Questions

[thebull0425]

What are the optimal game settings to set up for the player and AI if I am chasing some historical accuracy.

I have confederate cavalry especially in MO running amok, I can't seem to track them down, is it really a matter of building cavalry and more cavalry?

[Rod Smart]

What are the optimal game settings to set up for the player and AI if I am chasing some historical accuracy.

I have confederate cavalry especially in MO running amok, I can't seem to track them down, is it really a matter of building cavalry and more cavalry?

Try turning down the ability for the AI to see behind your lines. I forget what its called in the options menu.

If the AI can see that you aren't garrisoning Ohio and Pittsburgh, they'll death march across West Virginia in the winter to capture these objectives.

Not sure if that's what your dealing with (partisans running amok in MO is historically accurate), but that may help.

[thebull0425]

Another question, short of purchasing replacements from the replacement pool, does the Union ever auto replenish their units? The first option is quite pricey and almost impossible.

Having said that, units that are quit depleted, can they be "deleted" or decommissioned?

Is there value with all the generals the Union gets to stack as many with an army to increase command points, or is there a point where too many leaders have no impact?

[Durk]

Most players find auto replacement too expensive, but if you just routinely check the replacement pool it is not much of a chore to keep the replacements you care about available.

You can delete units, but you do not want to as this cause VP loss. You can combine depleted units.

The only value in keeping more leaders than needed for command points is so you have one or two readily available in case one of your leaders is killed or wounded. But leaders over those needed for command points are probably better off used elsewhere. Because I am kind of casual in my play, I 'park' extra leaders in the Army HQ stack so I know where to find them.

[ArmChairGeneral]

Another question, short of purchasing replacements from the replacement pool, does the Union ever auto replenish their units? The first option is quite pricey and almost impossible.

There may be a bit of confusion on the term auto-replenish. The answer is yes, if you have Automated Replacements selected in the Options screen. Note, however, that they are not FREE, only that the engine purchases them for you, and sometimes doesn't buy enough of them for the hits you have taken. It still deducts the cost of the replacement chits from your totals, but this is invisible to you, since they come off the top and you only see the resources left over after they have been purchased. Many people turn off Auto-Replacements and purchase all of them manually because a) you know exactly what is going on each turn without having to guess and because, b) the AI will waste money buying expensive Heavy Artillery or Warship replacements that would be better spent on the Line Infantry or Cavalry replacements that you really need right now.

If you are asking if there is some sort of natural hit recovery that goes on over time, then the answer is no. Hits (hearts on the Battle Report) cost resources to replenish, and must be purchased either through "Auto-Replacement" or purchased manually. Cohesion, OTOH, which is a factor in the PWR number displayed on the map, does recover over time and does not cost any resources.

It is not uncommon during times of heavy fighting (or when you have let a large stack run out of supply or get caught in the open in bad weather) to have to spend 50-100% of your resources just buying replacements.

[thebull0425]

Thanks Durk and Armchair General.

On a side note, is it good to have naval engineers in my blockading fleets or no?

[DrPostman]

Thanks Durk and Armchair General.

On a side note, is it good to have naval engineers in my blockading fleets or no?

As far as I know they only work in a port. I think they easily get seasick

[thebull0425]

So curious, I fought a battle at Manassas, and the Confederates ended up retreating and I took Manassas, but it tells me that the battle was a loss, and a lost a morale point for that. Correct me if I'm wrong, however, if i go into the battle, and force them to retreat, did I not win the battle? A bit confused by that.

[Durk]

This is a confusion to all players as they first learn the Ageod system. As in real life, possession of the battlefield is not exactly the same as winning a battle. Lots of battles throughout time have left the losing force in possession.
In this game system Victory is a calculus of several factors, ratio of loss for instance. Think of Pyrrhus, of course that was the war, not a battle, but same idea.

