Thoughts (for now) about the campaign (so far)

[[GG] Lord Ashram]

S! all,

Just thought I would take this brief hiaitus from the campaign (I am fairly sure it will start up again in maybe a month, with some changes, unless a considered Clan Tournament be finalized) I thought I would ask peoples thoughts on the elements of it.

I ask that you please refrain from commenting if you haven't had the time to truly look at the rules or try a test game; I understand that some of it comes off at first as a touch dense, but a certain amount of reading would be needed to get the most out of the campaign idea.

So let me know what you think, what worked, what didn't work as well (heh) and all that jazz.

Thanks in advance.

S!

[GG]Ashram

[[GG]AndrewKent]

I think it is fine. Your design made it possible to play games any time during the week with many different player combinations. Great idea.

I think a major flaw is.... it is too much work for YOU! Way too easy for you to get burnt out.

Not sure what the fix for that is. I can't imagine putting that much time and effort into the project...wouldn't be possible.

AK

[[GG]Lord von Döbeln]

I agree with AK - The campaign was great and worked great OK so it took a while to set up games sometimes, but that was usually because:
- someone hadn't printed/couldn't print the lists and had to be told what to buy
- people hadn't really read and understood the rules
- the game froze because someone dropped before the battle started

None of wich is controlled by you Ash. You are NOT to blame for the problems that ocurred! IMO the campaign setup was brilliant, and I am confident that if we could continue the speed of setting up games and the number of games played would increase steadily. I for one miss the campaign very much. If you ever start it up again please let me know if I can help in any way. Pretty please with sugar on top!!!

[GG]vD

[WIDEBLADE]

The main issue is the battle appoinment.If yu shedule a concrete day as Sunday for a game may be players cant join it cause of Real life matters.In a certain way the battle should be played ramdomly any week day ,just make it happen when enough players are online. Collect the points from a whole week playing will make the campaign more fluid.Rigid appointments tend not to work fr online events.

[[GG] Lord Ashram]

Thanks for the nice comments gents... Wide, I totally agree, if there was some way to make a campaign with absolutely NO time-specific commitment that would be ideal. It wasnt really even the weekend game that was tough- I know the first two were rough, but I think a big portion of it was simply that many of the people in the NTW community at the moment are very busy in the Real Lives, and that this would have easily improved in the future (maybe with a few changes in the teams solely based on more specific play times.)

The weekday scenarios are the ones that seemed to make people shy off... while I know it was very early in the campaign (only one week of weekday scenarios!) it seemed that these weren't being fully exploited, even though they were completely personally schedule-specific (is that a word?) Any thoughts why?

Also, Companys; like them as a leveling tool, don't like them because they stifle creativity?

Army lists; like them as a leveling tool, don't like them because they stifle creativity?

How about splitting companies between Generals; a nice way to allow players to play almost "command" style with a nice amount of specialization within a historically subdued (i.e. line infantry) frame, or a pain in the ass and waste of time? Remember, I am most interested in the opinions of those who tried it, especially people who played and had to do that in certain games.

[[GG]Lord von Döbeln]

I for one like the companies, army lists and dividing the companies between generals. The "unusual" (compared to regular NTW games) unit setup brings a fun and challenging variation to the game IMO. We have all played the "3 cav 4 guards 4 line 4 jaegers 1 arty" games to death (though it's still fun;)). I think the campaign setup was good and could/should be used more.

[GG]vD

[[GG]Salis De Silver]

I totally agree with Von, it added spice. The new units also added variety, no for me it was a sweet setup. I understand the main problem was that once we hit a snag with the patch early on then people sat back and waited imho.

S!

[Hoffman]

Ack! Finally got enough time to visit the forums.
Gee I've got some catching up to do...

Anywho's...


I personally, did not like the way the Campaign was set up.
It was confusing, even after drawing out a diagram and trying to figure out which meant what.
Also, your terminoligy, to put it bluntly... sucked.
Sorry, but in your Army lists, what you Called Line Companies(made up of 2 line 1 light etc. etc.), were not Companies, they were Battalions.
There is a massive world of difference, and through me off for about a day before I realized what it meant.

Also, for me personally, having to change my Command, every single day, commanding different troops, different proportions, with different allies... sorry, no ain't gonna do it.
Give me one fixed Regiment, hell one fixed Battalion, and I'll prefer that over a Regiment that changes from day to day.

And what I mean by a fixed Battalion is this:
One Battalion, approximately 480 Men.
3 Heavy Line Companies, 1 Elite Company, and 1 skirmisher Company, led by a General unit.
It doesn't change, its small, tactical, easy to manage, and can be brutal in combat of its size. In conjuction with other such Battalions we could have Regimental Combat with Real people commanding the Battalions.

