Replacements

[loudscott]

I have serached this website and the Matrix site with no luck. I have also scoured the manual with the same results. All the links in the previous threads on this site that point to the AGE WIKI go to a blank page. Having said all that I am 100% positive that I read somewhere a discussion about replacement chits and the fact that they just show up (even though automatic replacements is for sure turned off) for the first months of the campaign game. I'm equally sure that Pocus responded to say that it was not a bug and it was working as designed. I beleive the rational was that the chits appear in the early months just as various units and elements also automatically appear around the map during the first few months. However, as I said I can NOT find where I saw that.

Can anyone help or shed some light on this? I'm hoping to get a better response than I did to my console question...which would be accomplished if I got any response whatsoever.

[Citizen X]

The following is a slightly editied version of Captain Orso's article on replacements that used to be on the CW2 Wiki. Hope it helps



Definition

Replacements are a Resource used to return elements to full strength which are missing hits--as per the element detail window--and to replace entire elements missing from units (as opposed to Reinforcements which are entirely new forces built or brought in from elsewhere).

Description

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Note: This a melange of articles. One is one of two articles that could be retrieved from the lost Civil War II (CW 2) Wiki. Written by Captain Orso presumably this was meant for CW 2. But it is the same mechanism throughout all other AGEOD titles. So it was worked into the last article present on the old Wiki, regarding replacements

Replacement Chits

Replacements are represented on the Replacement Screen in terms of replacement chits. Each replacement chit is equivalent in strength to an average Element of the nationality indicated. Replacement chits may be purchased in a War Production Tab of the Ledger. What War Production Tab looks like, differs from game to game . In most games the player can choose to automate replacement purchases in the Settings->Game screen. Scripted events can add replacements either directly or to the pool for later purchase. See the manual for each game for details, as each game uses a slightly different "currency".

Replacements may arrive for a player by Event.

A portion of attrition and combat losses suffered in the field is also returned to the Replacement Pool. This represents, in part, injured soldiers returning to duty and stragglers rejoining their units. The number of conscript companies returned to the Replacement Pool is as follows:

[list=]1/3rd of combat losses is returned to the Replacement Pool as conscript companies,
2/3rds of attrition losses are returned to the Replacement Pool as conscript companies.
[/list]

Absorbing Replacements

Replacement chits are used in two (2) ways:

absorbed into elements that have lost one or more strength points,
used to create entire battalion-sized elements that can be merged into Brigade units that have lost an entire element.

On the War Production screen the numbers below the NATO symbols indicate how many chits already exist. The number in parentheses indicates how many you have purchased this turn. Click the NATO symbol to purchase a replacement, right click to remove one from your purchase. (You cannot "sell" an already existing chit). The number above the unit symbol represents the total number of hits that need replacing for each type; this is different in older game titles. Exclamation points or a red font indicate that the engine thinks more replacements are needed. Hovering over the NATO symbol shows the cost as well as the number of replacements available for purchase. Replacement chits are added on Day 0 of the ensuing turn, and can be drawn on during that turn.
To estimate how many replacement chits are needed, divide the number above the NATO symbol by the number of hits in the average element. The chits displayed in the War Production screen are fully available, none has been partially consumed. Commonly purchased replacement types:

Elite infantry, regular infantry and cavalry: 20 hits per chit
Light infantry, Volunteers and Militia: 15 hits per chit
Sharpshooters and Rangers: 10 hits per chit
Light and medium artillery: 8 hits per chit
Heavy artillery: 9 hits per chit

Replacement chits that are used to replace lost strength points are removed from the Replacement Pool when the last of their strength points is consumed. Players do not have a means of knowing how many strength points are remaining in individual replacement chits. This is handled internally by the game engine. Replacement chits used to provide entire battalion-sized elements are removed from the Replacement Pool immediately.


