Promotions

[Groucho]

I am just returning to the game and hev had trouble locating something in the rules.

I have a few questions regarding officer promotions.

How is it done? (I mean where in the interface is the button to do it?)

What determines when an officer is eligible for promotion?

[Banks6060]

I am just returning to the game and hev had trouble locating something in the rules.

I have a few questions regarding officer promotions.

How is it done? (I mean where in the interface is the button to do it?)

What determines when an officer is eligible for promotion?

How is it done:

The "Promote button" can be found by clicking on the middle tab of the detailed orders interface (just below the posture interface). The button can be identified by looking in the lower right-hand corner. The graphic should look like a small medal. The button will be highlited in color if promotion is available.

What determines promotion:

A general who, through victory in battle, increases his seniority by 4 points and/or increases his seniority to either 2 or 1...will be eligible for promotion. So with that said. It is always desireable to get your best promotable generals in the thick of it as soon as possible...and try to put them in positions where they can succeed.

[rabit123]

Fyi, it's my understanding that you cannot promote a commander, even when the medal icon is active, if he's currently in a stack with other units. You must pull him out of the stack, so that he's alone, in order for the promotion to occur. Once he's promoted, then you place him back into the former stack.

I'm still a new recruit but must say this seems like an unnecessary game function. I'm lost as to why a commander cannot receive a promotion while currently leading troops in AACW. I"m also unsure if you must wait a complete "turn" for a promotion to take effect. Looking to the experienced players. Do I have this right? Cheers.

[soloswolf]

Fyi, it's my understanding that you cannot promote a commander, even when the medal icon is active, if he's currently in a stack with other units. You must pull him out of the stack, so that he's alone, in order for the promotion to occur. Once he's promoted, then you place him back into the former stack.

I'm still a new recruit but must say this seems like an unnecessary game function. I'm lost as to why a commander cannot receive a promotion while currently leading troops in AACW. I"m also unsure if you must wait a complete "turn" for a promotion to take effect. Looking to the experienced players. Do I have this right? Cheers.

He can receive the promotion if he is the stack commander. But you are right, any subordinate commanders must be removed from the stack.

And yes, at the start of your next turn is when the results will show from his new star.

[Banks6060]

Fyi, it's my understanding that you cannot promote a commander, even when the medal icon is active, if he's currently in a stack with other units. You must pull him out of the stack, so that he's alone, in order for the promotion to occur. Once he's promoted, then you place him back into the former stack.

I'm still a new recruit but must say this seems like an unnecessary game function. I'm lost as to why a commander cannot receive a promotion while currently leading troops in AACW. I"m also unsure if you must wait a complete "turn" for a promotion to take effect. Looking to the experienced players. Do I have this right? Cheers.

Yes you have to wait. But an interesting point there about having to wait. Perhaps you shouldn't have to?? I don't know...

[kglorberau]

Question...

I am playing the Grand 1861 campaign as CSA. Not doing to bad but have a question about promoting. CSA General Braxton Bragg is available for promotion. I think he is at 4 or 5 in seniority, and I want to make him a 2 Star Corp commander (he is currently a 1 star). The promote button is grayed out and I removed him from his division command, removed him from the stack, but he is still grayed out. He is also currently active. Shouldnt I be able to promote him??

Thanks in advance,

Kglorberau

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Redeemer]

He can be promoted, but did you get a message that he is ready to be promoted.

[Manstein]

He can receive the promotion if he is the stack commander. But you are right, any subordinate commanders must be removed from the stack.

And yes, at the start of your next turn is when the results will show from his new star.

Well, really there is a time where subordinates commanders can be promoted and I think that is important know it because you can promote to some commander that you want not do it: where the stack commander can be promoted, if you do it you will promote to all leaders at stack that can be promoted, losing NM and VP corresponding.

[ncuman]

Question...

I am playing the Grand 1861 campaign as CSA. Not doing to bad but have a question about promoting. CSA General Braxton Bragg is available for promotion. I think he is at 4 or 5 in seniority, and I want to make him a 2 Star Corp commander (he is currently a 1 star). The promote button is grayed out and I removed him from his division command, removed him from the stack, but he is still grayed out. He is also currently active. Shouldnt I be able to promote him??

Thanks in advance,

Kglorberau

What is your basis for believing that Bragg is available for promotion? If it is based on the thingy that says 'Promotable? Yes' then you are misinterpreting what it is saying. It is saying the general could be promoted sometime in the future, not that the general can be promoted right now. You have to wait until Bragg has been congratulaed in a battle and the promote button is pulsing indicating that you can promote him now. I know it is confusing, but it is how the game works. I hope this helps.

[Chertio]

Also the roster shows commanders who are ready for promotion in red: those with names in white cannot be promoted this turn (though it may be they will be eligible after success in battle).

