BETA 1.06 (for Slitherine version only), Download Here

[firepowerjohan]

Download from http://www.slitherine.com/files/cnaw/cnaw_patch1.06.exe


1.06 Beta Patch (2008-11-21)
- Fixed a Artillery causalty display bug in the statistics panel
- Units made more expensive and higher upkeep costs providing less unit density in game
- There is no longer an effectivness drop when upgrading a unit
- Changed some leader stats in the land_leader script
- Made Russian economy stronger and Great Britain economy weaker
- AI, Great Britain more aggressive doing naval invasions
- AI, Russia more keen countering and eventually invading France
- AI now more swiftly redistribute units from already conquered objectives
- AI now recruit more leaders once their PP gets high

1.05 Beta Patch (2008-11-12)
- Siege Artillery made cheaper to increase its usage
- 1805 scenario, some changes in the unit setup
- AI, Austria in 1805 now tries to head back to The Capital with all forces
- AI navy is more distinct and does not move around as much unneccesarily
- AI now more frequently tries to use wagon movements
- AI now prioritise better between science vs unit purchases
- AI navy now only escort their own Merchants, not their Allies
- AI, fixed a deploy problem with the new leader recruitment

1.04 Beta Patch (2008-11-10)
- Fixed a bug with Vassals scientists not working
- Fixed a bug with not being able to focus on Attack Columns science
- Fixed a bug where AI waiting for horses buying cavalry instead of buying something else
- France now invade Saxony and Prussia earlier instead of waiting for them to join the war
- Max labs set higher for Vassal countries
- Science is now a bit faster
- AI now reacts and assign newly deployed infantry to homeland defence duty if enemy is near
- AI now reacts and dismiss newly deployed infantry from homeland defence duty if enemy is far

1.03 Beta Patch (2008-11-06)
- Fixed a wagon bug that sometimes prevented wagon movements from/to Russia
- Some tweaks to the 1805 scenario setup
- AI now mass up several transports before doing naval invasion to land stronger instead of piecemeal
- AI now use leaders
- AI get some extra leaders on higher difficulty levels
- AI, Units that cannot reinforce now fall back from the front line to prevent blocking fresh units
- AI, Units assigned for homeland defence now spread out better

1.02 Beta Patch (2008-11-04)
- Fixed a freeze bug that occured sometimes instead of the victory screen
- France is now slightly stronger early on due to the increase from 8% to 12% from the Corps d Arme' tech
- Increased the manpower capacity for France in all scenarios by 15%
- Russia now throw in counter attacks every now and then, more the longer the war goes on eventually driving all the way towards Paris
- Great Britain now do naval invasion into France if later on if the defence is weak
- Great Britain now build slightly less navy and more ground forces
- AI, Changed some thresholds for France when deciding if protecting Austria or defending Paris
- AI, improved some distribution problems so France is now more aggressively focusing on conquests early on
- AI stops buying new units earlier, sparing manpower for repairs
- AI, France get more manpower when playing the upper difficulty levels
- AI, Only infantry units now stay put on resource hexes for defence


1.01 Beta Patch (2008-10-24)
- Sea Port attack penalty now 70% instead of 30%
- Map, Transportation loop removed
- Map, Cairo now set up as Ottoman Secondary Capital
- Scenario 1805, Russia has a slightly weaker set up
- Vassals now need to have at leist 4 units in order to get a chance of revolting
- Major Countries and Vassals now do not surrender as easily as before
- AI, Great Britain now build more ships not just Frigates
- AI, made several improvements to the 1805 reducing the amount of situations where the AI went defensive(=passive)
- AI naval units that are going home for repairs do no longer change their mind
- AI now devote more navy for patrolling the seas in order to maintain naval superiority and win the convoy wars
- AI now build some artillery
- AI, Portugal now set more aggressive in 1814 Scenario

[Bern]

Hello Johan

Opening moves as Coalition Fr AI mod adv. We're just into March 1806. The battle area around Vienna is much less cluttered with units which has allowed the AI to mount much better attacks on the city, with excellent use of Artillery. It still holds out but Austria will likely succumbe in the next 2 to 3 turns. We still have the odd concentration on Prague tho' - units have actually been diverted from Vienna to attack Prague - including the Emporer himself with the most powerful Fr inf. unit.

