Garrisoning tips

[Zaydin]

Just wondering what most people do when it comes to garrisoning a territory they've conquered. Myself, I will keep my main army there long enough to move some dragoons in to keep the area pacified, and move the army out once the dragoons arrive. Usually it seems like 2-4 dragoons are good at keeping public order. That said, I'm wondering if there are more cost-efficient methods on garrisoning. And my general policy is that unless it's an extremely wealthy region, I only leave a small garrison on the region capital. Exceptions tend to be my nation capital, and major cities, like Stockholm, when I capture them, since they tend to be high income sources.

[scougall9]

i just shove some militia in there. =P

[lancer63]

dragoons + cheap militia to add weight to numbers. And some line, native infantry, if possible, if region is in danger of being visited by the enemy since militia are only good at keeping peace amongst civilians and dragoons are too few. Better spending a bit more on troop upkeep than paying for the same real estate twice.

[Blaudonner]

Is there any game metric (like there are metrics for attack, melee etc) for units' repression value, or have you empirically found out that dragoons and militia are good at keeping the order?

I just started my first ETW game ever and chose to play as Prussia, which turns out to be a handful for a n00b. The Poles declared war (they're a bit touchy about me taking Saxony), so I took Warsaw and everybody in that region hates my guts. Having the entire invasion army garrisoned in Warsaw doesn't help, so are there certain unit types that help more than others in a situation like this?

[RootsKW]

Is there any game metric (like there are metrics for attack, melee etc) for units' repression value, or have you empirically found out that dragoons and militia are good at keeping the order?

I just started my first ETW game ever and chose to play as Prussia, which turns out to be a handful for a n00b. The Poles declared war (they're a bit touchy about me taking Saxony), so I took Warsaw and everybody in that region hates my guts. Having the entire invasion army garrisoned in Warsaw doesn't help, so are there certain unit types that help more than others in a situation like this?

I don't know about militia, but dragoons are proven to have more of a repression value than other troops. I use militia too just because they're cheap.

And yeah, Prussia isn't the best faction for a starter

[Zaydin]

I don't know about militia, but dragoons are proven to have more of a repression value than other troops. I use militia too just because they're cheap.

And yeah, Prussia isn't the best faction for a starter

Yeah, any dragoons unit has a bonus to repression when garrisoned. Hence why they are usually part of my garrisons. Just trying to find out what else I should do to reinforce my garrisons, or if there are more cost effective methods for policing a territory.

[green tea]

Is there any game metric (like there are metrics for attack, melee etc) for units' repression value, or have you empirically found out that dragoons and militia are good at keeping the order?

It is called "garrison policing bonus". Right-click on the unit card, and then click on "abilities". There you find things like "can hide in woodland" and that policing bonus. You can see what its good for by watching how the unrest changes in the city card when you move such a unit in or out a city: if a normal army unit gives you 1 point, those special units like dragoons give two points.

[jmatt]

Curious about two things:

Which has a better policing bonus, dragoons or light dragoons?

Do dragoons with more chevrons have an enhanced policing ability?

[green tea]

I believe that the garrison bonus is not enhanced by the experience, it is 2, while normal units have 1. But this is only something I believe since I never tried to find out if there is a difference. But there are some values that are not changed by experience, like range or charge bonus. If noone (like a modder who actually has seen this in the game files) corrects me, I assume you can take this opinion as true.

[dutch81]

Yeah I think you are right about the 2:1 thing ... that is my experience at least as well.

[Dave Strider]

As for the people in Warsaw hating your guts, it's probably because Prussia is a Protestant nation while Poland is Catholic. Religious differences play a very big role in this game

[Blaudonner]

As for the people in Warsaw hating your guts, it's probably because Prussia is a Protestant nation while Poland is Catholic. Religious differences play a very big role in this game

I didn't have that problem in Bavaria. Perhaps it was because I was still at war with Poland in onconquered territories? I'll soon find out since I now have all of Poland except Warsaw, which will fall next turn.

[Edit: I see that dutch81 confirms this, so maybe it's wise to take the capital region last]

BTW, other nations seemed to understand the downsides of holding Warsaw. I tried to give it away for free to just about everyone, including the Ottomans who were at war with Poland, but nobody wanted it. I just tore down all the buildings and left the area instead.

[green tea]

Usually, unrest is much higher in capitals of the major nations (London, Paris...) then in those of the minor nations. There was a thread about it somewhere how to take and keep such a city. If you really want to keep it, damage all buildings that produce unrest (like factories or universities) before you take the city, or use the first turn to destroy them (takes only one round). And repair everything that keeps the people happy like Opera houses etc. Only in the third round comes a rebellion. If you can, produce militia and garrison them there and use our real army for support and to fight rebels, if they come. And turn off the taxes for this city (helps a bit). It is possible to keep such a city without having to fight against rebels.

[Blaudonner]

If you really want to keep it, damage all buildings that produce unrest (like factories or universities)

With great reluctance, I'll have to do just that. Would love to have that college doing research for me, but it'll have to go and a protestant church school will take its' place. Just like the Talibans do it, tear down the real schools and build up religious ones instead...

[dutch81]

Not for very long ... but Capitol regions have great loyalty and it last a long time unless you destroy the faction completely which seems to help.

[♔Darmoth♔]

A few faction specific garrisoning bonus tips I've found:
France doesn't get dragoons except in their colonies... this makes maintaining your monarchy even more difficult in continental Europe.
I haven't yet played with them, however Russia also gets some melee infantry militia that grant a policing bonus, Gorodskiye Streltsy I believe. And could be wrong, but I also think Russia loses them if they become a Republic.

[morteduzionism]

Just wondering what most people do when it comes to garrisoning a territory they've conquered. Myself, I will keep my main army there long enough to move some dragoons in to keep the area pacified, and move the army out once the dragoons arrive. Usually it seems like 2-4 dragoons are good at keeping public order. That said, I'm wondering if there are more cost-efficient methods on garrisoning. And my general policy is that unless it's an extremely wealthy region, I only leave a small garrison on the region capital. Exceptions tend to be my nation capital, and major cities, like Stockholm, when I capture them, since they tend to be high income sources.

The 12 P's

Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance Piss Poor Performance Promotes Pain

__________
If the region is of a different religion I'd send a missionary to prep the area for my arrival.

I also just leave my army there until they've replenished the ranks and the population calms down some. Otherwise I leave regions, for the most part, completely ungarrisoned.

Dragoons (regular and light) are too expensive so I limit them to regions with schools (suppress clamor for reform).

After you suppress a rebellion you get a boost to suppression in the region.

Try to conquer lands that already have your religious beliefs. If not, remember the missionary...