Ebb and Flow of Battle

[devoncop]

Well I have just fought my first round of games in the second tournament against Massa. Mirror matches of Pyrrhic v Rome. Both games ended as very close Pyrrhic victories (appropriate!) but this is totally inadequate in describing the to and fro of the battles.

As Pyrrhus I conceded and congratulated my opponent on a couple of occasions as it seemed a vital section of Phalanx would finally crumble as it defended a stream on my centre right only for them to hold on against ferocious Roman assault gaining time for my Cavalry to return behind the Roman lines and roll up the attackers. Even then the result remained in doubt as the victorious Roman right struggled to rescue their companions and only just failed to reach them.

The point of this post is that I have now played multiple MP and SP games where an apparently winning position can be snatched away and visa versa. Very few PC games have ever managed to achieve this ...Total War being a good example of one that fails in this regard ...it is a great tribute to RBS and the whole design team.

[w_michael]

I have found that in very close games the winner is often determined by who rallies units first. Not because of any significant returning strength, but by the lowering of the percentage routed number.

[devoncop]

The placing of a C in C with a disordered or even fractured unit to try and rally it is a risky but potentially crucial reason a unit can rally. Has savers a critical unit for me more than once.

[Cheimison]

The placing of a C in C with a disordered or even fractured unit to try and rally it is a risky but potentially crucial reason a unit can rally. Has savers a critical unit for me more than once.

On the other hand it's sometimes wise to switch your C-in-C to a full strength unit so he doesn't get wasted.

[hjc]

I have found that in very close games the winner is often determined by who rallies units first. Not because of any significant returning strength, but by the lowering of the percentage routed number.

Yes. I have had several narrow losses due to rallying opponents units, and narrow wins due to me being lucky. If I get the opponent to 60%, and I'm sitting on 56%, although the game says I won, it feels more like a bloody stalemate.

I've also recently experienced rallying enemy units not just recovering their rout percentage, but returning to the fight in time to gang-tackle the last of my units that were hanging on. The fortunes of war.