[thebull0425]

Another question I have. As the Union, I seem to be having a difficult time replenishing my units. I have played a few games, starts and restarts, one where I held off building units so that my understrength ones can be reinforced, and others where I am constantly building units, but then it seems that I really don't replenish units.

I have bought replacements, but I can't keep pace. Will they show hits in the F2 because I have built units, but don't have full replacements, or are the hits that need to be replaced in F2 from battle losses?

To clarify, I build units, and sometimes they end up missing some men. Why is that?

Kinda all over the place, but I have some units that got mauled at Manassas that are not recovering at all.

[Gray Fox]

In addition to battle damage, units take hits from sources of attrition by being without supply or in areas during harsh weather. The number of replacements needed shouldn't reflect new units that you purchased, but are still forming. These units need a specific number of turns to assemble to full strength. If you move units that are understrength, then they don't receive replacements for that turn. To get the most replacements, put the unit in a region with a depot that is not under siege and then don't move them until they are up to full strength.

http://www.ageod.net/agewiki/Replacements

[Rod Smart]

Re replacements:

In the beginning of the war, a lot of the units you get for free are missing hits, so need tons of replacements. For the south, the elite brigades (Stonewall, etc), are short regiments, and for the north, the McDowell and Shenandoah armies are at half strength. Those units need replacements to get to full strength. And if you haven't upgraded to 1.6 yet, your fort heavy artillery too. So it may look like you are spending a lot of resources on replacements with nothing to show for it.

When balancing the need for replacements vs new units, I find it best to purchase replacements first. That way I know what resources are available for new units, rather than trying to fill out the replacement pool with what I have left over.

You'll figure out the level of replacements you need after a couple of games. Trial and error.
There's a rule of thumb about keeping 10% of your units in the field as replacements, but I hate doing math, so I just keep everything at 5, with 20 for infantry. That's probably not optimal, but works for me.

[ArmChairGeneral]

It is also possible that you are simply fighting more than you are able to afford. Many Union players are pretty conservative in 1861, preferring to take the NM hits from the Manassas and March on Richmond events rather than incurring the very high losses necessary to force their way through to those costly objectives. Trying to do too much too early can be a trap, as it is easy to lose so much in NM that your production and combat effectiveness drops to a level in which you cannot sustain momentum in the field. If you get too far behind the curve early, it is all too easy to fall into a downward spiral.

It would be helpful to see a few screenshots from consecutive turns showing the stacks in question and the F2 screens. We would be much better able to diagnose and recommend solutions with more info to go on.

[thebull0425]

Ok, so forming units that I move prior to getting the message saying that training is completed will always end up short men. Usually it's like a Brigade with two infantry and one cavalry for example where maybe saying the cavalry is short, or a conscript unit is short. From what you are telling me, I should leave them where they are until they are at full strength.

As an aside, I only fought one battle at Manassas........and lost. Most of the fighting I do is in Missouri and it's usually small scale stuff. It was a bloodbath at Manassa, and I haven't moved the unit since, letting it replenish in Alexandria.

So, early in the game, is it a good idea to keep a constant flow of new units, just no a full screen full of them.

Umm, how do I print screen in game?

A thought occurred to me, I did change my attrition settings, might this be what is doing that?

I apologize, just trying to figure out when I recruit new units, and they for the most part are missing some of their men.

[Captain_Orso]

Ok, so forming units that I move prior to getting the message saying that training is completed will always end up short men. Usually it's like a Brigade with two infantry and one cavalry for example where maybe saying the cavalry is short, or a conscript unit is short. From what you are telling me, I should leave them where they are until they are at full strength.

You cannot move a unit which has not completed being trained. It is locked until the appropriate time--a tool-tip on the unit in the Stack Panel or on the map will tell you this; also on the unit on the purchase page--, unless the unit is involved in battle and survived.

As an aside, I only fought one battle at Manassas........and lost. Most of the fighting I do is in Missouri and it's usually small scale stuff. It was a bloodbath at Manassa, and I haven't moved the unit since, letting it replenish in Alexandria.

