disbanding / reconstitution

[gwgardner]

Reading the documentation for the American Civil War scenario, I noted a feature that I wonder if it can apply to any scenario in TOAW: disbanding a unit in order that it will later be reconstituted with better equipment or proficiency.

Could someone explain if that is available in all scenarios, or only through an editor setting? And how would a player know when to do it?

[Raindem]

That is something that would have to implemented by the designer. It's not standard behavior. The scenario briefing should explain any disbanding rules intended by the designer.

But I don't think proficiency increases with reconstitution. Unless something's changed, my understanding of proficiency is that it is set by the designer and then goes up as battle experience is gained. If the unit is untried, then during the first battle it fights I believe it's proficiency is randomly adjusted from the start level. So the effects of experience and randomization might be what you are seeing instead of an intentional increase in proficiency through disbandment.

Unless... the designer is introducing a brand new unit through events triggered by disbandment. In that case any unit changes could be accomplished. Still, it should be specified in the briefing.

[gwgardner]

Thanks, here's what the scenario notes say:

Disbanding is allowed in this scenario (except for POW camps). It is a vital part of the scenario to disband infantry and cavalry when practicable in order to train the units up to higher proficiencies. Most infantry and cavalry start with very low proficiencies and will have to be disbanded three or four times before they have drilled enough to be considered good troops.

[The Land]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

Thanks, here's what the scenario notes say:

Disbanding is allowed in this scenario (except for POW camps). It is a vital part of the scenario to disband infantry and cavalry when practicable in order to train the units up to higher proficiencies. Most infantry and cavalry start with very low proficiencies and will have to be disbanded three or four times before they have drilled enough to be considered good troops.

Haven't looked at the scenario but it sounds a lot to me like there is event coding going on here.

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

Thanks, here's what the scenario notes say:

Disbanding is allowed in this scenario (except for POW camps). It is a vital part of the scenario to disband infantry and cavalry when practicable in order to train the units up to higher proficiencies. Most infantry and cavalry start with very low proficiencies and will have to be disbanded three or four times before they have drilled enough to be considered good troops.

A weird way to do it but there is some method to his madness. Upon reconstitution, the unit is filled out via the pools. That equipment has its proficiency determined by the Force Proficiency. So, if the Force Proficiency is much higher than the original unit proficiency, you would get the effect he's describing.

[gwgardner]

I wonder how long after disbanding the unit returns to the game. I guess I'll just have to try, and will put the scenario on my list.

[Raindem]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
A weird way to do it but there is some method to his madness. Upon reconstitution, the unit is filled out via the pools. That equipment has its proficiency determined by the Force Proficiency. So, if the Force Proficiency is much higher than the original unit proficiency, you would get the effect he's describing.

That's interesting. I would have thought it's the other way around, that the equipment going into the recostituting unit would assume the proficiency of the unit.

[Lobster]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

I wonder how long after disbanding the unit returns to the game. I guess I'll just have to try, and will put the scenario on my list.

One to four scenario weeks. That's quite a spread, eh?

[Lobster]

ORIGINAL: Raindem

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay
A weird way to do it but there is some method to his madness. Upon reconstitution, the unit is filled out via the pools. That equipment has its proficiency determined by the Force Proficiency. So, if the Force Proficiency is much higher than the original unit proficiency, you would get the effect he's describing.

That's interesting. I would have thought it's the other way around, that the equipment going into the recostituting unit would assume the proficiency of the unit.

Well it can be quite confusing and what is discussed above isn't exactly accurate. The manual says reconstituted units enter as untried. So they don't have a proficiency yet. And when they do become tried the proficiency is averaged by the Force Proficiency +/- 33%. So it seems to me whether or not you are better off is actually a crap shoot unless a unit has really horrible proficiency and the Force Proficiency is, for some bizarre reason, tremendously better than your unit's proficiency.

8.2.2. Unit Experience and Proficiency
The Proficiency of a Veteran unit (one that has
previously participated in a combat) is a known
quantity. This is not true of Untried units (those
with no combat experience). A unit’s actual
Proficiency is determined when it first participates
in combat, and can vary by as much as 33% (relative)
from the originally projected Proficiency.

8.5.1. Force Characteristics and Their Effects
Force Proficiency
(1-100%) – This represents the overall Proficiency
of the Force. This characteristic is used to
determine the length of your Turn. Reconstituted
unit Proficiencies are averaged with this value.

9.1.8. Replacements
If your Force is at full strength, Replacements
will automatically appear in the form of
reconstituted, previously-destroyed units built up
from replacement equipment. Reconstituted units
will appear “Untried” in an Urban location distant
from enemy units.

[Raindem]

I was not aware of what was contained in 8.5.1. Is the original assigned proficiency factored in at all during reconstitution?

[Lobster]

Not that I know of. There isn't really anything left of the original unit.