Pulsating commander name?

[Emx77]

A stack commander name sometimes is pulsating (see picture) when stack is selected. What does it mean?

[Gray Fox]

That the commander can be promoted or in McDowell's place, he can take command of an army. Just click the icon that looks like a tent to access the menu for this.

[Emx77]

That the commander can be promoted or in McDowell's place, he can take command of an army. Just click the icon that looks like a tent to access the menu for this.

Thank you GF but McDowell is already head of Northeast Virginia Army (pay attention to picture above - only valid option under tent icon is "dismiss army"). Also, pulsating doesn't seem to be related to promotion. In my current PBEM game (September 1861) I have following pulsating generals:

McDowell (3-star general commanding army), activated
Baks (3-star general commanding army), not activated
Halleck (3-star general commanding non army stack), not activated
Hamilton (2-star general), activated
Fermont (3-star general commanding army), not activated

Also, I have Butler (3-star general), currently activated. But, he is only 3-star general who does NOT pulsating (?!)

Neither of above generals is promotable ("Promote leader" icon is grayed out").

[DrPostman]

It also means that they are the senior commander in the theater, IIRC.

[Emx77]

It also means that they are the senior commander in the theater, IIRC.

That makes sense and explains why McDowell is pulsating and Butler doesn't. Probably because Butler is in the same theater as McDowell.

Additional question - Could that be reason why I cannot form new Army with Butler? He is three star activated commander but I cannot use him for a new Army.

[DrPostman]

That makes sense and explains why McDowell is pulsating and Butler doesn't. Probably because Butler is in the same theater as McDowell.

Additional question - Could that be reason why I cannot form new Army with Butler? He is three star activated commander but I cannot use him for a new Army.

You might have reached the limit of armies you can have at one time. IIRC it goes up to 9
starting in 1863.

[Emx77]

You might have reached the limit of armies you can have at one time. IIRC it goes up to 9
starting in 1863.

In old AACW forum I found this:

---
In the April 1861 campaign, army HQ units get added to the forcepool per the following schedule:

USA
1 May 1861
2 Aug 1861
3 Dec 1861
4 Dec 1861
5 May 1862
6 May 1862
7 Jan 1863
8 Jan 1863
9 Jan 1863
10 Jan 1864
11 Jan 1864
12 Jan 1865

CSA
1 May 1861
2 Aug 1861
3 Aug 1861
4 Jan 1862
5 Jan 1863
6 Jan 1864
---

Could this be relevant army limit for CWII also?

[Captain_Orso]

Each faction will be allocated up to 9 armies by 1863 starting with 3 when the 'main armies in the East' are spawned in May or June. After that the number is increased by 3 each March--the same time Corps become available--until 9 is reached in March '63.

[Emx77]

Each faction will be allocated up to 9 armies by 1863 starting with 3 when the 'main armies in the East' are spawned in May or June. After that the number is increased by 3 each March--the same time Corps become available--until 9 is reached in March '63.

Thank you very much. Very useful information.