Help in the beginning please

[marinewillis]

Hey fellas, I just bought the game and love what it brings to the table. I need help in how to start, since I think that is the best way to learn. I just started the full game in 1861...I am having trouble with building divisions, corps, and armies as I don't seem to be getting the optimum CP out of them, or even think that I am doing it right if I can even do it at all. By starting a game in early 61 I am trying to learn the whole creating and forming the most effecient armies without them being auto formed...navies are a mystery to me in this game. I have no problem raising units, just turing them into effective forces seems to elude me. And when I actually do create a force i still seem to have massive penalties. Any help on "the starter guide for noobs and things the manual didn't cover" is greatly appreciated.

[Comtedemeighan]

I am having the same problems forming effective divisions.

[Heldenkaiser]

Have you checked these resources?

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=4213

http://www.ageod.net/aacwwiki/Main_Page



Make sure your force commanders don't carry hefty CP penalties. Patterson for instance is capable of reducing any force under his command to basically no CP at all.

Also, an army needs an army HQ. In the beginning you have very few of those; as the Union only one with McDowell, don't know about the Rebs. Any force outside the army-corps chain of command will automatically have its CP halved ... but in 1861 you will have a lot of those. Provide them with extra officers for more CP.

[Heldenkaiser]

Especially here

http://www.ageod.net/aacwwiki/AACW_strategy_guide

concepts #3, #4, #5 should help.

[Jabberwock]

Also, the Austerlitz walkthrough (written for NCP) explains most of these concepts in great detail.

[marinewillis]

Thanks...being a southern born man of course I have to play the south...any tips/pointers would be appreciated, heck as I am still learning all this. Is it better to spend the little money you have on ships to gain some supplies and VP or should I load up on land forces.....also I am thinking of sendind stonewall towards the west, I figure between him and AS Johnston they can cover it. ( and i know it is historical and all but it still irks me) waiting to get Lee is killing me!! lol so I kiterally have to let the union assault richmond in order to activate him right?

[soloswolf]

Lee will unlock on his own eventually. I think the chances start in Feb of '62 and continue until he auto-unlocks in June.

[Hobbes]

It seems forming Divisions is one of the most difficult things to understand
with the game - one of those things that once you get then seems easy.
It can be complicated by locked units and inactive commanders etc.
If anyone is really stuck on this just post here or send me a pm and I'm
happy to take a look at your turn to work out where the problem is.

Cheers, Chris

[marinewillis]

so should i just jam INF brigades or should I use Arty

[pepe4158]

most people follow this rule:


11 inf 4art 1 cav 1sharp}=division

[marinewillis]

Ok I have got forming of divisions down...when I am allowed to that is...I do wonder about the reinforcement process. So do I need to create all the units that are listed above and then join them into a division or what?

[GShock]

Ok I have got forming of divisions down...when I am allowed to that is...I do wonder about the reinforcement process. So do I need to create all the units that are listed above and then join them into a division or what?

Scan the units you have in a region and move units among stacks till you find them all in the same stack with a suitable active leader. At that point, remember there's a limit of TOTAL 18 elements (check the right side of the screen when you select an unit) in a division.

When you have chosen those units, select the Div leader, click on Div command activation and ctl-click all the units you want to merge into the division. Then hit the + button.

If the leader is active, the only possible reason for the DIV not to be created is the number of elements exceeding the limit. It's very simple if you think of it, and besides, you don't strictly need to adhere to a rule with the type of units in a division. I have separate div types all inside the same stacks, all cav, all inf and all support for example.

Be advised, the general+bde is NOT a division.
Corps commander becoming DIV commander will lose Corps Commander status.

Activation costs are paid at the end of the turn, make sure to have both the $ and the manpower.

[soloswolf]

If the leader is active, the only possible reason for the DIV not to be created is the number of elements exceeding the limit.

Or if you don't have the funds on hand at the start of your turn.

Corps commander becoming DIV commander will lose Corps Commander status.

However, if you have a corps stack and then add a division commanded by a leader with a higher seniority, it will become his corps. I am not sure if this allows you to remove the 2* and make another while maintaining the first, but he will maintain his divisional command as well as take over the corps command.