Replacement Question

[GShock]

Here it says i must buy the replacements BEFORE i click end turn (and so before eventual battles are fought). And also that these replacements i can't choose where they go. The system will decide where and only on units which didn't move.

What happens to the replacements i buy if they can't be placed in case no battles are fought, in case i get no losses in the whole theater or in case all the units who needed replacements moved?

Do i take the money back? Are the replacements i called stored somewhere for future "patching" of my depleted units?

In other words, what happens in these cases?

[AndrewKurtz]

Here it says i must buy the replacements BEFORE i click end turn (and so before eventual battles are fought). And also that these replacements i can't choose where they go. The system will decide where and only on units which didn't move.

What happens to the replacements i buy if they can't be placed in case no battles are fought, in case i get no losses in the whole theater or in case all the units who needed replacements moved?

Do i take the money back? Are the replacements i called stored somewhere for future "patching" of my depleted units?

In other words, what happens in these cases?

"Stored for future patching". You don't lose them.

[GShock]

So they remain in the pool ? I hadn't noticed. Thx for the prompt answer

[blackbellamy]

if you don't keep replacements in reserve your units won't heal

units heal by checking to see if there is a replacement available - if there is the unit rolls a die to see if the replacement is used up - so it's possible for one replacement to heal many units, especially if your units are slightly damaged

you should keep at least one replacement in reserve of each unit type you expect to be hurt in the near future - i always have 5-7 inf, 3-4 cav, and 2 of every arty type in the pool as well (CSA should watch the expensive heavy arty replacements - if you notice you'll see all you heavies start heavily damaged and you have tons of static ones)

buying replacements will take up a good portion of your economy, plan on it

[GShock]

I think the log doesn't always show when a unit receives a replacement...sometimes they do and it's logged some other times they do and it's not logged eventually because i find them healed and the replacement taken from the pool but without any message from the log.

Looks like the requirement is that the right replacement is available, but also that the unit didn't move...until here is all clear. What is less clear is if the stack /unit must be inside a town/fort/depot to be elegible for replacement the turn it doesn't move or not.

...Also, it appears that 1-2 town levels do NOT allow units to receive replacements but only to retrieve strenght (i mean hits andcohesion). This was confirmed yesterday by Pocus in another thread.

I was wondering if the elegibility for replacements has something to do with supply routes (25% mil control of region) or military control/loyalty of the region where the unit is halted awaiting for replacements.

The manual in this is a bit unclear and the problem of the log omitting replacements delivered contributes to the aura of uncertainty on the subject...

[PBBoeye]

CSA should watch the expensive heavy arty replacements - if you notice you'll see all you heavies start heavily damaged and you have tons of static ones

So the garrison guns - the big boys - are fleshed out with Heavy Arty replacements? I notice the CSA has a lot of half-strength garrison gun units.

[Hobbes]

...Also, it appears that 1-2 town levels do NOT allow units to receive replacements but only to retrieve strenght (i mean hits andcohesion). This was confirmed yesterday by Pocus in another thread.

Level 2 towns do

[GShock]

I'm experimenting about this issue in the Gettisburgh scenario (i'm the Grey)

What is absolutely sure is that replacements disappear from the pool along with the money you spend to raise them, so they are delivered, seemingly. Now where they are delivered is impossible to know without log messages regarding them and their destination as even in a "small" scenario such as Gettisburgh there are 40 possible infantry units all possible targets for replacements.

The log shows only a conscript cav being received and 2 zouavas being received in about 8 different Gettisburgh experiments. Surely these must be scenario events because in this scenario reinforcements are disallowed and those are new elements joining, not replacements for losses arriving in a depleted unit.

The log also shows soldiers from 2 elements "are trained". This means they are auto merged because they both took enough losses but this is all about troops. No messages about fresh replacements.

Without the log showing where the replacements have gone, it's between hard and impossible to understand if the replacements are really working as they should...and, honestly, if they are working at all.
How can we employ replacements correctly if we dont know? It's a serious issue which probably also affects the AI.

I tested with 1.06c fresh reinstall, no mods.

[Pocus]

there is a message when a replacement is used to recreate an element in a unit (a regiment in a brigade), but you won't get one if only hits (men) are added to a weakened regiment. This would make 100+ messages in the campaign each turn otherwise, and I don't think that more than 1% of the players would read them!

