how to use the guard?

[nyar369]

I'm a bit confused by how guard units work when there is also the "commit the guard" special function. By the way that "commit the guard" is described, it seems to be odd or even totally inadvisable to have the guard in a separate corps. This brings up a ton of questions I have about who in a region actually commits, and who does so in what order. If a corps (or any independent force for that matter) commits or not based on random factors, will the guard as a separate corps not simply fight fully engaged (rather than saving itself as a force de rupture)?
I was guarding Vienna with the guard. Lefebvre was on his way, and Lannes and Massena were one region away to the East after having punished Archduke Charles in a pursuit. Well, who should come charging up from the South but that bastard Lichtenstein with about four divisions. Lefebvre arrived the day of the battle, but he barely suffered! Lannes and Massena marched to the guns immediatley, too. They suffered not at all. I won the battle, but the guard took nearly ALL the losses!

[Pocus]

So they were first engaged because they were the sole defenders in the first round? I believe this is the reason why you lost almost all guard, as they try to engage "en masse" if they are committed.

Otherwise, the Guards only commit if the battle is difficult, they should not take losses in case of clear superiority. If they commit, they take the vast majority of losses though.

[jastaV]

Who was the leader in command of the Guard Corps?
Is that a leader with Guard Commint ability?

If not, Guard units will be committed as any other units: you have to put a Guard Commint ability Leader in charge of Guard Corps to have benefit from Guard Commint ability: at that point Guard will act as shock reserve troops!