1880 force level question

[Jim Pfleck]

Gents,
I am playing Austria in a team game of the 1880 scenario. What is a good guide for limiting how many corps I build? The amount I can build is quite high but I am not sure if I am building more than I can supply (I am enlarging my depots) etc.
Thanks

[czert2]

Well, if you dont plan to start great war in short future just keep your current level or just incease by small a mount that all your stacks have commander (and you are not over command limit). expandind depot lvl is allways smart as you dont lose stockpilled resources and bigger depots help recover causalties if needed to units in same region (in defence mode).
keep stockpiling resources and use them in just time to train units in time of need ( max 2 months in advance for some units, excludind navy).
usinx extra resources for building of replacement is good spending too, especialy if you max them, that way you are sure that you can focus on building new units and dont have to fear that you will run out of reinforcents in one great battle.

[Jim Pfleck]

Thanks. Planning for (I hope) small wars in the future...

[loki100]

Gents,
I am playing Austria in a team game of the 1880 scenario. What is a good guide for limiting how many corps I build? The amount I can build is quite high but I am not sure if I am building more than I can supply (I am enlarging my depots) etc.
Thanks

something to watch for is some techs, especially those connected with new rifles trigger a massive demand for replacements. If I recall, one of these should hit about 1890 and lead to the late game generation of divisions/corps etc. Make sure you have a decent stock of replacements for that or your army will end up with serious gaps. The way to control if you are in problems is to make sure your units are in active stance and not on a depot, they then are unlikely to upgrade till you are ready. If you want to priorities some formations, then use the green stances and put them on a depot - those will upgrade first.

I never saw a global supply problem for a major power in Europe, it tends to be a colonial issue or due to very localised issues.


edit: bigger constraint is the shortage of commanders, you will inevitably have too few, bigger your army the more stacks will have no named commander and the 35% command malus ... this slows movement and restricts rate of fire to once per combat round. In effect, too much of this is a bit of a waste.