 'Rules' document is key to be good at this game. It is easy to play the game but not easy to win against the A.I. as you indicated above.

The use of the description 'Velites' for some scenarios which include Roman Light Infantry is incorrect. I appreciate you pointing this out. Work will be done to correct such scenarios. Use of the 3D picture of a Velite to represent Roman Light Infantry was born out of necessity. We did not have numerous 3D unit graphics created for the game as we wanted to produce a sequel to Punic Wars within 12 months of the first game. We have a graphic artist that is presently working on updates and I will see if we can include a change to this image as well.

We, at HPS, are always happy to receive constructive criticism and would be happy to listen to your other comments. Please send further matters on the game to support at hpssims.com

[RADO]

Klaus - Well, if Glyn does not contact me, we may have to desert to the Pontic army, which I have always liked anyway because of its many different troop types.

RAHamey - I have read the rules & all the supporting docs, but still feel that something is out of whack. Having done game design myself, and for antiquity, I certainly understand there is a fine line between historical correctness and playability.

From my observations so far, there is definately something amiss in the AI, but it is hard for me to put my finger on it in the dozen or so games I have played thus far. I have played the same scenario, same side, & used the same moves and had greatly varying results. This tells me that the AI is not consistent.

My Romans always have units go "uncontrolled", which in itself is an issue, as off the top of my head, I can only think of it happening once in Caesar's time, and that was at Thapsus. Even then, this or that cohort did not go uncontrolled, it was the whole line.

I think I now understand how to give orders to an entire "command", but I am still unable in a particular scenario to form a new command I wish to make. Caesar used German cavalry & infantry in separate commands, and at Pharsalus, even included antesignanni in the mix. I don't see a way in the game for me to take existing units, leave one command, and form a new one.

So far, I have been unable to successfully use the "relieve the line" command you allow Romans, and must add that this tactic was no longer available once the Marian reforms were implemented. Maniples were combined to make cohorts well before Marian, and it was the smalles tactical unit in the Roman army on the battlefield. Today, we have no factual understanding of how the "manipular phalanx" operated (as in the Punic Wars). It is all speculation as posterity has not left us historical documentation on how this tactic was executed in the face of the enemy (if in fact it ever was).

Still, I have great hopes for the game. I like being able to pull it up on the computer and play a game rather than set up an 8 ft by 5 ft game board with hundreds of miniatures on it.

To the horse archer question, this should apply to any light cavalry that has a skirmish order, player control or AI. I should not have to "guesstimate" the Roman move in order for the light cavalry to stay out of reach as the unit commander would do so himself. The same would apply to light infantry that were skirmishing. Light infantry skirmishing against close order infantry simply gives ground. If one has skirmishing light infantry and they become opposed by skirmishing light cavalry, this is another story as the cavalry moves much quicker.

Skirmishing in general in antiquity is however, a much over used concept, IMO. The true infantry skirmisher we all think about was really not defined until the Napoleonic wars under Napoleon.

Pompey's light infantry at Pharsalus were caught in the open by Roman legionaries and slaughtered. How, we ask? I can only say that indeed, they were not a skirmishing entity as we today think of one.

This just brushes the surface of many of my questions. More another time.

- Greg