Matrix Games Forums

Be interested in someone setting out some more basics on recruitment.

I'm playing PBEM and things going fair for CSA. NM is bouncing around 120. I've done Volunteer premiums at $1. Then Partial Mobilization.

It is now late 1862 and the bottom fell out of recruitment. Maybe 45 per turn. I've resort to Draft, but just wonder if I did something wrong. At the time Volunteer premiums were available for $1.5, I had enough coming in, so left it at $1. Now the Premiums option is not available and Draft Decisions appear my only option. I'm thinking I'm missing something here.

I'm also assuming the best route for Draft is to place them in areas with high control and loyalty. It does not appear necessary to put them in large population centers as you get the same amount regardless of where you place them?

Sounds about right.

Both the draft and premium options only appear periodically, so it will come around again. Always go highest amount with premiums, but make sure you have $$ set aside (for Union, usually $1500, not sure on CSA).

There is a good post here or on the AGEOD site about optimizing the premiums that seems to indicate that $1.5 is optimal, in a $ per Conscript ratio return.

That said, I'm just wondering if there is some rule of thumb on when to use the Draft Decisions, and any thoughts on where to place them generally?

I was playing my PBEM, and like a dummy thought we were using Automatic Replacements. So I just overlooked it for a year. Now I have a shortage of about 1000 Replacement points I'm trying to make up.

Also wonder if there is some analysis of whether it is best to just build new units or replacements for CSA? I know for USA there is a 50% reduction, so I'm guessing new units is the way to go. But with CSA I've not seen anyone run the math.

Buying replacements is always better than new units.

Use draft regional decisions on towns were the drop in loyalty won't hurt you much.