How do you organise your armies?

[Tibbles]

How many brigades per division, do you give each brigade the same weapon,uniform and traits? Do you detach cavalry or keep it part of a corps? What type of officers do you appoint?
I wonder what the optimal setup is
I am going to try only having divisions from the same state/region, with 4 brigades(2 line, 1 reserve and 1 light/zouave) in a division.

[Old War Dog]

First having a Four Brigade Division from the same State may be problematic taking into count number of available volunteers/conscripts, recommend a regional approach which allows quicker build with maximum Brigade size. I definitely try to include four or more Infantry Brigades into a Division and will always include at least one if not two Artillery batteries. This allows several tactical options (big shotguns in you lines is always a good idea when forming up your lines). Leadership carefully choose your leadership same region as your Brigades, include political leaders, trained professional officers, and veterans. I like to uniform my troops from state of origin, takes a little research to get that mix correct. I always make the Cavalry an independent Corps keeping them in close range to the main Corps/Army and do my very best to not allow Cavalry to independently get involved in combat but try to allow them to engage after first contact with Infantry/Artillery heavies. This being said keeping a Regiment or Brigade attached to the Corps/Army HQ is a good idea. Weapons best available, most range and best accuracy for infantry and cavalry units, artillery same principle but light weight for Horse, and heavy long range for the Division, Corps, and Army Artillery Divisions, (yes I do like a lot of Artillery in my organizations). Hope this helps. A lot of personnel and equipment involved in your perfect organizations, I just work toward the above goals.

[Mr. Breeze]

I agree with everything you say OWD, but I keep at least one cavalry brigade with every infantry corps for scouting on the tactical map

[superfluke128]

I use three infantry brigades per division. Artillery in its own division. I like to be able to control traffic so that my units get to where I want them in optimum time and condition. Four brigades blend together more in marching column than three. And artillery within a division is even worse. Not good when you are meeting the enemy and half of your army is snarled in traffic five miles back, losing cohesion and wasting time.

I also have grown to favor three brigades because at higher difficulties or with the AOM mod, morale is a bigger factor and it's easier to keep division commanders up close to their three brigades than four or more.

I don't worry about what state they are from (unless they are from low support states...mix these into more loyal brigades asap), but I want each division to have at least one upgraded rifle brigade.

I want the best leaders kept busy. If the brigade has one star of experience, its commander must have at least one. Leadership and experience are the factors I want in field command. Admin is nice for my training/recruiting armies. Cunning is always preferred with cav.

All that being said, I think you can play the game however it suits you and still achieve victory, for the most part.

[Jean]

3-5 infantry brigades with 1-2 batteries in each division.

In rare and special cases 2 brigades and 1-2 batteries. Or 6 brigades with 1-2 batteries.

I think moving all your batteries into their own divisions is lame and cheesy. I only do that with artillery reserve divisions.

[Mr. Breeze]

Originally posted by Jean:

3-5 infantry brigades with 1-2 batteries in each division.

In rare and special cases 2 brigades and 1-2 batteries. Or 6 brigades with 1-2 batteries.

I think moving all your batteries into their own divisions is lame and cheesy. I only do that with artillery reserve divisions.

You mean you don't put your artillery in their own divisions? I can't play with them mixed together. I don't want my artillery on the front line and it's way too much trouble to keep them off of it when they're in the same division unless you detach them. Then you have to deal with every battery independently. Nothing cheesy about it. Doing it your way is just plain dumb...

[Jean]

Originally posted by Mr. Breeze:

Originally posted by Jean:

3-5 infantry brigades with 1-2 batteries in each division.

In rare and special cases 2 brigades and 1-2 batteries. Or 6 brigades with 1-2 batteries.

I think moving all your batteries into their own divisions is lame and cheesy. I only do that with artillery reserve divisions.

You mean you don't put your artillery in their own divisions? I can't play with them mixed together. I don't want my artillery on the front line and it's way too much trouble to keep them off of it when they're in the same division unless you detach them. Then you have to deal with every battery independently. Nothing cheesy about it. Doing it your way is just plain dumb...

It's historical/immersive and it really isn't that hard, you just detach all your artillery and micro their deployment, it's not really that hard.

The benefits are that the batteries are often closer in the front lines with the infantry, so they shoot more accurately and thus deal more damage (they also take more damage but that's kind of their role as close infantry support batteries just like irl).

It's cheesy because you're employing a tactic the AI doesn't get to use themselves.

