Number of Elements (number of ribbons on the left hand side)

[Templer]

Number of elements (number of ribbons on the left hand side)

From the manual page 38:

Unit Attributes
Unit counters are differentiated by the following:
•
•
• Number of Elements (number of ribbons on the left hand side)
•

I count three ribbons but only see one sub unit/element!?

So how this works?

[arsan]

The white ribbons means empty element "slots". So Hamptons brigade doesn't have all his potential elements now. It will eventually have 3 elements when it recieve them via replacements (must be on a depot to recieve full elements if you use the historical attrition option).
It works like this in other AGEOD games.
The white ribbons are very usefull after battles to know which units have lost full elements in combat and need to be sent to a depot to refill.

[Joe Wheeler]

Now that is something I never knew. Thanks.

[Templer]

Thanks for the useful and informative answer.

Is that in the manual? Have I missed it?

[Ace]

Thanks for the useful and informative answer.

Is that in the manual? Have I missed it?

That's why we have forum, to fill manual gaps

[ajarnlance]

So the limits are 18 elements for a division and 3 elements for a brigade? Also could you explain how I can replace my combat losses for depleted units. You are saying that I have to retreat to a depot to receive replacements? is there any other way to do this? Thanks.

[PhilThib]

Not all brigades have 3 elements, some have more (up to 7 or 8), some less (2)...it depends on the brigades.
To receive replacements you must be in a friendly structure and in supply...that is why a depot is ideal. A city without depot will work too, although not as fast.
Also, putting your posture in passive (green) will help speed up the "refill" process.

Last but not least, you need of course to have enough replacements of the required type in stock (check F2 screen), otherwise the replenishment will just not work.

[Njordr]

What happens if I form a new division of exactly 18 elements, including an "incomplete" brigade (as Hampton's Bde above)? Will the missing regiments be lost?

[Ebbingford]

They won't fill up while that brigade is in the division. You will have to take the brigade out of the division for it to receive the missing elements.
If you have two or three brigades in a division with missing elements, then only one replacement element will be added to that division per turn. In that scenario it is better to split the incomplete brigades out of the division to enable them to get up to full strength quicker.

[Templer]

They won't fill up while that brigade is in the division. You will have to take the brigade out of the division for it to receive the missing elements.
If you have two or three brigades in a division with missing elements, then only one replacement element will be added to that division per turn. In that scenario it is better to split the incomplete brigades out of the division to enable them to get up to full strength quicker.

That's a bug or WAD?

[Ebbingford]

Always been like that in all AGEOD games. I've always thought WAD but might be a bug.......

[Rafiki]

WAD, otherwise you could take a dozen brigades missing elements, combine into a single division, let the brigades fill up and have the Killer Division from Hell running around your battlefield

[Pocus]

in Pride of Nations, some nations can fill up more than one replacement per unit. In CW2, it's 1. WAD. AS per the Monkey saying

[Templer]

The white ribbons means empty element "slots". So Hamptons brigade doesn't have all his potential elements now. It will eventually have 3 elements when it recieve them via replacements (must be on a depot to recieve full elements if you use the historical attrition option).
It works like this in other AGEOD games.
The white ribbons are very usefull after battles to know which units have lost full elements in combat and need to be sent to a depot to refill.

Sorry, but this can't be right now.
Now the Missouri Bde shows four ribbons/slots at all, but it have six elements - Oh yes, confused again!

[arsan]

Does it happen with this unit only?? or every unit has less ribbons than elements?
If the later, maybe the patch has changed how ribbons are shown.
In most AGEOD games 1 ribbon is equal to two elements. On CW2 it was changed to 1-1. Maybe the patch has gone back to the usual 1-2 relation?
(Sorry i don't have the game to check)

[dublish]

Units usually have fewer ribbons than elements. 2xInf brigades will only have 1 ribbon when full, 2xInf/1xCav brigades only 2 when full, a lot of big 7 or 8 element elite brigades will only have 4 when full. I think it's WAD, but beyond space limitations I'm not sure what the justification is.

Also, has anyone ever gotten the half-full Union naval squadrons with missing elements to fill up?

[Ebbingford]

Also, has anyone ever gotten the half-full Union naval squadrons with missing elements to fill up?

If you are playing with historical attrition on then naval units need to be in a harbour with a depot to receive replacements. They also need to be in passive posture.

[arsan]

They also need to be in passive posture.

Hi Ebbingford!
Is the passive posture mandatory in CW2??
Until now (in the rest of AGEOD games) you didn't need to be in passive, even if passive posture give the stack priority in absorbing replacements over other non passive forces (in the case there weren't replacements enough for everybody).
In AJE (which is what i'm playing most lately) fleets and armies can recover full elements on any posture if they are in a structure (standard attrition) or in a depot (historical attrition).
Another requisite is that the forces in the region have 100% supply reserves. If not, they will first replenish their supplies and only after they are at 100% they will take replacements.
Regards

[oberst_klink]

Units usually have fewer ribbons than elements. 2xInf brigades will only have 1 ribbon when full, 2xInf/1xCav brigades only 2 when full, a lot of big 7 or 8 element elite brigades will only have 4 when full. I think it's WAD, but beyond space limitations I'm not sure what the justification is.

