re :Captured cannon, supply etc.

[W.Barksdale]

Are captured supply wagons and batteries of artillery usable?
If yes, do they behave as if I had built them myself?
If no, what does one do with them?

[Coffee Sergeant]

Are captured supply wagons and batteries of artillery usable?
If yes, do they behave as if I had built them myself?

Yup, although I am pretty sure artillery cannot be repaired.

[kcole4001]

If the arty units are damaged, perhaps they'd be useful building a fort somewhere, rather than use good arty units.

I must confess, however, as the Union player, I've not built any forts yet simply because by the time I had some crappy arty units to use, I had the CSA on the run and didn't need to build a fort.

Probably much more useful as the CSA.

Oh yeah, I think the supply units behave as your own after they're captured.

[Le Ricain]

Yup, although I am pretty sure artillery cannot be repaired.

Yes, you are correct...they can not be repaired and whatever experience they had gained previously is lost.

[Inside686]

How can we see artillery is damaged?

[Rafiki]

Just as any other unit; by checking to see if its health bar is reduced.

It's the green bar in the unit icon below (the blue represents cohesion)

[Ethy]

How can we see artillery is damaged?

oh dear my friend, looks like you may have to consult your manual a few times more...

but yes the health/ fighting power of a unit isindicated by the green bar, the more red it is the more damaged it has become.

if things are damaged you need to go to your replacements drawer in your ledger and order more replacements to keep your units adaquatly supported. this well eventually help your units regain health.

i hope this helps...

[soloswolf]

Units on passive (the green button) are given priority for replacements and regain their cohesion faster as well.

Aaron

[Rafiki]

if things are damaged you need to go to your replacements drawer in your ledger and order more replacements to keep your units adaquatly supported. this well eventually help your units regain health.

Except for captured units, which cannot be repaired

[Inside686]

Ho ok I didn't see things like that: I made a difference between canons being physically damaged and the lack of soldier in the unit. I wondered how we could see if canons were damaged but this aspect doesn't exist in the game. For example can you say a cavalry unit has to be repaired like an armor in a role play game? Now it doesn't matter it was just a termination misunderstanding.

[chainsaw]

Are captured supply wagons ...usable?
If yes, do they behave as if I had built them myself?

The only difference I have seen is they are are darker blue color (when USA captures CSA wagons). Maybe they are too cold working in the frozen north? They seem to work just fine otherwise...

Question: is there a way to rename something (like a captured wagon or artillery unit?) without modding files? Or do I need to modify something in the save file?

[Le Ricain]

Question: is there a way to rename something (like a captured wagon or artillery unit?) without modding files?

No. I am afraid not.

[samwise]

so what good is a captured supply wagon that is damaged? Can't build depots, but can they provide supplies to troops on a limited basis?

[Rafiki]

Yes, all things a supply unit can do, except build depots (since that requires fairly healthy supply units)

[samwise]

For a captured supply unit, that is say 50% healthy, are they just as efficient in supplying troops as a fully healthy, "own" supply unit would be?

For instance, if as the CSA, I hav captured two US supply units that are 50% healthy, would it make sense to use them in tandem to supply units?

[Jabberwock]

A 4 element supply unit is just as efficient at providing supplies if those elements are each at 10% health as it would be if the were at 100%. It can't be used to create structures is all. When a captured unit has lost elements, it also loses a corresponding ability to carry supply. Each element can carry 20 GS & 20 ammo. So a 4 element supply unit (80/80) at 10% health is twice as good as a 2 element unit (40/40) at 100% health. It is possible that low health supply units would have a reduced movement rate, but I'm not sure one way or the other.

[runyan99]

I have had some failures trying to build forts with captured artillery units which are not up to full strength. I think they need to be whole or nearly so in order to work.

[GlobalExplorer]

I must admit I was abit dissapointed when I found out that captured units can not be brought back to strength.