So, early in the game, is it a good idea to keep a constant flow of new units, just no a full screen full of them.

The Union gets two "armies" with understrength units--two of the units in the first division stack are missing elements too, 1st and 2nd Bde IIRC (put them inside Alexandria each in their own stack in PP for them to receive the missing elements--. The units in Alexandria, because it has a depot, will probably receive the most replacements. AFAIK it makes no difference to receiving replacement points whether a unit is in DP of PP. PP only makes a difference if an element is missing.

The second army is Paterson's in West Virgina. You will have to move this to a region with a depot for them to start receiving more than just a trickle of replacements.

You should be purchasing the units you need that you can afford. It makes no difference if the display on the <F2> War Production page is full or not. The only issue with that page is that it doesn't scroll properly if it is full.

Umm, how do I print screen in game?

If you mean, how do you take a screen-shot, either use the snipping tool from windows or a third party app like Greenshot--which I can highly recommend. I would also recommend uploading them to a good picture host like Photobucket and then add a link from there to the forum. PB provides a link in BBC--code for the forum--format that you just have to copy into your post at the position you want to have an illustration.

A thought occurred to me, I did change my attrition settings, might this be what is doing that?

Historical attrition will increase your losses during movement, if your stack doesn't have abundant supplies, and sometimes in poor weather at all. It will also restrict replacements be received if you are not resting the unit(s) in question in a fort, depot or large city, region. BTW, they must be stationary for them to receive any replacements at all.

I apologize, just trying to figure out when I recruit new units, and they for the most part are missing some of their men.

You'll get it down with practice. It just takes time to learn all this stuff. Eventually it will become second nature and you won't have to think everything through in detail all the time.

[thebull0425]

Are there default settings for the ai and player that people use aside from what the game has set?

Supply, I see in some cases that I take a city, and that it takes time for supply to accumulate. Specifically in kansas and missouri and the west, do I need to build depots all over? Is that a good strategy regardless of where I am?

I apoligize for my steady stream of questions, I bought the gamw awhile ago, and have started playing it recently.

[Gray Fox]

Here's a link for Supply info:

http://www.ageod.net/agewiki/Supply

If you can build a flatboat in a region, that is the cheapest way to then construct a depot there. Otherwise you'll need a four element Supply Unit or an RGD. A secure line of depots with supply flowing through uncontested regions with high MC is necessary for your field armies to operate without severe attrition.

The forum is for questions like yours, so no need to apologize.

[thebull0425]

I'm getting a handle on supply. What is still baffling me is the whole replacement thing. It's driving me crazy (lol) that when I create new units, they are short men, and never seem to get to full strength, even putting them in passive mode. I had the replacement setting to 15%, but I decided to change that to manual because it didn't make any difference. I had a unit that was red everywhere, put it in passive, and in a city with a depot and it never replenished. I am playing as the Union by the way.

[Captain_Orso]

Units being built do not use replacement points from the replacement pools. Their CC's are allocated from your pool of CC's--at the top of the map--at the time the are purchased.

When you buy a new unit by dropping it onto the map it starts the next turn generally missing a large number of hit-points--exceptions could be flatboats, rangers and militia. Over their build times--tool-tip on the unit tells you how long they still need in days to complete training--they will take on more and more hit-points at a rate, depending on the unit-type, and corresponding to each elements standard build time. Some elements in a unit will complete quicker that others; infantry quicker than cavalry, cavalry quicker than artillery. These units remain locked in place, unless attacked, until all elements in the units have completed training, at which time they unlock automatically.

If the units you are building have completed training, but are still missing a significant number of hits at that time, they must be losing those hit-points during their training period.

Are you getting messages stating that such-and-such a unit or stack has taken hits do to weather or lack of supply?

[thebull0425]

I will have to take a look at the messages, or at least pay more attention. Having said that, typically no, I have not seen those messages. But I will see let's say a unit that has 2 regiments, one has 600, the other has 570, and it never gets to the full 600.