Eligibility to Receive Replacements

In order for a unit that has suffered strength point losses to be eligible to receive replacements, it must remain stationary for the complete game turn. The number of replacement strength points a unit may absorb (as a percentage of its full strength) is a function of the type of terrain it occupies as follows:

10%: Land unit in a region with an unbesieged town,
20%: Land unit in a region with an unbesieged city.
Minimum city level required is set in each game's City.str structure file by the parameter RplMinLevel:

BoA = 2
AACW = 2
NCP = 1
WIA = 2
RoP = 2
30%: Land unit in a region with an unbesieged Depot

5% per Port level: Naval unit in harbor (represents repair to damaged ships)
Minimum port level required is set in each game's Harbor.str structure file by the parameter RplMinLevel:
All games = 3 (as of 12:26, 6 May 2010 (UTC))

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Note: These percentages are non-cumulative. A unit with a maximum strength of 27 strength points is allowed to
replace nine (9) strength points per turn if it remains stationary in a region with a depot (30% of 27 = 9).

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Note: In games where Advanced [[Attrition|Attritionn]] is selected in Game Options, units must also be present in a region
with a Depot to recieve replacements.


Replacement chits can also replace destroyed elements. Each element restored in this way will consume an entire chit. Depending on settings, this may only occur in depots. If there are not enough chits available, units in passive posture and inside a structure take priority. Many units start with missing elements (indicated by a white chevron along the left edge of the unit's picture in the unit box). These elements will be added to the unit as per the rules above, and will be paid for with purchased replacement chits.
Prohibitions to Receiving Replacements

The following units may not receive replacements:

units that are currently at full strength,
units of a type different from the available replacement chits,
units of a different nationality from the available replacement chits,
units that have moved regardless of the terrain they occupy,
units that are besieged (unless located with an un-blockaded harbor),

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Note: In order to receive an entire element as a replacement for an element that has been lost, the receiving unit may
not be a component of a Brigade or Division. It must be located on the map as a Force independent of any Brigade or Corps.

Priority of Units recieving Replacements

Replacements are not added deterministically, i.e from lower region number to higher, etc. There is a weighted randomization taking place. But there are factors influencing the chances to get replacements, that is why some units will often get them before others.

First there is posture, all passive units will be checked before defensive, before offensive.
Then for a type of posture, you'll get much more chances to get a repl if you are in a region with high supply stock...
And then, your chances will be increased if you are an 'alert unit'. Your chance is proportional to Detection Value x Hide value of the unit.

It may seem to be a weird criteria, but generally this is gets good mileage. Quality units, like rangers etc. will get repl before line units, and line units will get them before militia.
Strategy Notes

Most players find that in the early turns of the war replacement chits are more important than new units. The game usually begins with considerable fighting in Virginia, and many units start with missing elements, so replacement chits are needed early. New units take several turns to build and must then be moved to the front whereas units drawing replacements have them available on the following turn, so materiel entering the game through replacement is combat-available sooner and in better position. Understrength elements are prone to breaking in combat and are at greater risk of outright elimination, so hits taken in combat should be replaced quickly. "Volunteer Brigades" are often missing Light Infantry elements at start, but new players often do not realize this is the chit that is needed. Many players recommend forgoing expensive chits like heavy artillery or supply in the early going to save money. The red bar on the map-sprite indicates whether the force is missing elements, the red bar on the stack-window sprite indicates a unit needs to recover hits.

[loudscott]

Citizen X, That is extremely helpful and I appreciate the response. I wish that Wiki was still about. In any event while that explains the mechanics of replacement chits it does not discuss the appearance (purchase if you will) of those chits during the first few turns of CW2 (even though automatic replacements is for sure turned off). Can you recall any conversation or thread about that specific issue?

Thanks again

[Citizen X]

You receive a few free replacements in the first few months of the campaign in CW2, if I recall correctly. If I do recall correctly it has been done to reflect the buildup of the armies in the first months of the war. Anyways, later they can be purchased as described above. They are however not always available for purchasing (see tooltip for "maximum number allowed"). Also you need to spend resources to purchase them (conscripts, wsu, horses, money. Depends on game). If you lack any resources, there will be no replacement chits, obviously.

A fraction of casualties return as replacements.

Lost elemets of captured units cannot be replaced at all (allthough there are exceptions to that)

Look also:
viewtopic.php?f=280&t=52777&p=400094&hilit=replacements#p400094