Dispatches

[Markwooda]

I read I think on the FOW topic that dispatches are not very helpful and don't tell you anything and so simply get ignored. Initially I agreed with this statement, but after taking a closer look I've completely changed my mind.
I couldn't understand the difference between vague and precise orders in the manual because when I was looking at them whilst playing the game they looked the same.
Anyway to cut a long story short, whilst playing I clicked on the dispatches Icon and the usual information box came up. I then for some reason left clicked on the box and some really useful information came up.
It has red and blue beams spanning out in the direction of either your surrounding friendly corps or the enemy. It also gives you a nice precise of  the enemy's strength. For example: A few regiments, A few Squadrons , a lot of cannons. This information I've found incredibly useful, because even when you've located the enemy and the icons flash up it still doesn't give you the full picture. This information really fills you in with the detail and aids the formulation of your tactical  plan, thus making scouts incredibly useful. I know a lot of you out there are probably already aware of this facility, but I wasn't and I'm sure there are others like me so that why I've posted it up.

[Grog]

It is a great feature ,which I new you could do with Scouts/Recon but I only found out today that it also applies to Corps Dispatches. The same left mouse click diagram.

I have worked out that scouts will send a recon report once they reach their objectives. If I have a scout unit already in a good observation position, I just order the unit a short distance away when I need an updated report.

I'm still working out some of the FOW features. What I would really like is for scouts and Corps dispatches to automatically send a new dispatch whenever a new enemy corps comes into their view.

Still trying to fathom the ADC function. Are they meant to report back once they reach their destination?

Back to the Manual, again.

[AJ]

I'm in agreement with Markwooda.  I used to ignore them, it was hard enough just to get used to manouvering and orders, but now that I'm getting a better grip on that, I find myself using them more.  However I rarely play solo now and FOW in pbem isn't working properly, so we're playing Conscript most of the time. It is useful even in conscript to compare the dispatches to what I see on the battlefield, it will help me better understand them when we get back to FOW.

[Franciscus]

I read I think on the FOW topic that dispatches are not very helpful and don't tell you anything and so simply get ignored. Initially I agreed with this statement, but after taking a closer look I've completely changed my mind.
I couldn't understand the difference between vague and precise orders in the manual because when I was looking at them whilst playing the game they looked the same.
Anyway to cut a long story short, whilst playing I clicked on the dispatches Icon and the usual information box came up. I then for some reason left clicked on the box and some really useful information came up.
It has red and blue beams spanning out in the direction of either your surrounding friendly corps or the enemy. It also gives you a nice precise of  the enemy's strength. For example: A few regiments, A few Squadrons , a lot of cannons. This information I've found incredibly useful, because even when you've located the enemy and the icons flash up it still doesn't give you the full picture. This information really fills you in with the detail and aids the formulation of your tactical  plan, thus making scouts incredibly useful. I know a lot of you out there are probably already aware of this facility, but I wasn't and I'm sure there are others like me so that why I've posted it up.

Never too old to learn.... Amazingly, I really was not aware of this !! 

Thank you !

[Markwooda]

It's funny how some things are not obvious, take Grog's response, I didn't know scouts or Corp's Commanders only send reports once they reach their opjective. The amount of time I wasted checking a scout unit I've left at a good vantage point wondering why it is not feeding me with any information. I mean once you know the reason why they don't update, it's obvious.

I agree with Grog though a static unit still detached should at least up date you every hour or something. The whole purpose of the game is to stay away from micro management and so if you have to move a unit a 100m forward everytime you want an update it kind of defeats the object.

I think it just highlights there are loads of things about the game that aren't very clear and you only learn through experience. I was shocked to find out yesterday after reading a thread buried on the Grenadier's forum that you can detach a Divison like you can detach a unit (although it not working correctly at the moment). It would be good to see a forum, perhaps a subset of the tactics one where people can place such information so people can learn from each other, little hidden gems that guide does not make clear - it would also be very useful information  in the future when manual gets updated.