Questions From a Newcomer

[BentonGrey]

Hello! I just bought this game recently, and I've been grappling with it ever since. I found it very frustrating at first, and I certainly see what folks say about the CSA not having much of a chance (I always prefer it when games like this give you the chance to be a little ahistorical in the asymmetry of power between the two sides). This is a game of wondrous complexity, and I'm afraid that the manual doesn't quite cut the mustard for me. I'm starting to get a hang of it, but there are still several questions that I can't seem to find answers for in the manual or in the forums. I hope y'all can help me.

I've seen several folks mention training volunteers and militia into regular infantry. How does one do this?

What governs redeployment? I see the option on generals, but I can't work out what makes a chosen region legal or illegal. What are the restrictions?

How does Simple Supply actually work? I can't find any descriptions. I had a Union army running around Louisiana for dozens of terms in my Western campaign, completely cut off, but they somehow managed to survive and fight more or less constantly. I even put ships out in the surrounding waters to ensure that they couldn't possibly be getting supplied, and they just kept hanging in there.

As the CSA, is there any way to do large scale diplomacy with the Indian faction(s)? I know this was a historical reality, and it would be pretty cool to be able to sway the Indians to 'the Cause.'

What's the wisest course of action in unit building? I've seen some discussion on the combined arms units, with included artillery, cavalry, etc. Is it better to buy these things together or separately?

I will probably have more questions as I get further into the game, so I hope y'all will bear with me. I have a feeling that modding may be the answer to a lot of my issues, so I will probably be visiting that subforum soon.

Thanks for your help!

[LCcmdr]

Welcome. I'm a casual player vs the AI and haven't done any PBEMs--but love the game nonetheless. So, I'll get you started until the heavyweights weigh in...


I've seen several folks mention training volunteers and militia into regular infantry. How does one do this?

CSA has very limited opportunity to do this, and the generals that do so appear approx 2 yrs into the war. (The senior general at the beginning of the war can covert conscripts but I'm too focused on other areas to ever do so before he dies. The USA has 2 early generals in Cinc and StLouis; both of these can make great contributions.

To effect this, always purchase 2 militia units (size 20), merge them together (once formed) into a division of 40, then drop them into the stack under a training general. Over TIME, this unit will grow from 40 to nearly 100 in size. That's the great part; now, not so great: this larger militia turned conscript unit still operates at a lower fighting efficiency than regular troops. In the end, be careful to examine the build components of all infantry so that you have a good blend of elite units with lesser capable units.


What governs redeployment? I see the option on generals, but I can't work out what makes a chosen region legal or illegal. What are the restrictions?

I'm not sure what you're asking for here.


How does Simple Supply actually work? I can't find any descriptions. I had a Union army running around Louisiana for dozens of terms in my Western campaign, completely cut off, but they somehow managed to survive and fight more or less constantly. I even put ships out in the surrounding waters to ensure that they couldn't possibly be getting supplied, and they just kept hanging in there.

the presence of ships alone doesn't negate river/coastal supply, but it would stop river crossings. Once controlled, regions begin trickling supply. So, a Union naval supported attack ought to provide some level of supply. Best, here, to let the better players answer....


As the CSA, is there any way to do large scale diplomacy with the Indian faction(s)? I know this was a historical reality, and it would be pretty cool to be able to sway the Indians to 'the Cause.'

Yes, later in the war check your decision card options. Both USA and CSA gain decision cards to interact with partisans, loyalists, raiders, and indians. Though cash costly, some of these work quite well.


What's the wisest course of action in unit building? I've seen some discussion on the combined arms units, with included artillery, cavalry, etc. Is it better to buy these things together or separately?


Combined arms is certainly my doctrine. First, arty allows better defensive numbers (entrenchment). Second, the presence of cav provides more recon/los. Third, elite units (once combined with a general) impart that specialty to all units in a stack! So, yes, doing this is much better than not.
\

have fun!

[Gray Fox]

"I've seen several folks mention training volunteers and militia into regular infantry. How does one do this?"

