Little Mac Disappears?

[colonel hurst]

In a recent game as the Union, I found a nice use for Little Mac. I had him training up militia units to infantry (both ones I purchased, and the units that start out Infantry, Light, and miltiia) to use for forming divisions. Every 5 turns or so I just needed to buy the SS, cav, and cannons I wanted to fill out a division. Started out with him at Dayton and moved him to Bowling Green after I had Kentucky secure.

I did this in Baltimore with Franz Sigel as well but he turned out far less soldiers.

Anyway, at the beginning of 1864, McClellan has disappeared from Bowling Green, and I can't find him anywhere. Is he taken out of play so that he can get ready for the Presidential elections? I looked in DC but couldn't find him there either.

Any ideas on why he is gone?

[Captain_Orso]

Yes, he's removed from the game. You can still use Sigel and Halleck to train conscripts. All three should train at the same rate, up to 2 conscript regiments per turn that they are in command of them.

That Sigel doesn't train as many as McClellan could only have to do with how quickly the militia regiments upgrade to conscript. I don't think that leaders can influence this. It's an event that fires each turn. Each militia regiment has certain % chance to upgrade. The later in the war the higher the percentage.

[Longshanks]

Yes, Cap'n Orso makes a good point (as he usually does). Leaders cannot upgrade Militia. Those units must first auto-upgrade to Conscripts, THEN those can be trained. Militia are just too stupid to train, I reckon.

I wonder if Hindman's ability (I think it's him, and maybe Price, and some Union guys also have this) to raise militia in a state affects any of this? Never quite understood that ability and never bothered to research it.

[lodilefty]

Yes, Cap'n Orso makes a good point (as he usually does). Leaders cannot upgrade Militia. Those units must first auto-upgrade to Conscripts, THEN those can be trained. Militia are just too stupid to train, I reckon.

I wonder if Hindman's ability (I think it's him, and maybe Price, and some Union guys also have this) to raise militia in a state affects any of this? Never quite understood that ability and never bothered to research it.

The ability that increases Militia raising in a State adjusts the 'AutoRaise':
http://www.ageod.net/agewiki/AutoRaise

[Captain_Orso]

The only option I know with militia is whether to combine two regiments to a brigade or not. Advantage of the brigade is that it only needs 1 command point, the same as a single regiment. The disadvantage is that it can take a long time before both regiments are upgraded to conscripts and can be trained to first-line. Also the brigades created like this cannot have a leader combined with them, even after they are trained to first-line. The advantage is that they make for good garrison units. Just try to keep them in their home state as long as they are still militia. Militia outside of their home state drop I think 10% or15% cohesion.

Another minor consideration is if you want to use them to fill out a division. Sometimes a single regiment is needed when you only have a brigade available. As you can see I can be anally retentive about building divisions.

My tip is to position your trainers strategically and drop militia that has upgraded to conscripts on them when they appear or to just stack the militia directly with them and let them do their thing until they get upgrade and get trained.

[Jim-NC]

As you can see I can be anally retentive about building divisions.

Let's just say your "careful" about making sure you have the best division around.