Battle Questions and Other Sundries

[BentonGrey]

Howdy guys, I've got another set of questions for y'all. First off, is there a good explanation of the Battle Planner options, where you make the choices of different tactics for your army? I've searched the forums and haven't found anything. Google has also proven unhelpful.

I've got some other questions as well.

Why do single divisions within an army or corps tend to take inordinate shares of the casualties? In most battles here in the late game, I'm seeing one division in an engagement take the bulk of the casualties, while everyone else is barely touched. My divisions are balanced and within 100-200 points of strength of each other. Am I missing something?

Why do my corps commanders tend to have their stats plummet every once in a while? I've got a 4-1-2 guy that will suddenly be 2-0-1, and I haven't reorganized the corps or anything.

What's most important in terms of command influence? Where should I put my best commanders? Army, corps, or division? Is there a write-up for exactly how those benefits work? I've read the "Things to Know" guide, and that was helpful, but I'm still a little fuzzy on these things. Obviously, a good general can give bonuses to his corps commanders, but how do those transfer down?

In the same vein, if you've got an independent division, is it better to have the commanding officer also be the division commander, or can you get bonuses from having a good officer as the 'extra' general, who is also more senior, as well as a mediocre one commanding the actual division?

[grimjaw]

I'll answer the ones I know the answer to.

Why do my corps commanders tend to have their stats plummet every once in a while? I've got a 4-1-2 guy that will suddenly be 2-0-1, and I haven't reorganized the corps or anything.

The bonus or malus conferred to subordinate corps commanders by the army commander are determined (rolled) every turn, rather than a one time bump or nerf.

[Gray Fox]

The Battle Planner offers a lot of choices. To nail them each down would be a great task and perhaps unnecessary. I just run through the options available one by one. The planner gives you the possible results. I pick the one that offers a good chance. Sometimes an artillery choice is available, and if I have a lot of big guns I may take that option. Not knowing "the best choice" makes each battle special and exciting.

Here is how combat is explained:

https://www.leqg.org/doc/age/www.ageod. ... ained.html

https://www.leqg.org/doc/age/www.ageod. ... ntage.html

So, apparently a subset of a stack of Divisions is chosen randomly to engage according to the Frontage of the battlefield. Thus, one Division may get the brunt of the fight. If it retreats or forces the other side to run, then the battle may end and the other Divisions may not get to fight.

Grimjaw answered the Corps commander question.

Here's what the Wiki states about leaders:

https://www.leqg.org/doc/age/www.ageod. ... aders.html

Being active is the most important influence. You want stack commanders with high Strategic stats so that their units are active. I put the best commander in the best Divisions under the best Corps/Army commander. This is the point of the spear and I use this unit for any offensive.

A Division requires 4 Command Points to be lead. A single one star General only provides 2 CPs. So a lone Division will suffer a CP penalty unless a second one star General is stacked with it. To get the best result, the lone one star should be higher in seniority, so that he is also the stack commander. A stack gets a small bonus if it has a Division commander and a separate stack commander. Good luck!