Question on the Leaders early in Campaign

[Whitman]

It is late September 1861 in the Coming Fury. Took me like 5 evenings to get this far, so much to think about especially when I do not understand so much of what is going on. This game is awesome.

Anyway, I was wondering if someone could help me out here with understanding something.

Because you cannot form Divisions prior to 10-1-1861 (at least that it was I read), what do you do with all the leaders before 10-1-1861?

1) Do you stick all of them in brigades because the CP cannot be reduced by leading divisions/corps? 2)Or do you leave them independent in the stack?

2) When you leave them independent in a stack of brigades.., do they influence the battle? It looks like they do in the battle screen (or whatever that is called).

3) If they do somehow still influence the battle as an independent in the stack, can they influence the stack if there are a brigade commander?

Thank you

[blackbird]

I stick the best general with the biggest/best/healthiest/most powerful brigade so that he gets the most credit for doing the most battle damage and is more likely to get promoted more quickly. I add a helper general(unattached to any brigade) to help him out with additional CP(command points) to reduce/eliminate any combat penalties. Rinse and repeat with the next general and brigade in separate forces of their own. I think that this proto-mini corps is the best that you can expect until the real divisions and corps come along. I got this idea from the tutorial or wiki or somewhere around the forum. Anyhow, I'm only just now starting the 17th turn(early Dec 61') in my first full game against Athena, so place whatever value you want on my advice

[captain curruthers]

what you do with excess leaders is really a matter of personel preference. however leaders with special abilities(such as sharpshooter etc)are best put into a stack(the tooltip on the ability will tell you if they need to be in command or just a part of the stack).

i double or even triple up the commanders i have in a stack so that there are spares in case of casualties.i also move leaders to where i believe i will need them later in the game and give them garrison commands.

i believe leaders only gain xp in battles if they actually command troops so unsure having them independant in a stack is any use other than stated above(someone else may know better)

[arsan]

Blackbird,
if i understand you OK you make lots of 2 leader+brigade independent mini stacks??
For CP penalties that is good but its also very risky as you have no guarantee at all that the different stacks will participate in a battle in a region
A bigger enemy force my fight and defeat your in detail while the rest wait and see and are not committed to battles at all (it depends of some luck rolls).
Imagine it like having each stack dispersed around the region, miles away from each other
CP penalties are bad but having 20 uncoordinated forces is at least as bad (IMHO )

Regarding leaders experience, there is no need for them to be attached to a brigade to get experience for what i know (for example in WIA you cannot attach leaders to brigades or units and they gain experience and promote OK). Just being in a stack that fights is enough.
In any case, if you have brigades around, attaching leaders to them is a good idea as they give a +3% bonus for each point of their off / deff stats when attacking or defending.

Cheers!

[blackbird]

Blackbird,
if i understand you OK you make lots of 2 leader+brigade independent mini stacks??...
Cheers!

Oops, thanks for the wisdom. Looks like I need to refine my strategy yet again!

[enf91]

Regarding leaders experience, there is no need for them to be attached to a brigade to get experience for what i know (for example in WIA you cannot attach leaders to brigades or units and they gain experience and promote OK). Just being in a stack that fights is enough.

It works differently in AACW. The most senior general in a stack doesn't need to command troops to get exp and seniority. All other generals must be attached to units to get them. I've seen cases where, after some battle, the senior general and a general leading a division will both get a few seniority points, but a general who's more or less along for the ride gets bupkis.

[arsan]

I guessed the system would be the same in WIA and in AACW, but i'm not positive at all
You must have 10 times more AACW gameplay horus than me, so surely you know what you speak of!

[ImperatorMJ]

I lump some in cities with the troops they'll eventually use to form garrison divisions. Hooker, who I know I'll want to use as a corps commander, I give a couple brigades and let run wild. The rest play cards in Alexandria.