How to find the parent unit in REN?

[Sgt.Barnes]

Hello everyone,

Nice to become part of this community as I'm new to JTS games. My question is on Renaissance. I try to make proper use of skirmish units, but how do I know what the parent unit is if I want to recombine them? There is no highlight option and the units names are pretty basic and not numbered or something like that. Looking into the manuals I couldn't find it. I only know if a unit has a skirmisher detached. 

Does anyone have an idea?

Thank you (maybe I'll have to return for another question someday)!

[Compass Rose]

[Gary McClellan]

I'm not sure if there's a complete answer on that one. If you hit the "highlight org" button, you'll be able to see the other units that are in the same overall org as the skirmisher, but if there are more than one potential mother units it will be less useful.

Likewise you can use divisional colors, but it may only give you a "short list" of possible mother units.

[Xaver]

The only way to control who is the mother unit is not split them a lot and try dont mix them with other skirmishers from other units.

The problem is we dont have battalion names, the lowest here is... call it regimental name (for example the name of a tercio or other combat unit over battalion scale) and when you have more than 1 unit capable to deploy skirmish in the "regiment" you need control who is the mother unit for every skirmish unit.

One solution could be give the unit a number inside the "regiment" or like in some scens (i think accidentaly) same unit types using different unit portraits (for example 3 arquebusier units inside a regiment could have 3 different unit portraits) with this using the portrait+regimental/divisional colour....

But i think the best soltuion is the combo use extra in the units names to know if we talk about arquebusier from battalion 1-2-3 or A-B-C + different portraits.

PD: wellcome to the club.

[Sgt.Barnes]

Thanks a bunch, people. I will try your last tip in larger scenario's to keep the parents organized if needed. I suppose it's the only method. I have noticed the difference in portraits of most units. Like you said, Xaver, skirmishers do keep this 'individual' portrait when you split the mother unit. In my current scenario (Heiligerlee) I haven't found a duplicate portrait within the broader subdivision (a band in the case of my scenario). So I was able to find the parent back. Quite simple. See how that holds up in other scenarios which might require some manual numbering.

In any case I found my personal use of skirmishers thus far:

1. as a recon in low-vis areas such as woods, especially if such woods obscure my flanks
2. holding up an advance defensive area until the main body arrives
3. blocking the enemy skirmishers
4. keeping stronger skirmishers as a buffer in front of valuable but vulnerable units (disorderd).
5. NOT forget to bring 'em home after they are used, because they will plummet my score if routed, and they rout easily if low quality. I noticed their fire value is pretty much negligible and I rather have sturdy units to fire and preserved in strength. This means to me that I only use skirmishers when I absolutely see a need for them, rather than keeping them out by default.

I still need to experiment with skirmishers and their use for melee-ing.

Thoroughly enjoying and learning this game, much of which is either of a tactical or historic nature which is perfect.

If I may ask: I read the real soul of the game is in PBEM games. I've never PBEM'ed any game, let alone did ladder games. What is the best way to get started on The Blitz? Am i supposed to use the matchmaking system in some fashion?

[-72-]

A lot of this can be variable, as well; what Xaver is saying is true, it can be controlled by the unit name -the scenario designer usually creates the OOB file (or uses a pre-existing one).

Technically, though, when creating an OOB you can create Skirmisher units directly in to the OOB itself, meaning that there doesn't automatically have to be a 'parent unit' to combine with. 

I take it though that the original question was in situations where there was a skirmisher created off of a parent unit. My point is that it doesn't automatically have to be the case that there is a parent unit, and that is equally valid. 

PBEM - probably just post a thread in the relevant area here -someone should take you up on your offer.  There aren't any clubs out there that exclusively focus on the Musket and Pike series any longer.

[Xaver]

An example of use different portraits per fire unit is in Cerisoles scen, the french right wing has in the french companies formation 4 units with 4 different portraits and same in left wing with italian infantry,

Yes, are scens where fire units are skirmish in OOB and is not a bad solution... here i am curious how could work them as skirmish but removing the skirmish penalties in fire power... in a custom scen "fleurus 1622" spanish side has big musket skirmish units (4x200) here the side of skirmish unit and the use of muskets with the 4 hexes attack range made them very usefull, a lot more than the normal non skirmish 2 hexes attack range arquebusiers in game.

Maybe here i allways find the weaker point in REN the lack of a way to made fire units usefull in battle because they are very easy to destroy in melee but only way to prevent this in open terrain is not fire and retreat behind own infantry, this limit to much their value... i use a lot them in skirmish job staking with pike units if i cant deploy them in buildings-villages or trenches but to use them as support inside a block or as garrisons i prefer dont need depend of a mother formation simple bigger skirmish units (100 soldiers for example) to mantein the number of units in a balanced situation.

But the best solution is in made shot untis can move one hex after fire maybe made fire units only use 50-75% of their action points.

Anyway if M&P serie is going to move closer to XVIII century we can find more 7YW style titles in OOB and need less franken OOBs like the one you find in REN with a more linear aproximation to combat (not only combat lines, i think to in infantry that can fire and melee all in one with no diference between units-mission like in REN block-fire units.)

[-72-]

I'm a little confused -skirmishers (or technically no units) lose a side points by being routed, I guess they are more vulnerable to being routed in that condition, but the condition, itself, doesn't do that.

[Xaver]

Usually a skirnish unit assaulted by non skirmish (except when cavalry charge, this means skirmish destruction) routed more times than stand to fight in disrupted status... even when assault skirmish damage sometimes more assaulter than defender.

In general skirmishers are to garrison villages, delay enemy attack forcing they waste a turn in assaults (if you dont have cavalry near to deal with them fast and bloody you need enter in block formation) and provide the range punch pike units lack.

Problem is more in regular fire units, they are less ussefull than skirmish because for that units fire means be fixed next turn at a range enemy block can melee them... maybe british archers have a chance to survive because have a great punch.