Who is in command?

[lightbrave]

I know if you have 1 division with 2 Generals in the stack then the highest ranking General is in charge. If I have 2 divisions with 1 General commanding each and then I bring in a 3rd General who has the highest seniority, will that General be in command of both divisions? Or does he just reduce command point penalty? Sorry guys, I am just not remembering some simple things I already knew.

[DrPostman]

You've got it. Whoever has the highest rank in a stack is in command of that stack.
No stupid questions here. Just stupid answers on occasion

[ArmChairGeneral]

There are two combat bonuses in play, one for stack command and another for division command. The stack bonus is .05 x rating x off/def firepower; the division commander's bonus is .03 x rating, off/def firepower. This is the 'hit chance.' (Effects on CP are a different question.)

The stack commander is the highest rank/seniority general in the stack regardless of whether he also commands a division.

The two bonuses DO NOT stack from a single general. So, if the most senior commander in a stack is also a division commander he only gives one bonus (I think the 5% stack bonus, I can't remember for sure). So, if you have a senior general commanding a division and add a second, lower ranking, general to the stack you get no extra effect on your combat rolls unless you switch the division command. (You still get the CPs though.)

The stack commander makes the activity roll. This is particularly important for Cav specialists, who tend to be low seniority 1*s. Say that you have a small division of cavalry you are using to scout/raid that is commanded by one of your 5-x-x or 6-x-x cavalry generals. By himself he is 2 CP short of the 4 CPs needed to operate without penalty. You add another 3-1-1 general to the stack so that it has 4 CPs and is fully commanded. The optimum setup is that the second general is lower seniority than the cav commander: the 3-1-1 general should then command the division with the cav general loose in the stack and in command to get both combat bonuses. If instead the 3-1-1 is higher seniority he commands the stack no matter what, and while he may give a small boost to the combat rolls, he makes the stack's activation rolls against his 3 STRAT rating instead of your Cav general's excellent 5 or 6 STRAT rating, and that stack is going to get stuck a lot due to inactivity.

Because the bonuses do not stack it is almost always best to have the lowest seniority commanders in charge of divisions and high seniority generals in charge of the stack itself, even if a junior general has better combat stats (because he is not in command of the stack at all unless he is the highest rank/seniority). Cav commanders tend to be very low seniority, and it can be difficult to find a lower seniority general to help cav stacks with their CPs without taking command of the whole stack and ruining activation chances.

[Captain_Orso]

8<
The stack bonus is .05 x rating x off/def firepower; the division commander's bonus is .03 x rating, off/def firepower.
8<

That is a little ambiguous. It should be written: '.05 x rating x {off. firepower|def. firepower}', where {off. firepower|def. firepower} means ONLY ONE of the variables is used, depending on the Posture of the stack {Offensive|Defensive}. It is not 'offensive firepower' divided by 'defensive firepower'.

Also, 'identical bonuses' do not stack. Unique bonuses do stack. EG considering a stack with 2 leaders and 3 Cav elements. Of the leaders one has the Cavalry Leader ability, while the other has the Surpriser ability. Both leader's abilities will come into play in combat, if the conditions are met for both abilities. If both leaders have the Cav Leader ability, the Cav Leader ability will be taken into account ONCE during combat.

Consider it a list with a checkbox; you only need to check it off once, until it has been checked off.

[pgr]

I agree with all above concerning stack command. The highest ranking with highest seniority will be the stack commander, with division commanders adding a bonus to the divisions they are in.

There is one more issue, and that is the Force commander for the battle. The overall commander (the one who is shown as commanding on the battle screen) is used in calculating frontage bonuses and rolling for retreat. If you have 1 stack in a fight, that is the stack commander. If you have multiple stacks in a fight, it is the stack commander with the highest rank and seniority. (Or the commander of the army stack that the corps stacks are attached to.)

For example, 3 star Lee commands 1 division in the ANV HQ stack. 2 star Longstreet commands a 4 division corps stack attached to ANV, and 3 star Jackson (btw don't promote Jackson to 3...) also commands a 4 division corps stack. All 3 stacks are in a battle. Lee would be the over all commander. Lee's values would be used to determine CSA frontage bonuses and if the side will try to retreat. However, for firing bonuses, Lee's values only apply to the one division in his stack. The firing bonuses for the 4 divisions in Longstreet's corps use Longstreet as stack commander, and the same goes for Jackson.