Troop Training

[jtm-0]

As i understand it i can deploy troops straightaway without off map training called Green soldiers.I can also deploy troops after off map training to the maximum level of trained, once they are deployed i can train them to the level of regular and they need battle experience in order to progress further to seasoned then veteran.

Lets say i deploy a division of green level experience troops and they go into battle straight away, will they level up towards trained, regular, seasoned and then veteran or do they skip trained and move onto regular as they never actually receive training.

I have tried to find out the answer to this however no luck so far.

 

[TheOrangeGuy]

I'm pretty sure it goes through all the different "levels", they will be trained by fire.

 

[kviiri]

Yeah, combat'll teach them the stuff they could've learned the easy way. At least the ones who live through the ordeals.

 

[Gort11]

Units start at "green" status, which gives them a 50% penalty to combat.

There are two kinds of training:

1. Pre-deployment training. This costs nothing but time, and can bring units up to "trained" status, which gives them a 25% penalty to combat.

2. Post-deployment training. This costs equipment, and can bring units up to "regular" status, which carries no bonus or penalty to combat.

I think someone said that post-deployment training gives a 6% attrition modifier, but I don't know how long it takes, so it's hard to work out how much equipment it costs in total.

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So, if you can afford to wait to deploy the division (EG: In peacetime) it always makes sense to go through pre-deployment training - all it costs is time, which you have. Then you have a choice - do I care more about equipment or manpower? If you care more about equipment, leave your troops at "trained" and let them gain experience through combat. If you care more about manpower, train them up to "regular" through post-deployment training.

You can also skew things by attaching medical support to your divisions, which effectively cause your divisions to gain more experience from combat (since the veterans die less often). This might lower the value of post-deployment training since combat becomes a more efficient teacher.

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To directly answer the OP's question: Yes, a unit that is originally green can become elite through combat experience alone, but getting there might be very expensive in manpower and equipment.

 

[Kamansky]

Why we train... even the simple things can be hard

Grenades... they dont really care who threw them.

 

[kviiri]

I think it's a bit underwhelming green troops only get a -50% combat penalty. I mean, aren't they supposed to be freshly drafted civilians? How much training does the minimum amount represent? Do they how to use a rifle, how to use their support equipment, or even recognize the basic commands of their army? Have they been prepared for the pains of warfare in the least, digging a trench or living in field conditions?

 

[Gort11]

It certainly doesn't deter Daniel.

 

[kviiri]

It certainly doesn't deter Daniel.

I dunno - it's not like China or the other minors he conquered during Japan and Hungary WWWs had a consistently high-quality army either. Against UK or Germany such strategies would probably fail in the long run.

 

[Gort11]

I dunno - it's not like China or the other minors he conquered during Japan and Hungary WWWs had a consistently high-quality army either. Against UK or Germany such strategies would probably fail in the long run.

The main time he just threw rifles to untrained kids was in his Germany game where he basically conquered the world.

Training doesn't seem to matter much as long as you've enough divisions.

 

[Zaku]

I think it's a bit underwhelming green troops only get a -50% combat penalty. I mean, aren't they supposed to be freshly drafted civilians? How much training does the minimum amount represent? Do they how to use a rifle, how to use their support equipment, or even recognize the basic commands of their army? Have they been prepared for the pains of warfare in the least, digging a trench or living in field conditions?

Conscription works like this:
You get drafted in for training when you become an adult.
You get basic training and serve your time even if there is peace.
After you're done you go back to your civilian life.
If war comes you get called in service and either get sent to the frontline or have additional training before that.
The training time in HOI4 only represents this last step, the rest is abstracted.
So you don't send untrained meat to the front when you decide to deploy a green unit.

 

[Daddl]

Actually someone argued a while ago that greens would be too bad and didn't get how a veteran would fight as good as 3 greens. But yeah, the difference should propably be even higher. Untrained soldiers simply die in a totally avoidable way, which they would knew if they had as much as 2 weeks training.

I'd say we would need another experience level called "civilian" with -80% combat penalty if you throw units into a battle with no training at all.

Edit: Okay, Zaku has a point. If you look at it like this, its alright.

 

[kviiri]

Conscription works like this:
You get drafted in for training when you become an adult.
You get basic training and serve your time even if there is peace.
After you're done you go back to your civilian life.
If war comes you get called in service and either get sent to the frontline or have additional training before that.
The training time in HOI4 only represents this last step, the rest is abstracted.

I'm pretty sure off-map training is supposed to represent the "basic training even if there is peace" part.

 

[Zaku]

I'm pretty sure off-map training is supposed to represent the "basic training even if there is peace" part.

Maybe if your country has a professional only army like it's common nowdays.

If your country has conscription that's not how it works. Years can pass between your training and your call into active duty(in a war). With conscription EVERY eligible male gets basic training, even if they're not assigned to a combat unit. Also you don't get assigned to an unit until you're done with basic training.(there are special training baracks for that)

Source: I was a soldier.

 

[Denkt]

The on map training do cost equipment but in return it give you army experience which you can use to modifiy your divisions templates.

 

[Gort11]

Ah yeah, I forgot about that. Larger divisions seem much more powerful than smaller ones due to reinforcement mechanics, so getting your template filled out during peacetime sounds really useful.

 

[Denkt]

A larger division is less flexible however.