Some newb questions

[Huskalator]

Hi, I just bought the game and I have some questions about playing the Union side in the Shiloh scenario.

I have gone through the tutorial and the strategy guide but I'm still pretty confused on what I need to be doing here.

- It seems to me that my overall strategy here should be to use Grant's army as my main offensive force then use that other guy's army as flank protection. Is this right?

- Is there an oprimal way to create Grant's corps? I've been just mashing the random div's together to create two corps but not really paying attention to who goes wherem, mostly because I don't know better.

- Is there any way to promote Sherman to a corps commander? I'm still not quite clear on the promotion process.

- I don't quite understand activation. When I create Grant's corps they aren't available for offensive action on that turn. Why is that? Was that just random bad luck or when organizing corps are they inactivated for a turn? I realize some sort of check is made each turn to determine activation but what stats affect this? How is that all working?

- Is there a penalty for using that other army's corps to to fight alongside Grant's army? Can I just create a super stack?

[Longshanks]

Let's start with an easy one: promotions come through success in combat usually (in the campaign game, some are events).
Activation is based on the leader's strategy rating. A 5 Strategy means a 5/6 chance of activation. Furthermore, the game gives a "nod" to the current status, so if your guy is currently active, there's a slightly better chance he will remain so - and vice versa. Setting a leader to Orange (attack mode) will increase the chance he'll stay active slightly, although you lose any defense bonus.
There is a penalty for super stacks, but sometimes it's worth doing anyway!
Keep plugging away. People who have played this game a ton of times still learn new stuff all the time!

[Huskalator]

Thanks for replying to what you could. That was extremely helpful.

I have begun delving into the campaigns and reading about some of the more strategic elements of the game and I have another question.

- The manual says

Building a depot network every three to five regions is highly recommended.

So I should order my supply trains around the map building depots every three regions? Am I reading that right? That seems tremendously tedious...

[GraniteStater]

On Depots

Depots are important. Just to FYI, they attract Supply. A wagon next to, or in a Region with a Depot draws Supply. Furthermore, we hairy chested types with blood lust in our hearts set the game to the middle, or rightmost, checkboxes for Attrition, in Settings, which means you can get Replacements only in Regions with a Depot. This means a defeat with high casualties compels a retreat to a friendly Depot - more realistic, IMO. I believe The Tournament is set for that, I always play the AI like that now, probably most PBEM like that now.

But no, you don't have to go Depot-happy. For one thing, Wagons can be somewhat costly to build. You don't want a national army of well supplied understrength formations. Again, FYI, you can buld a Depot anywhere - I have, lately, just to maintain a spot so I don't have to move and still get Replacements. Other than that, though, I usually build a Depot because I'm at a certain point on the map and the Town/City has none and I want to ensure the Supply flow. I am paranoid about Supply, and I'm not speaking figuratively. I 've abandoned Bowling Green as the Union after an early successful strike at it, because I forgot to bring a Wagon and can't build a Depot and is none is there - IMO, no sense in watching a Corps or Division waste away and get no Replcements while Johnny Reb is lurking outside the campfires - better to come back later or remember to bring the Wagon to start with, 'cuz Supply is vastly more assured if the desired spot has a Depot.

N. B.: build Depots at beachheads, it makes Union overseas Supply a lot easier.

Finally, Depot care and feeding is usually a Union concern; the South, usually, not always, has a Depot near enough for most situations and usually is falling back on Depots. Keeping everything well knit is usually an invader's concern - if you, as the South, are invading the North, and find yourself looking for Depot spots, you are probably doing very well, indeed, and are probably going to trigger Foreign Intervention on your behalf. The North usually has a Depot close enough to keep Southern columns connected.

Hope this helps.