-In addition to the above, the CSA player can use a HQ unit to give experience points to a stack over time. The points add up until the militia gain an experience level or two. This may convert the militia to regular infantry. Some CSA Generals do this as well (Braxton).

"What governs redeployment? I see the option on generals, but I can't work out what makes a chosen region legal or illegal. What are the restrictions?"

-To Relocate from one region to another, the unit must be able to move normally from that region to the destination region, i.e. a route of connected regions with enough Military Control that would allow this.

"How does Simple Supply actually work? I can't find any descriptions. I had a Union army running around Louisiana for dozens of terms in my Western campaign, completely cut off, but they somehow managed to survive and fight more or less constantly. I even put ships out in the surrounding waters to ensure that they couldn't possibly be getting supplied, and they just kept hanging in there."

-I've actually never used this option. The menu states: "If Easy Supply option is active, then troops in regions with an unbesieged friendly structure will always be in supply." So that probably means that a Division can operate anywhere it has a friendly city/fort/depot that is not under siege.

"As the CSA, is there any way to do large scale diplomacy with the Indian faction(s)? I know this was a historical reality, and it would be pretty cool to be able to sway the Indians to 'the Cause.' "

-Ditto what LCcmdr posted.

"What's the wisest course of action in unit building? I've seen some discussion on the combined arms units, with included artillery, cavalry, etc. Is it better to buy these things together or separately?"

-The wisest course of action is to just have fun with it. Some players like all one state units in a Division, or more historical rosters. I micromanage for maximum combat effect.

The simple fact is that you get a lot of brigades with a mixture of different arms. This makes it rather complex to create anything but mixed Divisions from these. Many years ago, someone decided what such a mixed Division might best look like. It would have a sharpshooter for the boost to initiative. Four batteries of artillery require that many Command Points (CPs), which is also what a Division requires, so a mixed Division with 4 batteries would make sense. One or two cavalry give the Division a recon ability and also aid in pursuing routed enemy units or in screening your own unit during withdrawal from combat. With the Commander, that makes 7-8 elements, so the rest would be infantry.

I made a closer analysis and decided that mix is too simple. The four batteries of artillery that ended up in this mixed Division were usually the 6-lbers embedded in the mixed brigades. These are practically useless in an attack. Also, artillery fire each combat round, but then stop on what is termed round zero. This is the assault round where the guns would be firing at your own troops charging the enemy. I sermised that a Division should have no artillery and instead 4 more infantry elements (an increase of a third to the assault force of this Heavy Infantry Division). This is difficult to do as the CSA, but I got one mix that had only one 6-lber in the Division and the force pool allowed me to make 20 of these Divisions. I prefer the best artillery you can afford in an all artillery Division. You get the advantage of a Division commander, save on CPs and the unit does really well, so much so that the AI was tweaked to use all artillery Divisions. Mixed Divisions are still good and unavoidable. I use them to garrison locations where they can entrench the light guns. A few Heavy Infantry Divisions with an artillery Division in one stack make a good "point of the spear" force for attack or counter-attack. Good luck!

[BentonGrey]

Howdy LC, and thanks for the response! This is already really helpful.

Thanks to Gray Fox as well! That was also really great info. I wrote this reply before yours showed up, but it wasn't approved until afterward, so please forgive my seeming to ignore your post in how this reply originally read. I've now edited it.

Here's a new question for one and all: Is there a description of what the special units actually do anywhere? I find myself rather clueless about when and if I should build some of them. I read the Points to Know' thread, which was very informative and clued me in to Headquarters units and some of the others, but the rest remain something of a mystery.

Just to clarify a few points:

Training= So, the generals with the "Training Officer" ability can convert volunteers and militia as well as conscripts? He converts them to conscripts, and he converts conscripts into regulars?

Redeployment= I suppose I wasn't too clear here. What I mean is, there is a redeployment button on lone generals, and when you click on it, the game asks you to chose a region. I've found that most choices I make get the response 'this is an illegal region.' There's no highlighting or the like to show what is in and out, so I'm trying to understand the game logic behind it so I don't have to just randomly click all over the map trying to find a spot that will work. Unfortunately, the manual makes no mention of this. So, what determines if a general can or cannot redeploy to a particular region? I thought it might be rail access, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Fortunately, Gray Fox answered this quite nicely. Thanks, I get it now!

