Artillery and Cavalry in their own Divisions?

[The Prophet]

Title says it all, is it better to put all artillery or cavalry in one division under cavalry or artillery generals or is it better to spread them out along with infantry?

[Lonesomepoet]

I'd put cavalry on their own but artillery I put with infantry

[LCcmdr]

I combine typically 2 divisions of 2 army + 1 arty with 1 div of arty only and 1 div of cav only. As I expand, I add a third infantry plus add a 5th combined div. I rarely combine cav with army.

[crono900]

So I typically have it either an Infantry army/corps or a Cavalry army/corps.

My infantry army/corps have 3 divisions with 3-4 infantry brigades each, and 1-2-divisions of foot-artillery with 3 batteries each (split between smoothbore guns and rifled guns) (2 divisions of artillery allow for easier concentrated fire depending on type of gun). Then I attach 1 cavalry unit to the army's/corps' HQ for scouting and screening.

My cavalry army/corps have pretty much the same layout but, instead infantry brigades I use cavalry brigades and instead of foot artillery, I use horse artillery. Also I attach an infantry brigade to the army's/corps' HQ for defending rally points and provide longer range fire.

I find attaching artillery batteries to infantry/cavalry divisions means that I can not move my divisions without moving the battery as well, unless of course I detach the battery from group formations. Detached units tend to take a longer to receive orders, as they aren't always near the Division HQ. So, with artillery batteries close together under 1 nearby division HQ, orders can be received faster While the infantry/cavalry division is on the attack or defense.

Edit: In answering your question, it is better to put them in there own division under an officer of their branch of service.

[LCcmdr]

Even as much as I love the mobility of cav drawn arty, artillery is painfully slow in moving!!!! I have my perceived best movement with one arty per 3 brigades of inf. Likewise, a div of 4 arty batteries move slowly, but well enough (over time) to participate. Artillery is king of the battle in one sense and nearly useless, in another--in checking my post battle stats, inf brigades far out pace even my best performing arty. Yet, canister is very demoralizing even if not killing many.

[crono900]

Originally posted by LCcmdr:

Even as much as I love the mobility of cav drawn arty, artillery is painfully slow in moving!!!! I have my perceived best movement with one arty per 3 brigades of inf. Likewise, a div of 4 arty batteries move slowly, but well enough (over time) to participate. Artillery is king of the battle in one sense and nearly useless, in another--in checking my post battle stats, inf brigades far out pace even my best performing arty. Yet, canister is very demoralizing even if not killing many.

In vanilla game, those killed vs those wounded by arty is not very accurate. I should mention that I increase the death rate of arty casualties by at least 20%. Here are the lines I change in unitprefs for battle deaths.

Dead ratio musket (standard)
0.15(0.1582)
Dead ratio artillery (solid)
0.5(0.75)
Dead ratio artillery (explosives)
0.2(0.35)
Dead ratio artillery (canister)
0.6(0.85)

The values in parenthesis are what I change them to, based on the research I have done on the medical records vs casualties of battle. I should point out that these do not effect the accuracy or the chance of getting hit by arty.

[drzom]

I like to attach one smaller battery of 12 lb Naps to each infantry division and have a division of full batteries of rifled guns. Once corps are reorganized I keep that mix the same at the corp level and add an army arty reserve as well as a division of cav that is attached to the army commander.

Early army cav I do not form in a division, rather two brigades attached to the army commander for scouting/ guarding flanks.

[Duke of Maryland]

Usually prefer to have divisional artillery (1 small battery of smoothbores), Corps artillery (either smoothbores or long range) and Artillery reserve for the Army (basically the same as Corps but long range prefered.) if I can.

Cavalry, I usually like to have it historical with either a cavalry division in the Army or Cavalry Corps. Small armies you can get rid of the Corps artillery and Cavalry corps/Division.

The reason I prefer to have an artillery reserve is that usually the commander likes to stay around there and picking a good location will ensure that order delays aren't a problem. It's usually better to attach Cavalry to a division because of order delays imo.