It is a bit of a nuisance having to remove them from their stack for a turn, I too wonder why this should be necessary.

[Edit] Even worse, it looks like you have to do the promotion in the turn on which it applies. I have just won a major battle and had three officers in a Corps up for promotion - I decided to leave it until the final fight was resolved rather than disorganise the Corps that turn. This turn they are no longer eligible for promotion.

So it seems that officers who have earned promotion must be removed from their formations and promoted immediately or they miss their chance. To keep a Corps in one piece while promoting divisional officers would mean 'teleporting' in some more officers temporarily - and also leaving the promotable guys with one unit at least so thet they don't go inactive and lose their ability to command anything. All very headachey.

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Beaumanoir]

[Edit] So it seems that officers who have earned promotion must be removed from their formations and promoted immediately or they miss their chance. [/QUOTE]

Yeah, I've had this happen before too. Sometimes not, though. Last game I played, A.P. Stewart became promotable after a big battle, and flashed red for remainder of the game. I didn't want to promote him because I didn't particularly need him as a corps commander, was happy with where he was, and he was *so* far down on the seniority list, promoting him would have torqued off half of the generals in the CSA.

I also learned the hard way about "separating from the stack first". In this case, I *did* want another 2-star for a corps commander, Hardee became promotable after a battle, woo hoo! Uh oh, didn't get my new corps commander; instead, Polk spent the rest of the war as a 3-star....oops.

[Major Tom]

Even worse, it looks like you have to do the promotion in the turn on which it applies. I have just won a major battle and had three officers in a Corps up for promotion - I decided to leave it until the final fight was resolved rather than disorganise the Corps that turn. This turn they are no longer eligible for promotion.

Yes, I've had this happen too. I think if they become promotable because of winning a battle, if you don't promote them right away you may lose the chance until they win another battle.

I recently had two generals - can't remember which ones - who both won battles and became eligible for promotion on the same turn. The one I really wanted to promote was junior, and if I tried to promote him the other one would become upset. So I promoted the weaker and more senior general first and waited a turn to promote the better general, but by then he was no longer promotable.

[Heldenkaiser]

There might also be another catch. This happened to me several turns ago in a PBEM and only just now I reflected over it again and came up with a possible explanation of what MIGHT have happened. Maybe somebody could confirm that this is possible?

I had a corps commander and one of his division commanders come up for promotion in the same turn. The corps commander was very senior and I really wanted to promote him. I didn't care very much for promoting the division commander though, as he was a comparative non-entity and rather junior.

So with the corps stack active, I hit the button that said "NN (the corps commander) will be promoted to a new rank". Only the problem was, after the turn was resolved, they were BOTH promoted, and since the division commander was rather junior, it cost me quite some penalty.

Is it possible, I wonder, that the promotion button does promote EVERYBODY in a stack who can be promoted on that turn? But lists only the most senior officer in the stack?

I realize this don't square with the theory that a leader has to be the overall commander of his stack to be promoted, but in fact I have never been quite sure that this is true because I have seen leaders be auto-promoted while they were part of a division and a corps. But in any case, I may just as well be seeing things, as this is a faint recollection of something that happened some weeks ago. I just recall that I was quite vexed when it occurred.

[Evren]

So with the corps stack active, I hit the button that said "NN (the corps commander) will be promoted to a new rank". Only the problem was, after the turn was resolved, they were BOTH promoted, and since the division commander was rather junior, it cost me quite some penalty.

Is it possible, I wonder, that the promotion button does promote EVERYBODY in a stack who can be promoted on that turn? But lists only the most senior officer in the stack?

I realize this don't square with the theory that a leader has to be the overall commander of his stack to be promoted, but in fact I have never been quite sure that this is true because I have seen leaders be auto-promoted while they were part of a division and a corps. But in any case, I may just as well be seeing things, as this is a faint recollection of something that happened some weeks ago. I just recall that I was quite vexed when it occurred.

Yes, it is possible. That button indeed promotes everyone eligible for promotion in a stack that turn. One unfortunate thing about this is you cannot see the costs of the promotion of the other general(s) in the stack, but only the stack commander's.

And yes, it "squares" with the theory. You can only promote your general(s) in a stack if the stack commander is eligible for promotion. If not, or if there are other generals that you don't want to promote that turn, you have to put them in a different stack (if the stack commander is not eligible for promotion but a general in the stack is, then you have to put him in a different stack to promote him. Likewise, if your stack commander is eligible for promotion and there are generals in the stack that you don't want to promote, then you have to put those generals in a different stack).

Auto promotion comes through events, so it doesn't matter if they're in command of any stack or not.