Supply= Ahh, interesting! Oddly, he never controlled the region, because I had a bigger army in there with him from the start. Weird!

Indians= Thanks! I've tried those Indian cards, but, like some other folks, I haven't had any success with them yet. There is no option for a larger scale manipulation, though, like one that would bring the entire Indian faction over to your side?

Unit Building= Thanks, that's illuminating!

[Gray Fox]

"Here's a new question for one and all: Is there a description of what the special units actually do anywhere? I find myself rather clueless about when and if I should build some of them. I read the Points to Know' thread, which was very informative and clued me in to Headquarters units and some of the others, but the rest remain something of a mystery."

-If you cursor over the special icon on each of these elements, then you get a general text message about what each is supposed to do. Here are some of these elements:

The medical and the HQ element increase cohesion recovery. When a unit does things like move around or fight a battle, it gets exhausted and loses cohesion. This is recovered each turn until it is max again. These elements cause a greater proportion of increase when they are stacked with the unit. Also, both do not work together to give a bigger boost, so it's one or the other.

The signal and HQ element each add two CPs to a stack.

The engineer and pontooneer elements aid a stack with entrenching quicker. These both can work together to give a bigger boost. They can work with Generals that have an entrenching bonus for a further boost. Also, the pontooneer element aids a stack in crossing a river quicker. This also works with Divisions that have a Sailor/Marine to gain an additional river crossing boost.

A balloon adds to the Line of Sight so that a stack can see into surrounding regions for a better recon. I somewhat amused everyone by putting a balloon on two Brigs as a 19th century aircraft carrier for coastal recons.

Training: IIRC, Training Officers can also train volunteer cavalry to early cavalry. Infantry comes in several different types, militia/volunteers, conscripts, light, line and elite, as well as Sailors and Marines. Sailors and Marines can be purchased, while elite units are historical and show up from time to time. Militia, volunteers and conscripts gain experience slowly on their own over time or in combat and become line infantry. The Training Officers speed this up and can upgrade two militia, volunteers or conscripts in one turn. Conscripts cost as much as line infantry, so the bargain is to train up militia which cost less.

[BentonGrey]

Thanks Gray Fox, once again, that is really helpful! I had gotten bits and pieces of that here and there, but that is a much clearer and more complete picture. I think I'm beginning to get a handle on this game's complexities.

So, pontoons do not mitigate the river crossing combat penalty like marines do? And marine bonuses are only for the division they are in, not the whole stack?

I've got another one for y'all. Please forgive the flood of questions, but there is a lot to take in with this game! What affects the repair rate of ships? My damaged ships seem to take forever to get fixed or get replacements. (I've got auto replacements on) Do naval engineers speed this up? Does it help to have them in a port in certain types of towns, like ones with war factories or the like?

Also, what determines whether a battle plan succeeds or fails, other than the presence of a counter plan?

[Cardinal Ape]

Pontoons help a stack cross rivers faster. You only need one per stack.

You are correct on marines. One per division.

Naval engineers inside a city will speed up repair and construction of ships in that region. Bigger harbors might repair faster, not sure on that.

[Captain_Orso]

Redeployment is for leaders only,but you may make a stack of as many leaders as you wish to use the SO (Special Order). To use it, you leader stack must start in a region with a good-order rail line, the target region must have a good-order rail line, and those two region must be connected by a series of adjacent regions each with a good-order rail line. In all these regions you must have a minimum of 25% MC, that which is the normal minimum to us rail movement.

The idea is that if you don't have to organize for special trains and schedules to move a large contingent of troops, when just a few leaders are traveling by train. They simply use the normally scheduled train lines an can actually traverse much larger distances in the same time than the game would otherwise allow.

Pontoons lessen the crossing movement penalty. Marines lessen the combat penalty. Check the tool-tips of special abilities.

Once you have >= 25% MC in a region, you have a bridgehead and the combat penalty for amphibious assault (across a river or landing on a shore) is negated.

