Current LME version Feedback and Suggestion Thread

[Pdguru]

Not really sure, when on the offense the ai will

-Avoid stonger armies (likely yours)
-Prioritise towns
-use roads as much as possible

OK, so it sounds like the Ai will not intercept a stronger army. But can the range at which the player has the option to intercept the AI be reduced (my point was that I get frustrated when the Ai just runs around me and I get no choice to intecept).

[Pdguru]

On another subject, I for one like to be able to use the Leger units in the way they seem to be used in the period - and that's not as substandard line units or just for mass skirmishing. The way I read it, they were often superior and experienced units and were indeed often the men that were sent into tough situations like taking fortifications and buildings. I also don't know why CA prevent them from having standard bearers (I assume it's because they would not skirmish with them), nor why they are called "Chasseur" in terms of regiment or units when a better term would of course be Legere (just we have "Line"/"Ligne" regiments).

So, I have changed the names of my units to Legere and added some fancy standard bearers (to both generic units and the special 6th regiment), bumped up their stats, and am using variations of Lord Mongsworth's skins from a while back. Here they are:

Standard Legere Unit


6th Legere


I wonder if others agree and if such changes might be considered for the next release of LME?

PS: And yes, I know the flag says "Ligne" but with only one flag possible in use at a time, what can a chap do, eh?

[Iutland]

On another subject, I for one like to be able to use the Leger units in the way they seem to be used in the period - and that's not as substandard line units or just for mass skirmishing. The way I read it, they were often superior and experienced units and were indeed often the men that were sent into tough situations like taking fortifications and buildings. I also don't know why CA prevent them from having standard bearers (I assume it's because they would not skirmish with them), nor why they are called "Chasseur" in terms of regiment or units when a better term would of course be Legere (just we have "Line"/"Ligne" regiments).

So, I have changed the names of my units to Legere and added some fancy standard bearers (to both generic units and the special 6th regiment), bumped up their stats, and am using Lord Mongsworths skins from a while back. Here they are:

I wonder if others agree and if such changes might be considered for the next release of LME?

PS: And yes, I know the flag says "Ligne" but with only one flag possible in use at a time, what can a chap do, eh?

Good suggestion, and I support an implementation of it, but would like to know other players opinion as well?

How have you considered other nations/factions Light Infantry units compared to the French?

Cheers
iutland

PS. Still time to do it before LME 1.6 release (due before or around Christmas).

[Pdguru]

Good suggestion, and I support an implementation of it, but would like to know other players opinion as well?

How have you considered other nations/factions Light Infantry units compared to the French?

Cheers
iutland

PS. Still time to do it before LME 1.6 release (due before or around Christmas).

I don't know if the same is applicable to the light units of other nations - I've always been interested in the French army (and always play NTW as France), so I'll leave that up to others. I have already made the changes to the skins (revised pictures above by the way - I posted the wrong ones before) and stats (made Leger the same as Ligne plus one for morale and five points for accuracy and reload, 6th Legere two morale and ten points for accuracy and reload) for my use. LME has Legere spacing that's the same as Ligne anyway so that's already OK!

EDIT: My mod to make the above changes uses a file with part of Monsgworth's French mod (variables and atlas file) and I added flag bearers to Chasseurs and the 6th Leger units in the main db unit_stats_land table. The odd thing is it only works if I set it to be a movie type file, and seems to make the game a unpredictably unstable during battle loading (which is why I have not shared it here). If any skilled modder can advise why this might be, I would be grateful!

[Pdguru]

Copying this over from Leoben's question about New Campaigns as it's a suggestion:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Leoben
\
I for one would be interested in such a desperate [1815/100 Days] campaign.

Yes, me too.

From my perspective it would require a lot of the game as it stands in NTW to simply be 'let go'. No need for technology or even money with a game lasting 100 days or so - the game is about providing a chance to experience and perhaps alter that brief, decisive, military crossroads in time.

So, we would not need to work on how to change dates and turns and money, but simply find a way to make them irrelevant, and to shift from recruiting new units, to renewing losses (a little!). This would force very careful use of resources - and ultimately drive the player, inevitably, to a final grand battle... such as happened at Waterloo. An interesting focus of the mod could then be on highly authentic Orders of Battle, unit experience levels, officers, Generals and Battle AI. Also, in terms of units, different qualities of the same kind of units could be represented by different types of, say Fusiliers (such as the new column concept on TROM2).

