multiple generals

[sushidog]

I'm a little confused about how to utilize extra generals.

Say I have a Corps with a 3 star, and in the Corps are two divs, each with its own 2 star. What is the effect of giving the divs or the corps extra 1 star generals?

Also, what is the effect of having two 2 star generals in a division?

[Ugly Guy]

I generally play QC, so my take may be different than for detail combat. But as far as I know, a two star general's benefits is spread at a reduced rate to all of the brigades in his division. Whereas a one-star general in a division has his attributes assigned to a random brigade in that division before combat. The three-star works the same way as a two-star but it allows it at a corp level. A two-star general if assigned at a corp level will not have any of its attributes passed down to the lower heirarchy brigades. So if you are trying to maximize your leadership effectiveness, making sure each army has a four-star, each corp has a three star, each division has a two star, and every brigade is matched one for one with a one-star general.

On this note, I tend to "load" certain divisions. I will try to keep my best brigades (weapons, morale, attributes) in divisions with my best one and two star generals. I am not sure how much this effects things given the random walk QC's can take, but I'd like to think over the course of the many fights in the war that it will have a statistically significant effect.

[sushidog]

Interesting. I had been putting a 4 start with each army,  and a 3 star with each Corps, and a 2 star with each Div. As well, I'd put an extra 1 star in most divs. Never thought about putting a 1 star with each brigade.

But what happens when you have two 2 stars in the same div?

[terje439]

The same thing happens if you have 2x2 stars in a division, 2x3 stars in a corps or 2x4 stars in an army;

The commander is chosen alphabetically. So if you play the CSA with historical generals and move Lee into AoNV, remember to remove Beuregard (sp?), if you do not Lee will not be in command...
In detailed battles the excess 2/3/4 stars generals will be given a random brigade to command for the battle.

If you have one general for each brigade, every brigade will get a bonus to their damage, this can be seen by turning on the detailed combat report on the battlemap.


Terje

[sushidog]

Thanks for the heads up about the alphabetical precedence if the generals are at the same level. So it makes sense never to have two 2 star generals in the same division, even if all your divs already have a 2 star.

Do you automatically make your best generals 4 star and put them in charge of armies? Or is there a reason to leave an excellent general at a lower level?

Also, what about the role of teaching (or upgrading) brigades? As I understand it, a brigade is only upgraded by the highest ranked general in it's container. Does that mean that a brigade in a div in a corps in an army is only upgraded by the 4 star of that army? And therefore can never pick up some of the abilities of the div's 2 star or the corps 3 star?

Thanks for all the talk about generals, I can't seem to find all this stuff in one section in the manual.

[Ugly Guy]

Well for me it depends on who you define best generals. I usually play random stats, so I will generally never promote a general to 4-star status is he has a sub-par intiative rating. AFAIK, the commanding general's intiative rating will effect the chances of a container moving (and in what order) during the movement phase. So if a general has a poor Initiative rating and Superb ratings elsewhere, I wouldn't put him in command of an army because I am not sure it will do the movement I am requesting, or in the time I need it to. This can be more disasterous than having the army led by someone who maybe has a superb initiative rating and good ratings elsewhere. I will take that same terrible initiative general and put him as a 3-star in corp container that is in an army container. But I would never give him an independent command.

[sushidog]

UG- That makes sense: make sure your best Init ratings are in your best top level containers.

Elsewhere I read in an AAR that the poster never demoted anyone, he just parked them somewhere. But what if the 4 stars you're given at the beginning of the game are low initiative. Surely you need to demote them in order to promote better generals? (I always use random ratings as well, but not hidden ratings).

[Ugly Guy]

I think some people like to do that. They will put them in forts with garrisons to give them a chance to raise the quality and give attributes to the garrison unit. Its certainly a valid strategy. The only problem comes with if you play random attributes or as the north and want to shuffle your commanding generals. Unless you use resources to build more army and corp containers, you don't have enough existing command slots to promote good generals without demoting quite a few, especially as the South. Of course, the downside would be that demoting generals makes you absorb an enormous support hit from the affected governor.

[Gil R.]

The alphabetical thing should have been in the manual, but was an oversight. The rationale is that we had to find some way to distinguish when two equally-ranked generals were in the same container, and that was as good as any. The second guy will not have an impact unless there is a unit to command -- so if you have a division with several brigades one 2-star will command and the other in combat will be attached to a brigade, just like a 1-star.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: sushidog

UG- That makes sense: make sure your best Init ratings are in your best top level containers.

Elsewhere I read in an AAR that the poster never demoted anyone, he just parked them somewhere. But what if the 4 stars you're given at the beginning of the game are low initiative. Surely you need to demote them in order to promote better generals? (I always use random ratings as well, but not hidden ratings).

I will degrade. With set stats, I will demote Polk, Bragg and a few two stars. I will not send my men into battle with inferior generals. Sure, it will cost me some political standings, but political standings does not win/lose the war, the armies does.
Again it depends upon play style, but initiative is not the number one stat with me no matter if I play detailed or quick combat, command and tactical ability are far more important imo. But then again I always play as the Confederacy and always try to fight as the defender, and never move more than one province per turn anyway.

Terje