What happens to a replaced Support Company's equipment?

[CrasherZZ]

If I replace a Cavalry Recon with a Armored Recon support company what happens to the cavalry - is it just lost or does it or does it go into a surplus equipment pool? What about replacing a hospital or signal company with some other kind of support company, does the manpower and/or equipment go back into the pools?

 

[CaesarVincens]

Generally I believe manpower and equipment are returned to the stockpile/pool, there might be some exceptions for units that are in combat or surrounded though.

 

[Duke_Dave]

I think units hold unto equipment for a short while, when in combat bit otherwise it's in stockpile.

 

[GrandVezir]

there might be some exceptions for units that are in combat or surrounded though.

There is no exception for out of supply, that equipment goes right back into the stockpile. It's a known exploit to convert surrounded units to one-battalion infantry to save the manpower and gear.

Units in combat are their own oddity: the change piece is briefly zeroed out (presumably as the game checks what gear to assign), then gets new equipment up to the lesser of what's available in the stockpile or what manpower the old design had. It's not a huge deal if you're changing a single support company, but changing the entire division to a new template while the division is in combat often gets the division destroyed.

 

[CrasherZZ]

Support equipment stockpile seems too generic when one considers the wide variety of support equipment there is. Cavalry recon and Hospital companies draw equipment from the same stockpile - that's pretty unrealistic. Medical equipment replacing horses, saddles and bridles - not to mention trained medics replacing horsemen? That was the basis for my question.

For example, if in the game I replaced a cavalry recon with an MP company then should there be a 1 for 1 replacement with no loss of manpower or support equipment? I will test it out when I get a chance. I'm thinking of creating a new 40 width infantry template that would switch out support artillery and cavalry for logistics or hospital or AA when used to replace an existing divisions current template.