Finally, I wonder if something more radical might be considered - use a couple of the AI nations slots to represent different French Corps; for example to represent Davout, Grouchy and even a separate Imperial Guard, all set as highly supportive allies (or protectorates) to encourage the AI to help the Player. Thinking out loud...

My 2 cents.

[blbrotto]

Hi!
First of all, I'm enjoying very much this mod... recently I've been playing trom2 (which is a good mod too) but I think the BAI and CAI here is more consistent (but, anyways, there is good features in trom2, like the script missions and the massed formation and tecnology units, which could be implemented in this mod, with his permition, I think).

About the CAI, it's much more agressive (I'm playing as France, and the Brits are really trying to undermine my economy, blocking my ports xD); the minor factions like the Switzerland and Bavaria are active in the game, holding the Austrian and Russian army's... and about the economy... YES! It's really hard, you have to plan carefully when and where to invest, until you get better tecnologies.

About the BAI... well, it's great, I think it's the better AI so far I've played against (thanks Lutland, The Henge Knight and ReignTerror for the hard work, and everybody who helped with the development too), I love how the enemy cavalry try to flank you, as well how it's protect the artilary, when in defensive. The AI infantry advances in line (not forming that god damit "blobs"), and try to flank too, if it's have more units than you. Also, the generals keep an inteligent posture, being close and giving their moral bonuses to their units.
I didn't play a major battle yet (as I'm gattering trops to invade Austria with Napoleon), but I already played battles with a medium quantity of units in both sides, and the AI reacted very good, even with a good balanced army (artilary, line infantry, ligh infantry, cavaly and general).

Also, I'm playing with the following mod configs:
mod "U_AI 0.95.pack";
mod "LME_BAI_Submod_Alt.pack";
mod "LME_Music_Project.pack";
mod "LME_Camp1.pack";
mod "LME_texture.pack";
mod "LME1.5N.pack";

Anyway, great mod, it's a very good job being done here. Be proud of your work team, you gave me an early christmas gift. xD I'm waiting ansiously for 1.6!

PS: Ah, and one sugestion. It's a very little one, but for the initial stages of the game, it would help the player to improve it's economy. I noticed that the upkeep of the units doesn't change/drop even if the unit took casualities in a battle. It's fixed in the highest value. I don't know if the purpose is it, and I really don't remember to be paying attention to it in other mods (as the economy wasn't so hard)... but I'm almost pretty sure that it changed according to the number of the soldiers in a troop.

PS2: Ah, and forgive me about my english, It's not my mother language.

[MajorStoffer]

I'd just like to say I just experienced a case of remarkable AI intelligence.

I was fighting the Swedes in Sweden (shocking, I know), and during the battle they actually launched a tactically sensible maneuver. I had deployed my cannons in the center, line on both flanks with grenadiers holding the extreme left, and skirmishers holding the extreme right.

The Swedes had two armies, both composed mostly of line, hussars, a few jagers, and about 4 "elite" units in each army; lifeguard grenadier in the first army, standard lifeguard in the second.

The first army launched a broad attack across my front, with typical results, but while I was focused on hammering their primary force, they had deployed their entire hussar force to engage my only 2 units of cavalry. While my own cavalry (Carabinier and Empress Josephine unit) decimated the hussar force, they couldn't survive the vast numbers. Thus, I was without any cavalry to engage the large number of Swedish cannons.

The first wave was eventually routed with extreme losses, but I had lost roughly 1/3 of my own force; without any cavalry, my options for decisively breaking the enemy were essentially nil.

The second wave launched what appeared to be, on the surface, a similar attack, and I expected to simply wear them down through attrition; I had the superior troops (This army under Davout had been fighting since the beginning of my campaign, and as such, had silly levels of XP) and a large battery of elite cannons whose canister should eventually wear the enemy down.

