Overwhelmed by this game, need guidance...

[Donkey Kong]

I've read all the instructions and decided to play the Battle of Bull Run, which I've studied historically.

My first experience of this game was just feeling overwhelmed by the number of troops you control and how big the map is.

It was very tempting and easy to simply circle all my troops on the right side of the field and direct the entire group toward my enemy.  Within a few minutes I had taken over a major objective point. I tried this with some other targets and it worked also.

I realize this is a very stupid and unsophisticated way to play, just pointing and clicking like a video game, so I am hoping some videos or tutorials can help me really understand the right way to play this game.

Are there any such tutorials or guidance for me?

Thanks.

Edited April 19, 2019 by Donkey Kong

[pandakraut]

There are a number of guides on the steam forums and there are several full campaigns on youtube. 

Do you have a preference for CSA vs union campaigns or video vs written?

[Donkey Kong]

Thanks, I'm not really looking for a walkthrough, more of a guide to how to interact with the overwhelming large game interface and map, how to understand, move, and manage so many troops, and the very basics of strategy, but whatever you can point me towards I'm sure will be helpful.

[quicksabre]

If you're looking to get your feet under you without a guide or watching let's plays (and for the record, I agree with pandakraut that this is probably the best way to learn the game's tactics), I actually recommend starting the campaign as CSA (the first couple of missions as USA are tougher, in my opinion) and play the first couple of missions leading up to first bull run. You start with relatively few units and are reinforced by a few more, you get to practice attack and defense, and finally by the end of first bull run are leading a relatively large army. And because most of the troops you command are extra to your campaign army, the first few missions are pretty forgiving in terms of army management.

[pandakraut]

1 hour ago, Donkey Kong said:

Thanks, I'm not really looking for a walkthrough, more of a guide to how to interact with the overwhelming large game interface and map, how to understand, move, and manage so many troops, and the very basics of strategy, but whatever you can point me towards I'm sure will be helpful.

Koro and CivWar64 have starting guides that are probably what you want to read then. I'll post some links when I'm back at a computer.

Edited April 19, 2019 by pandakraut

[pandakraut]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1274743463

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=810140368

[contact]

The above advice is very good. At times I have used it to help on some points I did not understand. The UG community is very helpful.

I like to think I am an experienced war gamer. If you’re not it may be worth just checking out at least some of the advice offered.

But I also wanted to ‘do It my way’. If possible.

I also wanted to just jump in !

My way was to work through different battles. Playing as Union or CSA. On BG level (normal).

I used the battles to learn how the mechanics worked. It is a sharp learning curve. The pause button is useful. Allowing to stop and see what is happening all over the battlefield. To digest and learn.

Only when I felt I understood the games mechanics did I decided to start a campaign. As CSA on BG level. This is where you will have to either jump in or take some advice. Here you are introduced to the Barrack’s. This is another part of the campaign game. This was totally alien to me. So I used my first campaign to learn how to use the Barrack’s prior to the next battle. It is a sharp learning curve. I did not expect to win my first campaign and sure enough by the time I got to Gettysburg I was defeated.

I had to start again. But I did learn so much of how the Barrack’s worked. Understanding that is required if wish to win a campaign.

I again played on BG level as CSA. To cut a long story short. I did win the war.

So it really is up to you. I can recommend the advice offered on the forum. Or like me ‘jump in’. But do expect some set backs.

UG is the best ACW war game available on the computer.

Using the advice will be very useful. If prefer not to. Expect it to take longer to master. But don’t give up. You will find it is well worth the time and effort.

Best wishes

[Donkey Kong]

Thanks for posting those guides, I'm sure they will help.

I'm a little confused on which campaigns or battles you guys think will be easiest for me to begin with.  For instance, not sure what you mean by "play the first couple of missions leading up to Bull Run", because Bull Run was historically the first battle of the Civil War, there weren't any battles leading up to it.  

Bull Run is actually the first non-campaign battle that you can select, and you are immediately in charge of a huge army in a massive map, which is what overwhelmed me in the first place.

Thanks for the help so far!

 

Edited April 22, 2019 by Donkey Kong

[Donkey Kong]

Oh, one more thing I forgot to ask.  My first goal is just to learn the basic keyboard and mouse commands.

 Is this a complete and comprehensive list of all commands you can issue on the battlefield?

• Halt/Hold (Space key)
• Double Quick (R key)
• Charge (C key)
• Fall Back (F key)
• Combine/Split Division (Y key)
• Mount/Dismount (M key)
• Limber/Unlimber (M key)
• Hold fire (H key)
• Withdraw (G key)
• AI

The rule book is pretty long and spread out, so I feel like I may have missed some important things.

