reinforcements

[procian]

i was fighting a battle in campaign mode 1 army v 1.i swept the enemy from the field when suddenly hundreds of enemy reinforcements appeared,and with my troops being exhausted i was defeated.i want to know where the hell they came from as both armies were of equal size prior to the batttle and the only troops in the surrounding teritory were mine

[MIZILUS]

I have seen the AI move up reinforcements on the campaign map from 2 to 3 provinces removed from a landlocked province to the front lines where I was getting ready to attack an outnumbered province. It was soooo damn cheezy http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif

[BakaGaijin]

You'll get updated number just before you play, on the battle options dialogue (the one where it asks if you want to continue with battle, auto-resolve, etc.).

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Disappear into the Darkness!!

[procian]

according to the screen our forces were equal.and as i surrounded the enemy territory i cant see were the reinforcements could have come from.it's just annoying that's all.

[ReturnOfTheJordi]

There is a limit to the number of units which can be on the battlefield. From memory I think that limit is 16, which is the number of unit flags you can see at the bottom of the screen. So the max total troops you can have at the start of a battle is 16*60, 960 men. So if the battle numbers at start say that you both have (say) 1080 men each, it would mean that you BOTH have reinforcements which will arrive to replace any eliminated or withdrawn units. Your opponents reinforcements came on because other units were eliminated to make room for them. Your own reinforcements would be far behind your front line if you chased your oppo off the map and if you did not lose any units there is still no room for them to come on within the 16 flag limit.
Does that answer the question or have I misunderstood the problem completely?

[BakaGaijin]

Alternatively, the enemy could have been hiding away some units. This is not an uncommon tactic for the AI. Otherwise, some of his routing men may have recovered their constitution, rallied, and come back at you, giving the appearance of the enemy having reinforcements waiting in the wings.

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Disappear into the Darkness!!

[procian]

i understand now.as i had eliminated some of the enemy units they were being replaced to make up the 16 unit limit.thanks for everyone for the help and advice.specialy jordi....cheers

[Tekumze]

Yes :o)
It can be quite a sight. I remember watching my brother defending a bridge with 1500 men against 5000. They just kept coming and each time he beat them back with a shower of arrows and gunfire.

Oh and while I am at it. I there a way to select the initial force. My bro didn't really like being supplied with cavalry archers, archers and muskets with no melee troops to actually hold the bridge.

Let me also mention that there were two bridges but AI didn't use the second one even though he could roll over the defending force that way.

[This message has been edited by Tekumze (edited 10-30-2001).]

[radan]

Just to add on defending a bridge, I was having a battle with the AI attacking and I have routed his initial force. Suddenly, it's weird to see that his reinforcement didn't only come from his side of the bridge but on my side as well. So I'm now surrounded and having an enemy sniping and attacking me from the back (since I positioned my defending army near the bridge). Question is, is this the way they designed the enhancement. If it is, then it would now be very difficult to defend against overwhelming odds even with a bridge defense.

[ReturnOfTheJordi]

Interesting Radan. I presume you are not using the patch in which case reinforcements come in from anywhere which is very silly ESPECIALLY in the case of a river defence. The patch improves things a lot. Recommended.

[BSM_Skkzarg]

Radan,

RotJ is right - go get the 1.1 patch and the reinforcement issue is resolved. As for controlling your starting forces - select a single unit and click on the curved arrow in the orders menu on top of the screen - this will rotate out the unit and replace it with another - continue this with your entire force until you have the units you wish to start the battle with. Obviously, if you have less than 17 units - this option will not be available.
Qapla!

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BSM_Skkzarg
"A mind is a terrible thing to taste."

[Tekumze]

Quote Originally posted by BSM_Skkzarg:
As for controlling your starting forces - select a single unit and click on the curved arrow in the orders menu on top of the screen - this will rotate out the unit and replace it with another - continue this with your entire force until you have the units you wish to start the battle with. Obviously, if you have less than 17 units - this option will not be available.
[/QUOTE]

Thanks... I must have missed it.

Quote
Qapla!
[/QUOTE]

Do you speak Klingon? :o)

[Kabuki-San]

how long does it normally take for reinforcements to arrive? it seems to make up it's own mind.

I don't like getting the crap beaten out of me while I wait for help... ;-)

[radan]

Thanks guys, I will get the patch.

[Moriboy]

I installed the W.E. patch and still the enemy reinforcements come in from all over, though it's not quite as bad. My reinforcements are slow arriving, if at all, and never enter the battle anywhere close to my position. More often than not, I have to withdraw them rather than micromanage them around a huge enemy blocking their path.

[Nelson]

War is hell...

[Mori Gabriel Syme]

I generally handle the enemy reinforcements at a bridge defense this way:

1. Set up defensively at the bridge. Fight & route the enemy.

2. Do not chase them. My forces would be uncoordinated, & the enemy pouring out of the forests would stomp them. True the enemy may rally & return, but that is easier to handle.

3. As enemy routes, switch to a square formation. This provides melee units for defense on all sides.

4. Send out cavalry unit, brought just for this contingency, to kill any missle units arriving on my side of the bridge.

I've used this to survive a defense at a more than 3 to 1 disadvantage. Casualties were about 5 to 1 in my favor.

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The Taisho Who was Thursday