Creating Brigades

[FortyEighter]

Question: I have 3 Militia Regiments in a Division. Can I create a Brigade with these 3 Regiments, or do I have to add them to existing Brigades?

[arsan]

For what i know, you can only combine militias in pairs, creating a sort o mini-brigade with lousy power (29-30).
Useful to defend some city against cavalry raids, repair railroads... but not much to active front line service, unless you have no other option.
I think this militias can also automaticaly promote with time (and at no cost) to conscripts and then regulars, becoming more useful.
But i don´t know the exact system of this promotions.
You can´t add regiments to existing brigades. Only leaders.
Cheers

[SiTheSly]

If you select say three units and then get the tooltip for the greyed out combine units (second tab and with +sign) it lists the maximum TOC.

In the case of militia as arsan says you can create a brigrade of two militia which can be promoted to line.

Militia regiments are 750 strong while line are 1000. This is why the replacements needed for line can increase dramatically since all your old militia are now line but 250 short of full strengh.

It is marginally cheaper per line regiment in war supplies to get the unit via militia upgrade but costs more $ overall.

[FortyEighter]

Thanks for the quick answers.
So, creating a Brigade manually isn't possible? ( even if it's 3x Line Infantry )

[arsan]

No, you can´t.
You buy or recive brigades alrrady built of differetn sizes and with different mix of regiments inside (infantery, cavalry, zouaves, artillery...)
The brigade is the basic unit, but its make up of diferent element (regiments/batteries...).
But... some kind of special units come ina a just one element flavour, to simulate his historical use or purposes: milita, independent cavalry, independent artillery, sharpshootres, partisans, garrisons...
It´s a design decision.
To my knowledge, the possibility of merging two militias is the exception.
Don´t really know why, but it´s ok with me.
Cheers!

[caranorn]

Just one note, those merged militias can once they've transformed to regulars reach strength of 43+, which is pretty nice for a 1 command point unit.

[swang]

Just one note, those merged militias can once they've transformed to regulars reach strength of 43+, which is pretty nice for a 1 command point unit.

get 2 of em, send them out with a commander, and you have a very decent raiding force. Or a coastal occupation force.

[Carrington]

The early-game 3-regiment Volunteer brigades seem also to be mergeable with 1-regiment sharpshooters or militia.