The Marines special ability states that it affects the unit. Since a division is a unit for game terms, a division with a Marine battalion in it enjoys the ability as a whole.

Naval Repairs. This isn't going to be totally logical, but this is how it works. For each level a harbor has (check the tool-tip of the anchor sprit in the region) damaged ships will have 3% of the ship's total hit-points repaired per harbor level per turn, but not less than 1. Navel Engineers enhance that total by 10%.

Here's an example I put together in the beta forum for the beta testers, so I can only copy it here:

For ease of understanding, let's say you have a ship with 100 hit points, like the Bismark . The Bismark has just been hit by torpedoes from the Sward Fish of the Arc Royal and has taken 20 hit points of damage and then sails into a level 5 harbor in the bosom of France; Brest ... whaaa?!?

3% of the Bismark's total hit points is 3 hit points. The breast size.. I mean harbor size is 5, so it will repair 3 x 5 = 15 hit points of damage per turn.

If the harbor also has a Naval Engineer unit, which is currently sober, add 10% to the speed of repair; 3 x 5 x 1.1 = 16 (FRD).

That's it, except for the mademoiselles

Smooth seas

[grimjaw]

Training= So, the generals with the "Training Officer" ability can convert volunteers and militia as well as conscripts? He converts them to conscripts, and he converts conscripts into regulars?

That, and sometimes militia and volunteers will upgrade on their own.

So far as I know the AI won't fully utilize this, but a human player can exploit this facet of the game to the point of abuse. The force pools are set and increased at certain times during the game. If you're not already familiar with it, the force pool will determine what units and how many of them you can build. For example, if the force pool is defined such that you can have ten New York militia regiments, once you've produced ten New York militia then they won't appear as an option to build. If you lose a NY militia element in combat, then you'll get that back as an option to build in the force pool. If a NY militia regiment *upgrades* to conscript or line, then you also get it back in the force pool. So the exploit goes, build relatively cheap militia unit, join it into a brigade with another militia unit (and it will still be one 1CP), train that brigade under a training officer, rinse and repeat.

It's something that ought to be addressed in the game, but I doubt it will come down from official sources.

[Cardinal Ape]

Supply wagons can also be redeployed. So can Army HQs and other support units.

Generals can form divisions with only support elements, these divisions can be redeployed. For example, Abner Double-D could merge with two balloons and still be eligible for redeployment. Its a cheeky way to get avoid having your general's stats reduced for the first turn of forming a division.

Send all complaints to Orso.

[Captain_Orso]

Send all complaints to Orso.

WHAT?!?!!!

Supply wagons can also be redeployed. So can Army HQs and other support units.

Generals can form divisions with only support elements, these divisions can be redeployed. For example, Abner Double-D could merge with two balloons and still be eligible for redeployment. Its a cheeky way to get avoid having your general's stats reduced for the first turn of forming a division.

That's something I always forget, because I think it's a bug as it breaks the paradigm of redeployment specifically, the game in general.

Dangit CA, let go of me!

[havi]

Send all complaints to Orso.

WHAT?!?!!!

Supply wagons can also be redeployed. So can Army HQs and other support units.

Generals can form divisions with only support elements, these divisions can be redeployed. For example, Abner Double-D could merge with two balloons and still be eligible for redeployment. Its a cheeky way to get avoid having your general's stats reduced for the first turn of forming a division.

That's something I always forget, because I think it's a bug as it breaks the paradigm of redeployment specifically, the game in general.

Dangit CA, let go of me!

Orso now u have to drop eating those mushrooms..

[Captain_Orso]

8<
Orso now u have to drop eating those mushrooms..

My cat says otherwise.

".. hello - good bye - hello - good bye - hello - good bye - hello - good bye - hello - good bye - hello - good bye .."

[BentonGrey]

Wow, thanks guys! This has all been tremendously helpful!

I think I'm finally starting to get a hang of this game. There is a great deal here that isn't obvious or easily accessible, but man, is it excellent.

[BentonGrey]

Well, it seems I spoke too soon. I thought I had a handle on everything thanks to y'all's advice, but it seems there are still some mysteries to be unraveled.

