Weak troops?

[Vatarr]

It seems now matter how well I build my stack (Some reaching 700pwr) I lose every battle, to forces much weaker. Even when I suceed in every menuver. I just don't get the combat in this game it doesn't follow a common sense approach.

[76561198152164533]

Artillery is the key to winning battles. Make sure every corps has 2 artillery units, and then put a few extra into your army. Pay attention to the command penalty. If you have a 50% penalty you won't do well in combat. Make sure you put balloon, radio, and/or aircraft units into your army to bring penalties down. Try to place only corps into your army, with almost no loose units other than pioneers, medical, ammo, and supplies - those don't count against the command penalty. Lastly there are the commanders. If they suck they won't bring enough command to the party. It all adds up. I never use armies or stacks with more than single digit or slightly higher penalties.

[xScaramouchx]

Also attacking heavily fortified entrenchments is very difficult.

[Vatarr]

I play as the central powers and I'm always on the defensive because they all just rush me and I spend the first 10 turns fending off the invasions.. I always limit my Command points and never have penalties, In all my fortified 8 entrenchment I put a commander and just enough troops to fill the command limit, hoping that the enemy would attack that fortification but it ends up attacking another stack on the region and I lose. Does having divisions loose in the stack (not in a corp) give them a penalty?

[76561198152164533]

Yes, you can see the command penalty on individual divisions.

[Vatarr]

They just cost more command points? Or do they fight less effectivly too.

[Kensai]

Vatarr, if the conflict has reached an entrenchment level of 8, it is maxed out. In other words you have reached the dreadful static warfare France and Germany locked their horns in back in the days. It is almost useless to assault by now.

You better invest on technology and specialized units that come later in the game (1916+) like storm troops and tanks. The deadlock can only seriously break by then.

There is no penalty in loose divisions, but corps can profit from certain Generals abilities that apply to the elements attached to the unit. In almost all cases it is worth it max out the Command Points a good General provides. As long as you don't go to penalty zone...

Elements are the smallest "parts" of the army. They are like atoms, you will not be able to separate them to create independent units. Units are the smallest "parts" you can possibly isolate. Consider them like molecules. Last, you have stacks. These are combinations of units that move and fight together and can profit from a good commanding General (which in this case will be alone as unit, not attached to other elements). Corps-level Generals can combine with other elements and this is what you should usually do.

[Vatarr]

At the very start of the game you have level 8 entrenchment in the western front. (The garrison units with the bunkers) I just toss a commander in and fill it's CPs up hoping it will be attacked instead of my standing army with 0 entrenchment in the same region.

[Vatarr]

What really throws me off is that I can be playing a defensive battle with near the same amount of troops, and end up losing more than the attacking force.. History has taught us the attacker almost always loses more troops than the defender.

[Kensai]

Yes, I forgot about the garrison units cause you cannot move them around (unless attacked to be unlocked). Do not worry, the entrenchment level rises quickly enough as the months in game pass. After all, as Germany you need to attack as hard as you can in the beginning, before the static war kicks in. Especially if you choose the Schlieffen or Rupprecht plan.

I don't know the exacts of each battles, but do not calculate by Power value alone. It is a nice convenient gauge, but many little aspects change the final outcome. The other side might be made of "same power equivalence" troops made mainly of artillery. Artillery has the initiative (fires first) and the battle might be over before you even have a good chance to reply.

[76561198152164533]

Originally posted by Vatarr:

They just cost more command points? Or do they fight less effectivly too.

The penalty affects their cohesion and fighting capability greatly.

[BellyBDwarf]

Also: The Power-Rate is only a loose number to tell you in theory how strong the army is. I've seen 1500 Armies crumble against 300 Armies ... because the smaller were well entrenched and did have the better comand structure.

[Vatarr]

I'm trying to figure out how to best fit my army, I have several generals in the stack with 2 infantry divs and 2 medium arty in their control. I've also noticed you can put signals and medical units into a corp to fill up the 9 element cap on some of my corps that have 7/9 elements. Is this reccomended? I also have a corp with fighters in it and recon planes. Can anyone give me an example of an army structure.

[76561198152164533]

Don't bother putting anything but infantry and artillery into a corps. Here's an example of one of my armies from a current game:
{LINK REMOVED}http://i.imgur.com/Bzn4TEt.jpg
I took out all the ammo and supply units - there is no limit on them.

[Vatarr]

Also would you reccomend medium or heavy artillery, and what are the engineers or pioneer units for?

[76561198152164533]

Heavy artillery slows you down. I put them in a corps that shows up to lay siege. I mostly build and use medium.