Combat

Being relatively new and not having any combat experience or knowledge i was wondering if anyone would like to share some?

Firs it is useful to now whether you mean land or sea based?

Next it is not always about numbers, although it helps, it is about tactics and how you use your forces. A good battle plan and what you expect then to acheive.

Training is important and the ground, ie a siege is different from being sieged and an open plain from a chance meeting

Both sea and land in all honesty... its diffficult to get a feel for how combat works having not been involved in any. Is there , for example, a maximum size for a fleet - your honour my let you command 100's of ships but in reality that would simply leave you a unwieldy, non responsive mess. I imagine drill and elites must matter to a degree for them to take so long as must the varios advances?

Hi James, drill training in different areas - for example gun drill, maneuver training , equipment, elites and good commanders all help I reckon. yes 100 SoL would be impossible, might look good but you'd have to break them into groups...just look at the Armada!

get some 'real' personalities in your ranks, try them out with skirmishes and smaller battles so they, and you, get some experience then you could promote them and go for someting bigger!

not sure if this a 'winning formula' but it works for me...or it will once I get my men marching!

Thanks guys - does this mean that i should be doing drills in various thing or is it simply one form of drill covering those areas?

Just select the army fleet or what ever and in your orders state that is to drill to the next level, this will take 6 months, the next also takes 6 months then they are the best they can be without actually fighting experience.

how do we know what are regulations are? Would they be the same as the same time frame historically?

you can write your own, maybe rules on engagement or speed of contact for horses, rates of fire for infantry. You can make rules of conduct and behaviour, discipline etc...in fact anything you want to do with the army. I think the better training your troops have the better able they will be to follow your orders

Example,

Horse trot and then gallop with riders knees touching.

Cossacks/draggon NCO'sare to carry brass plugs and hammers to spike enemy guns.

Infantry are to march within 100 paces of the enemy and then fire a volly then chage with bayonets fixed.

etc, etc

Shalom, jamespatterson2uk

Training your men is vital, as regards as to how they will fight! There is no alternative to training! An ounce of sweat will save an ounce of blood.
Take the "Marinsoldater" or "Marines"! I went so far as to draw up a TO&E of their organization, man by man. I then drew up their specific training program, Code of Military Justice, each regimental uniform, medals and awards, retirement homes, orphanages, retirement pay.

All of this has an impact on their esprit, ability to fight and die for their nation! If a soldier knows that no matter what happens to him, or where he is...That his family will be taken care of, and that he is with fellow soldiers that are well trained & motivated.......He'll stand and fight!

In 1973, my brigade held the Golan Heights against the Syrian Army. In spite of the fact that the Brigade was being decimated (my platoon was a total of 11 men at the end), totally surrrounded & outnumbered, no one ran away! Our training was outstanding, our equipment was superior, and, our Esprit de Corps (morale) was skyhigh! I trusted the men I fought beside implicitly......they were my actual neighbors & I went to Temple on the Shabbot with many of them!! We stopped the Syrians.

So, training & motivating your soldiers is very important! And, tradition is
very important.......many of your regiments are a couple of hundred years old!! When you lead them into battle, first give them a pep talk (Richard might even print it in the Mercure)! Remind them of their heroism at the Battle of 'Such-and Such" , when they stood and fought valiantly, fighting off hordes of Russians (or whomever).

This all counts in game terms, if your not sure about something, discuss it with Richard in the turn you send in. He'll answer you in the next game turn he sends you, explaining why your idea can be done and how! He'll even make suggestions about ideas you have. I'm constantly using this approach with him. And, of course, you're doing iit correctly by also asking questions here in the forums!!

Man!!! Do I talk too much!! Sorry about getting carried away like I did!

Moshe

(At a 18th Century Battle)
Animadvertisine, ubicumque stes, fumum recta in faciem ferri? = Ever noticed how wherever you stand, the smoke goes right into your face?

