Roads

[amrcg]

The units seem not to make use of roads to speed-up their march... Could someone confirm if this is implemented?

Regards,
António

[Broadsword]

The units seem not to make use of roads to speed-up their march... Could someone confirm if this is implemented?

It's been stated in these forums, and in the manual, that the roads have no effect in the game. Unfortunate, but not a game-breaker, IMHO.

[amrcg]

Sorry, you are right. I found it in the manual.
But this would be another very important feature to be implemented in the future.

António

[AJ]

There was an in depth Thread on this subject some months ago. The general consensus of those who had researched the subject, was that roads were not generally used on a set piece battlefield because of their bottleneck effect. Off the battlefield maneuvering across a region, maybe one column of an army would be on a road (if it was straight enough and wide enough) but the other columns would be flanking and marching through fields etc.

You  have to picture in your mind 70,000 to 100,000 soldiers, their arty, baggage, ammo etc... marching along a road, the rear of the army would be some miles back, the marching army would not be in any type of battle ready formation if surprised. The French Corps structure, which generally meant each Corp was a small army, generally advanced across country in as straighter line as possible to it's destination. Also the broader the front of advance the faster the deployment to battle positions. Napoleon was famous for his Army's ability to out march and out maneuver his opponent and he couldn't do this, constricted by the roads of the time.

This said I did not personally do the research, and I know someone will point out an exception.

[Darsh]

The roads would more used for the strategical manoeuvres and not really for the tactical manoeuvres on a battlefield like in Histwar.
The armies are too closed, ready in the battle formation and by consequence the roads are insignificants.

Histwar isn't Cossack II .

[General_Chasse]

Take Command uses roads too, but more to move more efficiently through forests.

[Broadsword]

The roads would more used for the strategical manoeuvres and not really for the tactical manoeuvres on a battlefield like in Histwar.
The armies are too closed, ready in the battle formation and by consequence the roads are insignificants.

Histwar isn't Cossack II .

Yes, but even without a significant effect on movement rates, roads played an important part in shaping battlefields -- they tend to channel the directions of movement. Even if an army in battle deployment couldn't take full advantage of a road for movement advantage, that doesn't mean they would just march freely in any direction, over walls, through fields and hedges and fences,  as if the surrounding terrain were all the same.  Also, armies fought to secure or protect crossroads, etc. I think we can simulate some of those effects by having victory point locations on maps. But some of this simply can't be simulated in LG because of the way it does terrain -- we don't have all the little walls and hedges and orchards at this level of detail.

[amrcg]

Well, my question on roads derives from the fact that a lot of Napoleonic Grand-tactical tabletop rules consider the "march column" formation, e.g. Napoleon's Battles (Avalon Hill) and Napoleonic Fury. The column formation that is implemented in HW-LG is not in fact a "march column" formation, since the frontage of the column is still considerable. In case a real "march column" was implemented, units could make use of the roads when marching for long distances.

Regards,
António

[AJ]

Now, I was recounting the info I gleaned from the Thread some months ago so I personaly haven't researched the topic. Where is Hook or the Count when you need em!!!!

[Count von Csollich]

hehehe....here I am  - ready for action....     (the Guard is always thrown last into action eh? - I guess Hook will make an entrance too if he deems necessary  )

I didn't find it necessary to post because Darsh has already said, what needs being said....

roads were important for strategic movement - very important for Napoleon for his forced marches and also for all the other powers of the time...., but in the game roads have a lesser role  - because it is a tactical simulation

 in battles roads were rarely used at all! - you would approach the field on a road and you would leave the battlefield again on a road...if you were clever you used more than one road to avoid congestion and if you were a GENIUS you used several roads to move your corps and converge and concentrate all of the for the decisive battle, without giving the enemy a chance to destroy them one by one, while they were on different roads....Napoleon moved his army in a carré formation...all corps not more than 24 hours apart...an avant-garde - at least one corps guarding each flank (on different roads) and a rear-guard usually with his main forces or at least the Guard with the Emperor himself...

so to answer the question on roads in a summary (btw...aj you said you looked at the older post...could you post a link please? - I'm to lazy to look it up - and I seem to remember that all has been said there already anyway...):
on a battlefield infantry and cavalry would literally andvance straight over a field, hedges (infantry) or move around them...but deploying infantry in march column on a battlefield as you suggest amrcg was way too dangerous...it needed too much time to deploy either into square or even line formation....

CvC

[amrcg]

Ok, dear Count, please accept my humble surrender on the roads topic.

Regards,
António

[Count von Csollich]

Ok, dear Count, please accept my humble surrender on the roads topic.

Regards,
António

hey...this is never about surrender or not   - this forum is there to ask questions and to input new ideas! - as long as they are constructive I,  and I think I can speak for all of us are interested to read about it and discuss the topic! (something is wrong with this last sentense, in terms of grammar...            , gotta love smileys  )

CvC

[AJ]

Count, I tried searching for the post but it was a long time ago, I will have another look.  I was really relying on my memory for this one, and for me that's always a problem.    Yes I too love smileys

[amrcg]

hey...this is never about surrender or not   - this forum is there to ask questions and to input new ideas! - as long as they are constructive I,  and I think I can speak for all of us are interested to read about it and discuss the topic! (something is wrong with this last sentense, in terms of grammar...            , gotta love smileys  )
CvC

I was kidding Count. I just wanted to say that I am satisfied with the answers.

Regards,
António

[AJ]

FOUND IT!!!!!!!!!

http://www.histwar.org/forum/index.php/topic,3626.0.html