I read Captain Orso's description of how ships regain health, and that seemed to make sense. Yet, I've had three different groups of ships sitting in New Orleans for several turns without regaining any hits. Interestingly, the first group had about ten ships in it, and several turns ago half of them turned red and received a locked bar, apparently getting repaired. They were at full strength the next turn, but the rest haven't been touched. I feel like I'm missing something. I thought maybe it was that they had to be in G/G stance, but that doesn't seem to have had any effect. Is there anything else I can/should be doing to get these ships fixed? I've got half of my sea forces tied up waiting for repairs that don't seem to be coming.

[grimjaw]

This is going to seem silly, but while I have spent time lately working on modding CW2, it's been awhile since I have actually played through a whole game. :/

Some of the free CSA brigs are, IMO, kind of buggy. They are given to you as one ship element, but their unit file actually defines the unit for two ships. If you have one of those brigs and put into an appropriate port, under specific conditions the game will lock down that brig unit and then proceed to build the other ship that's defined as part of it. I think it's the same way with a few of the transport squadrons that the CSA gets, and I know it's that way with some of the Union squadrons as well. I know in the case of the CSA transport squadrons that you can combine a few of them into a full unit and avoid getting them stuck. I'm not sure about the brigs, been awhile since I looked into it.

edit: also, have to make sure you have enough replacements purchased for your ships, but you probably already knew that.

[BentonGrey]

Ahh, thanks Grimjaw, that actually does make sense, as I think there was definitely something going on with the special brigs I was given and the locking down.

On the topic of repairing the other ships, though, does that also require replacements? Is there any way to force or help this when using automatic replacements?

EDIT: Actually, I think I may have figured it out. I didn't realize you can ALSO do replacements manually, even on automatic, and that it takes cash. I think I may have it figured out.

[grimjaw]

I've never used the automated replacements option, so I don't know what kinds of levels it tries to maintain. Others may chime in there. I would guess it doesn't try to spend a bunch on ships or artillery, those being relatively expensive items. If you were relying on automated replacements, it could take significantly longer to get those ships up to full strength but I'm speculating.

[principes romanes]

I'm actually not sure the automatic replacements were working with the replacement bug, so it might have been that. I tried turning on auto-replacements for a bit with the bug to see if that could be a work around for the bug, but it didn't seem to automatically be allocating replacements. But Pocus has given us a beta patch for that, so this bug will soon be relegated to the depths of history (where it belongs).

[Captain_Orso]

A couple of points:

Ships use replacement chits to repair hits and replace missing elements. If you don't have replacement chits of the correct type, even if you do everything else correctly, you will not repair hits, nor get replacement elements.

As opposed to land units, the only reason to put naval units into PP (Passive Posture) in an harbor, is to regain a missing element. They will regain cohesion the quickest, and have hits replaced in DP (Defensive Posture).

All Brig units have slots for 2 ships, including the ones you get for free per event. The Brig units you purchase always have two ships. If you put any Brig unit with only one ship in an harbor in PP, it will try to 'regain' the second ship, and if it gets the missing ship authorized, so to say, the entire unit will be locked in harbor while the replacement ship is being built.

BTW Steam Frigates, sail Frigates, and Gunboats all have 2 slots for ships, regardless of whether they were given per event with only one ship or not.
Oceanic Transports have 4 slots, but you buy a unit with two ships and nearly all you are given per event have two ships.
Riverine Transports have 4 slots, and are purchase with 4 boats.

AFAIK auto-replacements work, but they work in such a way, that the player does not see how much money and other resources are being used for then, nor the number of chits purchased for them, nor can you put it on hold for a specific turn, without going into the game settings to do so. For these reasons, I would suggest always handling replacement manually.

[Cardinal Ape]

@Orso, I agree on the redeployment being unrealistic. though I do have a weird fondness for sending my generals on cross-country balloon trips.

Speaking of trips.... The bull of the local bison herd is named 'Little Crow', like Little John from Robin Hood, he is the opposite of his name; freaking huge. Local legend has it that if you drop enough peyote you can talk to the bull and commune with the spirit of Chief Little Crow. I hear he likes to ask for food, so bring an offering.