The Swedes, however, had massed all of their Lifeguard units on the extreme right flank, opposed by a handful of weakened line, and several Flanqeur de la Garde with virtually no ammo left over from the first engagement. Upon realizing the situation, I pulled my skirmishers behind my own line, turned the line to refuse the enemy's encircling forces, only to see the entire formation of fresh Lifeguard launch a charge, while the handful of surviving standard Swedish line further down the engagement charge my cannons. Only a counter-encirclement and charge by my Grenadiers managed to prevent my right flank from shattering. Even so, at the end of the battle, I had lost roughly 1/2 of my army, all my cavalry, and most of my cannon crew.

The BAI certainly has become more wily with the UAI involved.

[kenniston5]

Good suggestion, and I support an implementation of it, but would like to know other players opinion as well?

How have you considered other nations/factions Light Infantry units compared to the French?

Cheers
iutland

PS. Still time to do it before LME 1.6 release (due before or around Christmas).

Iutland,
for suggestions for 1.6 or later release
1.can you add mortars to the german states(bavaria,hessen..etc),napoli,and poland.I enjoy uslng them in the game and since these factions were added they dont have them
2.I understand people like playing as france,the brits,and prussia,but is there any way the minor factions(ones listed above)can get more units added.kills me to see france and britian have more than enough units(way to many),and the minors(ones mentioned above) have only a hand full
3.last more portaits of generals and officials(what drew me to LME)
well just some suggestions
takecare, Anthony K.
p.s. yesterday was the anniversary of pearl harbor dec. 7,1941 thank our vets and god bless our troops

[ReignTerror]

Major that was awesome... Stop picking on my sweeds
Back in studio... Might do some more songs... Suggestions?

[Pdguru]

Well, my strategy to take Britian first looks to be the wrong one... It's January 1815 and the Ai has built massive armies (eg. Prussia has 12 full stacks and Russia 8 (at least that's I can see but there's definately more in the FOW), and is now steamrollering me!

PS: Soult came available as a new general (generic picture) while I already had him in-game - did he have an ugly brother ? It was a bad omen for him anyway - he was killed the next turn.

UPDATE: Faced with irresitable pressure from Saltzburg from Austrians and three stacks of Russians pushing westward, I reviewed the political picture... and gave Bohemia to Westphalia (I tried with my friends the Italians but they declined). The move worked wonders - first it forced the Russians to withdraw and to my delight the Austrians and then the Russians offered peace in the next turn... Looks like I may have time to build up my forces after all! Assuming they keep to their word, that is...

Intresting... the next move th Austrians declared war on my allies in Bavaria, the buffer state I have been using since the British campaign. Wiley devils... This forced me back into conflict, especially given the pressure that would put on my minor nation allies. The good news is, The Russians declined to join their allies the Austrians, and the Italians got pulled into the war, along with all the remaining indepenent German States... Excellent news.

UPDATE: Well, peace was shortlived... the Austrians and Russians are back at me by attacking Bohemia anyway. Saxony has fallen already and the coalition flood of some 20+ stacks surges again...

[Iutland]

Anyway, great mod, it's a very good job being done here. Be proud of your work team, you gave me an early christmas gift. xD I'm waiting ansiously for 1.6!

PS: Ah, and one sugestion. It's a very little one, but for the initial stages of the game, it would help the player to improve it's economy. I noticed that the upkeep of the units doesn't change/drop even if the unit took casualities in a battle. It's fixed in the highest value. I don't know if the purpose is it, and I really don't remember to be paying attention to it in other mods (as the economy wasn't so hard)... but I'm almost pretty sure that it changed according to the number of the soldiers in a troop.

PS2: Ah, and forgive me about my english, It's not my mother language.

Hi blbrotto

Thank you for your positive and constructive feedback I will take a look at the economy and reduced unit upkeep and LME1.6 will be released the week leading up to Christmas

You're English is perfect enough for me+Rep

Cheers
iutland

Iutland,
for suggestions for 1.6 or later release
1.can you add mortars to the german states(bavaria,hessen..etc),napoli,and poland.I enjoy uslng them in the game and since these factions were added they dont have them
2.I understand people like playing as france,the brits,and prussia,but is there any way the minor factions(ones listed above)can get more units added.kills me to see france and britian have more than enough units(way to many),and the minors(ones mentioned above) have only a hand full
3.last more portaits of generals and officials(what drew me to LME)
well just some suggestions
takecare, Anthony K.
p.s. yesterday was the anniversary of pearl harbor dec. 7,1941 thank our vets and god bless our troops

"A day which will live in infamy"
Thanks for your suggestions, always good with some input when ones own ideas are exhausted+Rep

1. Should be possible in LME1.6.
2. Possible after LME1.6 but agree with the comment. Note that it's nearly impossible to add historical units to Oldenburg, but the others should be possible.
3. That's a a tricky one. I've added all the portraits for Generals/Admirals that I could find but officials are still possible but it requires some research and time to implement. Earliest implementation is LME1.7.