My regulations are rather simple. Would it be more prudent to have more or less in the manner of regulations? Further, do you recommend have different regulations for every possible type of engagement? Lastly, I have not done this on the naval side and really should considering where I am in the grand scheme of things.

CRV

revvaughan wrote:My regulations are rather simple. Would it be more prudent to have more or less in the manner of regulations? Further, do you recommend have different regulations for every possible type of engagement? Lastly, I have not done this on the naval side and really should considering where I am in the grand scheme of things.

CRV

You're more or less correct, however, I haven't done much for the Army (I did design their uniforms), other than assume they already know how to fight. Ditto for the Navy, although I did redesign & upgun them, and am building a new class of Escort Frigate & Heavy Frigate. And, I added Logistics Officers (1 year academy) to all three branches (Army, Navy, Marines).

But, the Marine Corps is my pride and joy.......They even have their own Eng. Bns! Next comes Amphibious Training and, NCO Academy. With nothing but time to fiddle around, I can afford to spend all the time I want to design and build them frm scratch!

word of warning on upgunned ships if the ship is carrying upgunned cannons expect some sort of problem, that iis capsising as it affestc the cgaracteristics of the ship, they become slower etc.

Plus it is not only dress but how they charge, conduct them selves, what they carry and how they must use it.

The British Navy has several upgunned ships, but never seems to have much trouble with the larger ships carrying larger guns. However, I assume that Richard gives them credit for being good mariners from the start and that training only makes them sharper.

I have new army regulations in place and I will likely put some portions out for comment. You know how we gamers are through... We don't want to put too much of our precious game knowledge out there!

I'll break the habit of a lifetime and given some help re-upgunned ships. Basically Agema's ruling view is that ships built from scratch shouldn't have problems, but existing ships later upgunned can suffer from stability issues...!

Richard D. Watts wrote:I'll break the habit of a lifetime and given some help re-upgunned ships. Basically Agema's ruling view is that ships built from scratch shouldn't have problems, but existing ships later upgunned can suffer from stability issues...!

That's wisdom I'll gladly follow.

Watch for the launching of the lovely and sleek Southampton Class Frigate! Should be an earth shattering event!

CRV

Im only on briefly as Im on leave, looking after my girls during the School Summer Holidays (not sure when I will get back online in the next week or so)

Is it just me ?....... I could quite easily listen to more of Moshe's stories about his time in the IDF. I do not know how many armed forces servicemen we have playing this game, but I have the utmost respect and admiration for them, regardless of nationality. I have family members in the British Army, two of whom have done several tours of duty in Northern Ireland during the troubles, both served in the First Gulf War, and a third family member served in the Balkans (and unforunately game back in a very bad way - psychologically).

count-de-monet wrote:Im only on briefly as Im on leave, looking after my girls during the School Summer Holidays (not sure when I will get back online in the next week or so)

Is it just me ?....... I could quite easily listen to more of Moshe's stories about his time in the IDF. I do not know how many armed forces servicemen we have playing this game, but I have the utmost respect and admiration for them, regardless of nationality. I have family members in the British Army, two of whom have done several tours of duty in Northern Ireland during the troubles, both served in the First Gulf War, and a third family member served in the Balkans (and unforunately game back in a very bad way - psychologically).

Thank you Count, I only did what had to be done, when it had to be done, just like millions of others! The L-rd was kind enough to grant me my life and sanity......Uncounted numbers of others weren't so fortunate!

I have tremendous respect & admiration for those who survived, wounded in body & spirit. There is no way to truly, adequately repay those men & women for their self-sacrifice. They have truly been granted immortality!

revvaughan wrote:Watch for the launching of the lovely and sleek Southampton Class Frigate! Should be an earth shattering event!

CRV

I can hardly wait to read about the event in the newspaper myself, should prove to be most interesting. I love Richard's descriptive abilities!

Count Piper should invite your King to the next launching of one of the Kalmar Union's newest Heavy Frigates.