It just really bothered me the way the unit setup was, it was too complicated. I think a better way is to come up with two Divisions who face eachother in a Campaign, and put the Campaign participants as Battalion, Regimental, Brigade Commanders.
Starting out with light incursions, scouting missions to find where the enemy is, and then the bringing up of reinforcements, road marches, the things you see in a Real Life Campaign. This whole here's the story this is the battle look who won...
I am a Military person, I will soon be joining the Military, and I have lived in and around the Military all my life. Some of my most trusted friends are Officers in the Military, one of them is the DCO of the Raider Brigade, just sent to Iraq. The way this was setup, it just...

When I play military games, I expect to recieve a Command, it is my Command, and I fight with that Command wherever I go, my Command is my responsibility, and I am responsible for my Command.
I expected to have a Battalion, or a Regiment, or hell even a Brigade. But this blue conflict level, 4 generals this many units have fun dividing them up, this company has these companies in it.
It is just maddening.
No insult inteded here Ashram, but I just can't play that way.

[[GG]Salis De Silver]

Everyone is entitled to there opinion, if you don't like the set up ..ok don't play. There are various ways of running a campaign; this was one of them. We are limited in some way by the mechanics of the game.

Some of us (Who bothered to try the system!) found it to be an enjoyable experience and looked forward to further battles that were planned ahead. Most the problems are now ironed out, and a core group of players regularly played the scenarios that had been created to add some variety to the multiplay portion of the game which add become stale. New units, new nations and fresh ideas were introduced and this created a stir in the NTW gaming community. A new concept takes time to grow and evolve, mistakes will occur and changes and amendments will happen. Like the saying goes Roman wasn't built in a day.

I would say that military experience isn't necessary to play the game, most players are long time students in the art of strategy and tactics of the Napoleon era, and a lot are indeed involved in the armed forces of various Nations around the globe. I'm puzzled that you found the lists confusing, I'm not the brightest tool in the toolbox and I didn't have a problem with the lists..............now MAPS..lol
that...was my stumbling block for some reason

NTW is a game, this idea was a fresh look at how to play it, I think a lot of people haven't given it a fair crack of the whip, and missed out on a most enjoyable gaming experience.

I for one am disapointed that the Campaign was paused, I think another week would have seen this kick off

[[GG]Lord von Döbeln]

Thank you Salis - I couldn't agree more.

S!
[GG]vD

[flippyxtrem]

yes again another Cheer...

Well said SALIS!!

Now Hoffman...

you said:

I personally, did not like the way the Campaign was set up.
It was confusing, even after drawing out a diagram and trying to figure out which meant what.
Also, your terminoligy, to put it bluntly... sucked.

my reply:

Yes it was a bit confusing for me to just because Ash had alot of info on things...but once I had it all I was good to go...

you said:

Sorry, but in your Army lists, what you Called Line Companies(made up of 2 line 1 light etc. etc.), were not Companies, they were Battalions.
There is a massive world of difference, and through me off for about a day before I realized what it meant.

my reply:

this is true they were battalions but it shouldent have taken you a day to figure that out...and your becoming a officer arent you? I think you exaggerated alittle there

you said:

Also, for me personally, having to change my Command, every single day, commanding different troops, different proportions, with different allies... sorry, no ain't gonna do it.
Give me one fixed Regiment, hell one fixed Battalion, and I'll prefer that over a Regiment that changes from day to day.

my reply:

Hoffman you fail to realize that this campaign is for everybody and for anybody who can make what time...and notwho must make what time...it is a campaign designed to help busy working men to find a time to play a good EA game when they got free time...and Hoffman...if your going into the Military...be prepared for High Command to change your command and the people you work with...because If you cant handle that in a video game...good luck in real life...

you said:

And what I mean by a fixed Battalion is this:
One Battalion, approximately 480 Men.
3 Heavy Line Companies, 1 Elite Company, and 1 skirmisher Company, led by a General unit.
It doesn't change, its small, tactical, easy to manage, and can be brutal in combat of its size. In conjuction with other such Battalions we could have Regimental Combat with Real people commanding the Battalions.

It just really bothered me the way the unit setup was, it was too complicated. I think a better way is to come up with two Divisions who face eachother in a Campaign, and put the Campaign participants as Battalion, Regimental, Brigade Commanders.
Starting out with light incursions, scouting missions to find where the enemy is, and then the bringing up of reinforcements, road marches, the things you see in a Real Life Campaign. This whole here's the story this is the battle look who won...

my reply:

Yes I agree that would be cool

Aight...

Cheers