However, what is standing out so far is the economic situation. Just wonder if the emasculation of the GB economy is a bit too much. Essentially GB is priced out of virtually any research and will likely be so until the convoys start to roll in. At the moment GB has been able to afford only one scientist and that at the expense of repairing ships damaged in the initial naval battle. There is no chance of any recruitment - tho' this is not necessarily a bad thing - and research is also of the question. It may be that this will keep GB 'quiet' for an extended period in the game and therefore help with the overall balance and enable the game to progress into the later years. Having said that, I'm really not sure about this, especially when you consider that GB had the strongest economy in Europe at the time.

Bern

[IainMcNeil]

The problem with GB is that its economy spanned the world and we're only representing Europe. If we gave GB a realistic income it would greatly overstate its military power in Europe as the vasy majority of GB's resources were used to maintain the Empire. The best we can do is simulate its economic power taking in to account the cost of running the Empire, which also helps to keep the game more balanced.

[firepowerjohan]

One large hint that is becoming increasingly important now. Naval maintenance is saved when in or adjacent to ports. Each Ship will cost 4-5 PP per turn otherwise. That is why your GB economy is so weak since a majority of the income is going towards supporting all your naval units out at sea.

Frigates and Privateers are much cheaper to maintain so they are easier to use for patrolling the sea. Large ships are better kept for big battles. Check purchase screen for the upkeep cost per turn for each unit type.

[Bern]

Immediately after the initial naval battle, all my naval units headed for port in order to save on upkeep costs.

I appreciate the point about the use of the GB economy. However, not only did GB keep the 'empire' going, it also propped up the european powers in their fight against Nappy. I'm now farther into my present game and am still convinced that the GB economy isn't right. What you are looking for is a situation where the game is not unbalanced by GB wealth, but also reflects the period. What about this. Return the GB economy to its previous level but ramp up the cost of GB units. This would enable GB to participate in research, whilst its forces build up would have to come later in the game. As a result of the research, the units would be fewer in number but of good quality - historically accurate and balanced.

Bern

[Bern]

Quick follow up. Could I have been a bit hasty with my first comment. I found that if I do absolutely nothing with GB, and with all but a couple of frigate units in port, I can save enough to begin to appoint science folks, even tho' at a low level. By 1807, GB has made very, very little research progress in anything at all. What about making these GB science types a bit cheaper? Please Sir

Looks like the issue of troops remaining around Berlin has mostly been solved. Once that City fell, a sizeable number of fighters went off immediately to deal with the Prussian problem around K/berg and Danzig. I'm into 1807 and Prussia has not much longer in this fight. Even so, there is a considerable Fr strength still around Berlin - including artillery and all the Fr Leaders. Wonder if these should already be moving east before the Russian Bear gets much stronger?

Bern

[IainMcNeil]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not sure the system supports the changes you are suggesting to the GB economy. The easiest way to help might be to increase the convoy sizes as the game progresses to boost the GB economy later on?

Any help GB gives to other nations is already abstracted in to their production so other nations over produce and GB under produces.

I wonder if we could give GB a scientist in a couple of areas at the start of the game - Johan this might do the job, so is it possible?

On the troop build up in Prussia, can you tell us what happens when Prussia falls. Do the troops move on to Russia? Maybe the French needs to update its targets and reallocate troops from Berlin to the 2nd Prussian capital.

[adherbal]

Ideally GB should have plently of PP but very low manpower. In reality they financed their Allies but lacked the manpower for a significant land army until the built-up of forces in the peninsula.

[IainMcNeil]

Maybe starting them at 85% manpower but with more resources would be a better compromise then? They can build up manpower but have to wait a while.

[Bern]

I would very much support the idea of giving GB the scientists and the convoy proposal. I should say that in the 30 or so turns in this game, GB has received only one convoy of PP and one of horses. TYhis looks like really bad luck I don't think that better progress in GB research would upset the game balance - they still would have very little resource to build up troop numbers. This would perfectly reflect the reality of the period.

