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I have a number of land combat units at my key forward bases which are well stocked with supplies. Many LCUs are full strength but morale is <40. not possible to string corps HQ to army HQ to theater HQ due to distance. I have one prong through Lucknow and the other through Madras. IJA has Jams...pur, Calcutta, India, Asonsol, Dacca, Chanpur. Where Japanese are concentrated, my forces are necessary split between the two axis.

Not sure how to improve morale, which is a prerequisite before I can attempt liberation of the blighted areas.

A larger base perhaps where they could recuperate.

Improving Morale:
&nbsp;- The unit should occupy a base
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; - Have sufficient supply at the base
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; - Have sufficient support squads (typically HQ and aviation regiments)
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- Have either disruption or fatigue (which is the one on top in the LCU screen?) reduced to zero
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- then Morale can improve by 0, 1 or 2 points per day (good leaders help)
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One thing that WitP actually does very well is simulate how units get disrupted in fighting and need to take pauses that are measured in weeks if not months to re-order.&nbsp; Of course, that respite is often just what the defender needs to recover disruption and build entrenchments, too, plus receive critical reinforcements.&nbsp;
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the appropriate frame of reference for a campaign on the subcontinent is not the atoll by atoll knife fights that the US fought against the Japanese, but something more like the Russian Front or North Africa where offensive campaigns were often preceded by months of preparation.

What makes a good leader when it comes to improving morale?

Morale recovers on a "die roll" and highly skilled commanders get bonuses at that compared to poorly skilled commanders. I haven't run rigorous tests, but I believe land skill plays a roll in how much combat wears away at morale. It is not so clear if it land skill or admin skill bears on morale recovery. Certainly my experience has been that units with the highly rated leaders seem more durable with respect to morale erosion and recovery.

I'm at about the same point. If a unit is low on morale I tend to try to get higher admin leaders and if they are going into combat I swap out for new leaders with higher land skill and aggression but can’t see any impact on morale, though the combat performance benefits from the higher aggression and land skill values. With air units I reckon it’s the leader’s inspiration that has the big positive impact on morale, so I’ve recently started selecting my land leaders for high inspiration to see if this has any effect. There is no doubt in my mind that long periods in combat and fatigue reduce morale and for some reason it always seems that artillery units have poor morale but maybe this is just coincidence. I also suspect Matrix might have coded victory as a positive factor for higher morale.