runyan99 wrote:In all cases, I think the thing to do is to ignore the differences in the USA/CSA generals ranks, and to make decisions based only on the maximum size of the formations they commanded historically, or that you want them to be able to command.
* - division
** - corps
*** - army
It's that simple. Don't get caught up in the apparent paradox that both John Magruder and George McClellan were both Major Generals. It's meaningless in game terms.
The difficulty I have is not comparing the USA to the CSA (the USA tends to fit very well in the AGEOD system, the CSA is a tad bit less organized).
I wonder if ranks were given, and commands assumed more by necessity rather than rank?
Were the ranks of 'Major General' in the Confederacy (out East) matching the rank of 'Major General' in AGEOD's AACW? Technically, the generals commanded division and/or corps sized formations at the same rank. In October 1861 many brigadier generals were promoted to major general. They initially commanded individual divisions, yet were subsequently given command of groups of divisions or other independent commands (without any further promotion).
However, there were some brigadiers promoted to major general in early 1862. These, however, were almost strictly in command of divisions (Ewell, AP Hill, DH Hill, etc.) until a command role was opened up (due to death, movement, or retirement).
While the first batch of Brigadiers promoted to Major Generals do seem to fit the role (commanded groups if divisions as well as their own), what about the second batch? Just because they weren't given 'corps' command is possibly due to a limitation of force (not enough corps to go around), rather than inability via rank.
So, should these later Major Generals (later as in early 1862) be Major Generals, or Brigadier Generals (since they did only command divisions, but, had rank to command larger formations)?
Jackson, promoted to Major General in October 1861
Ewell, promoted to Major General in January 1862
Ewell was a divisional commander in Jackson's command. Both were the same rank, just one had greater seniority. In late 1862 Jackson was promoted to Lieutenant General, but for that entire year he was superior in seniority, but not rank, to those he commanded.
Lee moved the vast majority of those promoted in October 1861 out West (Holmes, Huger, Magruder, EK Smith moved out earlier) leaving only Longstreet and Jackson out east who were Major Generals before 1862 (thereby highest seniority). AP Hill, DH Hill, Ewell etc. were all Major Generals, yet, because of seniority, and that there were only two wings of the army, were kept as divisional commanders (yet, even here, with the larger Confederate Divisions equating individually almost as much as a Union Corps).
--THINKING--
I am thinking, though, in order to add command points to the CSA formations (MG give more CP than BG), that it would be viable to have these later Major Generals as such in the CSA. The 'problem' is, that players would have the ability to create more corps as the CSA (due to having Ewell, DH and AP Hill avaliable). Yet, maybe the two corps designation was more policy than anything else with Lee.