Size efficiency penalties for Skirmishers & Cavalry?

[Hussar91]

I've seen people discussing these for infantry brigades and artillery units, but I haven't seen really a straight answer about the skirmishers and cavalry. And I would like to know what are the most optimal sizes for these units efficiency wise, since as of my 3rd and 4th playthroughs (CS & Union respectively)  I've been using those types of units far more than before. And sometimes I was simply baffled on instances where almost 3 star sharpshooter unit of 500 was outperformed by a roughly 340 man squad of complete rookies - despite that both units were using same weapons, shooting at the same target from pretty much same angle and spot (they were literally "rubbing" their shoulders together on the flanks). The difference in kills was over 900 by the end of the battle of Malvern Hill, which is pretty humongous to me. I would understand if that happened between samely experienced units of different sizes, but how on earth a unit of rookies outperformed guys who (according to their stats and experience) could hit a fly in flight?

There is a value in having the max sized and 3 star skirmisher units and cavalry (for example as scouts with carbines so we don't "recon" the forests with guys that have telescopes on their rifles; or have a 750 dragoons going at it in forests being able to buy some time for us) alone, but in case of specialized units of sharpshooters for example - it would be good to learn about their most efficient sizes.

 

 

[Shigemori]

Perhaps the brigade commander of the 3* skirmisher unit was not high ranking enough to support 500 men and the unit got an efficiency penalty while the rookie unit wasn't as it was smaller?

When you hover your mouse pointer over the efficiency stat there would be a warning in red letters.

Edited April 11, 2018 by Shigemori

[pandakraut]

I have not tested myself but I have heard that skirmisher efficiency starts dropping off after 250.

[LAVA]

On 1/14/2018 at 5:32 AM, Hussar91 said:

And sometimes I was simply baffled on instances where almost 3 star sharpshooter unit of 500 was outperformed by a roughly 340 man squad of complete rookies - despite that both units were using same weapons, shooting at the same target from pretty much same angle and spot (they were literally "rubbing" their shoulders together on the flanks). The difference in kills was over 900 by the end of the battle of Malvern Hill, which is pretty humongous to me. I would understand if that happened between samely experienced units of different sizes, but how on earth a unit of rookies outperformed guys who (according to their stats and experience) could hit a fly in flight?

There are a number of reasons why this could have happened.

The first and foremost is whether of not your 3 star unit had a Brigade Commander with sufficient command points to use the maximum efficiency of the unit. So the first thing to look at is the commanders involved and their command points. This is especially true in combat as if the Brigade Commander or the Division Commander of the 3 star unit was wounded or dead, his command points fall off a cliff.

Another reason could have been morale. If the unit the 2 were engaged with was firing on your 3 star sharpshooters and taking casualties then their morale was dropping while your unit of 340 was firing away without any negative impact. I have found that the AI, when given a choice will normally choose to fire at the higher ranked unit, so probably your sharpshooters were taking fire and at Malvern Hill, possibly artillery fire as well.

Stamina will also effect unit efficiency. So if, for example, the 340 man rookies were at 100% and the sharpshooters were tired (having run into position or have been in the fight for a long duration), then the rookies will have another advantage.

Each unit has tons of stats, but they all are important to know when you are trying to compare what the heck happened in a given situation. And yes, forum wise, folks seem to believe that the most efficient skirmisher unit has a cap of 250 men.

[GersonH]

I consider the reason could have been moral. If the unit the 2 were engaged with was firing on your 3 star sharpshooters and taking casualties then their morale was dropping while your unit of 340 was firing away without any negative impact. One aspect that must always be kept high is the morale of the troop to win a battle