Not every artillery battery has to be apart of some grand battery formation.

But, to each their own.

[MrKunk]

When my economy can handle it I make 3 armies.. For example #1 The Army of Northeastern Virginia #2 The Army of the Ohio # The Army Of New York.. I make each Army Max out with 5 infantry Divisions each containing 4-8 brigades... 2 Cavalry Divisions each with 4 or more brigades. 2 Cannon divisions each with as many brigades as you can.. 100 rifled guns per each Army is a great minimum.

Army perks I suggest Medical corps, Flying column, And land torpedos..

Infantry brigade perks = Mostly Rapid Volley But some sharpshooters... Rapid volley on springfields / plains rifles. Sharpshooters on carbines and other fast rifles.

Cannon perks = Double canister shot or the sapper perk for fortification.

Cavalry = The melee perk... The funnest thing i've done in this game is watching my small cavalry brigades stomp whole enemy infantry brigades into the mud... Thousands at a time..

[MrKunk]

Originally posted by MrKunk:

When my economy can handle it I make 3 armies.. For example #1 The Army of Northeastern Virginia #2 The Army of the Ohio # The Army Of New York.. I make each Army Max out with 5 infantry Divisions each containing 4-8 brigades... 2 Cavalry Divisions each with 4 or more brigades. 2 Cannon divisions each with as many divisions as you can.. 100 rifled guns per each Army is a great minimum.

Army perks I suggest Medical corps, Flying column, And land torpedos..

Infantry brigade perks = Mostly Rapid Volley But some sharpshooters... Rapid volley on springfields / plains rifles. Sharpshooters on carbines and other fast rifles.

Cannon perks = Double canister shot or the sapper perk for fortification.

Cavalry = The melee perk... The funnest thing i've done in this game is watching my small cavalry brigades stomp whole enemy infantry brigades into the mud... Thousands at a time..

Also I like to make a small army somewhere safe Like Philadelphia and call it the New England Reserves... I transfer troops from the reserves to main armies then drag them to refill my brigades.. Then I recruit to the the reserve.. That way Armies Readiness isn't effected by recruitment... They only have a small transfer delay.... 3 to 14 days. Depending on distance.

[MrKunk]

Originally posted by MrKunk:

Originally posted by MrKunk:

When my economy can handle it I make 3 armies.. For example #1 The Army of Northeastern Virginia #2 The Army of the Ohio # The Army Of New York.. I make each Army Max out with 5 infantry Divisions each containing 4-8 brigades... 2 Cavalry Divisions each with 4 or more brigades. 2 Cannon divisions each with as many divisions as you can.. 100 rifled guns per each Army is a great minimum.

Army perks I suggest Medical corps, Flying column, And land torpedos..

Infantry brigade perks = Mostly Rapid Volley But some sharpshooters... Rapid volley on springfields / plains rifles. Sharpshooters on carbines and other fast rifles.

Cannon perks = Double canister shot or the sapper perk for fortification.

Cavalry = The melee perk... The funnest thing i've done in this game is watching my small cavalry brigades stomp whole enemy infantry brigades into the mud... Thousands at a time..

Also I like to make a small army somewhere safe Like Philadelphia and call it the New England Reserves... I transfer troops from the reserves to main armies then drag them to refill my brigades.. Then I recruit to the the reserve.. That way Armies Readiness isn't effected by recruitment... They only have a small transfer delay.... 3 to 14 days. Depending on distance.

I'll Take screenshots After I get the 3rd military policy on this campaign. Right now my armies are all independent and it just feels incomplete... lol

[Ole "Slim Jolo" the Hobo Hero]

I'm new to the title and probably making dozens of mistakes, and am only very early in the campaign starting 1862. Still, the volunteers I've raised in the west for Union are a mix of 2 infantry armies with a few brigades and 3 smaller Calvary organizations of about 750/500 size. Combined manpower is relatively low but we caught the Missouri State Militia of the CSA early enough that combined the main force scared them from northern Missouri all to the south, while the cavalry occupied the west. It seemed flexible...but theres a 30,000 strong CSA force now coming in return and I don't know how to organize everyone to confront them/get more brigades raised in time (also don't have the man power for 3000 size anymore).

I'm sure more manpower comes with more militia and etc policies? Right now it seems like CSA has larger armies but I have more total raised manpower (relatively close over all), mine is just a much more decentralized army that I feel like will get wiped once finally confronted minus the big armies in the east.

