What are the cons of foraging ?

[timurlain]

Hello, I have so far only encountered the pro's of foraging in the rules, which makes me wonder why would I ever not forage. Is there a reason not to ?

[Franck]

You'll loose troops if you have to much troops in the same region

[Gil R.]

Exactly. Always look to see how many men a province can support for foraging, and then look at the size of your army there. If the second is greater than the first, either build a depot or move out of there, or prepare to lose some men.

[timurlain]

Ok. I understood that you will lose man if not supplied.
Let me clarify my question a bit more.

Units can have the forage button on or have the supply button on.
What are the exact implications of that ? If the rule is to always forage when you can, click the supply when you have too many troops in a province, than the button isn't much of a decision button, but more of micro-management do not forget me button. I am assuming it is not.

Why would I want to change to supply stance if unit could be
supplied by foraging ?

PS: Thank you for answering me previously.

[Russian Guard]

ORIGINAL: timurlain

Ok. I understood that you will lose man if not supplied.
Let me clarify my question a bit more.

Units can have the forage button on or have the supply button on.
What are the exact implications of that ? If the rule is to always forage when you can, click the supply when you have too many troops in a province, than the button isn't much of a decision button, but more of micro-management do not forget me button. I am assuming it is not.

Why would I want to change to supply stance if unit could be
supplied by foraging ?

PS: Thank you for answering me previously.

Foraging units also do not receive reinforcements. So if a Division is understrength, you can't reinforce it without being in supply.

[ericbabe]

Yes, foraging units don't receive replacements from draft, and they receive fewer supply caissons in detailed battle and have a combat penalty in quick combat.

The forage button is used to override the presence of local supply and instead forage.  So if you have a depot and some units adjacent to it, in order to prevent those units from receiving supply from the depot (and thus costing money and using some replacements from your draft pool) you can put them on forage using the button and then they will ignore the supply.  (I should say, I believe that is how it works... I did entertain several requests at one point to allow forage-ordered units in-supply still to receive replacements but not consume forage, but I don't *think* we changed the rules this way.)

[timurlain]

Thanks to both of you for claryfing this. I am slowly getting into this game ...