a few news from France

This is a resume from a french preview
(thanks to Montcalm for better traduction)
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/forums/1-22...u-joystick.htm

"Joystick's redactor's have received Napoleon's beta, were only seven factions were displayed and was set during the Italian campaign (factions being : France, Autriche, (Lucca), Toscane, Venice, Sardinia and Papal States).
The redactor confirms that losses on the battlefield are much harder to replace as in Empire (two turns for militia, but I believe it to be more for line infantry and cavalry).

They are two conditions that a unit needs to meet to replenish it's losses. The first being that the unit must be in a general commanded army, and second is that your force must be in a town (the smaller, the longer replenishment will be) near a supply depot.
The redactor sent his troops fight the Austrian beyond the mountains, and therefore diminished and demoralized as far from suplly depot.

On the battle side they are more details giving a greater immersion, new animations, nicer and more realistic explosions (the camera wiggles when near an artillery unit firing). Now, units slow down and falters when an explosion hits near them.

The naval battles have been refined and are far better than in ETW, but it's role far less decisive (and useless even during the Italian Campaign).

Concerning the battle AI, it is better than in Empire, unlike the campaign AI that sometimes acts badly."

2 turns to make militamen? That's what? 4 weeks to train militiamen.

If we are to stick relative to ETW then Line infantry itself would also be 2 turns but elite/artillery would take 4 turns?

I'm kinda curious on these supply depots, are they just markers or are they actual buildings on the map? Cause with something like that it could make a huge mess of buildings on the map.

Originally Posted by panzerschreck

This is a traduction from GOOGLE TRADUCTION so...
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/forums/1-22...u-joystick.htm (resume of a french preview)

"The editors of JOYSTICK have received the beta of NTW which contains only the Italian campaign, where there are 7 factions (France, Austria, Lucca (Lucca), Tuscany, Venice, Piedmont-Sardinia and the Papal States.

The reviewer confirms that the loss of soldiers is much more difficult to fill in Empire (two laps to recruit militiamen, I think it should be higher for the line infantry or cavalry, but it is not clear ).

There are two conditions for a regiment recover its losses. The first is whether to be under the command of a general, and second it is either in a city (unless it is, the greater the recruitment is slow) is a ready supply depot .

The writer also sent his army across the mountains to attack the Austrian far from its supply depots, and therefore the fight with his staff and with reduced morale to zero.

Side battle there advantages of details that will immerse players, new animations, explosions gain in beauty and realism (the camera shakes when you zoom on an artillery unit). Now units are slowing, or even stumble, when explosions or key explodes near them.

The naval battles have been refined and are much more exciting than ETW, but its role is less decisive than in ETW (and even nonexistent in the countryside of Italy).

Regarding AI, it behaves correctly on the battlefield, unlike the AI of the strategic map that sometimes acts foolish."

So they fixed the BAI and borked the CAI? Great. It never stops.

Originally Posted by irish437

So they fixed the BAI and borked the CAI? Great. It never stops.

sorry for a noobish question but what does BAI and CAI stand for?

Battle AI and Campaign AI. It's the artificial intelligence on the battlefield (BAI) and on the campaign map (CAI). The better the AI the better they will do...

"The writer also sent his army across the mountains to attack the Austrian far from its supply depots, and therefore the fight with his staff and with reduced morale to zero."

I like it more depth is always good to me

... about CAI - no comment

And about time needed for recruitment - not important at all because it's easy to modify

Well, at least we got some good AI, and the CAI is still going to better than ETW. SO we can't winge!

Originally Posted by Marshal Beale

Well, at least we got some good AI, and the CAI is still going to better than ETW. SO we can't winge!

That review didn't even mentioned any points of comparision...

Ahh, how the masses listen to a single reviewer. So the CAI and recruitment times was the only bad point was it?

I'll stand in the shadows and hear first hand the cons before I look at the pros.

an improved bai is good but the campaign ai worries me, but it's still beta so it might be improved

Good news

I am really liking this idea of a supply depot. You have to be near one to replenish, which means it's going to #1 importance for invading and defending. I have no real fear that CA will hit the nail on the head for the CAI to the point that it will be as compotent as ETW 1.5 CAI.

Originally Posted by deeptrance83

I am really liking this idea of a supply depot. You have to be near one to replenish, which means it's going to #1 importance for invading and defending. I have no real fear that CA will hit the nail on the head for the CAI to the point that it will be as compotent as ETW 1.5 CAI.

we need more hope for the BAI.

I've also read a Polish review. I don't want to multiply threads, so I post a summary here... The reviewer recounted his experiences from the SICILY campaign, playing as Napoleon of course. Notably:

- overall opinion: positive, though does not meet all expectations
- strong time pressure to achieve campaign objectives, no time to expand slowly, build up power base, etc. - that makes the Sicilian campaign seem somewhat scripted, but the Grand Campaign might be different
- supply interesting, important and implemented well
- deployment for battle: higher-ranking generals deploy second, gaining an advantage
- more smoke on the battlefield
- battles slightly more dynamic as role of well-placed cavalry charges is bigger, you don't want to engage in prolonged shootouts because conserving your forces is important
- AI still stoopid (i.e. one of the weak points of the game)

Notably a lot of hostile reader comments below the review, mostly Empire grievances.

The link to the original french article is broken :-/
Where did you find it ?

Originally Posted by zerathule

The link to the original french article is broken :-/
Where did you find it ?

In this forum, someone read the magazine and resumed it.
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/forums/1-22...u-joystick.htm

Link doesnt work for me. Might be the proxy forbiding access to french gaming sites ... good thing they dont block foreign ones :p