a few more questions...

[RickR]

So, I'm on my 4th day with MotE and have learned a lot, especially from reading this forum. I have a few more questions that I can't seem to answer.

1. I'm in Spain and after some hard battle I will have a unit go to a strength level of zero (0). It seems that even if I put the unit back into Portugal or England that it will not recover and I end up deleting it and purchasing a new one. Am I doing something incorrect?

2. Why is it that some provinces that I conquer in Spain revert back to Spanish control as soon as I leave them? How long do I need to stay in them or what do I need to do to keep them under my control so I can move forward? I realize that Forts have to be sieged but the small towns will change to my control as soon as I enter them then change back as soon I leave and I can't plan or continue my conquest until I know what is going on here and what to do about it.

3. Recon cavalry - what in the world am I doing wrong?!?!? I use light cavalry with highest evasion and faster speed ratings. I turn on the 'avoid battle' setting but it seems that they always get blind-sided and get the crap kicked out of them. I use 8 brigades with all 4 officers assigned. I think I might be playing too fast (level 4) and the Spanish are on me before I can react.

4. Where does one find out the special traits for the units. For example, Marine appear to have the same ratings as Infantry (except the are only a 1800 man unit) and I wrongly assume that since they are Marines that amphibious assault of a province would go much faster but no-joy. So, what so special about them that I would buy them over regular line infantry. Where does one find out what 'special traits' a unit has?

Kind regards,
Rick

 

[unmerged(703992)]

1. A unit will recover in a home nation core province but only if you have manpower available. If you want to get these units back quickly try switching off the "allow reinforcement" option to all other units so that all manpower will got to the damaged/destroyed ones.

2. Most provinces come without a town or city to be captured, however they will have in effect a regional city/fortress capture this and they won't revert when you next march through them, alternatively leave a supply guard (there is an option in the army action bar for this) in the province.

3. Units have a chance to evade but it's not a cast iron guaranteed success, you can however increase evasion through one of the ideas. When at war I'd never usually play above speed 3, and I'd usually only do that when the enemy is pretty much crushed or I'm sitting on long siege duty. In the main I think of speed 4 and 5 as peace time settings.

4. Units don't have special traits but having certain units allows certain battlefield tactics, mostly units are in for flavour and I think marines for when you are just a little short on buying that last unit you need for your 150,000 strong doom stack

 

[RickR]

Thanks, Pigbin!

So, "A unit will recover in a home nation core province"... I seems to me that the units recover much more quickly if I move them back to England than they do in Portugal, right? I get some reinforcement in Portugal but seems much be faster at the 'home nation's core province.' That's good information. Also, thanks for tip of turning off 'reinforcement' option on other units. I didn't think of that...

Yes, I need to slow down the game during warfare. I realize that now.

Question: Using Light Cavalry for recon...Since I am playing Britain, I don't have a lot of decent officers so I was wonder what would happen if I assign just one officer in the top slot to the Recon Cavalry and place all the units (3-4) under him in the 'Reserves' slot. Would that work? In theory it seems like it would but...

I currently having my best game as finally know enough to be dangerous to the enemy and not my men. I got into with the French and Spanish and killed them by the bushel (for a change) I lost about 30-35K but they lost at least 200,000 between them. I think Spain is finished and all need to do now is mop up. - Rick

 

[Wardok]

well things tend to go South if you mess with France as spain. sure Spain is a powerhouse but nowhere near France who have superior numbers, superior troops and superior ideas/Tech research rate

 

[StephenT]

Just to clarify #2:

Yes, provinces without forts or towns only stay under your control if you have troops physically standing in the province. Spanish peasants aren't suddenly going to become loyal Englishmen just because an English cavalry regiment marched through their village two weeks ago...

The exception is if you control a fortified town. That will stay under your control - you're assumed to leave a garrison behind even if you don't station any actual brigades there. Also, any non-town province adjacent to your controlled town and not adjacent to an enemy controlled town will not flip control if you move through it without leaving troops behind. Patrols from the fortress keep the local peasants in line.

#3 any particular reason why you're combining your recon cavalry into a large force? A single regiment will cover just as much ground as four, will be no more or less survivable if the enemy do catch it, and is a smaller loss if it does get caught.

#4 Most different unit types in the game are purely there as colour; they don't have special traits.
They do have their historically correct uniforms though!

 

[RickR]

StephenT,

Thanks for the explanation on controlling provinces; it actually makes sense.

"A single regiment will cover just as much ground as four, will be no more or less survivable if the enemy do catch it..."
I actually came to that conclusion also. there is no sense in putting 4 brigades into one unit because they are not suppose to fight but evade and, like you said, they cannot survive contact so better to just use one. Besides, in this manner, one can cover 4X the ground. Thanks! - Rick