We were wondering what the effect of Cossacks is when they are in an enemy city.
So: they move into an enenmy provincial capital that is completely empty.
They can go into the city as normal and are unbesieged.
Can they:
1) Block the controlling nation to get money from this province during the economy phase?
2) If this capital is a capital of a minor country that is controlled by their enemy: do they capture it if they are there for 2 turns (unbesieged)?
Some said...no, they can't because it's only a unit of Cossacks. On the other hand...a corps with 1 militia factor or 1 cav factor would have these effects..so why shouldn't Cossacks? The arguements were that 1 Cossack factor couldn't possibly block/control a big city (like Paris, even if it is undefended. On the other hand: 1 militia or cavalry factor in a corps could...? I would say: put 1 factor of mil/inf in the city and leave it defended!
There were some arguements for and against, but I'd like to hear from the BGG community...
I think you're (that's a collective "you," by the way, not a singular one) confusing the question by going to too much detail. Questions of what happens when a capital is occupied revolve around one and only one thing - is the capital held by a garrison that triggers particular events? Which turns in to - can a cossack act as a garrison?
The answer is clearly "yes." 7.3.3.3.1 - "Cossack, freikorps and guerrilla factors (guerrillas may not garrison depots) may also be used to form all or part of a city or depot garrison."
Once a capital is garrisoned, the province or minor country it is associated with does not contribute money to the controlling power. And if it is a minor, it becomes subject to conquest. Whether that garrison is a single cossack or the French Guard corps filled to the brim is immaterial.
What happens when typographers play Busen Memo? . . . . . . . . . ὠ ὡ ὢ ὣ ὤ ὥ ὦ ὧ
Ken is completely correct - and I have seen cossacks occupy Paris and Vienna (not at the same time, but in the same game). Turkish feudal cav can be brutal too.
If France is silly enough to leave cities without garrisons s/he should be taught a painful lesson.
He made big stacks, but left his provincial/minor capitals unguarded.
Quote:
It IS, however, a very strong ability, combined with their 5 move + no rolling for supply and the fact that they can move through enemy stacks.
Which is why you garrison your capitals. Making folks have to roll dice rather than just walking in to capitals and preventing this type of cossack mayhem is just smart play.
The good news for him is that they won't be hard to ferret out. The bad news is he probably gets to have one of those learning experiences that involves a little bit of pain.
I am in my first campaign of Empires in Arms and am playing France. I have had to be taught several times, first with friendly advice, then the hard way through experience, to garrison my supply depots. A properly maintained supply line, or in this case, garrisoned city, will significantly negate the effectiveness of enemy Cossacks.