I'm now into 1808 in the game - Unfortunately Fr AI took rather longer than I expected to remove Prussia by taking K/berg. The attacks on Prussia were 100% better than in the previous versions, but still too many powerful units stayed around Berlin. I do believe that targetting K/berg immediately Berlin falls is the right way to go - and that has clearly happened but, for some reason, not for all of the Fr strength.

As soon as K/berg fell, the Fr AI did turn its attention to Russia - units of heavy cav. moved n-east to Riga, supported by one inf unit. The Russian army is stationed along the river at Smolensk. A number of Fr units have moved towards them, but the AI is 'strung out' between Berlin and the Russians, and the latter have had the better of a couple of sporadic clashes. I'm assuming that the AI will consolidate and move to meet the Russians in more strength in the next few turns. The Fr AI units around Riga have given up trying to take the city and are moving south west - away from any action.

One thing I've not noticed before is that the AI is 'interested' in Rome, although the one Fr inf unit there only moves between adjacent hexes - no attacks are made. That unit was previously supported by art. but this unit has now been re-deployed.

Overall there really has been an expert job done on the French AI. Provided that the targets are right, post K/berg, the Fr are well placed for a thrust into Russia, whose army, unit for unit, is still not strong enough to stand up and will be forced to retreat. There is no way that GB can be of any help so things are looking good for the AI. The critical thing though will be the AI targets. Hopefully I will be able to get in a few more turns today - if I do I'll report on progress.

Bern

[Bern]

Played on this game into 1808. Sorry to say it has all gone pear-shaped for the Fr AI. The main Fr force attacked the Russian line in a piecemeal fashion and its units were picked off easily until it ceased to exist. Not only did the Russians hold well, they have advanced far into Prussia and Austria and are destroying now isolated Fr units at will.

The main reason is that much of the AI assault strength was scattered over cities in Prussia, Saxony and Austria. Nappy, for eg hasn't left Prague. Around that city and Leipzig were three Fr inf. units each over 100 in effectiveness which stayed rooted to the spot. Other strong inf units were guarding horse farms etc and we still had the inf unit moving from hex to hex adjacent to Rome doing nothing.

One isolated Fr heavy cav did flank the Russians and made it to the gates of Moscow where it froze to death, having been cut off from supply.

The Fr units are now so scattered, it is impossible for them to pose any threat to the Russian advance.

Disappointing really, as it looks so promising for the AI but the Fr were simply unable to 'get it together'.

Just one other note - there has still been only one PP convoy for GB !!

Bern

[Toby42]

So are all of these patches just shoring up the Campaign Scenario?

[firepowerjohan]

Bern, what difficulty did you defeat the French at?

[Bern]

Hello Johan - at mod advantage to the French - this has been my preferred level all the way thro'. It was a great pity - all seemed set up for the AI, then it suddenly went wrong as I mentioned previously.

Of course I have to remember that I'm playing the game without FoW in order to assess the AI. It is possible, even, perhaps, likely, that I would have used the Russian units differently if I had been unable to see the full French placement. If playing with FoW, after the fall of Prussia, I might have pulled back the Russian army into Russia until it could have been strengthened and we'd have had a different game. Having said that, it is clear that the AI was concerned more with holding on to the resource hexes it had taken in the conquered countries, than it was in attacking Russia whilst still relatively weak. Much of the AI's effectiveness strength was used for this purpose.

Some of the Fr units clearly did have targets inside Russia, but the problem was that they advanced towards such targets without coordination, meaning they were easy for the Russians to 'pick off' one by one almost. The fact that the remainder of the Fr units were scattered about the resource hexes and therefore isolated made it easy for the Russian army to roll over them.

So much of the early phase of the campaign is now just about right for the French AI. If only the AI could put together its most effective units in a concerted push east, the coalition player would have a difficult time. I can't see the need for any more than a couple of units each to monitor any revolt by Prussia or Austria, whilst the rest are available for assaults on Russia.

Bern

[azbear]

Is newest patch cumulative, or do I have to load each of the previous patches, in sequence?

[IainMcNeil]

You only need the latest patch.