Likewise my friend
iutland

[Pdguru]

Hi blbrotto

Thank you for your positive and constructive feedback I will take a look at the economy and reduced unit upkeep and LME1.6 will be released the week leading up to Christmas

You're English is perfect enough for me+Rep

Cheers
iutland



"A day which will live in infamy"
Thanks for your suggestions, always good with some input when ones own ideas are exhausted+Rep

1. Should be possible in LME1.6.
2. Possible after LME1.6 but agree with the comment. Note that it's nearly impossible to add historical units to Oldenburg, but the others should be possible.
3. That's a a tricky one. I've added all the portraits for Generals/Admirals that I could find but officials are still possible but it requires some research and time to implement. Earliest implementation is LME1.7.

Likewise my friend
iutland

iutland,

I am happy to research more generals portraits if it means we could get them in for 1.6. In the meantime, I fought against John Sherbrooke in my previous campaign and he's got a generic card - here is his portrait:

[Iutland]

iutland,

I am happy to research more generals portraits if it means we could get them in for 1.6. In the meantime, I fought against John Sherbrooke in my previous campaign and he's got a generic card - here is his portrait:

Always interested in more Generals, just remember that Generals not on the map or as one of the 3 recruitable ones at the start of the campaign can't be edited in the startpos.esf. They are randomly selected by the game engine as far as I know.

[kenniston5]

Hi blbrotto

Thank you for your positive and constructive feedback I will take a look at the economy and reduced unit upkeep and LME1.6 will be released the week leading up to Christmas

You're English is perfect enough for me+Rep

Cheers
iutland



"A day which will live in infamy"
Thanks for your suggestions, always good with some input when ones own ideas are exhausted+Rep

1. Should be possible in LME1.6.
2. Possible after LME1.6 but agree with the comment. Note that it's nearly impossible to add historical units to Oldenburg, but the others should be possible.
3. That's a a tricky one. I've added all the portraits for Generals/Admirals that I could find but officials are still possible but it requires some research and time to implement. Earliest implementation is LME1.7.

Likewise my friend
iutland

Thanks Iutland,
for the quick reply,thats one thing I like about you and your team(reign,kdk,icebear,majordarling) is that you take the time to answer all of the questions the users have +rep

[Leoben]

Well, my strategy to take Britian first looks to be the wrong one... It's January 1815 and the Ai has built massive armies (eg. Prussia has 12 full stacks and Russia 8 (at least that's I can see but there's definately more in the FOW), and is now steamrollering me!

PS: Soult came available as a new general (generic picture) while I already had him in-game - did he have an ugly brother ? It was a bad omen for him anyway - he was killed the next turn.

UPDATE: Faced with irresitable pressure from Saltzburg from Austrians and three stacks of Russians pushing westward, I reviewed the political picture... and gave Bohemia to Westphalia (I tried with my friends the Italians but they declined). The move worked wonders - first it forced the Russians to withdraw and to my delight the Austrians and then the Russians offered peace in the next turn... Looks like I may have time to build up my forces after all! Assuming they keep to their word, that is...

Intresting... the next move th Austrians declared war on my allies in Bavaria, the buffer state I have been using since the British campaign. Wiley devils... This forced me back into conflict, especially given the pressure that would put on my minor nation allies. The good news is, The Russians declined to join their allies the Austrians, and the Italians got pulled into the war, along with all the remaining indepenent German States... Excellent news.

UPDATE: Well, peace was shortlived... the Austrians and Russians are back at me by attacking Bohemia anyway. Saxony has fallen already and the coalition flood of some 20+ stacks surges again...

That sounds like an exciting campaign! And seems like you won't see the year 1816 as the emperor, or maybe on a little island...

