Two More Questions for Veteran Players!

[GenJackson]

Preparing to start my second game as the CSA - two more questions for the veteran players.

1) Improving Militia - The little infantry units with the state tab next to their symbol - marking them as militia raised in their own state with penalties incurred should they leave the state - I searched the forums and found a lot of threads about "training" these units to become regular infantry. How exactly is that done?

2) City Garrisons - Should these be formed in the same manner as divisions with a General in command? Or should the important cities like Richmond and Memphis just be loaded up with as many units as possible to defend against an attacker. The cities do typically have permanently fixed garrisons - but these are pitifully small and obviously need some help. Historically, there were several CSA generals who took command of cities, especially in the winter - like Pickett and Forrest - but should one use Generals in the game this way...

Thanks for everyone's help!

[Paul Roberts]

Some Militia will naturally upgrade to non-militia eventually. It's automatic and you can't influence it.

Some generals have a skill that will train "conscript"-level troops to regulars, but conscripts are not the same as militia. (You'll know conscript elements because they are labeled as such in the unit's element list and detailed view.) There are also generals who give a bonus to militia troops under their command.

The garrisons that appear in most cities represent local defense forces, and their presence does not imply that your high command deems them enough for a real defense. Front line, threatened cities usually need more defenders, but it depends on your opponent's strategy. If he's not aggressive, your defending garrisons are just eating supplies and manpower you could use elsewhere...

[Cromagnonman]

Militia are upgraded to conscript infantry automatically, with the chance each turn increasing in early '62. Some may upgrade the turn they are recruited, others can take years; it is random.

Conscript infantry is upgraded to infantry. Some officers with the aforementioned trait upgrade 2 conscript infantry elements under their command to infantry each turn. Without such a leader, they probably upgrade as well, albeit more slowly.

[Jorje Vidrio]

Along the lines of militia questions, in the first few months of 1861, is it better to build more, cheaper militia units to flesh out your armies? Or is it wiser to build more expensive regulars that would be better in the long run?

[moni kerr]

I try to buy the big brigades as soon as possible in 1861 since they give your leaders a bigger bang while you can still only form brigades. Single element units aren't very useful in your armies until you can form divisions.

[Cromagnonman]

This is an interesting question. I like to build more militia, because you can combine them into a 2-element brigade with a command cost of 1. This makes militia cheap in terms of Money, Conscripts, and CP.

[TheDoctorKing]

I generally mix about 1/3 good troops and 2/3 militia. So my usual division will consist of one of the big brigades or two smaller brigades of regulars, eight or so militia regiments, two or three artillery batteries, and a cavalry regiment if there isn't one in the regular brigades.

I don't like the big brigades because they often come with those 6-pounder peashooters. I prefer my artillery 12 pounds at least. The 6-pounders are upgraded to 12-pounders later on but not until 1863. The only reason you should be buying 6-pounder batteries is so you can build forts.

The CSA can afford to have more militia because they have more "militiaman" commanders. If you've got one of those guys, your militia will stand like regulars. Otherwise, they run like, well, like Yankees...

But ultimately with experience the militia will become conscripts, then line infantry. Training officers are very valuable for this latter step. Both sides have several and they should serve as trainers, that is, be shifting your conscript regiments into their divisions/corps and then out again as soon as they become line. It is a bit of micro-management but it will pay off handsomely when you go up against an enemy force consisting of mostly militia and conscripts. Your line guys will walk right over them.

[GenJackson]

I've noticed that there are two types of militia - the ones with the state tabs next to the regiment symbol and the ones without, who appear like regular infantry with an "M" in the middle of the X, but with no state tab.

Apparently, according to what I've read, the "state tab" militia suffer penalities if leaving the state. Most of these units are also fixed.

What is the main difference between "state tab" militia and regular militia (without the tab)? Do the "state tabs" eventually train up to regular troops like the non-tabed militia?

[Fingolfin]

None except that state militias suffer penalties when not fighting in their state of origin (very rare since most of them are locked), all of them upgrade and unlock eventually, it is just difficult to see that beccause state militias lose their tab when upgrading to conscript infantry.