New player - need some tips

[unmerged(91109)]

Hi all,

A long time HOI series player just got this game from Steam with a nice discount for March of the Eagles (didnt even know that game was coming). So I bought it and understand (good tutorial) how the game works.

But I could use some advice/tips in general about organising armies.
I could use some rule of thumbs. From there, I can play and adjust as I learn this game better.

Examples:
- Try to have the main army around 20 brigades where there are 4 in left, center and right. And 8 in reserve.
- Support armies need more light inf and cav
- Always at least one supply train in every army, put them in center

The above are examples of course, you veterans here can give better rules of thumb for the first few games (singleplayer that is).

Hope you guys can help.

 

[Walter Hames]

Right off the bat, put the supply in the reserve. Wagons are not a combat unit, protect them. Second, while there is a lot of color with different units, the main types of units fulfill different roles. The best way to see this is to play around with a fully leader-filled army with guard/grenadier, light, and line infantry in every flank supported by artillery and both light and heavy cavalry. You will notice at the top of the unit assignment screen that new order options open up for your army. Use them, they are your friends. These orders make you more effective in combat and usually cut down on both your own casualties and org loss. Ideas open up some of the orders, but use the tool tips to fine tune your own style of army. Entrenched flanks can wreak an opposing army, delay can allow other flanks to carry the attack, etc. There is some dispute over exactly how many supply units you need, but I try for about one per 10k in troops by the second or third game year. Since I play Russia often, I never seem to need to build line infantry, but I spam light and grenadiers for the first year, along with massive artillery builds, since they build so quickly. More cavalry is always nice, especially in pure cavalry corps. And the odd warship and transport ship come in handy in the Baltic. Good gaming.

 

[BatNdmh]

Welcome to the Game! I STILL play HoI CORE!

 

[unmerged(91109)]

Thanks for the tips. I also read more topics and try to get into the game. I like it so far, altough not as deep as HOI its a nice change and like the way its played.

How about this for a rule of thumb?:

Main armee:
Left: 2 ART, 2 Line INF, 2 Light INF, 1 light CAV
Center: 3 ART, 3 Line INF, 2 Light INF, 1 light CAV, 1 Heavy CAV
Right: 2 ART, 2 Line INF, 2 Light INF, 1 light CAV
Reserve: 2 horse ART, 3 Line INF, 3 Guard/Grenadier INF, 1 light CAV, 3 Heavy CAV


Support corps (3 of them)
Left: 1 ART, 1 Line INF, 1 Light INF, 1 light CAV
Center: 1 ART, 1 Line INF, 1 Light INF, 1 Heavy CAV
Right: 1 ART, 1 Line INF, 1 Light INF, 1 light CAV
Reserve: 1 Horse ART, 1 Line INF, 1 Light INF, 1 Heavy CAV


Support corps (1 of them)
Left: 1 Horse ART, 1 light CAV, 1 Heavy CAV
Center: 1 Horse ART, 1 light CAV, 1 Heavy CAV
Right: 1 Horse ART, 1 light CAV, 1 Heavy CAV
Reserve: 1 Horse ART, 2 light CAV, 2 Heavy CAV

 

[Naselus]

Check the requirements for commands and base your order of battle on those. Most commands are insanely powerful - like 200% bonuses - and can in turn trigger even more powerful events.

So, for example, you have a bunch of guards sat in the reserve of the main armee. However, if you stuck them all in the Left flank with a couple of artillery units, you could set them to Up The Guard - which gives the artillery a 110% bonus to attack in the bombard phase, and the guards a 200% defense bonus throughout the battle. You can also, from there, trigger the powerful Up The Guard event... which gives those guard units a ludicrous 400% bonus to attack.


Always, always, always organize armies based around their tactics, and you'll find you can annihilate enemies against huge odds; a guard force on the flank with an entreched artillery-heavy centre and a refused flank of cavalry + guns can defeat even a larger French idea-heavy army.