AGEOD Forums

Does the player recruit units or are they simply added by the games ai?

You can raise some additional units via the option menues, but most new units are added by events...

I'm relatively new to the game, but here is my best answer:

You can request "element reinforements" in the Military Options screen (click the globe on the UI and open page three) which the AI will release based on certain criteria. You can request militia, regular units, elite, indians, etc. I'm not exactly sure, but I believe units in larger cities, who haven't moved, etc will get priority. Again, these are just adding to the elemental units already in the field.

In other cases, you request actual units using the same Military Options screen. I have seen a request for regular units, Highlanders, seige cannon, dragoons, and naval units. These units are then placed in friendly ports and ready for action.

Finally, as the previous poster indicated, there are certain scripted events that occur where the player receives units immediately. For example, the English Fleet might sail into Halifax and you'll have ships of the line. You also have instances where the player will receive various militia throughout the empire.

Just as everyone else is saying - most of the units you get are scripted, but you can use "engagement points" (EPs) to "buy" options, including diplomatic moves, etc and also extra troops of various sorts. But it isn't like AACW, where you control the production of your army - at least 95% of your troops will be scripted reinforcements or at-start.

What everybody said
And then you also have a volunteers and militia automatic raising system which numbers depend of the strategic cities you controls, the presence of enemy units in the area...
They will raise to arms in spring and summer and many will leave your armies and go back home on winter.
For the USA in th 1775 campaigns this militias and volunteer continentals can made a pretty big part of their total forces (like 30% maybe??)

Cheers!