[Jabberwock]

there is a message when a replacement is used to recreate an element in a unit (a regiment in a brigade), but you won't get one if only hits (men) are added to a weakened regiment. This would make 100+ messages in the campaign each turn otherwise, and I don't think that more than 1% of the players would read them!

Perhaps they could be combined into one message, similar to the one telling you where new reinforcements are being raised? That way, players looking for that level of detail could find it, others could skip it easily.

[GShock]

there is a message when a replacement is used to recreate an element in a unit (a regiment in a brigade), but you won't get one if only hits (men) are added to a weakened regiment. This would make 100+ messages in the campaign each turn otherwise, and I don't think that more than 1% of the players would read them!

I was thinking more about an extra icon on the top of the stack of unit which received replacement rather than a real log message...log message can be used to check if replacement arrive where they should arrive but, in final release an icon on top of stack would do.

[blackbellamy]

This is not something you want to keep track of IMO. Once you start worrying about individual elements to this extent it's easy to let turns pass until all the micromanaged details are straightened out and oops there goes the spring offensive.

[Chamberlain]

What about a flashing leader with a different color, or have the base lights flash or even the towns, to signify he received replacements.

Chamberlain

[GShock]

Flashing could be overwhelming because it's used to display Armies and the Corps attached to them...

There could be a filter button you tick, and u see all units who got replacements flashing on the global map (not on the main window).

Or an icon with a rifle/horse/gun on the top of the stack...or even a differently colored envelope (the ones showing whether a leader is active or not) on the left side...

...there could also be a white little flag for example, the same used to show (yellow) troops in stacks or (blue) ships in ports with a number to depict the number of reinforcements received on the right side of the stack...

...well really the possibilities are infinite.

[Nial]

LOL wrong post in wrong thread, need to get some coffee.

Nial

[PBBoeye]

So the garrison guns - the big boys - are fleshed out with Heavy Arty replacements? I notice the CSA has a lot of half-strength garrison gun units.

[SIZE="6"]Hey![/size] I've asked this question a few times in a few threads and NO one can or will answer it. If none of the vets or betas know, please just state you aren't sure.

But someone give me something.

[Rafiki]

[SIZE="6"]Hey![/size] I think so, provided there are "gaps" in the unit's setup (which your "half-strength" suggests there is)

I also think, BTW, that this has been answered elsewhere, but it might be a bit obscure in terms of search terms to locate. I seem to recall some discussion around CSA early game problems due to existing units sucking up all the heavy art replacements, which are pretty expensive to get, especially in the numbers that were presented.

[PBBoeye]

[color="Blue"][SIZE="5"]Hey![/size][/color] Thanks.

Yes, I think I've seen something elsewhere, but I believe the terminologies of heavy gun, emplaced gun, etc., starts to obscure the concept. Plus, the replacement for heavy artillery seems to flesh out heavy mortars and heavy emplaced guns, it seems. Just a little confusing.

[GShock]

It *is* confusing that's why...

if you come to think of it, only recently we discovered that you need a level2 town (and not to have moved) to receive replacements you had ordered the previous turn.

Perhaps the solution to the "where will they go" lies in the tooltip in the replacement window. You see the last number of the troop silhouette indicating how many units of that type are on the battlefield, the tooltip could tell you their leader(s) so you know if you buy that type of replacement, those units will receive replacements (if u abide to the rules).

[Rafiki]

Trouble is, is that it isn't entirely that simple. For units that are short entire elements, you spend one replacement chit to rebuild that element. For damaged units, however, you may or may not spend chits (random chance, based on some factors), so when you have been through some battles, estimating how much you need becomes a lot more difficult.

Also, keep in mind that replacements are prioritized based on posture, with passive units being 1. priority and assaulting units being last priority. This might help if you want to "steer" replacements in some particular direction, but doing it that way will add to the micromanagement you need to endure.

[GShock]

Lol well, micromanagement is the HQ's daily bread. It's their job. I don't think u can really win a war without managing everything from the lowest to the highest level. This seems an important issue and i think if it's organized smartly it could be done without too much hassle.

Oh yes, since i bought this game i've become a control freak, i wanna win!!!