['Gunny]

Jossts AI strikes again!

[Pdguru]

Ok, nearing the end of a second try at the French 1813 campaign - see the LME pictures thread for details. Leoben - re your prediction above... no - I win...

Observations (some restated to ensure covered):

1. The reduced mortar stats you plan for 1.6 worked fine.
2. Large unit sizes do not work in campaign without the rather odd multiplier in preference file of "campaign_unit_multiplier 1.003;"
3. Light infantry using basic platoon fire (LME_BAI_Submod.pack) makes them highly inefficient in fire fights. They also fail to fire at all sometimes when in skirmish/open order. I set them to the same as line (see alos 6. below).
4. Large unit sizes create batteries of 8 guns - the noise and carnage is excellent but the AI is largely unable to deploy guns, especially is they have to move.
5. British tendency to ship their armies off the Scandinavia makes them susceptible at home to invasion.
6. My test to make LI slightly better than line infantry (by 1806 they were not the little agile men such as voltiguers, but more like Ligne units with enhanced abilities and usually more experience - indeed I suggest all Lefege start with 1 XP).
7. Cavalry works very well. My only suggestions would be to:
a) Provide combined units of cavalry Carabiner squadrons (dragoons and chassuers) in the same way we have Grenadier units - would make for powerful units and another chance for pretty uniforms :-)
b) Make them a little less susceptible to artillery roundshot.
8. Consider the "column" unit concept created by Yarkis for TROM2 - seperately recruitable units which are cheaper, only have ammo for a couple of shots, and have high inertia and melee.
9. Given the 1813 campaign can go on for a long time and you can earn some serious cash, it becomes a strategic war of attrition and the current renewal rate is high and units retreat and continue even with massive casualties. Therefore suggest that replenishment rates be reduced and/or units disband after battles sooner (e.g at say 75 men for infantry and 30 men for cavalry or large setting?)
10. At times there're a lot of little AI armies dotted around (especially the Russians for some reason). Can the Ai be changed to group them into bigger stacks?
11. Minor nations are very susceptible to attack, especially with the major nation armies getting so big - can they be encouraged to create more units?
12. Prussians recruit a lot of Landwehr, Russians a lot of Light infantry, and Austrians a lot of artillery. By a lot I mean they seem imbalanced. Is that variable set somewhere, and if so can that be looked at?
13. Ai Naval activity seems to drop off after 1814 - maybe due to demise of GB? I am Ok with that (it's a distraction for me personally) but others might not be.
14. My suggestions regarding a 100 days campaign remain (see post #145 above).
15. Tendency of AI to renege of treaties the move after signing them is challenging but unrealistic.
16. Sweden seems to do nothing at all.
17. Impact of breaking alliances on international reputation should be reduced given the fact that you have to do so due to odd AI decisions.
18. Grenadiers should have a significant advantage in melee - they seem to be little better than line. Suggest bumping them up across the board.
19. Skirmishers (not legere) were truly small nimble fellows (voltiguer comes from their task to 'vault' up onto horses and dismount cavalrymen, I believe) masters at hiding, evasion and using cover. Suggest making them faster and much harder to hit/kill (give them some kind of pseudo armor value?).

I will add more as I think about it.

[Pdguru]

Always interested in more Generals, just remember that Generals not on the map or as one of the 3 recruitable ones at the start of the campaign can't be edited in the startpos.esf. They are randomly selected by the game engine as far as I know.

France

Here are 25 images for French generals (plus 2 for Naploleon) - I have sought out black and white images which I think give a nice antique-look and at least somewhat of a common style:






If I understand you correctly, you can only assign pictures to generals in the startpos and the first 3 recruitable ones. If that's the case, perhaps you might choose the ones you want and can assign from the above, and the rest of these pictures could just be used and assigned randomly by the engine - even if not correct for those subsequent generals, they are at least faces of real generals of the time - and better than the halloween cartoons from vanilla...

Britain

A dozen from Blighty...




Austria

A dozen from there...



Russia

12 from there



Prussia

And a dozen from here...

[Iutland]

Ok, nearing the end of a second try at the French 1813 campaign - see the LME pictures thread for details. Leoben - re your prediction above... no - I win...