Also, to fully occupy territory as you advance, are you supposed to build forts so the land doesn't flip again if you leave? That's what the cavalry did advancing through Missouri, but it seemed to tank by credit to briefly below BB-

[Tibbles]

Originally posted by Ole "Slim Jolo" the Hobo Hero:

I'm new to the title and probably making dozens of mistakes, and am only very early in the campaign starting 1862. Still, the volunteers I've raised in the west for Union are a mix of 2 infantry armies with a few brigades and 3 smaller Calvary organizations of about 750/500 size. Combined manpower is relatively low but we caught the Missouri State Militia of the CSA early enough that combined the main force scared them from northern Missouri all to the south, while the cavalry occupied the west. It seemed flexible...but theres a 30,000 strong CSA force now coming in return and I don't know how to organize everyone to confront them/get more brigades raised in time (also don't have the man power for 3000 size anymore).

I'm sure more manpower comes with more militia and etc policies? Right now it seems like CSA has larger armies but I have more total raised manpower (relatively close over all), mine is just a much more decentralized army that I feel like will get wiped once finally confronted minus the big armies in the east.

Also, to fully occupy territory as you advance, are you supposed to build forts so the land doesn't flip again if you leave? That's what the cavalry did advancing through Missouri, but it seemed to tank by credit to briefly below BB-

Yes more manpower comes with more policies, you can also use a couple of projects to boost manpower a little bit. The AI seems to converge their armies rather well in a way that's difficult for the player to do.
It's only worth building forts in really important strategic areas imo, they are far too expensive. It's cheaper to raise an army to guard rear areas than to build a fort, which iirc what the union did historically. The war in the west is much more flexible and you can use the rivers/railroads to send reinforcements when necessary. As Union I'll build a supply/fort in places like Memphis, Vicksburg and a couple other places, and eventually just keep 2-3 armies of 20k or so hanging around behind the frontline when I get the manpower to do so. You can be a bit cheesy and wait for the AI to build depots/forts and just take them so you don't have to spend money on them.

[Oubley]

Corps:
My "assault" divisions I tend to do 5-6 Infantry only. (with how game mechanics are it seems like you need at least 4 minimum)
My "defense" divisions I tend to have 2-3 Infantry 1-2 artillery batteries (anvil)
At least 1 artillery division 2-4 batteries
Have 1 cavalry division per every 2-3 corps.

1 Cavalry corps for eastern theatre, western theatre, central theatre
-at least 1 cavalry division of about 5-6 units, sometimes 2

Armies:
1 artillery division 2-4 batteries
1 cavalry division 2-3 cav units
(sometimes 1 infantry division of 2-3 units)

My largest corps I think typically get to about 30k-35k or so (probably be larger if played longer but I tend to do the 1.5k and 2.25k builds a lot with 3k only sparringly).
Have anywhere from 1 to 3 infantry divisions

I like administration for corps/division commander for stats
I prefer leadership rating for brigade commanders

I Losely use the same states for the same corps, I tend to spread them out though between the divisions. This in theory limits the effect on support loss and also replenishment constraints.
Then again though I tend to make like 20th maine, Iron Brigade, type of units and tend to favor them with better weapons and they tend to see more of the action.

I have a first corps under reynolds and hancock as division commander and tend to try and use his division first, or have Sherman division under McDowell.

[MrKunk]

I Just uploaded screenshots of my armies before and after the corps system. If anyone is interested check them out.

[Old War Dog]

I mostly agree with all that is said in this thread, other than not putting Artillery Batteries in Infantry lines, saved the Union center on the third day at Gettysburg and both sides "historically" through out the War. so to say it's not fair to the AI means BS to me. For this wonderful game we need PvP to make the play realistic. I have yet to play with new AI upgrade, but almost every time the AI is dramatically upgraded requires a new start, which I am tired of doing, especially when this is advertised as a released game.

[Jean]

Originally posted by Old War Dog:

I mostly agree with all that is said in this thread, other than not putting Artillery Batteries in Infantry lines, saved the Union center on the third day at Gettysburg and both sides "historically" through out the War. so to say it's not fair to the AI means BS to me. For this wonderful game we need PvP to make the play realistic. I have yet to play with new AI upgrade, but almost every time the AI is dramatically upgraded requires a new start, which I am tired of doing, especially when this is advertised as a released game.

I'm having trouble understanding, so you agree with putting artillery in infantry divisions or you don't agree with it?