Conscripts, river crossings, hated occupier, harbors/forts

[Jagger]

A few questions I have been wondering about for some time.

1. Will a single ironclad or gunboat prevent enemy troops from crossing a river 100%? Or is it related to patrol value and several ships are required to reduce the possibility of an enemy crossing a river?

2. The only units I have ever seen labeled as conscripts are cavalry. How do I know if an infantry unit is a conscript? I would like to make use of my training officers on someone other than the rare conscipt cavalry regiment that shows up.

3. Must a "hated occupier" be inside a city to apply his bonus to loyalty? Must he be the senior officer in the region? (I am guessing yes on the second question)

4. If I capture the forts guarding a harbor, does it have any impact on the production of the city with the harbor?

Thanks in advance!

[Rafiki]

1. A singled unit is sufficient to block enemy troops from crossing

2 & 3. Dunno

4. No. The only thing that affects the production of a city is if you block all the regions that the harbor exits to with a sufficient number of units.

[Jagger]

Thanks Rafiki!

A follow-up question. Does the offensive/defensive/passive/evade stance have any impact on prevention of an enemy unit crossing? I am guessing no but not sure.

Also must a riverine transport be docked in a harbor to provide supplies to land formations? Or can it provide supplies while offshore in the river?

[Henry D.]

@2. I believe I have seen militia evolve into conscripts all by their own in my PbEM with wyrmm. They are distinguishable from normal infantry by an additional vertical stripe inside the left side of their nato-icon.

Regards, Henry

[Rafiki]

A follow-up question. Does the offensive/defensive/passive/evade stance have any impact on prevention of an enemy unit crossing? I am guessing no but not sure.

Nope. 1 unit provides 100% blocking, regardless of posture or special orders, AFAIK

Also must a riverine transport be docked in a harbor to provide supplies to land formations? Or can it provide supplies while offshore in the river?

It needs to be in the same region, i.e docked in the harbor. Again, AFAIK

[Jagger]

@2. I believe I have seen militia evolve into conscripts all by their own in my PbEM with wyrmm. They are distinguishable from normal infantry by an additional vertical stripe inside the left side of their nato-icon.

Regards, Henry

Henry, I just took a look at some infantry in one of my games. The ones with a very faint stripe are actually stronger than those without stripes.

And it is weird but the cavalry labeled as conscipt do not have the stripe. I thought the conscript also had a vertical stripe but I was wrong. There does appear to be at least two more levels above the conscript level when I looked at the offensive/defensive values of cavalry.

Conscript cavalry has Off and Def values of 8/9 as well as the conscript label.

I am still trying to figure out which ones are conscript infantry.

[Henry D.]

Henry, I just took a look at some infantry in one of my games. The ones with a very faint stripe are actually stronger than those without stripes.

And it is weird but the cavalry labeled as conscipt do not have the stripe. I thought the conscript also had a vertical stripe but I was wrong. There does appear to be at least two more levels above the conscript level when I looked at the offensive/defensive values of cavalry.

Conscript cavalry has Off and Def values of 8/9 as well as the conscript label.

I am still trying to figure out which ones are conscript infantry.

Hm, strange, now I'm puzzled (as I'm often, in regard of this game. ) As I understand it, conscript cavalry should have the additional stripe, too. However, if I'm not severely mistaken about what I have read somewhere on this board, it retains the "conscripts" label as part of its unit name, but not the stripe when it evolves to the next higher stage, so the now "regular" cavalry will still be named a "conscript". But as I said, I'm puzzled...

Maybe Pocus himself could enlighten us?

Regards, Henry

[Jagger]

Hm, strange, now I'm puzzled (as I'm often, in regard of this game. ) As I understand it, conscript cavalry should have the additional stripe, too. However, if I'm not severely mistaken about what I have read somewhere on this board, it retains the "conscripts" label as part of its unit name, but not the stripe when it evolves to the next higher stage, so the now "regular" cavalry will still be named a "conscript". But as I said, I'm puzzled...

Maybe Pocus himself could enlighten us?

Regards, Henry

Same here.........

[Jagger]

Which takes priority if I have less than minimal railroad supply capacity--movement of troops or movement of supply?

Say my current railroad capacity is 50 after plotting troops moving by rail. My minimal railroad supply capacity is 150. I assume this means all my troops will move. However since I have only 50 pts left when I need a minimum of 150 for supply purposes, my supply depots will only receive 1/3 of the supply normally delivered. Correct?

If I have 250 railroad capacity and normal supply capacity is 250, then supply depots receive 100% of normal supply. Correct?

And if maximal supply capacity is 500 and my capacity is 500, then supply depots receive 200% of normal supply? Correct?

[Rafiki]

Movement of troops get their rail capacity assigned when you plot the move; whatever's left is used for supply.

If you have enough remaining rail capacity to cover your supply transport needs 100%, you're fine. Having enough to cover the need 200% won't move supply further and/or in larger quantities than you get at 100%, though, I'm quite certain of that.

[Jagger]

Movement of troops get their rail capacity assigned when you plot the move; whatever's left is used for supply.

If you have enough remaining rail capacity to cover your supply transport needs 100%, you're fine. Having enough to cover the need 200% won't move supply further and/or in larger quantities than you get at 100%, though, I'm quite certain of that.

Thanks!

Is there any possible way to increase a commanders strategic rating? Can it increase through fighting battles or any other methods?

Or is McClellan stuck with a strategic rating of 2 for the entire game?

[Rafiki]

General's stats are supposed to be able to improve with battle experience, but I'm not sure if that just applies to the offensive and defensive ratings.

Corps commanders can receive some benefit from their army commander (if he's good enough), but that requires a pretty good army commander.

[Jagger]

General's stats are supposed to be able to improve with battle experience, but I'm not sure if that just applies to the offensive and defensive ratings.

Corps commanders can receive some benefit from their army commander (if he's good enough), but that requires a pretty good army commander.

I have seen improvement in attack and defense ratings after battles. I have never noticed strategic ratings increase.

The question in my mind is whether the strategic initiative ratings are a reflection of a personality trait that really does not change regardless of experience. I think in the majority of cases, it is probably true. Although I don't think it is a universal rule. I suspect some commanders would demonstrate greater strategic ability with experience. However I don't know if the game completely eliminates strategic initiative change or makes it rare. I know I have never noticed a change.

[Jagger]

Anyone know if the entrenchment benefit of engineers is cumulative?

For example if a corps has three engineers attached, will that corps entrench faster than a corps with only one engineer attached?

[Rafiki]

I doubt it. Most other benefits seem to be "on/off", i.e. you either have them our you don't

[Jagger]

I doubt it. Most other benefits seem to be "on/off", i.e. you either have them our you don't

Aren't the siege abilities cumulative? At least, I thought they were.

[Pocus]

Strat rating don't improve.
Siege abilities can cumulate only if they are of a different family. See the ability.xls file, Family column.