Division Commanders

[MikeK]

 

I also would like to see division commanders. This could make maneuvering and formations easier too, if we could easily have corps grouped by division with battle line / column formations for simple movement across the battlefield. In the future you could get "fancier" by having one or two basic stock battle formations (all in a line as one or with a brigade in support as another). Implement with a hotkey maybe or onscreen button when selecting the division commander in order to group them.

 

Could do the same with a "detach" button when selecting individual brigades if you want to move them outside of the division and wish them to be independent going forward.

 

Chain of command and command rivalries mattered a great deal to the battles comprising Gettysburg, but divisions have no game significance right now. I like to keep them grouped properly as a historical role playing matter, but the game is built around brigades (though the commanders on the field generally made decisions about divisions). 

 

If there are division commanders, having them roam around independently under direct player control is a lot of busy work and I don't see how it helps the game. Maybe AI controlled division commanders would be best, moving from unit to unit in their own command with some role in keeping them organized, formed up, supplied and rallied. A brigade sent off in another direction would be on its own. Certainly the variation of quality in division commanders was very great, but even if they were all assigned the same characteristics having division commander bonuses that have significant effect only on their troops (or attached arty) would encourage players to commit their divisions together. 

 

 

Maybe players could have the option of assigning a division commander to a particular brigade (such as in an assault), though that is really the division commander's own decision on the ground.

 

A natural step would be to give an order to the division commander to locate or to gather or move brigades to a destination in a tactically sensible way (the player could take direct control of the brigade at any time). Dispositions would be arranged by the AI on the ground.