[The Prophet]

So basically what everyone is saying is that a Cavalry division for the most part is fine, but never have a purely artillery division and I should instead attach artillery to an infantry Division. And also attaching horse artillery to cavalry divisions is very useful.

Also yeah I play tested putting artillery and cavalry in their own divisions and the order delays were crazy. But then I've started using cavalry in more aggressive recon capacities.

[LCcmdr]

That's not my preference. I like having at least one div of arty batteries for every army, plus 1 arty per inf division. I also like 1 cav arty for every 3-4 cav brigades in a division.

I do need to rethink independent cav for scouting...

[The Prophet]

Originally posted by LCcmdr:

That's not my preference. I like having at least one div of arty batteries for every army, plus 1 arty per inf division. I also like 1 cav arty for every 3-4 cav brigades in a division.

I do need to rethink independent cav for scouting...

Ok, I get what you are saying, I will try this later

[drzom]

Originally posted by amc2004:

So basically what everyone is saying is ...never have a purely artillery division and I should instead attach artillery to an infantry Division.

I and others are saying that having an arty division is good, along with a battery attached to inf divisions.

[The Prophet]

Originally posted by drzom:

I like to attach one smaller battery of 12 lb Naps to each infantry division and have a division of full batteries of rifled guns. Once corps are reorganized I keep that mix the same at the corp level and add an army arty reserve as well as a division of cav that is attached to the army commander.

Early army cav I do not form in a division, rather two brigades attached to the army commander for scouting/ guarding flanks.

I will try this too. Never really added troops directly to army command before unless it's the Corp system.

[BookishBread]

I have experimented with just about everything mentioned and I have found that most of these ways can be successful and there really isn't a one size fits all solution.

I usually like to add one cav brigade to each of my corps even before i get the cav reform project, i do this to increase the intelligence gathered by my corps which helps me better plan my moves and react to my enemy's movements on the campaign map and avoid some otherwise nasty surprises.

After I reform my cav and army I will usually leave one cav brigade in my corps that stay independent simply for the Intel. Beyond that I put all my cavalry in there own corps some attached to an army some not. This decision is based on how I intend to use them. The corps attached to an army are usually a little smaller and I tend to move them around to try and reinforce my main army in battles as a mobile fighting force. Th cav corps that I make independent are larger and I like to use these against enemy corps that are isolated with low morale from a recent beating or just plain outnumbered. I have had a lot of success just mauling enemies doing this or at least keeping them from regrouping for a time.
(especially outside of the eastern theater where the campaign map is more open)

I put my artillery in there own divisions once I have at least three in a corps. I like the lower order delays as well as being able to concentrate their fire better. I will attach batteries to an army commander from time to time, these are either horse artillery or they have the close support perk. I use these as sort of a reserve to strengthen my line. I will create artillery corps but this is usually latter in the war and only when i can put them in a place where they can reinforce my main army with out being at risk of the first ones to make contact and thus potentially being on there own.

[Oubley]

Personally, with how mechanics are, I think 95% of time going to want artillery in it's own division, even if it's just 1 battery/unit of guns.

But the number you're going to want probably close to 1 per division of infantry.
I tend to only do 2-3 infantry divisions when I play union, haven't played csa enough to say what Iike.

At the army level I tend to attach a separate artillery division of couple units/batteries.

Cavalry wise, I tried to have 1 attached to a corps or army per "assault group" so I can scout.
anywhere from 2+ corps can form an assault group for me.

My defensive corps I don't bother as the enemy in theory will be coming to me.

Cavalry in it's own corps for scouting/raids quick town support/town grabs/building starts etc on the strat map. The are kind of a swiss army knife on the strategy maps for me

I tend to do at least 1 east cav corps, 1 "midwest/central" cav corps and 1 "west" cavalry corps.

I haven't played a game long enough timeline wise, but I'm sure I'll eventually build a 4th "gunrunning, daylight robbery, and general mayhem" cav corps for more cross border "friendly relations" and not so swissy.

[LCcmdr]

@Oubley: Yes, I've started using four or five cavalry only armies for quick slash and burn deep raids into enemy territory. British Enfield Muskatoons make larger cavalry brigades a serious threat, especially with a 400 yard range.