Capturing equipment was one of the features that I really liked when I first saw it and I tried to use it strategically. Esp. as the south capturing additional supply trains and artillery could really make a difference - so I set up Indians and Cavalry ambushes along the railway lines - and hoped something unprotected would come along the way.

Needless to say I did not have much success with this strategy and eventually found out that captured units never receive reinforcements anyways.

It would be nice if this could be controlled as a program option - just a suggestion. It is such a wonderful thing to make loot - and it is a bit dissappointing if you can not use it fully.

[Le Ricain]

I must admit I was abit dissapointed when I found out that captured units can not be brought back to strength.

Capturing equipment was one of the features that I really liked when I first saw it and I tried to use it strategically. Esp. as the south capturing additional supply trains and artillery could really make a difference - so I set up Indians and Cavalry ambushes along the railway lines - and hoped something unprotected would come along the way.

Needless to say I did not have much success with this strategy and eventually found out that captured units never receive reinforcements anyways.

It would be nice if this could be controlled as a program option - just a suggestion. It is such a wonderful thing to make loot - and it is a bit dissappointing if you can not use it fully.

As building supply wagons is an expensive business in terms of conscripts, capturing enemy supply wagons is a blessing especially early in the game.

[Doomwalker]

I understand that captured units do not reinforce, but I am not too sure if I understand the reasoning behind this. I mean, if I capture the unit and have the replacements, shouldn't it be able to build backup if allowed time.

This is one of my pet peeves about this game is the certain units that don't get to return to 100% strength. For instance all the Union ships that start at reduced strength (I am not even sure if ships build back up). I tend to send these guys to their death as soon as they are controllable. They make great units to wake up those pesky forts along the CSA coast.

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Doomwalker]

That is the setting I use also. The problem I have is that the units which start depleted never come back to 100% strength. For instance there are several Union (and CSA) brigs which are single ship squadrons when you receive them. No matter how long I leave them in port they will never gain that second ship to return the formation to 100%.

I just tested with both a single ship brig and frigate squadron, neither gained that second ship after sitting in port for 15 turns idle.

[lodilefty]

That is the setting I use also. The problem I have is that the units which start depleted never come back to 100% strength. For instance there are several Union (and CSA) brigs which are single ship squadrons when you receive them. No matter how long I leave them in port they will never gain that second ship to return the formation to 100%.

I just tested with both a single ship brig and frigate squadron, neither gained that second ship after sitting in port for 15 turns idle.

Correct.
I get two of same type together and merge them [ctrl-C, as there's no '+' button for ships.]

[Doomwalker]

Correct.
I get two of same type together and merge them [ctrl-C, as there's no '+' button for ships.]

Oh my God, where in the hell have I been?

Thank you lodilefty, that has earned you another point on reputation.

This is a bad omen though. I have learned two new things about this game today!!!

[Doomwalker]

OK, after using the CTRL-C, and combing the two partial Union blockade fleets that you get in the beginning of the April 1861 campaign; you end up with this----



I definitely like this. I got the single frigates to combine, as well as some of the brigs. I have three brigs that I have yet been able to combine. I haven't tried the CSA side yet.

[Jabberwock]

If the single brig units earn any experience, they can no longer be used as the 'master' unit for combination purposes.

re: the blockade squadrons

One of those units (I think NY squadron) can be combined with a steam frigate and a two frigate squadron, the other (NE Sq?) with a steam frigate and a single frigate. Then use brigs to fill in up to 10 'element slots' for each of them. Now you have two reinforced blockade squadrons. I believe the other blockade squadrons can be reinforced as well. The only real downside doing it is having to re-buy brigs for river expeditions. Experiment with it.

[Doomwalker]

Ah yes, I will have to try that this afternoon. Hopefully this will take care of the straggler brigs. If you can't tell I like my units to be full. I would rather have the orange/red dots gone than be able to use a partial unit.

[Gray_Lensman]

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