Retraining, Training, and Combat Experience

**Sir Beane** · 02-13-2009, 10:24

Looking at screenshots each unit in Empire seems to have individual bars for its skill and experience in reloading, accuracy, range, melee, charge etc.

The level of experience in a paticular field is represented by a green bar, out of a possible maximum. My theory is that with training and combat experience the bar steadily increases and your unit becomes more effective. Technologies probably also help this increase.

**pevergreen** · 02-13-2009, 12:38

Also, mods.

**Vuk** · 02-13-2009, 13:10

Here's to hoping.

**USS Providence 1972** · 02-13-2009, 21:59

I think the game assumes that certain types of units have more training than others, thus the additional cost to build and upkeep the more effective units. There is really no substitute for combat experience.

A soldier who will crawl through mud and barbed wire with a machine gun firing blanks over his head might not be as willing if the bullets are live and they are being aimed at him. The most highly trained and equipped troops don't always win the battle. Gallipoli in WWI was a great example. The Turks didn't even have uniforms for most of their troops but still inflicted heavy casualties on the Brits and forced them to withdraw.

**pevergreen** · 02-14-2009, 05:23

Gallipoli in WWI was a great example.

I disagree, the ANZACs simply had to take a beach where the Turkish forces had entrenched. It was a bad landing position, and not a good battle for the ANZACs but they still won...eventually.

Edit: Yeah it was not the British, it was the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps)

As for a battle which reputation won, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Beersheba.

I never get tired of linking to that battle.

The light horsemen jumped the front trenches and dismounted behind the line where they turned and engaged the Turks with bayonets. The Turks were in many cases so demoralised that they quickly surrendered. One Australian who was dazed after having his horse shot from under him, recovered to find his five attackers with their hands up, waiting to be taken prisoner.

**Polemists** · 02-14-2009, 06:37

While it might not be blacksmith and armorer and armor this time around I wouldn't be surprised if they had something like a riflemaker or some such, and that if you built it your men would get higher quality weapons or some such.

**Sir Beane** · 02-14-2009, 13:28

Originally Posted by Polemists

While it might not be blacksmith and armorer and armor this time around I wouldn't be surprised if they had something like a riflemaker or some such, and that if you built it your men would get higher quality weapons or some such.

I've definitely seen a cannon foundry in one of the screenshots, so varioues levels of armory building are not unlikely. I think most technologies are going to be linked to the tech tree rather than buildings now though.

**USS Providence 1972** · 02-14-2009, 15:29

Originally Posted by pevergreen

I disagree, the ANZACs simply had to take a beach where the Turkish forces had entrenched. It was a bad landing position, and not a good battle for the ANZACs but they still won...eventually.

Edit: Yeah it was not the British, it was the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps)

I'm not sure which Gallipoli you are referring to.

About 480,000 Allied troops took part in the Gallipoli campaign. The British had 205,000 casualties (43,000 killed). There were more than 33,600 ANZAC losses (over one-third killed) and 47,000 French casualties (5,000 killed). Turkish casualties are estimated at 250,000 (65,000 killed).

That's the one I'm talking about and the Brits took the majority of allied casualties by far. 43,000 killed in 6 months and they pulled out without ever having established anything more than a beachhead. The tactical retreat was cleverly executed with only one casualty. They were unloading empty cargo boxes by daylight while pulling out their troops at night. It is an excellent example of an army with inferior supplies and training winning. When the German officer who was commanding the Turks initially reviewed the troops the Turks had to pass their lice infested uniforms from one unit to the next because they did not have enough uniforms to go around. They used the bodies of their own dead to reinforce walls in their trenches. They were a tough bunch as the Brits found out the hard way.

For a detailed look at the battle I would recommend Castles of Steel.