Are there more commands to know, or is this basically it?

 

 

Edited April 22, 2019 by Donkey Kong

[contact]

If possible, you will find it much easier to use a mouse.

Re Bull Run.

If play as CSA. It starts with an action on the right flank. As the CSA your mission is to simply hold a bridge and a river from being crossed by the Union. Later, in the next phase more units (reinforcements arrive).

But this is a good battle to start with to look to get a grasp of the mechanics.

But really so much easier using a mouse.

Best wishes.

Edited April 22, 2019 by contact
Error

[contact]

3 hours ago, Donkey Kong said:

Thanks for posting those guides, I'm sure they will help.

I'm a little confused on which campaigns or battles you guys think will be easiest for me to begin with.  For instance, not sure what you mean by "play the first couple of missions leading up to Bull Run", because Bull Run was historically the first battle of the Civil War, there weren't any battles leading up to it.  

Bull Run is actually the first non-campaign battle that you can select, and you are immediately in charge of a huge army in a massive map, which is what overwhelmed me in the first place.

Thanks for the help so far!

 

I would not suggest starting a campaign yet.

First best to get use to how the game works by playing the fixed battles.

Only when understand how that works. Would I suggest starting a campaign 

Best wishes

[contact]

4 hours ago, Donkey Kong said:

Thanks for posting those guides, I'm sure they will help.

I'm a little confused on which campaigns or battles you guys think will be easiest for me to begin with.  For instance, not sure what you mean by "play the first couple of missions leading up to Bull Run", because Bull Run was historically the first battle of the Civil War, there weren't any battles leading up to it.  

Bull Run is actually the first non-campaign battle that you can select, and you are immediately in charge of a huge army in a massive map, which is what overwhelmed me in the first place.

Thanks for the help so far!

 

Re confusing on Missions leading up to Bull Run

When playing the Campaign there are smaller battles/encounters before a major battle. These are smaller than a main battle.

But would not suggest starting a Campaign until understand the basics.

Therefore, using the stand alone battles to play. Bull Run is a good start.

Hope this clarifies it for you.

[pandakraut]

7 hours ago, Donkey Kong said:

Oh, one more thing I forgot to ask.  My first goal is just to learn the basic keyboard and mouse commands.

 Is this a complete and comprehensive list of all commands you can issue on the battlefield?

• Halt/Hold (Space key)
• Double Quick (R key)
• Charge (C key)
• Fall Back (F key)
• Combine/Split Division (Y key)
• Mount/Dismount (M key)
• Limber/Unlimber (M key)
• Hold fire (H key)
• Withdraw (G key)
• AI

The rule book is pretty long and spread out, so I feel like I may have missed some important things.

Are there more commands to know, or is this basically it?

 

 

Tab switches the camera angle, T detaches skirmishers, and holding down shift will let you rotate a unit's facing. P also pauses the game which will be very useful.

Limbering/Unlimbering is mostly automated so you probably won't need to use it much.

While you can play the game using only the mouse using the hotkeys will make your play much more efficient. Pausing or half speed lets you not have to worry about this to much though.

[pandakraut]

7 hours ago, Donkey Kong said:

I'm a little confused on which campaigns or battles you guys think will be easiest for me to begin with.  For instance, not sure what you mean by "play the first couple of missions leading up to Bull Run", because Bull Run was historically the first battle of the Civil War, there weren't any battles leading up to it.  

The historical and custom battles all will have you controlling larger amounts of units. CSA Bull Run is the smallest one I can think of as it has them trickle in slowly.

The campaign format is 1-3 smaller battles followed by a major battle. There were a few smaller actions leading up to Bull Run that would barely have been considered skirmishes later in the war. These smaller battles feature relatively few units, so you have time to adjust to the controls a bit. I'd suggest just starting a CSA campaign on either Colonel or BG difficulty and play a few missions to see how it goes. Don't worry to much about picking the 'right' career points or building your army in some specific way. This will get you a chance to get used to the controls and how the missions work. You can always restart the campaign once you're more  comfortable and make different choices.

[quicksabre]

8 hours ago, contact said:

But would not suggest starting a Campaign until understand the basics.

I think the first CSA mission (Potomac fort) is a good intro (you get to attack and defend fortified positions and attack and defend in more open terrain, and don't really have to worry about supply), which is why I suggested starting a campaign. The second mission (Newport News) is also pretty good and reasonably forgiving, and then finally, as you say, 1st Bull Run is a battle that starts small and builds big, which would be a good capstone to that mini-tutorial. As long as you don't worry about your career points or how to efficiently build an army, you can play those three to get a sense for the game and then start over and play a more 'serious' campaign as either side.

