Problems I've had since the last patch

[ShaiHulud]

The naval improvement that is supposed to provide colonial militia seems to be totally inoperative. I've never received a single militia (as France or Russia). Since the cost of buying militia for my garrisons in conquered provinces increases the cost of all my actual combat units, I thought this would be a good improvement but, alas, it's just a waste of carefully hoarded naval improvement points.

I never realized how much I counted on the feudal units until they were gone. And they ARE gone. The last patch seems to have gone far overboard and, again, I've not received a single feudal reinforcement from any protectorate that was not already in existence when they came under my control. There's no way I can re-create the Napoleonic armies made up of the various minor nations since they've stopped providing any units. Depending solely upon France (and the few protectorates that already had units) for new units severely crimps army growth.

Privateers have no life, really. Unless you can slip by the various fleets into some peaceful backwater, such as the Black Sea, they'll be destroyed in no time. I typically lose a third of them just trying to run there. I have no suggestions to make, just those observations and that I don't even bother to create new privateers because they probably won't survive long enough to repay the cost of building them.

Merchants, on the other hand, lead charmed lives. Year after year goes by with merchants avoiding combat every turn, while they keep producing gold for my coffers. So, why am I complaining? Anyway, there's no way the French, or other, merchant fleets could operate in the face of the British at war, much less staying permanently parked, as mine are, in the Irish Channel, etc.

[Mus]

The Colonial Units upgrade actually gives infantry, not militia as it says.

And I think it is known that they went way overboard on the feudal levy and it is going to get bumped back up. There is no national feudal levy right now, nor levy from protectorates, although regional bonus units seem to still be showing up for the Confederation of the Rhine, Kingdom of Naples, etc.

Agree with you on Privateers and Merchants. Either both should be attacked by Frigates attached to containers or both should require detachment to be attacked.

Also Merchants shouldn't cut supply lines the way they currently do.

[Anthropoid]

I must have the last patch cause I'm able to continue with these PBEMS . . . Playing as Russia, I have continued to get my Feudal Levy units, so that problem may not be consistent across all nations. Fewer of them quite probably, but they still do show up.

Protectorates on the other hand: yes agree, I've never got a unit for Denmark, Norway, Transylvania, etc.

I have bought so few of those across the board upgrades I couldn't comment. I find that I spend most of my points on divisional upgrades.

Agree that naval side of the game requires further balancing in general, with the points you make about Frigates, Pirates, and Merchants being just one element of the whole.

[ShaiHulud]

ORIGINAL: Mus

The Colonial Units upgrade actually gives infantry, not militia as it says.

And I think it is known that they went way overboard on the feudal levy and it is going to get bumped back up. There is no national feudal levy right now, nor levy from protectorates, although regional bonus units seem to still be showing up for the Confederation of the Rhine, Kingdom of Naples, etc.

Agree with you on Privateers and Merchants. Either both should be attacked by Frigates attached to containers or both should require detachment to be attacked.

Also Merchants shouldn't cut supply lines the way they currently do.

Your second point brings up a quandary I have not solved. How does one form protectorates like the Kingdom of Naples, etc? Using F1 in game, it says that if I have the various required provinces under protectorate status the
bonus units will become available. Is it because of simple possession of them as protectorates or must I, somehow, declare those new protectorates into existence? And, thanks for your reply.

[Mus]

ORIGINAL: Anthropoid

I must have the last patch cause I'm able to continue with these PBEMS . . . Playing as Russia, I have continued to get my Feudal Levy units, so that problem may not be consistent across all nations. Fewer of them quite probably, but they still do show up.

My guess is you are getting Cossack infantry and cavalry only.

ORIGINAL: ShaiHulud
Is it because of simple possession of them as protectorates or must I, somehow, declare those new protectorates into existence?

Just having all the specified territories as protectorates and they appear automatically.

[Anthropoid]

ORIGINAL: Mus

ORIGINAL: Anthropoid

I must have the last patch cause I'm able to continue with these PBEMS . . . Playing as Russia, I have continued to get my Feudal Levy units, so that problem may not be consistent across all nations. Fewer of them quite probably, but they still do show up.

My guess is you are getting Cossack infantry and cavalry only.

Yeah, I think you might be correct Mus.