[Evren]

Yes, I've had this happen too. I think if they become promotable because of winning a battle, if you don't promote them right away you may lose the chance until they win another battle.

I recently had two generals - can't remember which ones - who both won battles and became eligible for promotion on the same turn. The one I really wanted to promote was junior, and if I tried to promote him the other one would become upset. So I promoted the weaker and more senior general first and waited a turn to promote the better general, but by then he was no longer promotable.

Yes, for those who already don't know, the generals who are eligible for promotion lose one seniority for every turn you don't promote them, until they become "not promotable" again.

[Heldenkaiser]

Yes, it is possible. That button indeed promotes everyone eligible for promotion in a stack that turn. One unfortunate thing about this is you cannot see the costs of the promotion of the other general(s) in the stack, but only the stack commander's. [...]

So there's a catch indeed. Since this is a rather tricky situation, maybe it could be prevented from happening this way ... or at least the tooltip could warn explicitly to watch out for other generals in the stack also eligible for promotion!

Thanks for the explanation. You know a lot about this game, and that you are always willing to explain things in detail is much appreciated.

[Evren]

Thanks for the explanation. You know a lot about this game, and that you are always willing to explain things in detail is much appreciated.

You're most welcome Heldenkeiser. The feeling is mutual.

[kglorberau]

Sorry I hadnt gotten back..

I think I was confused. Bragg's info said he could be promoted, but did not tell me he was eligible or promotion or that he had moved up in seniority. His "star" rank was also not flashing (I just promoted someone else, and noticed that, and he promoted the next turn). I just thought he had to be ranked #1 or #2, or moved up 4 slots in seniority to be automatically promoted.

Kglorberau

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Brochgale]

On Promotions Generally

I am after a long break from game just getting used to some of the changes introduced by more recent patches. I have noticed some changes i.e Some previously unpromotable Generals are now promotable. Also some Stat changes as well - it has altered the way I norally play the game slightly.

I have been aware of some anomolies in promotions for some time. I usually get round it by keeping those "promotable Generals" that I dont really want to promote such as Bragg well away from from the front lines so that there is no danger of them being in a fight that they might win. Yes there is a political cost to be paid often but I just swallow the political cost. It is a war afterall and you cant win all the time.

Ofcourse if you are really bothered about paying political costs then you can always put a General in a position to lose a battle and thus lose seniority but I suppose that might be a gamey tactic if not an anti gamey tactic? But if you are playing CSA that would be tantmount to commiting suicide?

I have always wanted to promote AP Stewart but I never yet played a game where I got him in a position to promote him - those are the breaks I guess. The same has also applied to JEB as I wanted to experiment with him as a Corps commander - just one of those what ifs?

Anyway in war sometimes you have to grim and bear the rough with smooth - hey thats life as well.

[mikee64]

Yes, it is possible. That button indeed promotes everyone eligible for promotion in a stack that turn. One unfortunate thing about this is you cannot see the costs of the promotion of the other general(s) in the stack, but only the stack commander's.

And yes, it "squares" with the theory. You can only promote your general(s) in a stack if the stack commander is eligible for promotion. If not, or if there are other generals that you don't want to promote that turn, you have to put them in a different stack (if the stack commander is not eligible for promotion but a general in the stack is, then you have to put him in a different stack to promote him. Likewise, if your stack commander is eligible for promotion and there are generals in the stack that you don't want to promote, then you have to put those generals in a different stack).

Auto promotion comes through events, so it doesn't matter if they're in command of any stack or not.

This is good info and probably not well known. Can we get it posted on the wiki or somewhere so it is not buried? I've played for 2 years now and just had the first occurence of promoting a Corps leader and having several eligible leaders in his stack promote also.

Yes its WAD but it seems a bit counterintuitive to the "must remove from stack" promotion condition.

Thanks Evren, good info.

[Gray_Lensman]

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[mikee64]

Gray, once again you did not read my post - or rather the post I quoted. I think everyone with experience knows to remove a leader from a stack to promote is the rule. That is not a problem for experienced players..

But read Evren's post above - sometimes all leaders in a stack can promote, unintentionally... this is what I was referring to as counter-intuitive.

[Gray_Lensman]

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[mikee64]

OK Gray. My point was that while you should isolate leaders before promotion, you don't always have to. And sometimes this can result in unexpected results, for example if you promote a Corps leader and all inside the stack promote w/o warning.

Yes, this is on the player. But I thought maybe not everyone playing the game will have have read through all the threads/posts here.. and maybe it could go in the wiki. I found this a somewhat enlightening and undocumented feature, and thought maybe others would too. Even as an experienced player I'm constantly trying to look for stuff that may help newcomers to the game.

If you felt it was an unnecessary comment then I apologize, I guess...

[Gray_Lensman]

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