Empire: Total War

[CJ1145]

Really? I wasn't aware of the first two... I'll have another look at that.

Regardless, they're a challenge to play with the trigger-happy AI coming from all sides. I don't have enough men to garrison all my fronts! My only hope is to hammer Austria into the dust quickly, so I can focus on the Minor Nations to the west.

 

[Elenmmare]

Though in the long run, I'd say that failed. Utterly.

How so ? Britain did hold onto all of their stuff...

I'm not even going to bother playing this. My graphic card is from Mid-2005 . Even though I bought the bloody thing in Jan. 2007.

 

[Almalexia]

But seriously, has anyone been able to recruit Hackapells as Sweden in the campaign?

 

[ealabor]

We burnt the white house.
Giggle.

A result of poor decision by the President to declare war with army in terrible shape. Hardy any veterans from the Rev war were still enlisted, age being a big factor. On top of that enlistement of prof. soldiers had been allowed to dwindle, so even in this war it was largly milita, including forays into Canada.

Though we can see this corrected with Baltimore, when a veteran was appointed to oversee the defense. The result obviously being that we stuffed it to you by sniping your commander, and repulsing his attack, and our fort holding out despite constant bombardment by your fleet.

Also that miltia defeated the British expeditionary force at New Orleans.. 5000 milita vs 11000 Brit regulars, so whats the excuse there? 

Your fleet also got stuffed by our frigates, which resulted in your side issuing orders for your navy not to engage our frigates, unless they outnumbered our ships

Spoiler

Giggle

This is because the construction of our ships were superior to yours. Your cannon rounds had a tendancy to bounce off our frigate's hulls. This is a result of construction when used with southern live oak.

It's impossible to claim 1812 as a victory

It wasn't about territorial gains, it was about telling the Brits to **** off when it came to taking our sailors, and a few other policies. Any territorial gains would have been secondary, and not the objective, which was achieved.


ON TOPIC - How about that Empire Total War 

 

[Spider Jerusalem]

Also that miltia defeated the British expeditionary force at New Orleans.. 5000 milita vs 11000 Brit regulars, so whats the excuse there? 

Attacking an entrenched position without artillery support was the first major mistake. A bit of incompetence from some of the officers (to be expected really) who forgot to bring ladders, and the fact that the fog lifted early and this exposed the advancing troops to the withering fire of the professional US artillery. As with most things in battle it was one part incompetence and two parts bad luck. It didn't help that Packenham got himself killed. It is however telling that the battle did not destroy the British army who afterwards landed in Mississippi and and were preparing to march on Mobile when news of the peace treaty reached them.

Your fleet also got stuffed by our frigates, which resulted in your side issuing orders for your navy not to engage our frigates, unless they outnumbered our ships

Spoiler

Giggle

This is because the construction of our ships were superior to yours. Your cannon rounds had a tendancy to bounce off our frigate's hulls. This is a result of construction when used with southern live oak.

Actually it's because your frigates were practically ships of the line as they carried up to 56 guns, compared to the British frigates standard of 38, and had main batteries of 24pdrs, compared to the British 18pdrs. Your frigates had a number of remarkable victories against single British targets which they heavily outgunned, it also didn't help that at the start of the war the America's got the scrapings of the barrel in terms of manpower as the blockade of France was seen as more important. Thus it was simple common sense that the Admiralty order that only Ships of the Line or groups of frigates engage yours, which worked rather effectively as the defeat of the USS President and the Essex proved. However in terms of the overall naval campaign the Americans were never able to establish naval superiority past the opening stages of the war, which allowed the Royal Navy to blockade and privateer the shipping along the coast to their hearts content, which cost the US an awful lot of money.

Not that it really matters because in the end neither side could do anything more than continue a stalemate that was costing them both money and getting nothing in return. Of course had Britain not been embroiled in the Napoleonic wars at the time things might well have been different.

 

[95Rifles]

Does anyone know of realistic sailing mods? eg. Guys climb the rigging and let down the sails? If not I might look at creating one.

 

[ealabor]

Actually it's because your frigates were practically ships of the line as they carried up to 56 guns, compared to the British frigates standard of 38, and had main batteries of 24pdrs, compared to the British 18pdrs.

Well thats certainly a factor, but your ships had plenty of other firepower to use against ours, including carronades.

Still, sticking to my point, which was the fact that the Southern Live Oak factored in to the superiority of our frigate construction in regard to hull strength.

Example being here where the Conny took on two of your frigates simultaneously, and capture them both..

Sighting two British ships on 20 February she gave chase to HMS Cyane and HMS Levant, sailing in company.

Cyane and Levant began a series of broadsides against Constitution, but Stewart soon out maneuvered both of them. Forcing Levant to draw off for repairs, he concentrated fire on Cyane, which soon struck her colors. Levant returned to engage Constitution, but once she saw that Cyane had been defeated she turned and attempted escape. Constitution soon overtook her, and after several more broadsides, she too struck her colors. Stewart remained with his new prizes overnight while ordering repairs to all ships. Constitution had suffered little damage in the battle, though it was later discovered she had twelve 32-pound British cannonballs embedded in her hull, none of which had penetrated through.

