Colonial Campaigns Club (CCC)

First off, I am not whining about any this, but I am looking for some feedback.

<u>The situation:</u>
A full 1812 campaign.

<u>First battle:</u>
A British major victory at Detroit with the vast majority of American troops eliminated. I'm thinking, cool...I won't have to face so many of the traitors next battle. [:)]

<u>Second battle:</u>
In order to avoid the ridiculously ahistorical Bladensburg, (in actuality a huge defeat for the Americans) I made the campaign decision which steered us toward Stoney Creek, where a hard fought minor British victory was achieved with significant American losses. But not only had the Americans come on map in full force, the after game report mentioned a "Draw Path". Ok, a major win and a minor win and the campaign's still a draw, I'll deal with it. [8)]

<u>Third battle:</u>
I find myself at Bladensburg anyway. American units that I can see appear to be full strength again, and I'm grossly outnumbered, again, on a battlefield that IMO gives a big advantage to the boys in blue. This is not looking good. [8]

<u>My conclusions:</u>
Casualties are <b>not</b> being carried over in campaign games as expected. Even my army appeared to be full strength in the last two engagements.

Victories have little if any impact on campaign branching. How can an army be nearly wiped out in the initial battle, that same army suffer significant casualties in the next battle, and the following battle I'm facing a 3:2 ratio in men, and am in fact at an extreme battlefield disadvantage??

None of this is a reflection on my or my opponents play. I raise these points in question of the game's campaign mechanics, or maybe I'm just missing something here that someone can fill me in on. I have to answer to Lord Cornwallis you know, and he's missed his last two shipments of tea for some reason, and is not in a good mood. [;)]

Thanks much Al. That does account for some of the eyebrow raising events that have happened in this campaign. I too compliment Rich on his efforts and meant no slight to him or the game. I wasn't aware of all that oob/org file techie stuff, nor that the battles were so spread apart in time.

Still though, I'm a bit dismayed that I've been having battlefield successes, but nothing that really indicates a campaign payoff for all that hair, er, wig raising action. [:o)]

That's another good point Al. Two battles won does not a campaign make, eh what?. [:I]
Phil

Hi Phil,

I'll be honest with you, I'm not happy with the campaigns I put together for 1812. Part of this had to do with the structure of the war, most battles just didn't flow like a normal campaign. (Al did a good job of explaining that.) I also did them at the end of the development after putting all the battles together, so they didn't get the attention they deserved. I have come to the conclusion that "hypothetical" campaigns make for the best game play in this era, so I'll be working on that in the future. [;)]

As far as Bladensburg goes, you are completely correct, it was a HUGE rout for the Americans, and shy of placing most of the troops in a routed state I could think of no way to recreate that. However I will be making a change to the OOB's which will come out with the next patch, that will weaken the militia considerably. This will change the play of that battle considerably.

So, stand by. I DO listen to what you guys say, and hope to deliver adjustments as I can. If all goes well that will be more often...time will tell.

Regards,

Rich

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Thanks for jumping in Rich, (and thanks again Al). The explanations do answer my questions, and I sure can't fault anyone for doing their best with a difficult situation to work with. My sniggling in no way lessens my appreciation of 1812 or 1776, I'm happy just to have the games available and that folks with some knowledge of the games mechanics are willing to shed some light on their inner workings on this forum.

Bartholemew, you're going to have to go without a few meals because you have a lot of tough buckskin to gnaw on at Bladensburg.....sic 'em boy! [}:)]