American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

What does it mean when a leader's command rating has two entries - one in parentheses (e.g. D (E))?

What is a command rank letter?

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

The first letter is his command rating. However, should he fail his command test his rating then becomes the one in parentheses (it will be coloured yellow when he fails).

_________________
Paul Swanson
Lieutenant-General
First Division
First Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

I think you're on the right track, but it appears to me that the letter in parentheses is the original command rating and the first letter is the command rating after the modifiers have been applied, and therefore the one in effect for that turn.

The command rank letter is B for brigade, D for division C for corps and A for army. These letters are prominently displayed on leaders in 4.02.

_________________
MG Mike Mihalik
Forrest's Cavalry Corps
AoWest/CSA

Yes, the new letters that appear on the map with v4.02 are, as you said, "B for brigade, D for division C for corps and A for army".

Also, when you select a leader and see his picture in the hex info area you see that same letter (which is also new with v4.02). However, if you 'right-click' on the leader's picture in the hex info area other letters appear (and have always done so as far as I'm aware). You will see something like:
Command D [E]
Leadership C.

The Command letters relate to the Command Rating used in the Command Test (see p47 of the current User Manual to see what the letters mean). If that Leader, in the example given, fails his Command Test his Command Letter will change in colour from white to yellow and his command rating will be E.
That's why it's nice to have General Jackson in charge on the field and in range of his lower-level commanders because he's usually rated as:
Command A [A]
Leadership A.
As an A-graded leader Jackson has a 100% chance of him passing his Command Test and passing on a +1 bonus to the next leader/s in the chain of command when he/they roll the six-sided die for their Command Test/s.

A similar thing applies for the Leadership Rating although it is used for the Morale Test and there's no 'passing on' of any bonuses.

_________________
Paul Swanson
Lieutenant-General
First Division
First Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

Mike, you are correct, the rating in parentheses is the Officer's rating in the OOB.
From the Command section of User Manual.

● A Leader that has failed his Command Test will have his Command rating
displayed in Yellow in the Hex Info Area (see the General Help File).
● A Leader that passes his Command Test will pass a +1 Command Bonus
modifier down to the Command ratings of his subordinate commanders (except
Detached Leaders).
● If a Leader receives a Command Bonus from his superior and passes his
Command Test his Command rating will be recorded as the higher number for
that turn.
● For example, a Division leader with a nominal Command rating of C which
receives a +1 Command Bonus from his superior and passes his Command Test
will have a Command rating for that turn of B.

The display of the rating in parentheses was added in one of the updates after the 2021 manual update.
Apparently WDS did not update the graphic for the officer display to explain the change when this was done.
Although I was involved in the 2021 Documentation update I have not been asked to do any work on the manuals since that time.

_________________
Gen. Ken Miller



The McKeesport Union Guard

1/1/I
AotP