Having said that Captain Orso, or anyone, do you manage your own replacements, or do you set it to the max which is 15% that the AI will do.

[ArmChairGeneral]

I always manage my own replacements, and never use the auto-replace setting.

[thebull0425]

I'm actually finding that managing my own replacements is far more efficient and effective than allowing the computer to do it for me. I have changed to that

[DrPostman]

I'm actually finding that managing my own replacements is far more efficient and effective than allowing the computer to do it for me. I have changed to that

That's the best way. Otherwise you find replacement for heavy artillery being
paid for by the automated system, and that's a waste of WS and money.

[Captain_Orso]

Auto-Replacements only automates the purchasing of replacements at the quantity you selected. For example, if you have 100 line infantry units in the game and have AR set to 15%--that would equate to 15 line infantry chits--, the game engine will purchase how ever many are missing of those 15 automatically. After that replacements are distributed normally.

This does not in anyway influence replacements distribution beyond the availability of replacement CC's.

BTW if you have a two regiment brigade with one regiment missing only 1 hit I would not worry about that in the least. Put it into the field and get on with it. You have far more important things to contend with.

[thebull0425]

Well, it seems between purchasing my own replacements and putting them in passive mode that my units for the most part are coming out full.

As an aside, can you purchase chits you don't have in the F2 menu? For cavalry for example, lets say it tells me I have 6 chits missing, but no replacements. Can I still purchase them?

Also, it seems I can speed up the creation of units by purchasing chits, or am I getting this wrong?

[Captain_Orso]

Well, it seems between purchasing my own replacements and putting them in passive mode that my units for the most part are coming out full.

Read first this AGEWiki: Replacements and then this AACWWiki: Losses and replacements.

Units in PP do not receive more replacement points, they receive a higher priority for receiving replacement points.

The number of replacements an element might receive in a turn are listed in the AACWWiki page, which take precedence, as it is game specific.

As an aside, can you purchase chits you don't have in the F2 menu? For cavalry for example, lets say it tells me I have 6 chits missing, but no replacements. Can I still purchase them?

Of course you can. Actually I would suggest turning auto-replacements off completely and only purchasing replacements through the <F2> page. You will get a better feel of what's going on and have far more control over your resources.

Also, it seems I can speed up the creation of units by purchasing chits, or am I getting this wrong?

As I stated before, units purchased as reinforcements have absolutely nothing to do with replacements. Having dozens of extraneous replacement chits in your pools will not influence building new units at all, ever.

[thebull0425]

Thanks again Captain Orso, much appreciated. And to everyone that has responded.

This game is very addicting, lol, and questions pop up on occasion.

[Gray Fox]

FYI, in the composite picture I've made, the light infantry are used to demonstrate replacements (the third box on the top).

In the top pic, by placing the cursor on the icon to the left of the "33", I get a menu that "33 hits are missing in elements using this replacement chit". Also, since zero chits are available, the "33" is in red.

In the center pic, by placing the cursor on the NATO symbol for the light infantry, I get another menu with info telling me what each single chit for the light infantry costs, as well as the max number allowed, etc.

In the bottom pic, by leaving the cursor over the NATO symbol, I then left click 5 times creating that many replacement chits.

Both new units and replacement chits use dollars, conscript companies and war supplies. So, you can have more of these resources for one by using less for the other.

[ATTACH]34677[/ATTACH]

[Captain_Orso]

That's a very good illustration of how replacements work

There's only one thing I would add. The number of CC's necessary to buy a chit is not equivalent to the number of hits it can replace. 1 chit will replace the number of hits an element of that type has when full strength.

line infantry : 20 hits : 10 CC to purchase a chit
light infantry, militia and volunteers : 15 hits : 8 CC
skirmishers : 10 hits : 7 CC
US artillery : 12 hits : 3 CC
CS artillery : 8 hits : 2 CC

[Gray Fox]

Danke, Herr Hauptmann!