Hi !
I recently discovered the optional rule "Manual Defensive Fire" which basically splits the turn into different "phases" like in a boardgame (Movement, Defensive Fire...). Personally i really like to play that way since i can focus on one thing at a time. Also, using "Fast AI Processing" i can speed up gameplay since not every move or fire action from my units triggers a ton of opportunity Fire from my enemy.
Are some of you playing with the "Phases" turned on ? Why or why not ?
Greetings.
I don't play with the phases turned on, mainly because I only play live opponents. The AI can't replicate the skills and abilities of a veteran opponent IMO.
Phases is a holdover from the very early days of John Tiller's Battleground games, originally published by TalonSoft (or at least that's when I came in, ca. 1995) when that was the only way to play. Automated defensive fire and on-map results were eventually added as options, and soon became considered standard. Similarly, in the early Tiller games, which were largely the Terrible Swift Sword miniatures system ported over to computer, all supply was what is now termed explicit supply, i.e., wagons or trucks, no virtual supply trucks or supply by map location. When automated fire was ported over with no adjustments to supply, armies burned up all their ammunition at a ridiculous rate. I remember a Battleground Antietam game I played as the Union player where the *&^*%*^ automated defensive fire wasted so much ammo I had 35 regiments out of bullets! Luckily for me, the Rebs weren't in any better condition. I still don't like explicit supply because you can't control who gets your scarce bullets. But I digress.... The biggest problem with phased play,IMHO, is that it takes forever and a day to play a game head to head, with all the extra emails. I don't know of anybody who uses it anymore.
Well, for PBEM Phases are really not a good idea. But against the AI i like the "boardgame" vibe they give me and the less "stressful" gameplay...i can actually move/fires without half the enemy army opportunity firing at my poor guys all the time.