Observations (some restated to ensure covered):

1. The reduced mortar stats you plan for 1.6 worked fine.
2. Large unit sizes do not work in campaign without the rather odd multiplier in preference file of "campaign_unit_multiplier 1.003;"
3. Light infantry using basic platoon fire (LME_BAI_Submod.pack) makes them highly inefficient in fire fights. They also fail to fire at all sometimes when in skirmish/open order. I set them to the same as line (see alos 6. below).
4. Large unit sizes create batteries of 8 guns - the noise and carnage is excellent but the AI is largely unable to deploy guns, especially is they have to move.
5. British tendency to ship their armies off the Scandinavia makes them susceptible at home to invasion.
6. My test to make LI slightly better than line infantry (by 1806 they were not the little agile men such as voltiguers, but more like Ligne units with enhanced abilities and usually more experience - indeed I suggest all Lefege start with 1 XP).
7. Cavalry works very well. My only suggestions would be to:
a) Provide combined units of cavalry Carabiner squadrons (dragoons and chassuers) in the same way we have Grenadier units - would make for powerful units and another chance for pretty uniforms :-)
b) Make them a little less susceptible to artillery roundshot.
8. Consider the "column" unit concept created by Yarkis for TROM2 - seperately recruitable units which are cheaper, only have ammo for a couple of shots, and have high inertia and melee.
9. Given the 1813 campaign can go on for a long time and you can earn some serious cash, it becomes a strategic war of attrition and the current renewal rate is high and units retreat and continue even with massive casualties. Therefore suggest that replenishment rates be reduced and/or units disband after battles sooner (e.g at say 75 men for infantry and 30 men for cavalry or large setting?)
10. At times there're a lot of little AI armies dotted around (especially the Russians for some reason). Can the Ai be changed to group them into bigger stacks?
11. Minor nations are very susceptible to attack, especially with the major nation armies getting so big - can they be encouraged to create more units?
12. Prussians recruit a lot of Landwehr, Russians a lot of Light infantry, and Austrians a lot of artillery. By a lot I mean they seem imbalanced. Is that variable set somewhere, and if so can that be looked at?
13. Ai Naval activity seems to drop off after 1814 - maybe due to demise of GB? I am Ok with that (it's a distraction for me personally) but others might not be.
14. My suggestions regarding a 100 days campaign remain (see post #145 above).
15. Tendency of AI to renege of treaties the move after signing them is challenging but unrealistic.
16. Sweden seems to do nothing at all.
17. Impact of breaking alliances on international reputation should be reduced given the fact that you have to do so due to odd AI decisions.
18. Grenadiers should have a significant advantage in melee - they seem to be little better than line. Suggest bumping them up across the board.
19. Skirmishers (not legere) were truly small nimble fellows (voltiguer comes from their task to 'vault' up onto horses and dismount cavalrymen, I believe) masters at hiding, evasion and using cover. Suggest making them faster and much harder to hit/kill (give them some kind of pseudo armor value?).

I will add more as I think about it.

Thanks for the input, some has already been changed in LME1.6 and some will be considered for LME1.7. LME1.6 is out in about 1-week from now, so no more changes are added.
But a lot of great ideas you got here

France

Here are 25 images for French generals (plus 2 for Naploleon) - I have sought out black and white images which I think give a nice antique-look and at least somewhat of a common style:

If I understand you correctly, you can only assign pictures to generals in the startpos and the first 3 recruitable ones. If that's the case, perhaps you might choose the ones you want and can assign from the above, and the rest of these pictures could just be used and assigned randomly by the engine - even if not correct for those subsequent generals, they are at least faces of real generals of the time - and better than the halloween cartoons from vanilla...

Britain

A dozen from Blighty...

Let me know if you want me to do another nation.

Haven't thought of changing the vanilla portraits, and that's a brilliant idea, thanks+Rep

No I would rather have links to pictures on the web as it's easier to implement that way

Cheers
iutland

[Pdguru]

...I would rather have links to pictures on the web as it's easier to implement that way

Cheers
iutland

Images of generals for all major nations above (25 French, 12 for others - that's 73 generals).

iutland - Let me have an email to use and I will send you the images in MSPowerpoint - you can pick them individually directly out of that, and many have a reasonable resolution (I shrunk them down for the above) so you can resize.