Interpreting Unit Cards in Camp

[TechnoSarge]

I've read the entire in-game guide; it does not answer this... In camp, your brigades are characterized by bar graphs showing Command and so on. What I don't understand is why the tips of the bars are a different color. Is it to show unachieved ability because something else isn't high enough?  If so, what do I need to maximize the bar? 

In the example shown, the commander is a Brigadier General. Surely that's adequate rank to keep from holding back these troops? (And yes, I did equip this brigade with captured weapons!)

[The Soldier]

The lighter bar is the part of that skill that's granted by Brigade perks or Corps perks.  If you have a Vet 0 brigade in a corps with a commander with the Logistics perk (+50% ammo), there will be no white bars.  But if the brigade gets the Vet 1 Discipline perk, they'll get small white bars in the Efficiency and Morale bars (which corresponds to the skills buffed by that perk).

[LAVA]

3 hours ago, TechnoSarge said:

Surely that's adequate rank to keep from holding back these troops?

When evaluating your Brigade Commander, his command value must be higher then the unit's efficiency value. Command value comes from both the Brigade Commander and also the Division Commander. As long as the Command value is higher than the efficiency value the unit will fight at full efficiency. But if the Command value is less than the efficiency value the Brigade will fight with the same amount of efficiency as the Command Value. Always make sure your Brigade Commander has a higher value then the units efficiency value. 

In this case, Brigadier General Walton has (with a combination of some value approximately around 10 from the Division Commander) a 63 combined Command value. Because that value is higher than the efficiency value (45), the Brigade will fight at maximum efficiency.

So you are good to go.

[The Soldier]

@LAVA

I don't think that's what he was asking for.

[TechnoSarge]

1 hour ago, The Soldier said:

@LAVA

I don't think that's what he was asking for.

Actually, that is part of my question! At the end, I asked about Command skill holding the unit back. In the case shown, there was no problem... but I didn't know that before choosing that unit to illustrate.

Your previous answer cleared up the issue about the two-color bars.  A mighty "thank-you"! It's good to know how perks directly influence the unit.

[TechnoSarge]

On 1/4/2018 at 6:19 PM, LAVA said:

When evaluating your Brigade Commander, his command value must be higher then the unit's efficiency value. Command value comes from both the Brigade Commander and also the Division Commander. As long as the Command value is higher than the efficiency value the unit will fight at full efficiency. But if the Command value is less than the efficiency value the Brigade will fight with the same amount of efficiency as the Command Value. Always make sure your Brigade Commander has a higher value then the units efficiency value. 

In this case, Brigadier General Walton has (with a combination of some value approximately around 10 from the Division Commander) a 63 combined Command value. Because that value is higher than the efficiency value (45), the Brigade will fight at maximum efficiency.

So you are good to go.

OK - new issue. As a new player, I'm doing a Union campaign at Colonel difficulty. I don't spare the half-speed button or the pause one while I'm acclimating to the simulation, so - easy easy. I'm past Chancellorsville; I've won every fight by the maximum conditions (and with no do-overs!).  At this point, my most veteran Corps is loaded with Generals, Brigadier and Major. I haven't any infantry brigades entrusted to less than a Brigadier... and I have 3-star artillery commanded by Generals too.

Here's the thing: If the golden standard is to keep your Command bar as high or higher than the Efficiency bar - good luck! I have units with Efficiency a few ticks under 100%, but with a Major General leading the Corps, a MG leading the Division, and a MG at the head of the brigade, I can't amass but a Command of 80-ish.  What's a prudent feller to do? My only Lt. Gens are running Corps.

[LAVA]

For the Union, this happens quite frequently with artillery.

You have 2 choices: 1) put the best commander you have and live with the fact that the battery will fight at his level of efficiency or 2) re-organize your units.

I personally re-organize Federal artillery all the time. Here is how you do it: First make sure your recruit pool is 0. A recruit normally has an efficiency rating of anywhere from 8 to 10. Once you have all recruits assigned to units, look at your brigades. So let's say I have 2 really good artillery batteries and 1 middle of the road or recruit battery. If you disband the really good artillery batteries these guys go into the recruit pool with all their stats. Now if you disband a poor battery these guys will also go into the pool and their stats will be averaged. Now reconstruct the batteries and all the new batteries will have exactly the same stats. The really good batteries will drop in efficiency and the poor battery will raise in efficiency. You are then left with 3 good batteries which your officers can command at maximum efficiency.

I can do a video on how you do it, if you like.

[TechnoSarge]

I follow you... but a consequence of winning all the battles is that I'm sitting on something like 100,000 recruits!

And arty isn't so much a problem as my veteran brigades. Here's an example.

[LAVA]

Looking at those Brigades, you do have the opportunity to build them up to full strength with nothing but recruits. That will drop their efficiency rating and you will still have 3 star units. As you include recruits into the Brigade you will see the efficiency value drop and though your General will still have less Command than efficiency, you will have a much larger brigade with extraordinary power.

I would suggest using your Reputation to get more money for weapons and then fill out the units to full strength or pretty close to it.

At harder difficulty levels, you will need every recruit you can get your hands on.

[LAVA]

I made a video... though you might not need it... yet.

 

[TechnoSarge]

Thank you for your replies.  New question: After a unit is 3-star, what happens to the XP bar that keeps building?  Is that just wasted capability? Or does it lead to some hitherto unmentioned perk?

[Hussar91]

10 hours ago, TechnoSarge said:

Thank you for your replies.  New question: After a unit is 3-star, what happens to the XP bar that keeps building?  Is that just wasted capability? Or does it lead to some hitherto unmentioned perk?

There's no additional perk following. That experience is not wasted however as unit's skills are still building up (if some weren't 100 by the time they reached 3rd star) and fully maxed out experience bar means that you're not forced to reinforce that unit with veterans only from now on. That's especially nice if the unit took some minor losses and dropping in some recruits for cheaps won't ruin neither their stats nor will make their 3rd star perk inactive.