Larger Battles hints and tips

[Total_Total_WAR]

I'm starting to get larger battles in STW, do you guys have any tips on how to keep track of everything. Any valuable lessons on how to manage all those people. Do you split into two or three mini armies to keep this simpler. I know its probably very situationally dependent but are there any general rules that should be obeyed?

[Noir]

There are generic rules that need to be obeyed and you can play variations relative to the opponent's forces and the terrain.

One of the most common splits is in regards to unit type, that is put missiles front, melee behind them, skirmish cavalry (CA & YC) flanks and melee cavalry flanks or center depending on the opponents' forces and battle plan.

There is a grouping feature that is very useful:

You can make groups with cntrl+shift+number and recall them with cntrl+number.

The groups can have one or more common units.

In that way you can alternate the "G" button that will group/ungroup your troops and move them in formation, so your army can move faster (when armies march in formation they will march with the speed of the slower unit and respecting formation at all times - all this slows them down considerably).

The "G" button will help you with the interface as it will put unit cards of the same group next to each other. Say you "G" your teppos (guns) - then their unit cards will all appear next to each other on the bottom of the screen making it easier to find them. In that way you end up with 3-4 main blocks of unit cards, having a quick reference to what is what.

You can combine use of cntrl+number & "G" buttons.

Melee infantry (WM, NA, ND, YS, YA) can be made a line that is better alternated; say like this:

YS ND YS ND YS

That is better than this: ND ND YS YS YS

as in case your no dachi encounter HC the spears next to them will help.

Finally a lot is in how you commit your units in battle. Assuming you are doing so maintaining order, you'll find that large battles are easier to control.

The more units there are in the game the less time you have to micromanage - make sure you give the important orders to groups (say your main melee line to engage the enemy main melee line) before you start giving specific orders for maneuvers. Don't spend too much time micromanaging those CA as you'll find that you are in trouble before you know it.

Noir

[Drisos]

What Noir said.. In addition, a few very simple things:

Put all ranged units on fire-at-will. This way they will always fire, at least if they have enemies in range. if not, you're usually winning anyway.

Don't bring too much cav, especially CA.

Gah, I got to go.. would've thought of more stuff.. just practice lots, you'll get better automatically. The rules above can be ignored later on.

[Wasp]

Practice in the single battle mode a lot with different terrains, units, opponents and other conditions. I can't really give specific tips that wouldn't just be a copy of what Noir said, but practice makes perfect, they say.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

The pause key is the answer for all of your problems. Groups work well for getting your army into position, but after that you'll want to pause and order each unit individually.

[Total_Total_WAR]

Thanks for the tips guys

[Drisos]

Woooh! Indeed, pause! Use it frequently now! After lots of practice you can start using it less (and less, and less, eventually) but if you don't plan to play MP anytime and don't mind using this 'cheat' (well, not really, but it's not really realistic :P) you could just as well keep using it, At moment I know the result wil be far better when I have some more time to micromanage I use pause now and then too.

good luck!

[Total_Total_WAR]

Vs a computer I've never thought of using pause as cheating, after all the computer has omnipotent situation awareness and to the ability to order two units on opposite sides of the map simultaneously. Were as it is physically impossible for us to do so with the monitor and mouse/keyboard set up for us to do any of those things. So I'll pause and look around often.