Multiple generals in one battle question

[Coffeespoons]

If I have a number of generals in one stack do the subordinate generals traits have any effect even on their own unit?

Say for instance I have a 4 star general and a 2 star. Both generals have +morale virtues - does the 2 star general's unit benefit from both of these additions?

thanks,

[Tomcat]

The values are cumulative to the best of my knowledge.

If you have multiple generals in one stack, only the general leading the stack's V&Vs count for all members of the stack and they are additional. For subordinate generals or single units in the stack, then their V&Vs will additionally affect this unit only. For example if the Leading general has +4 Command, then all units in the stack will get a +2 Valour bonus over their "base" values which are determined by their individual unit values which can in turn be affected by their own V&Vs. If the 2* general has valour +2 with his V&Vs, then he gets an additional +2 valour from the General of the stack making him +4.

Tomcat

[Coffeespoons]

thanks,

curious effect of this is that, all things being equal, the subordinate's stack may have higher morale than the top general's own unit which seems counter intuitive.

although i think there is a freestanding bonus for the general's unit quite apart from command stars' effects which may off set this.

[Tomcat]

The lower General's "stack" wil lose the benefit of the lower General's bonuses and only receive the benefit of the higher General's bonuses in the overall stack since they are no longer part of the lower General's stack but rather of the higher General now. However if any unit has V&Vs affecting their individual stats, only the individual unit now - whether it be a General or a subordinate unit - retains those V&Vs for itself only.

Tomcat

[EatYerGreens]

I was of the opinion that morale/valour bonuses or penalties listed on a general's V&Vs affect him as an individual only, not his whole unit, let alone the rest of his stack or the entire battle force.

Valour boost means he will personally kill more enemy if he gets into the thick of the fight; morale boost means that he will not rout, even if the rest of his unit does eventually gets killed, run away or get captured. Hence the tendency for the dramatic last stand and fight to the death by some unit leaders, generals and Kings.

When its a morale penalty, it only needs to affect him as an individual. He will tend to rout sooner than the rest of the individuals in his unit but when the commanding officer routs, the rest of the unit will act likewise. When it's a valour penalty he just won't be as effective at fighting as the rest of his unit, he will be amongst the first in his unit to get killed and no guesses what happens after that.

If looked at in isolation, his unit has a base level of valour plus a boost based on his command rating but, if you attack with multiple stacks, it's logical to me that the army as a whole receives the valour bonus based on the higher-ranking general only. So the backup general's unit's valour in the battle is its base level plus the boost from the higher level general, at least temporarily. In other words, NOT base level plus two valour boosts added together.

The valour boost from the backup general will still kick-in, in it's own right, applicable to the entire force, not just his unit, in the event that the high-star general is captured or killed during the battle. Thus it seems advisable to bring at least one backup general with you. It must be the sudden 'global' loss of valour which makes your army rout so readily when the general is lost and the melee is still ongoing, even if you were actually winning at that point.

There's an additional benefit to putting the lower rank general in charge of secondary stacks on the strat map, which is that rank-0's left in charge would make good fodder for trainee enemy assassins...

[Ludens]

I was of the opinion that morale/valour bonuses or penalties listed on a general's V&Vs affect him as an individual only, not his whole unit, let alone the rest of his stack or the entire battle force.

Not true, 'captured' vices make the entire army harder to rout, not just the general's unit. Also, princes with great warrior virtues always have higher valour bodyguard units then princes without, which you wouldn't expect if the bonus just applied to the unit leader.

The valour boost from the backup general will still kick-in, in it's own right, applicable to the entire force, not just his unit, in the event that the high-star general is captured or killed during the battle. Thus it seems advisable to bring at least one backup general with you. It must be the sudden 'global' loss of valour which makes your army rout so readily when the general is lost and the melee is still ongoing, even if you were actually winning at that point.

No, there is no second-in-command at the battlefield. CA has confirmed this. Once the commanding general is dead, there is no valour bonus anymore. The effects of the commandings general's V&V may last, however.

All your suggestions make sense from a realistic point of view, but unfortunatly CA decided to keep things simple. Or perhaps it is fortunatly, because it would make the interface even harder to understand .

A belated Happy Birthday, EatYerGreens .