[Donkey Kong]

Thank you, this was very helpful, I'm going to try and take your advice and I'll post back here if I'm still struggling with the game.

One of the things that I'm also wondering, when you guys begin a campaign or battle, do you review all the stats and attributes of all your troops, such as morale, stamina, etc? 

Do you think that is necessary to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of your army before you start issuing commands?

[pandakraut]

5 hours ago, Donkey Kong said:

Thank you, this was very helpful, I'm going to try and take your advice and I'll post back here if I'm still struggling with the game.

One of the things that I'm also wondering, when you guys begin a campaign or battle, do you review all the stats and attributes of all your troops, such as morale, stamina, etc? 

Do you think that is necessary to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of your army before you start issuing commands?

You don't need to know them exactly, but it's useful to have a general idea how experienced each unit is and what they are equipped with. As people build their own armies they will often use some kind of naming scheme to help with this.

[Donkey Kong]

Thanks, appreciate the help, I'll probably be back here later with some questions.

[Gael]

Donkey Kong,

I suggest you go to this topic below where I entered several notes in response to stated difficulties in philosophy, strategy, and army build - discussing primarily 2nd Manassas and some info regarding 1st Manassas (Bull Run for the Yanks).  The insights offered may be of value to you.  As to memorizing the keys --- I just used the mouse and it is easy and quick for me. 

A number of my notes are posted throughout the forum, just write "Gael" in the SEARCH box and see if any of the topics may be of use or interest to you.

I used to live in Manassas, VA, about 10 minutes drive from the two battlefields located on top of each other, and checked different aspects and books about them.

Good luck and enjoy the game,

     --Gael

 

 

[Arkangel33]

On 4/19/2019 at 3:22 PM, Donkey Kong said:

Thanks, I'm not really looking for a walkthrough, more of a guide to how to interact with the overwhelming large game interface and map, how to understand, move, and manage so many troops, and the very basics of strategy, but whatever you can point me towards I'm sure will be helpful.

When I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed I frequently hit the "P" button. Let's me move around the map without units attacking or being overwhelmed while I move and readjust units.

[contact]

On 4/23/2019 at 2:03 PM, pandakraut said:

You don't need to know them exactly, but it's useful to have a general idea how experienced each unit is and what they are equipped with. As people build their own armies they will often use some kind of naming scheme to help with this.

I tend to just go by the number of stars a unit has. Or lack of them !

I do like to know at a glance what the troops are armed with.

A couple of examples as below :-

Loomis R340 M1855.  Thayer R250 M1842.  Adams 10PDR ORD.

The R is for range. Followed by the distance. 

Next to each Brigade it give the number of stars or not. Plus the strength of the unit. Or in the case of artillery, number of guns.

This may be more basic than some use. But I find I can look at a unit and know their experience and weapon very quickly.

But each to their own.

Best wishes.

On 4/23/2019 at 8:12 AM, Donkey Kong said:

Thank you, this was very helpful, I'm going to try and take your advice and I'll post back here if I'm still struggling with the game.

One of the things that I'm also wondering, when you guys begin a campaign or battle, do you review all the stats and attributes of all your troops, such as morale, stamina, etc? 

Do you think that is necessary to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of your army before you start issuing commands?

 

 

Edited April 29, 2019 by contact
Error

[BCH]

On 4/22/2019 at 9:18 AM, pandakraut said:

P also pauses the game which will be very useful.

Along with that piece of advice, Save the game frequently. This will allow you to do a whole series of 'what ifs' as you replay portions of the battle. I save at the very beginning of a battle, and at each critical point in the battle.

[GulfXray]

On 4/19/2019 at 6:39 PM, pandakraut said:

Koro and CivWar64 have starting guides that are probably what you want to read then. I'll post some links when I'm back at a computer.

Thought about dusting this game off and trying again - I was terrible when it came out.

I'll try the suggestions here to get familiar with the mechanics, but if you have some suggestions on video play throughs where there is some explanation(s) that would be helpful for a rookie, I would appreciate it!  I have started watching The Historical Guy's Union Legendary Campaign.

 

Regardless, thanks everyone for all the good information here!

[pandakraut]

I'd probably recommend this video as a starting point: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIaVOV8diIo&list=PLt-JAMmvyAGmL-xr7HgLu5QaLn5YbzTjb&index=1 

Something Compass would be my top recommendation for union campaigns. He has full playthroughs of BG, MG, and Legendary up at this point. For the CSA I'd recommend Fiasco Games' MG series.

Something to be aware of, a lot of new information has been discovered in the last year so some older videos may have some outdated or conflicting information. The History Guy's series is a fun watch, though if you're struggling with a battle you might want to check out how others are playing it as sometimes there are much better solutions available.