Renaming Brigades

[Albert Sidney Johnston]

Naming your own brigades is such an awesome feature! How do you guys usually name your brigades? I use the naming to help sort out my different divisions.

Personally, I mentally give each division the name of a state, then name the brigades in that division after the state. IE my first division contains the brigades 1st Texas, 2nd Texas, 3rd Texas, and 4th Texas; second division contains the brigades 1st Arkansas, 2nd Arkansas, etc... It really helps in the heat of battle to take one look at a brigade and know which corps and division they're from.

So, how do you guys usually use the brigade naming?

[Andre Bolkonsky]

If I'm going to combine brigades into a divisional unit, the brigades are names by corps, division, and weapon: I 1 - 1842

Otherwise, by weapon and XP Level. 1855 *

If they get two stars, they get a name and the best weapons available. Blackwatch, 20th Maine, Wolverines, 54th Massachussetts, etc. 

[Aetius]

My naming scheme is similar to Andre's, but I split my brigades into two classes - rifle and grenadier. Rifle units have rifles, and when they get stars they get shooting-related skills. Grenadier units have muskets, and get melee-related skills. I've also started to number divisions regardless of which Corps they are in. For example, I Corps consists of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Divisions. II Corps consists of 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Divisions, etc. I found that pattern made it easier to identify divisions on the field and keep them together as a unit.

Thus the 3rd rifle brigade, nominal 1st Division, II Corps, would be named 6/3 Rifle.

[sonnypemberton]

3 hours ago, Albert Sidney Johnston said:

Naming your own brigades is such an awesome feature! How do you guys usually name your brigades? I use the naming to help sort out my different divisions.

Personally, I mentally give each division the name of a state, then name the brigades in that division after the state. IE my first division contains the brigades 1st Texas, 2nd Texas, 3rd Texas, and 4th Texas; second division contains the brigades 1st Arkansas, 2nd Arkansas, etc... It really helps in the heat of battle to take one look at a brigade and know which corps and division they're from.

So, how do you guys usually use the brigade naming?

This is exactly what I do for CSA, and I use Aetius' approach for union... don't ask me why.

[Col_Kelly]

I use a simpler code so I don't break the immersion while still being able to keep track of my brigades abilities : first the name of their original commander and then a short abreviation for their weapon.

Hood (55) has 1855's

Dunn (CSR) has CS Richmonds

Hoke has standard rifles (1842's / Palmettos)

Barksdale's Militia has Re-bore Farmers

Sigfried's Levy has Farmers

and if they have exceptionally good melee stats I add Guards to the brigade's name (especially if it's commanded by King  )

My elite division is named as follows (from best to worst) : 1st Brigade, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Brigade, 4th Brigade. These dudes are special and I need a clear distinction to use them as a tactical reserve. 

[Albert Sidney Johnston]

I also put my brigades in order from veteran to rookie within each division. IE my most veteran units are 1st Texas, 1st Arkansas, 1st Tennessee, while the greener brigades are 5th Texas, 5th Arkansas, 5th Tennessee. I know it sounds a little silly, but it really helps me control the battle at a glance. Each division has a good mix of elite units and rookies, so when I'm ordering around whole divisions, they're fairly diverse. 

 

To make it even more interesting, each of my corps represents a region. "The Southwest Corps", "The Southeastern Corps", and "The Atlantic Coast Corps". That way, I can look at a brigade, say the 1st Arkansas, and instantly know its level of experience, which division it belongs to, and which corps it belongs to. All without loosing the feel of the game by giving each brigade a number code. Not that there's anything wrong with the number code thing, but it's not really my style.

Edited March 24, 2017 by Albert Sidney Johnston

[Slobodan]

I usually mix State of origin and "nickname"

For instance: Tennessee Tigers, Florida Vipers, South Carolina Lions, Texas Rangers, Virginia Emerald Greens, Kentucky Orphans etc.