Also, has anyone ever gotten the half-full Union naval squadrons with missing elements to fill up?

The ribbons or chevrons also confused me; I couldn't find any references in the manual or in the 'What's New' document about how many ribbons/chevrons for how many elements of the unit... clarification is needed, aye?

Klink, Oberst

[Ace]

Currently
1 unit - no ribbon
2-3 units - 1 ribbon
4-5 units - 2 ribbon
6-7 units - 3 ribbon
etc...

[Ebbingford]

Hi Ebbingford!
Is the passive posture mandatory in CW2??
Until now (in the rest of AGEOD games) you didn't need to be in passive, even if passive posture give the stack priority in absorbing replacements over other non passive forces (in the case there weren't replacements enough for everybody).
In AJE (which is what i'm playing most lately) fleets and armies can recover full elements on any posture if they are in a structure (standard attrition) or in a depot (historical attrition).
Another requisite is that the forces in the region have 100% supply reserves. If not, they will first replenish their supplies and only after they are at 100% they will take replacements.
Regards

I only play with historical attrition on, my blockade fleet in Boston only has it's lost elements replaced when in passive posture in a harbour with a depot. I think it is a hangover from PoN.
It is a way that enables the player to be selective as to where and when expensive replacements are used, or not used as the case may be. It gives you control over the whole process.
It might be quite good if this was applied to all units, not just ships.

[Templer]

The ribbons or chevrons also confused me; I couldn't find any references in the manual or in the 'What's New' document about how many ribbons/chevrons for how many elements of the unit... clarification is needed, aye?

Klink, Oberst

I totally agree here!
This is an important matter.

Currently
1 unit - no ribbon
2-3 units - 1 ribbon
4-5 units - 2 ribbon
6-7 units - 3 ribbon
etc...

Is this answer official or just a guess?

[Ace]

I cannot give official answer, I am not the developer. I just opened the game, counted the ribbons on units and saw the correlation, especially if the same counting method is used in some other AGEOD games. So it is more like educated guess than an official answer.

[Ace]

Just popped my mind. In patch 1.00 unit stack card could show only 3 abilities in the lower left. Since now it can show 4 abilities, maybe they needed to economize on ribbons to allow more abilities to be showed. Again, just guessing.

[Templer]

Currently
1 unit - no ribbon
2-3 units - 1 ribbon
4-5 units - 2 ribbon
6-7 units - 3 ribbon
etc...

Ruffles Division
Hm, hm
5 ribbons - 17 Units
Very opaque!

[Captain_Orso]

8<
Also, has anyone ever gotten the half-full Union naval squadrons with missing elements to fill up?

From my experience, move the NE Squadron to New York City and set it to Passive Posture. Your Squadrons must be in PP to receive replacement elements. The NY Squadron can of course stay where it is. Just put it in PP.

Blockade Ships are pretty quick to replace. In general a squadron missing (a) blockade ship(s) will get a new one each turn and take 2 turns to have it finish. Be careful that only a blockade ship is missing. If a steam or sail frigate is missing they take far longer to replace, and the entire squadron will be locked and must wait in harbor while the frigate is being built It takes exactly as long to replace one as build a new one independently. You can check the reinforcements to see exactly how long, as I don't remember off hand, but about 150 - 200 day.

So if a steam frigate is missing you are better off just combining one from what you currently have with the squadron and building a new independent one if you wish.

[Captain_Orso]

Ruffles Division
Hm, hm
5 ribbons - 17 Units
Very opaque!

There isn't enough room to put all 17 chevrons on the divisional unit. I'm not sure at the moment, but I think if one of the units in the division is missing an element you will get at least 1 white chevron.

[Pocus]

a display bug you found!

The ratio 'element to chevron' is set to 2 for 1, but is erroneously capped at 5 whereas it should be at 10.

[Syrinx2112]

I have a question now.

Let's say that those missing elements are from combat. the manual says that i can merge elements with that brigade to replace said missing element. But for the life of me, and my units, i can't get it to work.

Missing one element from the Texas Brigade. Would i need to replace it with a Texas Infantry Unit, or would any infantry unit do?

[Captain_Orso]

Hi Syrinix2112, and welcome to the forum

what you want to do is 'combine' the units. To do this, the two units which you wish to combine must be compatible.

Do this to determine if you can combine the two units:

• put the two units into the same stack,
• <left-click> on the one unit to select it,
• <shift><left-click> on the other unit to select it too,
• open the organization SO (Special Orders) button above the Stack Panel (the one with the tent on it),
  
  • if the two units may be combined, the 'combine units' SO button will become visually active (lit up); simply click the combine units SO button (or press <Ctrl><c>) to combine them, ; Warning: once the units have been combined, they cannot be split again (you can only split divisions and leader-brigade combinations)
  • if not, hover your mouse pointer over the 'combine unit' SO button to show the tool-tip, which shows you the TOE of both units, with which you should be able to determine why the two units cannot be combined