General Cam, who uses it?

[Gaius Magnus]

Who regularly uses the General Cam?

I don't, but will give it a serious try at some point.

What about you?

[Viking]

I only use that standard camera. The General cam will make the game more challenging and more realistic perhaps, but I don`t think it is anything for me.

[player1]

Nope...
Forest battles are already trying my patience.

[Kagemusha]

I use it.It brings more realism.

[Divine Wind]

Didnt even realise there was a general cam!

My dad will be happy!

[King of Atlantis]

Yeah, i never heard of this general cam, so definatly dont use it. I like looking at my whole army, so I wouldnt use though.

[TB666]

I used it once during the demo but that's it.
I need to be able to view my army where ever they are on the battlefield.

[CMcMahon]

Considering that it makes it damn near impossible to direct in flankers, especially in forests or hilly terrain... f--- that.

[swirly_the_toilet_fish]

Didnt even realise there was a general cam!

My dad will be happy!

Same. I don't believe I'd ever use the thing in a serious battle. Maybe if I play a campaign and have to fight a rebel army of peasants or something.

[Strappy Horse]

Maybe if I play a campaign and have to fight a rebel army of peasants or something.

If I'm not mistaken it is just like unit size, all or nothing for the complete campaign.

I have used it in one campaign, it certainly adds realism.
But those bodyguard's horses, they are knackered after a battle: "OK, Left flank is doing alright, now quickly to the right -dubbleclicks-, damn center is wavering -dubbleclicks- uh o, what's happening over there? -dubbleclicks-, I'm losing men there, faster dammit -dubbleclicks, dubbleclicks-

[LestaT]

What happen when one use the general camera and somehow 'manage' to get the general to route ? Can we see the battlefield ?

Cheers...

[pezhetairoi]

..i don't use it. The generals in the battles had only 'general cam' in the past, but at least they had people riding through the lines to bring intelligence updates so the general still had some idea of what was going on. In RTW General Cam is General Cam without messengers. Ew.

[Strappy Horse]

What happen when one use the general camera and somehow 'manage' to get the general to route ? Can we see the battlefield ?

Yes, I think so, basically it is the same as using the backspace (IIRC) button to stay with a unit. You can zoom in a bit, and move around it, but not to far.

Adds another dimension to defending sieges as well, those stone walls can be pretty high, even if your sitting on a horse. You really have to hope that your men are doing their job on the walls. (Or, come to think of it, it actually removes a dimension )

Oh and you get messages about how your units are doing, the information on the unitcards becomes pretty important.

[Divinus Arma]

I use it on occassion with small units or small battles (usually seiges). While it makes the game more realistic, the problem is that you do not have minor officers acting as your eyes and ears. You are also unable to delegate basic tactical concepts to subordinates.

If you could be responsible for "the grand scheme" and trust units to be self directive on a small scale, then I would use it all the time. It would be amazing. For example, imagine having four or five minor officers to command the cavalry wing and automatically conduct flanking movemts with the simple command of "right flank" or "left flank". Or imagine trusting your units to respond to flanking manuevers without micromanagement.

Are we not generals? Generals think big and leave the minutia to those delegated and so empowered.

But whatever. At least the units don't do the automatic facing like in Imperial Glory! That drives me nuts! *drools over TW: Empires and Colonies*

[Divinus Arma]

..i don't use it. The generals in the battles had only 'general cam' in the past, but at least they had people riding through the lines to bring intelligence updates so the general still had some idea of what was going on. In RTW General Cam is General Cam without messengers. Ew.

My thoughts exactly.

[Zenicetus]

If you could be responsible for "the grand scheme" and trust units to be self directive on a small scale, then I would use it all the time. It would be amazing. For example, imagine having four or five minor officers to command the cavalry wing and automatically conduct flanking movemts with the simple command of "right flank" or "left flank". Or imagine trusting your units to respond to flanking manuevers without micromanagement.

Yeah, that's what we'd need to make a General Cam fun. Imagine telling a cavalry group...

"Quickly, scout around the west end of town. Chase down any routing units but don't go as far as the town square. If you meet any heavy resistance come back. If resistance is light, then position yourself for a flanking charge from the West towards the town square, when our main forces come in from the South. Hold position until we get there and engage the units, then charge"

I wonder how many buttons and icons you'd have to click, to send those commands?

[pezhetairoi]

gee. :-D

Not to mention simple actions like 'flank left' and 'flank right' wouldn't work in RTW because the AI has completely NO concept of what a flank is :-D I have never seen an ancient army so capable of quickly facing a flank to the enemy to block and outflanking. I mean, let's face it. This is Antiochus and Arminius we're talking about, not Gustavus Adolphus at Breitenfeld :-D

[Sfwartir]

Gustaf II Adolf _the Great_ if you please

[pezhetairoi]

very well, Gustavus Adolphus the Great, as you will :)

[Strappy Horse]

I wonder how many buttons and icons you'd have to click, to send those commands?

Maybe this would work on a console game, just like one of those special finishing moves from Tekken etc.
For a 'left flank special move' press "left, a, a, left, b, x, y, left left"

[Gaius Magnus]

Heh, or the ever popular:

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, B, A Select, Start