Unit XP

[Wehr Wulf]

Hey, do any of you ever successfully get your unit to get max experience chevrons?
I normally get units to 3, MAYBE 4 then it stops. I guess its because replenishing units with fresh recruits lowers their xp level?
Should I only be consolidating experienced units?
Is it even worth worrying about?

[kingofrome15]

What I would expect is that the higher level of experience the harder it is to gain the next one. It is possible to get the higher ranks but you need a very very good K/D ratio with that unit. Personally I've found either cannons or elite units are the only ones to get high experience.

[Insaniac]

No. I think the max you’ll realistically get is 5 on some arty and cav units.

[hastatus]

Originally posted by Steven Seagal:

No. I think the max you’ll realistically get is 5 on some arty and cav units.

There is so much babying and micromanagement involved in maxing out a unit's experience that is borderline not worth the effort. Maxing an artillery is fairly doable, I managed to get 6 chevrons here and there. Units don't gain experience from taking casualties and this is what they do, they buy you time for your arty to mow them down. Especially on the harder difficulties.

[Insaniac]

Cavalry and artillery are both fairly simple. Cavalry just needs to chase down routed infantry, and artillery just needs to do its job and not be put at risk.

[hastatus]

Originally posted by Steven Seagal:

Cavalry and artillery are both fairly simple. Cavalry just needs to chase down routed infantry, and artillery just needs to do its job and not be put at risk.

Yeah, just don't forget about enemy's hidden units, stakes and god knows what else.

[Insaniac]

That’s true. The cavalry requires you to play conservatively, for sure. Personally, I don’t usually bother with getting too much xp on cav. I chase down routers, but I accept that cavalry usually sustains heavy losses in the course of a battle.

[hastatus]

Absolutely.

Line infantry for the win. The ones who take the most casualties, get the least xp, do most of the work and win the battles.

[Insaniac]

I’ve seen some veteran units hit 3xp. Lately I’ve been experimenting with avoiding replenishment and replenishing units via merging. The idea being that these depleted 25% strength units will combine to form a 100% strength unit with a lot of xp.

[hastatus]

Originally posted by Steven Seagal:

I’ve seen some veteran units hit 3xp. Lately I’ve been experimenting with avoiding replenishment and replenishing units via merging. The idea being that these depleted 25% strength units will combine to form a 100% strength unit with a lot of xp.

Pretty smart.

[Insaniac]

Logistically taxing, but worst case scenario I’ll have tried it and decide not to repeat it in future campaigns.

[hastatus]

Originally posted by Steven Seagal:

Logistically taxing, but worst case scenario I’ll have tried it and decide not to repeat it in future campaigns.

How is it working out so far?

[pgeerkens]

Originally posted by Steven Seagal:

I’ve seen some veteran units hit 3xp. Lately I’ve been experimenting with avoiding replenishment and replenishing units via merging. The idea being that these depleted 25% strength units will combine to form a 100% strength unit with a lot of xp.

I've done this most of my time playing the game. I do it primarily for the purpose of building a garrison stack, with the accumulation of XP a beneficial side effect. Even then it's rare to get any Line Infantry above 4 chevrons. The AI will target the highest chevron units it can, and each additional chevron is roughly twice as hard to obtain as the previous. Only my early 12 lb long guns and howitzers ever get into the 6 or 7 chevron range (4 chevrons and 2 or 3 dots).

In passing: a garrison stack, of unit fragments all between 10 and about 18 strength points, is a huge economic boon through the middle game, It costs a tiny bit early on to accumulate - then pays for itself many times over in just the first time one immediately relieves a battle stack one turn after capturing a Faction Capitol Region. If one can get a couple or three dragoon fragments in there as well, even better.

[Insaniac]

Originally posted by hastatus:

Originally posted by Steven Seagal:

Logistically taxing, but worst case scenario I’ll have tried it and decide not to repeat it in future campaigns.

How is it working out so far?

Eh…I haven’t really met any AI factions that have put up much resistance yet, thus my casualties have been minimal, so I haven’t really had any units get a ton of XP or take a ton of losses. It’s saved me a bit of money on replenishment.

[LeChevalier88]

I use light infantry and skirmishers to chase routing enemy infantry as well, when the battle outcome is almost or already clear. If I have some cavalry done with their chasing, I send them to block the retreat path of enemy infantry, so my infantry can get more kills. I try to do the same with my line infantry when possible, but it's harder because of their running speed. My light infantry and skirmishers also get more kills due to their accuracy, shooting at passively defending infantry. Clearly, they almost always get more veterancy.