 

[Archonsod]

Not that it really matters because in the end neither side could do anything more than continue a stalemate that was costing them both money and getting nothing in return. Of course had Britain not been embroiled in the Napoleonic wars at the time things might well have been different.

Yup, yet another war the US only survived thanks to the involvement of those damn surrender monkeys

Can we stick to the topic at hand now?

 

[Almalexia]

But seriously, has anyone been able to recruit Hackapells as Sweden in the campaign?

Bumping this. This is really irritating me now.

 

[Jackamo]

Well I attacked a city with Hackapells in it if that comforts you..

 

[Ben Hussey]

Wahey! Just ordered a copy of ETW. Fingers crossed it's runs on the laptop.


@ Ealabor, I've spoilered my resonse in deference to Arch.

Spoiler

Also that miltia defeated the British expeditionary force at New Orleans.. 5000 milita vs 11000 Brit regulars, so whats the excuse there? 

Your fleet also got stuffed by our frigates, which resulted in your side issuing orders for your navy not to engage our frigates, unless they outnumbered our ships

This is because the construction of our ships were superior to yours. Your cannon rounds had a tendancy to bounce off our frigate's hulls. This is a result of construction when used with southern live oak.


It wasn't about territorial gains, it was about telling the Brits to **** off when it came to taking our sailors, and a few other policies. Any territorial gains would have been secondary, and not the objective, which was achieved.

Regarding the waffle about militia and regulars, American regular troops outnumbered British regular troops until the last year of the War. American militia bought American forces to aound half a million, eight times British forces.

New Orleans was an arch cock up, It hardly needs explaining. Armies lose battles. The USA lost most of their battles in the first year of the revolution, but still won, the previous battles mean little. Orleans was lost because the British attack was led by an incompetent against a well entrenched force led by someone with reasonable military knowledge.

Regarding the fleet, the type of construction probably did affect the outcome, America had new 'super' frigates, with thicker hulls and more guns that most of the British ships in the area (Britain had in 1811 started making hulls along the same French design, but almost all ships in the Americas were old or captured craft, the better ships being reserved for service in Europe).

Finally,
It WAS about territorial gains. Jefferson was in favour of either annexing or forming a second republic in Canada, and Franklin had previously (during the Paris peace conference) tried to get Canada to join the congress. Launching three successive invasions of Canada can hardly be seen as a coincidence, and impressment seems a cause for diplomacy not war (especially considerin it was almost entirely British citizens being impressed from off American ships).
America was a particularly virulent imperial power, don't forget that after America won it's independence the USA consisted of only the states of the eastern seaboard, everything else was nicked off the various Indian tribes, Mexico, Spain and Canada making the American empire smaller only than the British, French and Spanish empires.

 

[Ancient Whale]

But seriously, has anyone been able to recruit Hackapells as Sweden in the campaign?

Bumping this. This is really irritating me now.

Hakkapelliita or whatever they're called can only be recruited in Finland. Sorry. I've only brought two such units to battle ever, and only in a single battle, where they chased down some russian irregulars, nothing to shout home about, they performed adequately. Their stats don't really seem to be very awe-inspiring, either. If you use them, I'd like to hear about their performance.

 

[Almalexia]

Well, I did use them in this epic multiplayer 4 on 4 battle (my first battle) with excellent success. They seem pretty good at holding their own during extended combat. They seem to be a good counter to those pesky winged hussars of Poland though. So I suppose I have to build a military building to get them?

 

[bugman]

Bloody typical.

Start a new campaign and 8 years in, the French get uppity, blockading Bristol. So I naturally smash apart the fleet and land my army in France, taking Paris (1123 killled, 234 lost) . Now the bloody French are on strike!

 

[Archonsod]

Well, I did use them in this epic multiplayer 4 on 4 battle (my first battle) with excellent success. They seem pretty good at holding their own during extended combat. They seem to be a good counter to those pesky winged hussars of Poland though. So I suppose I have to build a military building to get them?

Depends on their tier I think. You can hire some regional specific units with civilian governors (Sepoys in India for example, or if you have SF Ghurka's and Roger's Rangers are both able to be recruited from civilian governors, providing they're in the right province).

Start a new campaign and 8 years in, the French get uppity, blockading Bristol. So I naturally smash apart the fleet and land my army in France, taking Paris (1123 killled, 234 lost) . Now the bloody French are on strike!

And blockading Bristol?

 

[bugman]

Yup. For some reason, Bristol is in Wales!

 

[Archonsod]

Glasgow is also on the coast. I think Creative really need to purchase a new A-Z.

 

[95Rifles]

Dont you guys know? In the 18th Century Towns were all over the place, nowhere near where they are now. CA is just wanting to depict the movement of towns(they move during the night).

 

[Redcoat-Mic]

More likely is the fact that they were limited to a few cities, and so used the major ones, because no one really gives a ****.

 

[Mage246]

No, Town Names and Locations were only formalized in 1897, with the Temporal and Spatial Stability Act. Until then, a person could walk down a street in London and find themselves falling down a waterfall in Africa. Which, as you can imagine, was damned inconvenient. It did help the British create their Empire though, since without portals in space and time it would have been impossible to keep the natives in line.