Of course, 1st brigade in 1st division of 1st Corps is always Stonewall Brigade

And, as a rule, brigade gets named after reaching 2* level

Edited March 24, 2017 by Slobodan

[A. P. Hill]

I use the box on the bottom left of the screen at start up and shift all the starting divisions into a central location.  That way using the HUD and clicking on either the division bar or the brigade bars I can control my masses much better and I know as a rule that when it comes time to merge brigades, I'm not going to select a brigade and have it march through the enemy lines as the shortest line to get to the next brigade it's allowed to merge with.

And for that reason I don't name them.

Besides, if I name them, I might find myself getting too attached to them.

[Andre Bolkonsky]

5 hours ago, A. P. Hill said:

 

And for that reason I don't name them.

Besides, if I name them, I might find myself getting too attached to them.

Spoken like a veteran. 

[Albert Sidney Johnston]

17 hours ago, A. P. Hill said:

Besides, if I name them, I might find myself getting too attached to them.

Wow, man, that's deep... 

[AJ McCully]

First union run at naming brigades, I named each division after prominent British regiments. 1st Corp was the Scottish corp, containing the Blackwatch, Coldstream Guard and Highlanders. 2nd and 3rd corps contained variety of Welsh, Irish, English and Colonial regiments.

My most recent run as the CSA was more organised. Brigades were numbered sequentially, followed by division commander and level of veterancy (i.e. 2nd Jackson's Regulars). Made it a lot easier to tell brigades apart and each division had reserves it could call on. Artillery was simply named based on the type of cannons and cavalry were either sharpshooters or raiders.

[Admiral666]

Interesting. I only name some units, and usually only as a result of noticeable battlefield performance, i.e. 'Walton's Wall," a particularly stalwart brigade during a defensive action; "The Devil's Brigade," a unit which inflicted massive casualties and ended the battle with 666 combat-ready men; etc. Otherwise, I by and large leave them with their commanders' names. Admittedly, that can be confusing when I lose officers or they are promoted to larger commands.

Some interesting naming schemes here. I particularly like the notion of explicitly named Reserves; as it stands currently, if I can afford to hold a reserve, I tend to reserve an entire division, rather than a brigade from each. Hm.

[AJ McCully]

55 minutes ago, Admiral666 said:

Interesting. I only name some units, and usually only as a result of noticeable battlefield performance, i.e. 'Walton's Wall," a particularly stalwart brigade during a defensive action; "The Devil's Brigade," a unit which inflicted massive casualties and ended the battle with 666 combat-ready men; etc. Otherwise, I by and large leave them with their commanders' names. Admittedly, that can be confusing when I lose officers or they are promoted to larger commands.

Some interesting naming schemes here. I particularly like the notion of explicitly named Reserves; as it stands currently, if I can afford to hold a reserve, I tend to reserve an entire division, rather than a brigade from each. Hm.

I tried out giving a couple of brigades unique names, like Jackson's Legion or Jeb's Raiders, but I think doing so makes you put more faith in them than they can live up to. It's possible for that brigade to get utterly obliterated and/or lose its star general just because you instinctively put it in the most danger. Possibly why the Iron Brigade suffered so many casualties.

[Bobby Fiasco]

Great suggestions. I find it especially useful to rename artillery units based on their gun type since that is so important, like "1st Napoleons," and "2nd Parrot rifles." Not thrilling but useful for choosing the right unit for the right situation.

[MikeK]

I would like to name the divisions, and get a much more vivid highlighting of a selected brigade, division, or corps as I try to keep divisions together.  My Brigades usually carry the name of the commander (or notable former commander') and corps/ div up front and a little code at the end for weapon type or category (assault or rifles, as above)  s 

[Bobby Fiasco]

Now that I've played for a while, I always add stars to every unit name because it's so important for choosing who does what, IMO. It's so obligtory for me I wish it was a normal game feature. As is, it's a little tedious to go in after every battle and update all the *s.