ambushes

First, a question. Has anyone figured a way to detect ambushes using a spy? (It seems, spy networks do nothing for that purpose).

If the answer to that question is no the ambushing mechanism seems a tad too powerful as implemented in NTW. That's directly the opposite of what it was in ETW where it simply did not work.

In NTW, playing against France controlled by a human player, I was able to walk my Russian armies from Austria through Italy into the heart of France unopposed and undetected. I achieved that by ending each turn in an ambush position in the woods. I have no qualms about a unit or two of light cavalry being able to do this, but whole armies!?

At least, if hiding a whole army (in contrast to hiding some units that have the "paths seldom trod" ability) is done in an enemy's territory, there should be some pillaging/foraging indications signaling presence of a huge group of men camping out somewhere in forests (as it was the case in RTW and MTW2). That, or spies, setting up a counter-spying network in their own territory, should be able to detect armies sitting in ambush positions.

[UPDATE]

We just played a campaign with a friend with "follow AI moves ON". As far as human opponent's moves are concerned: nada! (nothing). The camera would not budge if the human opponent would make a move.

So, unless the human player is always concentrating right on the section of the map where the opponent is moving his troops, un-noticed ambushes all the way to the heartland of the opponent's lands are possible.

Are you telling me there is a whole Russian army in France Slaists? Or is it armies?

Originally Posted by Grislok

Are you telling me there is a whole Russian army in France Slaists? Or is it armies?

LOL, no, Grislok, not in OUR campaign. In OUR campaign I had to waste those very armies trying to slow down your "ally" (a good move on your part!) Prussia in Poland.

It was a campaign with someone else, a couple days ago. Kutusov starts with an army in Austrian lands and there is another Russian army in Bielorussia. So, I merged both and walked them through Italy, right to Nice, liberating Piedmont in the process. I could have gone further actually... But my darned Russkies preferred to camp out on the beach.

No wonder you wash the floor with me.....aren't you supposed to be working and not studying every intricate detail of this game.

Originally Posted by Grislok

No wonder you wash the floor with me.....aren't you supposed to be working and not studying every intricate detail of this game.

Yeah, yeah

But, as you see, your ingenious and expensive alliance saved Paris...

Originally Posted by Slaists

The way things stand now, playing against France controlled by a human player, I was able to walk my Russian armies from Austria through Italy into the heart of France unopposed (and undetected). I achieved that by ending each turn in an ambush position in the woods. I have no qualms about a unit or two of light cavalry being able to do this, but whole armies!?

You don't see the enemy army while it is hiding in woods but you see it while it's moving during your enemy's turn... IF you have the "show CPU moves" option ON! :p
Of course that is a very good point for not swtiching off that option...

Originally Posted by Teodosio

You don't see the enemy army while it is hiding in woods but you see it while it's moving during your enemy's turn... IF you have the "show CPU moves" option ON! :p
Of course that is a very good point for not swtiching off that option...

A small detail: the camera jumps to show you AI's(!) moves along the paths that are not covered by the fog of war. The camera does not jump to show you your human opponent's moves. You have to do the 'scrolling' yourself. So, given the scale of the map, it's quite easy 'not to notice' that a human opponent is moving (and hiding) an army somewhere in your empire.

But then again, you might be right. In MPC, I suppose everybody turns that option off (follow AI's moves) to save time. Will have to check later tonight in a new campaign.

Originally Posted by Slaists

But then again, you might be right. In MPC, I suppose everybody turns that option off (follow AI's moves) to save time. Will have to check later tonight in a new campaign.

Yes this topic is quite interesting, please keep us informed if you discover something.

In ETW I had the AI moves turned off until 1.5 when a spanish fleet dropped a stack of troops down on Trinidad and surprised my 2 garrison units

But even in this game you can watch a unit move then suddenly disappear and it can be difficult to figure if they just moved into the FOW or if they went into hide mode.

Though it seem implausible, there are many instances when an army appeared where the enemy least expected it...look what the Germans did with their Ardennes offensive in 1944.

At least they brought back ambushes, I so missed that little feature.

Originally Posted by Teodosio

Yes this topic is quite interesting, please keep us informed if you discover something.

OK, we just played a campaign with a friend with "follow AI moves ON". You know what? As far as human opponent's moves are concerned: nada! (nothing). The camera would not budge if the human opponent would make a move.

So, un-noticed ambushes all the way to the heartland of the opponent's lands are possible.