Reinforcements/Replacements

[CWNut77]

Looking for some strategy regarding reinforcements in particular, and replacements as well.

My strategy thus far (with CSA) has been to concentrate a leader (in the early game, which is as far as I have gotten thus far) in a particular spot, and then buy reinforcements for his stack to grow and then attack. However, I am finding it increasingly difficult to do so since I do not know where on the map in a particular state, that the reinforcement will show up. Can anyone tell me why we cannot pick the city to pull volunteers from? I am interested in hearing others' strategies for dealing with brigade, division, etc., building and recruiting in this fashion.

As for replacements, I have a question -- does a force HAVE to be in a friendly city to draw from the replacement pool? Also, I read everywhere that you should have 10% of your forces in replacements ready to deploy -- is this a good general rule of thumb?

[Bertram]

For me the 10% rule works, though I sometimes cheat a bit on the larger stacks (like if I have 200 infantry units, I might stop at 10 replacements), because I can each turn see if I have to buy extra.

I tend to buy reinforcements by the state, so I put an army or corps (or earlyy in the game a division commander) somewhere central in a state, and raise troops in that state, and let them travel to the central place. Usually all towns where you can raise units are connected by rail (at elast as Union...). As Confederate you have to be carefull not to buy to close to the front, especialy (costly) artillery, the lines might shift before the units are mobile...

[GShock]

The general rule of the 10% is a good one but you might need more depending on the situation. A replacement chit is surely expended if an entire element is replaced, otherwise you might get refill in strenght without expending that chit, so this explains why the general rule is good. If you have a chit in each category you're covered.

As of the need to know where the reinforcements come from, take a look at the settlements where reinforcements arrive, take a look on a state-by state. You can use the color filters (i.e. MO = green). Filter out the non fixed units and among the few fixed in that state you will see the newly forming bdes.

[CWNut77]

The general rule of the 10% is a good one but you might need more depending on the situation. A replacement chit is surely expended if an entire element is replaced, otherwise you might get refill in strenght without expending that chit, so this explains why the general rule is good. If you have a chit in each category you're covered.

As of the need to know where the reinforcements come from, take a look at the settlements where reinforcements arrive, take a look on a state-by state. You can use the color filters (i.e. MO = green). Filter out the non fixed units and among the few fixed in that state you will see the newly forming bdes.

I understand that -- my problem is that when I pick a reinforcement, I do not know [I]which district in that state[I] that the reinforcement will show up to train in. For instance, I move Ben McCulloch to Fayetteville in prep for an offensive into Missouri, build some Arkansas forces, and some show up in the southeastern part of the state. It takes 2 turns and a hit on cohesion for them to join with McCulloch, once trained. Whereas, if I know where they will be trained at, I can better strategize where to place McCulloch.

[Rafiki]

What I do, is designate a place (e.g. city) where I want the division to assemble and become operative. Then I send the div-commander-to-be there, and as reinforcements become ready, they are directed to the same place.

If Fayetteville is your designated launch-point for the offensive, you'll need to move the reinforcements there sometime, and it might even be better for them to move there by themselves, rather than as part of a division.

[Brochgale]

As CSA I tend to designate assembly point. Like Fayetteville, Nashville, Humboldt, Corinth. I even like to build a depot in Charlottesville as I think this is a good assembly point.
The important part of assembly point for building divisions is that they have depots. Something tells me that it would be a bit silly to have a designated assembly point that did not have a depot purely from the supply aspect.

[CWNut77]

Thanks all -- but could someone please answer as to why reinforcements do not list WHERE they will show up in a particular state, when you order them?

[Shabaka]

I just build em and let god sort them out later. Wait, wait is that kill em all and let god sort them out later..hmmm...im confused.

[Shabaka]

i agree, it is a pain not knowing where they will show up...especially for the South.

Is there a logical reason why we cant determine where these new troopers will be trained?

[put413]

I play the Union side. I build massive reinforcements each turn in PA, and NY, and they generally all show up in Philadelphia and New York city.
I group them all in Philadelphia, then use Admiral Farragut to transport them to the shore off Norfolk, VA. I keep shipping them back and forth every turn, and I send my generals and 2-stars down to Norfolk, VA area to meet all the reinforcements landing each turn. I keep forming divisions and corps, and start a large assault down the east coast. Works every time.

