LCU replacements and experience drop

[Yaab]

I noticed a few times in China, that after having taken replacements, the experience of an LCU, who took the replacements, drops a bit i.e from 35 exp to 33 exp.

Is there any formula for this? Do replacements arrive with a variable national exp level just like the pilots for air groups?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Yaab


I noticed a few times in China, that after having taken replacements, the experience of an LCU, who took the replacements, drops a bit i.e from 35 exp to 33 exp.

Is there any formula for this? Do replacements arrive with a variable national exp level just like the pilots for air groups?

Yes. Alfred has said that replacements can reduce experience levels. I am not sure there is a set "national experience level" or if they get a random experience level within a certain range before they are added to the LCU. Some of the Indian units start out with an experience level of 5!

[Yaab]

I had this thought today about Chinese LCUs.

China's national level experience for LCUs is 45 points. There are some LCUs there at start which have 45 or 50 exp, but lack many devices in their TOE, mostly Chinese rifle squads. So those experienced LCUs take new devices and now their experience drops! Thus, in China, you actually have to have 100 prep points AT ALL TIMES in order to constantly train replenished LCUs to their national experience level. If you often switch preparation points for another base and your prep is mostly in 0-99 range, and you take replacements, you will be constantly under the national 45 experience points.

[BBfanboy]

I think the "national training level" is the highest level you can achieve without combat. So new squads can arrive with very low levels and have to be trained up that high.

You do have to manage your prep if you want to get the experience levels to climb. I don't change prep unless I expect to keep the LCU in the new target base for a considerable time and fight battles there. If it is just for garrison duty, leave the original prep so the experience levels can increase.

Someone else also mentioned stockpiling the Chinese combat squads and allowing support squads so that the disabled infantry squads can be brought up to active status. Then turn on the combat squad replacements for a turn to receive more recruits, and shut it off again right after. Unless you stockpile in the pools, you can still get unwanted combat squads coming into your unit regardless of "no replacements" being set. I.E. when the pools get full, the AI will push devices out to the field.

[RangerJoe]

For the Chinese LCUs, don't take infantry replacements unless there are a lot of supplies available. Think India where those LCUs that can be bought out should go for some weight training. Think of the full strength Chinese LCUs backed by Commonwealth tanks and artillery with Allied air cover. [:D]

That said, once the experience gets over 50, then start taking the replacements since I believe that units with 50+ experience have one less die roll to try and pass for good results in combat.

[Yaab]

Thanks, guys!

I think there may be a downward spiral for Chinese exp levels.

Consider, 45 exp LCU takes replacements. Exp drops. If LCU has 0-99 prep, experience is not trained again to 45 exp. At 100 prep, you have a chance to gain missing exp point up to 45 exp. So far so good.

However, in my restarts in autumn 2018 I was not able to gain missing exp points when a 100%-prepped unit was in a base which was reconned from air by Japs. You can read it here:

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.a ... ey=�

Assuming you only gain missing exp points when LCU is sitting in a hex/base with no Jap presence (air, LCU, TF bombardment), you will not regain those exp points on the frontlines. And since land combat in China involves huge stacks with several or even dozens of Chinese units, the training is then stopped ON MASSE.

Thus, if my theory is right, those Allied players who where defeated in China and finally lost Chungking in a siege, should have units in Chungking with pretty low exp levels, in 35-45 exp range at most.

Can any of you post a screenshot with the LCUs list (Chinese infantry only) from your last stands at Chungking? I am curious if you had any infantry unit with 46 exp or more. Much obliged.

[RangerJoe]

Units gain experience in combat. Just don't take replacements for those units.

[Yaab]

Think I have found a solution if you are under national exp limit.

First, try to get your unit to 100% prep.

Once you the unit has 100% prep, set its Replacements to ON.

The unit now takes replacements thus lowering its experience level. However, since the unit is at 100% prep, the unit will simultaneously try to regain its missing exp points. Thus, each turn three is chance you lose 1 exp points owing to new replacements, and you can gain 1 exp point due to the unit being prepped 100%. So, if your Chinese inf corps, prepped 100%, starts the replacement process at 35 exp, it should, ideally, finish the replacement process at 35 exp also.

So in China, being 100% prepped is doubly beneficial. At start, units under 45 exp get a chance to earn exp points up to 45 exp cap, and later throughout the war, being at 100% prep means the units will retain their national 45 exp while taking replacements.


IDEAL CHINESE LCU SITUATION:

-get prep to 100%
-get national exp to 45 points
-go to a base which has 20,000 supplies at all times, probably Chungking
-divide the unit into ABC, set replacements to ON, set ABC to Rest
-each day you should receive a maximum of 18 devices for ABC (each subdivison gets 6 devices per day at max)
-each day, you may you lose 1 exp points due to replacements, and you may get 1 exp point due to being 100% prepped under 45 exp
-you should finish your replacements cycle with a fully healed 45 exp infantry corps with around 750 AV strength

Oh well, the ideal...