One rant and one rave

[Forward Observer]

The rant is really minor, so I will do it first.

Playing as the Almohads, I invaded Corsica and Sardenia, which were both held by the Italians. Each had a port and I held the sea lanes. Of course you always get the message that facilities were damaged or destroyed after the battle, but in each case the ports were one of those destroyed.

That seems to defy logic a bit to me. Why would any army making a port invasion destroy their only means of getting off the island. Of course I have put a port in the building queque for each, but funds never seem to be available by the time everything else is done.

My armies have been stuck there for about 10 or 15 years now. Most of the veteran troops are reaching retirement now, and I am not sure I can even pay their pensions. I know it's picky, but it is still a valid complaint.


Now on to the rave. This game never ceases to amaze me.

Due to just plain chance, I have yet to play a battle with snow on the ground--lots of rain but no snow. I'm still playing my Almohad campaign, and I invade Sicily. Oddly it is held by the remnents of the Argonese. It is the 4th battle of one turn, but since it is in the Med, I am not expecting White Cristmas.

I've got about 600 men to the 180 men of the Argons, so I don't even pay any attention to the weather report and click start.

It is a coastal map and it is raining. As I start to maneuver towards the enemy, I notice white dots. Too my amazement the rain slowly starts to turn into snow. It snowed huge flakes for maybe a minute or two, and then eventually turned back into rain, which then finally stopped.

It was truely one of those "holy crap, I can't believe this is just a computer game" moments that we all have experienced at one point or another. Neat,huh?

Rant and rave over.

Cheers

P.S. If they had modeled that snow sticking to the ground, I would have probably fainted dead away.
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Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.



[This message has been edited by Forward Observer (edited 10-20-2002).]

[Veiny Eyeball]

I think the destruction of buildings represents random rapacious pillaging by your men rather than organised attacks against a specific target.

But I think far too many buildings get destroyed sometimes anyway. Since the AI is always so fond of abandoning provinces at the drop of a hat I very rarely see a well built up infrastructure in the territories I capture.

[hrvojej]

I try to bypass the first problem by abandoning my usual priorities and building the port first, while praying that the rebels won't be stronger than my entire army.

And yes, I had the same thing in Milan yesterday, rain turning into snow! I completely forgot about the armies for a moment, and enjoyed the view. Luckily,, i got around on time again.... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif

[Coucy]

Just out of curiousity: Does the level of the castle protect against random building destruction at all upon invasion? My sense of playing alot says yes, but does anyone know fer sure?

Coucy

[Gregoshi]

FO, I've noticed the building queues appear to be done north to south. I have the same problem in that my southern provinces have things sitting in the building queue for years until I get a huge windfall of florins while the north is swimming in new units and beautiful new buildings. You really have to shutdown all production in your northern lands to give the south a chance to build.

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Gregoshi
A Member of Clan Doragon

[This message has been edited by Gregoshi (edited 10-20-2002).]

[malkuth]

I think the port gets destroyed automatically. Maybe its another Dev thing to make the game a little harder. I mean if everything was handed too you on a silver plater you would be wondering why its so easy.

And trust me thiers your share of this game is Too easy types on the board already.

[Forward Observer]

What we really need is one of those smart bombs that kill all the people and leave the buildings intact.

I know that, just as with Shogun, there is a methodical order to building and troop training, but I have forgotten exactly what it is.

Anyone?


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Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.

[Hosakawa Tito]

I believe it is as malkuth stated, to make the game a little tougher on the human player. I like to think of it as the ai defenders destroying the port to deny it to the attacker. I have yet to experience a snow battle, they must be as common as dragons teeth. I've had dust storms, blowing rain and misty fog like weather. I like how the conditions can change during a battle, and how your weather forecast can be dead wrong. It gives new meaning to the term,"The fog of war" http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

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Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to hell so that they look forward to making the trip.

[This message has been edited by Hosakawa Tito (edited 10-20-2002).]

[maroule]

maybe the port is destroyed in priority because on islands it is where the fighting takes place...

cool for the snow, I only had the all white + blizzard experience (but my biz were unfazed, even though they were led by a camel unit.... (a almo general I had bribed)