Ya, that was a bit off-topic, but it really amuses me so I had so share it. Most of you guys who frequent this forum might actually know who Little Crow is, so maybe you can appreciate it too.

[Captain_Orso]

I read that 'Little Crow' is actually a mistranslation, the correct translation would have been, 'Hawk that Hunts on the Ground'.

I've been toying with the idea of creating a Plains War scenario, but I've also been shying away from it, because I think it would entail creating separate factions, one for each Native American Nation. But I don't feel I know enough to do it properly, and one would really need the WON engine to handle the diplomacy and relations between the NA factions, because you can't really treat them all as one nation realistically. Also, it's a fairly depressing subject

I'll be sure to bring some BBQ and a six-pack when I go see 'Little Crow' and the buffalo

[Cardinal Ape]

Ya, the native names are a bit funky. I think the name 'Little Crow' was settled on on for the sake of ease when dealing with non-natives, he sure didn't name himself that. From what I heard, 'Little Crow' is a name derived from his grandfathers name, a lot of sources site that he was nicknamed after his father, but that's not true. I'd guess that historians had their role coining his name into history, his original name just wasn't flashy enough I guess, not everyone can be a 'Crazy Horse'..

Taoyatedutam's (His Scarlet Nation) aka Little Crow, father was named Wakenyantanka aka Big Thunder. He accidentally shot and killed himself, and for that, maybe, is why history tends to forget him. That and after his father's death, Little Crow's half-brothers tried to assassinate him. Its not exactly the peaceful transition of power one would want to commemorate with a name.

Well, that's my theory anyhow.


When you mentioned bringing BBQ to a bison my first thought went to buffalo wings..... Its funny. Either you would break the fabric of space time or the bison species will have an evolutionary epiphany and start to grow wings. Then maybe people will find out that real buffalo wings taste like crap.

[Captain_Orso]

Actually I was thinking, maybe they'd like something else than Buffalo. I remember being in Johannesburg, South Africa for two week on training. Compared with Germany eating out was cheap AF and our group went for steaks every single night. They were really good and really cheap. But after a week I was full of steak up to my earlobes. When we went to a nearby national park on the weekend I was thrilled at noon as we were walking into the visitor's center looking for lunch when I smelled sausages being grilled over an open fire They were great! So I was thinking, the NA's, after Buffalo steaks, Buffalo jerky, Buffalo stew, Buffalo cold-cuts, would think, hmmm BBQ

[DrPostman]

Best burger I ever ate was bison meat. It was at a diner in Philly.

[BentonGrey]

Ditto, though mine was at a diner in Glacier National Park.

[BentonGrey]

Here's another question for y'all. I've been reading up on artillery usage, and I've heard that 6lbers are pretty much useless. The exception, or so I read, is in swamps, where all artillery is reduced to their range. I also hear that a 6lber will shut down a river for supply transport. Here's what I want to know. Does that still work if the battery is inside a town, or only when outside?

[Cardinal Ape]

The best burgers, eh? I must have grown too used to whats in my backyard.

But.. Back to the game..

It shouldn't matter if the artillery is in or outside a city. As long as the unit has a range of at least 4 and is entrenched to at least level 3 it should work.

[LCcmdr]

arty present is always better than not....

You do get the quality that you pay for....

I'm not sure if small bore arty can make a river impassable but it should engage flatboats transporting troops and, thus, hinder (or lengthen) the transit time.

[Captain_Orso]

6lb-ers are not useless. They are simply not as effective as 12lb-ers.

Without looking up the specific reference IIRC 6lb-er take up less room in frontage, if not in general, in poor terrain like swamp and mountain, which will allow more 6lb-ers into frontage at a time in such terrain compared to 12lb-ers. So there it has a distinct advantage.

What the rules state on moving supplies through river regions is true, but far from complete. What CA has posted is also correct, but also not complete. The rest you can find in this post: http://www.ageod-forum.com/viewtopic.php?p=388916#p388916