Frank

[GShock]

theres the message about new troops being levied. If u click on that red line in th elog u ll see all units coming on the journal page.

[Pocus]

theres the message about new troops being levied. If u click on that red line in th elog u ll see all units coming on the journal page.

and the list tell you each location and each units raised. The nato symbol before each unit can be clicked to jump to the location.

[CWNut77]

and the list tell you each location and each units raised. The nato symbol before each unit can be clicked to jump to the location.

All true -- again, why can't we be made aware WHEN WE ORDER THE REINFORCEMENTS, where they will show up, at the TIME OF ORDERING? By the time they show up on the map, it is too late to do anything but train and move out.

[Coregonas]

The game is designed that way.

I believe it is a good balance between TOTAL control and REALISM.

You (as president) are demanding the Local "Governors" to RAISE troops, asigning them the money and materials to do the job, but these GOVERNORS raise troops as they can, not as YOU WANT.

The game works fine for me as gives you strategic control and orders, but does not allow you to exactly do ALL you want to do.

[CWNut77]

The game is designed that way.

I believe it is a good balance between TOTAL control and REALISM.

You (as president) are demanding the Local "Governors" to RAISE troops, asigning them the money and materials to do the job, but these GOVERNORS raise troops as they can, not as YOU WANT.

The game works fine for me as gives you strategic control and orders, but does not allow you to exactly do ALL you want to do.

Thanks, Coregonas -- that is an excellent defense of the system. I never took that into account before, but the governors of the war did kind of run their own show, much to the chagrin of the Lincoln Administration. Much appreciated! :-)

[GShock]

"200.000? I can hardly recruit less, Mr. President. "

The president used to call, the Governors to proceed. Some governors also found exceptions to the categories changing the laws or they basically named people they didn't wanna send as conscripts in these categories.

Governors had a big push/stop in the war effort, historically. I'd like more political options in this field but not management options. I love the fact the generals fight and i choose them how to and where to but not do it myself. Same should be with the governors.

[Drambuie]

The raising troops issue is one that has caused some frustration for me - particularly annoying when a brigade you recruit pops up in the city nearest to the frontlines and then that city gets attacked, hitting your half formed and low cohesion unit.

Also with ships - should the 'random' location of construction really apply? I'll admit a limited knowledge of where/how ships were actually built during the Civil War but to be able to specify a certain shipyard would seem sensible so at least you can get naval engineers in place etc. Was shipbuilding really so haphazard then? (Perhaps thinking more of ocean going rather than riverine forces)

[Brochgale]

I dont know about the situation between Lincoln and the Northern States when it came to getting States to raise and release troops. Look at the situation in South - several States were very reticent about releasing troops to serve outside of the States where they were raised.
Also support for the seccession was not universal throughout the Southern States so it stands to reason that recruitment in several places etc could well have been very patchy indeed - so game might in an indirect way reflect historical reality for South.

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Pocus]

The raising troops issue is one that has caused some frustration for me - particularly annoying when a brigade you recruit pops up in the city nearest to the frontlines and then that city gets attacked, hitting your half formed and low cohesion unit.

Also with ships - should the 'random' location of construction really apply? I'll admit a limited knowledge of where/how ships were actually built during the Civil War but to be able to specify a certain shipyard would seem sensible so at least you can get naval engineers in place etc. Was shipbuilding really so haphazard then? (Perhaps thinking more of ocean going rather than riverine forces)

given that some so called 'ironclads' were built on the fields without any yards, from the initiative of some locals officers... it was the realm of chaos and ad-hoc expedients. The whole war conduct was not rationalized as in WW2: supply rotting in place while men starved 100 kms away, cottonclads built where you had some spare steel and guns, men levied at the will of the governors, etc.

[Gray_Lensman]

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[maqwyn]

Most units, especially in the early part of the war were raised by political cronies of the governor. Most units were not just from the same state but often from the same town or area. As the war progressed it was harder and harder to put units together and became geographically difficult. Best to be glad you can find reinforcements and include travel time in your planning.