Armies useless until 1862 (corps allowed)?

[TulliusDetritus]

Like the other recent AGEOD games (Rise of Prussia, Revolution Under Siege) the Armies will NOT initiate combat (the manuals says it) => offensive posture (red, orange) impossible then.

So in theory the only military use: they can still defend a region (defensive posture) if an enemy unit enters the region and attacks (it should, as you should have 100% military control, forcing an offensive posture on your enemy).

But that's all. So if you create Armies with ALL your 3 star-bosses you are not using them on offensive duties (as they will NOT iniate combat). Ergo, your active forces should be necessarily lead by 2 and 1 star-bosses (less CPs = more penalties).

Is all of this more or less correct? [8D]

[Q-Ball]

Army stacks, led by 3*, can absolutely initiate combat. No problem.

The reason to use Corps is a) there is a limit to the command points in an army, and b) corps can coordinate, or "march to the sound of the guns" across multiple regions. This is handy.

I also think when you use Corps you can "stack" the leadership ratings a bit, as the Corps commander will contribute

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

Like the other recent AGEOD games (Rise of Prussia, Revolution Under Siege) the Armies will NOT initiate combat (the manuals says it) => offensive posture (red, orange) impossible then.

So in theory the only military use: they can still defend a region (defensive posture) if an enemy unit enters the region and attacks (it should, as you should have 100% military control, forcing an offensive posture on your enemy).

But that's all. So if you create Armies with ALL your 3 star-bosses you are not using them on offensive duties (as they will NOT iniate combat). Ergo, your active forces should be necessarily lead by 2 and 1 star-bosses (less CPs = more penalties).

Is all of this more or less correct? [8D]

Not really. The key is an army will not initiate combat if another friendly force is in the same province. So on their own, they will happily attack as opposed to commit their direct commands in support of another attack.

But, be careful here, a supply wagon detached and being sent back to replenish counts as 'another friendly force', so does a loan cavalry regiment being sent off to scout etc.

[wosung]

And don't forget non-activated leaders, like three-star generals with a strategic rating of 2 quite often use to do, won't attack.

[TulliusDetritus]

Many thanks for the answers [:)]

The key factor here (which I forgot) is that there must be one and only one stack on that region: the 3-star megaboss (an Army). Yes, a single miserable militia regiment would spoil everything.

Humm, locked garrisons (for example the one inside Alexandria) would spoil everything too then? If yes, that means let's say McDowell could not initiate combat on that region as long as the garrison will be there. And er, it is there to stay [:D] Correct?

[loki100]

not sure to be honest.

I think units in a structure don't count but I've never seen this situation. If an army moves into a province where a hostile army is besieging a fort, then I'd expect it to execute an attack (all other things being equal). I've never in other games (RoP and RUS) where this might happen, not seen this happen, so my instinct is being inside a structure removes the other force from the combat decision algorithm.