Army Units

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Army units have four major characteristics:

- Rating: the overall strength of the unit (in the unit ratings, the "X" of "X/Y"
- Artillery: how strong devastating artillery fire this unit can throw at its opponent (the "Y" of "X/Y").
- Morale
- Strength: what percentage of the unit is ready

The basic army unit in the game is one corps, equaling 2 or 3 divisions plus corps-level attachments. Each corps is considered to have a nominal strength of 50,000 troops.

For book keeping purposes, a corps may be divided into divisions or brigades. Divisions are equal to one half of a corps. Brigades are equal to one tenth of a corps.

The maximum amount of corps a country can maintain is 5-7% of its population, but this is at the expense of the economy. Most nations go bankrupt before that.

There are two generic types of army units available, the Infantry Corps and the Cavalry/Specialist Corps.  For any given technological level, the cost of either unit is the same.  However, the Cavalry/Specialist Corps has less artillery, while benefitting either from increased mobility (Cavalry) or specialized training and equipment (Desert; Alpine; Commando; Marine).  The nature of a specific Cavalry/Specialist Corps is specified when the unit is raised, and can only be changed through a formal restructuring of the unit.

The stats for the Infantry Corps and Cavalry/Specialist Corps, their cost in dollars and BP, and their maintenance costs, are detailed in this table:

	Infantry	Cavalry/Specialist	Cost	Upkeep - Mobilized/Active/Reserve
Primitive	2/0.5	2/0.0	$4 and 0.50 BP	$0.40 / $0.20 / $0.04
Dated	3/1.0	3/0.5	$6 and 0.75 BP	$0.60 / $0.30 / $0.06
1895 Baseline	4/2.0	4/1.0	$8 and 1.00 BP	$0.80 / $0.40 / $0.08
1905 Advanced	5/3.0	5/1.5	$10 and 1.25 BP	$1.00 / $0.50 / $0.10
1915 Cutting Edge	6/4.0	6/2.0	$12 and 1.50 BP	$1.20 / $0.60 / $0.12
1925	7/5.0	7/2.5	$14 and 1.75 BP	$1.40 / $0.70 / $0.14
1935	8/6.0	8/3.0	$16 and 2.00 BP	$1.60 / $0.80 / $0.16

Upgrading army units cost is the rating difference ($2 and 0.25BP per level).

Corps can change their type. This takes half a year and costs 50% of $ and BP necessry to raise a corps of the new type and level from scratch. Elite/Veteran status, if present, is lost, but regained after 6 months.

Unit Readiness:

-Wartime:  the unit is at full strength, ready to move and fight if it isn't already doing so. 

-Active:  the unit is part of the standing army, at 50% of its nominal strength in peacetime.  Once mobilized, the remainder of the corps is rounded out by reservists.  While at this condition, the unit can move and fight, but at reduced strength and capability.

-Reserve:  Only a framework organization of the unit exists - the HQ and a few regiments, with the equipment needed for mobilization stored. Only a fraction of the officers and NCOs are professional soldiers, the majority is reservists called up in time of crisis. This unit can not move or fight to any useful degree until mobilized.

Stockpiling

A Corps can be declared to be in "stockpiled status". This means that the equipment for the formation exists, but there are no men in the formation. The idea is that at "mobilization", some cadres are provided by Active or Reserve units, which are combined with surplus Reservists, fresh Conscripts or Volunteers.

The creation of a Corps costs the normal price ($ and BP) for a formation of its type and level, minus 2$ (cannot be less than 1$). Upkeep is 0 (zero). Activation costs half the $ and 0BP of raising such a Corps from scratch. Further upkeep is like for any other formation of its type and level. Time from Activation to combat readiness is half a year (6 months).

Ammunition Use

If a nation is engaged in trench warfare, units at the theater - units that are not engaging in combat, too - consume artillery ammunition, at a rate of 1000t per corps per Artillery rating. Ammunition can be stockpiled, the maximum amount is six months of reserve for the entire army - the total 'artillery' rating of one's armed forces.

1000t ammo cost 0.2BP and $0.2.

UK in the Great War had spent more than 4 million tonnes of ammunition, about 5000t per corps per six month.

Morale Levels

-Green/Reserve: a freshly raised or just mobilized reserve unit.

-Regular: Standing army, or recruit corps after 6 months in wartime. A newly raised corps need 12 months to achieve this status.

-Elite:  Any 'Regular' unit kept at wartime upkeep in peacetime for 24 months becomes 'elite'. During war, after twelve months of warfare without horrendous losses, a 'regular' unit can become 'elite'. This bonus disappear after 6 months of reduced readiness.

-Veteran:  Elite units after 18 months of war, unless the casualties were very heavy (Great War - like), become 'veteran'. Effect would dissipate after taking heavy losses or three years of peacetime, degrading unit back to elite. Funding cut back will reduce the morale status to 'regular' in six months.

Chemical Warfare

Each single use of gas attack cost $0.5 per corps. Effect depends on the relative gas warfare level of the two combatants. Actual implementation is up to the GM.