Newbie questions:: Please help!

[eccentricity]

There is something that is very strange but I'm sure has a rational explanation for. After I suffer a terrible loss at war and I began with two generals, if one of them dies and the other routs along with a few units along with him, I cannot for the life of me find out where the unit ends up being put on the campaign map. He just disappears and I clearly remember only one general dying so shouldn't that put the other guy right next to the winner somewhere? Usually they retreat and pull away to the next closest city which sometimes is nice being that I'll have a chance to retrain them before the next battle.

..Also, as for spies, for the % percentage chances of success of having a gate opened to a town, will it increase for having the spy in your army while making a siege, or simply having him "inside" the town after having spied in on it. I don't see where they stay but when I double-left click on the town it shows my spy on the info screen and says that there is a "30 something %" chance of having gate opened. Will it also increase for putting more numbers of spies in there? Thanks

-ecc

[ToranagaSama]

There is something that is very strange but I'm sure has a rational explanation for. After I suffer a terrible loss at war and I began with two generals, if one of them dies and the other routs along with a few units along with him, I cannot for the life of me find out where the unit ends up being put on the campaign map. He just disappears and I clearly remember only one general dying so shouldn't that put the other guy right next to the winner somewhere? Usually they retreat and pull away to the next closest city which sometimes is nice being that I'll have a chance to retrain them before the next battle.

This is a bug. There is an old thread on this dated around the first weeks of RTW. I've had this happen to me as well. Now was this fixed by the Patch? I don't remember. Check the readme for the Patch. You've applied the patch haven't you?

..Also, as for spies, for the % percentage chances of success of having a gate opened to a town, will it increase for having the spy in your army while making a siege, or simply having him "inside" the town after having spied in on it. I don't see where they stay but when I double-left click on the town it shows my spy on the info screen and says that there is a "30 something %" chance of having gate opened. Will it also increase for putting more numbers of spies in there? Thanks

-ecc

I've only done the open the gate thing once some time ago. More spies won't help, and, if I recall, I think the gates will open summarily upon dropping the spy.

Like you, I'm a bit confused as to gates and spies. If the gates don't open immediately, I have no clue why not or how to get the spy to try. I've seen the same message and just wondered.

With the rules I play with, using spies to open gates is a no no, so I've never tried to find out. Sorry.

Luck!

[Krauser]

This is a bug. There is an old thread on this dated around the first weeks of RTW. I've had this happen to me as well. Now was this fixed by the Patch? I don't remember. Check the readme for the Patch. You've applied the patch haven't you?



I've only done the open the gate thing once some time ago. More spies won't help, and, if I recall, I think the gates will open summarily upon dropping the spy.

Like you, I'm a bit confused as to gates and spies. If the gates don't open immediately, I have no clue why not or how to get the spy to try. I've seen the same message and just wondered.

With the rules I play with, using spies to open gates is a no no, so I've never tried to find out. Sorry.

Luck!

I'm pretty sure it goes by whichever spy has the most subterfuge. If one has 6 and the other has 3 it will go bye the one with 6. When you attack a settlement with a spy in it the game automatically has the spy try to get them open. I'm not completely sure but I think if you siege a settlement and the spy fails to open them you could break the siege and try again. It's not worth the trouble though because you can take the settlement in 2 turns without the spy. If the spy successfully opens the gate you won't have to wait that extra turn to built battering rams/siege towers/etc. I also use spies to see how strong an army or settlement is. I can figure out if my army is strong enough to take it or not. Even endgame though, it's nice to have a spy in the settlements you are going to take. With the gates already open you can focus your siege weapons on the defenders inside and soften them up a little before going in.

[eccentricity]

This is a bug. There is an old thread on this dated around the first weeks of RTW. I've had this happen to me as well. Now was this fixed by the Patch? I don't remember. Check the readme for the Patch. You've applied the patch haven't you?

Well. thats's strange because I do have the 1.2 patch installed. I also have the un-official BUG-FIXER patch 1.59 installed ontop. I save and load the game frequently during the day when I leave and come back from the computer if the saving function has anything to do with it otherwise I'm just unsure.

Do you know the original thread for the discussion on this bug? Was it 1.1 or pre 1.1? Thanks

-ecc

[ToranagaSama]

Read the README, as I don't remember. In any event, its a fairly rare occurrence.

Here are a few threads:

Strange Occurrences....any Thoughts?
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=37700

Have you seen my General?
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=37863

A withdraw is not a Defeat!
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=37732

The first two are threads I started; the third was begun by Colvion (sp?). He has experienced similar anomalies.

Like I said, fixed or no, its rare. While irritating its not a game breaker by itself. There are other issues that are more effecting (how about that for PCspeak!). If it happens just accept the losses and move on, or if you've saved reload (though that's against the hardcore code). ;)

The "bugfixer" appears quite good. I'd suggest you use it; but, the name is a misnomer, imho, as I don't believe it, actually, fixes any bugs. It makes a lot of *corrections* and perhaps *cures* a bug or two; but ONLY CA can fix the true Bugs!

Lastly, it would appear since you have the patch installed, and the anomalie occurred, then, I guess it ain't fixed. Keep your fingers crossed for the upcoming Patch/Expansion.

Luck!

[ToranagaSama]

I'm pretty sure it goes by whichever spy has the most subterfuge. If one has 6 and the other has 3 it will go bye the one with 6. When you attack a settlement with a spy in it the game automatically has the spy try to get them open. I'm not completely sure but I think if you siege a settlement and the spy fails to open them you could break the siege and try again. It's not worth the trouble though because you can take the settlement in 2 turns without the spy. If the spy successfully opens the gate you won't have to wait that extra turn to built battering rams/siege towers/etc.

Doesn't the Spy die or something if he fails; or, the attack fails?? I have some vague recollection....

I also use spies to see how strong an army or settlement is. I can figure out if my army is strong enough to take it or not. Even endgame though, it's nice to have a spy in the settlements you are going to take.

Oooohhh, bad Kauser, bad Kauser!

Just joking, once your more confident (perhaps you already are), you may enjoy a bit of *roleplaying*. That is makeup a set of rules to play by that add to the challenge. One might be to refrain from using Spies to ascertain the makeup of enemy AI stacks.

This way your Generalship should get better as you'll learn to bring a balanced army, and to WIN with a balanced army no matter what the AI brings (or anyone else for that matter).

Me, I always like being surprised; never know what the AI makeup is until the battlescreen.

[Krauser]

Doesn't the Spy die or something if he fails; or, the attack fails?? I have some vague recollection....

The spy has a chance to be spotted any turn he is in the town. If spotted he can die but a lot of times he just gets kicked out of the settlement. You can just move him back in on your turn. I don't think he can die trying to open the gate. None of my spies have so far. When they failed they just failed. I used siege to get in and take the city. The spy was still there afterwords.

Oooohhh, bad Kauser, bad Kauser!

Just joking, once your more confident (perhaps you already are), you may enjoy a bit of *roleplaying*. That is makeup a set of rules to play by that add to the challenge. One might be to refrain from using Spies to ascertain the makeup of enemy AI stacks.

This way your Generalship should get better as you'll learn to bring a balanced army, and to WIN with a balanced army no matter what the AI brings (or anyone else for that matter).

Me, I always like being surprised; never know what the AI makeup is until the battlescreen.

I didn't use spies on my first campaign so I think it's okay to use them this time. I don't think spies make it too easy because I usually have a balanced army anyways. I might want to change it a little if I notice they have a lot of elephants. If it's just a bunch of town watch and peasants then I can reduce the size of the army and send the other half to take another settlement.