Turns played in Phases option

[arckon]

I am referring to the HPS ACW games here.

To quote from the manual:
Select the Manual Defensive Fire option to play the game in Phases instead of Turns.

For those not familiar with the option it is still a single turn PBEM file, you simply play your turn in the order of:
Movement
Firing
Melee
before sending PBEM file back off to your opponent.

Currently I am about 5 battles into a campaign at Corinth playing this way, and I must admit for the first 3 battles I was not a fan. Over the last couple of battles though, I have changed my mind, and now actually prefer playing this way, it just feels, better/right/closer again to realistic (hard to find the right phrase). I have found it also takes no longer playing your turns this way either.

There is an exception though, I still forget to change formation at the beginning of the movement turn, if you could change formation at anytime within the movement phase I reckon playing this way would be spot on.

Questions:

1/ Have others played this way and liked/not liked it? Why?
2/ Have others initially not liked it, perservered and then prefered it/still not liked it?
3/ Would it be too difficult to incorporate a change formation at anytime option into the movement phase in a future patch or do so few play this way it would be non productive to add in?

[Coaling]

I am playing all my current battles in the manner you describe. From now on, whenever possible, I will do likewise. I find the moving and defensive fire phases far easier to stomach historically than what I call the HPS "open" system . . . I also regret only being able to change formation with the first of a unit's movement points (cavalry and artillery excepted), but have no idea how difficult that would be to patch/change. I consider it a necessary evil . . . I have found that far more players are returning to the phases system than I would have expected. Also, that many simply never left it.

[FastPhil]

I have played both ways depending upon my opponent. I think the infantry formation change is also much more realistic than the open. I think you want to march in column formation and then switch to line so you don't suffer any penalties during defensive/offensive fire because and there is no opportunity fire while actually moving. This allows you to close the enemy more quickly without any penalties for doing so with less opportunity fires. The phase way makes it wiser to form you battlelines further away and then march in line towards the enemy. Personally I tihnk there should be a rule that when you change formation within 'normal' range of enemy's weapons(rifles or artillery) you stand a chance of disrupting/routing even without being fired upon. JMHO.

[Alex Krolikowsk]

I don't play in this way, but as old battlegrounder I know this system.
What I don't like is that game takes you more time ie. when you are playing a large battle and armies are within fire distances, it takes a lot of time for enemy units to fire in their def phase and game is generally longer.
Also skeleton regiments like 25 men or so, put is some hollows can effectively delay large forces what I don't think is realistic.

I like other system because game is more lively, I like to move my boys while enemy is firing, and to fire a volley when I want;)

[rahamy]

I can't stand the phase style of play...the lack of opportunity fire alone is reason for me not to play it...its totally unrealistic for a unit to march accross an open field towards the enemy and not take any fire.

I also think it is more realistic, in a 20 minute turn, for movement, fire, formation changes, etc. to be taking place at the same time. And most proper defenses can stand up to an attack and not be over run in a single turn...which is most peoples biggest complaint of the single turn system.

So, I'd rather not play, than play in phases. :eek:

[arckon]

the lack of opportunity fire alone is reason for me not to play it...its totally unrealistic for a unit to march accross an open field towards the enemy and not take any fire.


Must admit I hadn't considered that, the defensive fire from the opponent is at the end of movement phase, so yeah hadn't clicked you are not taking opportunity fire whilst moving possibly each hex.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

One thing that I do feel gives an advantage to phased play during defensive fire is that you can fire every unit that has an enemy unit in LOS. In the single phase play I still get very frustrated because some units will sit and watch an enemy unit march across that open field that Rich refers too, get volleyed, and still just sit there with their collective thumb up their rear not firing a shot the whole time. I think the chances that any unit will not fire during the opponents turn is still too high in the single phase. Given this weakness though I still prefer this method of play.

[krmiller_usa]

I liked the single phase turn mode when the HPS games first came out but I found some gamers used the lack effective opportunity fire to introduce blitzkrieg tactics to the game rushing forward to melee in column counting on the lack of effective defensive fire to allow them to break holes in the lines and surround and eliminate the front lines or attack the guns just behind them. So I went back to the old BG style phased play which prevents these non historical tactics. The recent changes to the engine, the density fire modifier and the introduction of the final fire before melee option has reduced the effectiveness of these tactics somewhat but I still think it takes away the advantage the defence had historically by often allowing the attacker to advance and fire more effectively than the defender.

On another note I have found a few players like myself who use historical tactics and with these I use the single phase turn and it works well for us.

[Lord_Valentai]

I must say, as a ten year battlegrounder, I like the phases. As I usually play the computer, or my friend who likes the phases, I just stick with them. While the single turn might be more historical, I find it more cluttered and more confusing.