Are Town Watch Units Useful?

I was wondering if anyone has found a really good use for these units?
I would like to think that by raising them I am doing my bit to improve law & Order in the Nation I play. However I have not noticed any plus points from having raised them.
There main purpose seems to be getting killed when they try to stop other nations recruiting parties.
Also with some cities having a population of 10,000 souls or less is a 500 strong town watch a bit too much.

I know some Nations have used them to create a secret police service, is that a productive option?
Is the investment of 500 recruits worth it, or should they be reduced to another strength, say maybe 100 strong?

I have had spies captured by a Town Watch, when said spy was trying to break into a government building.

When I took over Saxony the previous player had created a secret police service all armed with Rifles, I don't know if this was intended as some form of riot control.

I need to go and dig all the rule and guide books out but I think there is a reference in one of them to a benefit of having a watch in every named town...

I wonder if they work part of a system? When you have watches in your towns and a judiciary in place?

I have considered using watches, rearmed with muskets, as garrisons for fortresses. It would take 7 watches but it would be cheaper than 5 foot battalions and they could be considered like militia perhaps, second rate forces you'd not want in the field but ok to sit behind walls and fire upon attackers, esp after being drilled.

I inherited the secret police units, I am not sure what use they are, I guess they keep down agitators in the population.

I have created a police college as well to train watch units in policing duties, I have a special investigations branch to look into major crimes & fraud.

I know of some players equiping watch units with dogs to aid in patrols around certain govermental buildings. More as a deterant than actually catching anyone.

If you raise them as a paramilitary force with weapons then are they still apart of the civil power, or do the come under the control of the military. Maybe a rule change is required to introduce a new unit type actually called Militia, raised in a similar way to town watch units. I have created a National milita in Game. It has proved effective, it is also armed. apart from arming it there are no other costs.

I do not believe town watch units will be much use in a combat situation, even if equipped with muskets. They are trained to maintain "law and order" in a area, not for battle and are unlikely to stand up to regular troops for long, even as garrison troops. Probably a better idea to use the same number of troops on fewer infantry units if recruits is a problem. It is my belief that 3 F will always defeat 5 Town watch if equipped with the same weapons and same drill. The infantry is trained for it, the police is not.

I wonder with some towns having a population of 5,000 or less if a 500 strong town watch unit is overdoing things after all having 10% of the population enforcing law& order seems a little extreme.

J Flower wrote:I wonder with some towns having a population of 5,000 or less if a 500 strong town watch unit is overdoing things after all having 10% of the population enforcing law& order seems a little extreme.

Well it might seem so but as the place expands, safe investments, reduced spying?

I have not found them helpful previously but am willing to change my mind as a result of others views herein.

I wonder if a system similar to the judicary & Medical service rules would work whereby you have a law enforcement body of 1,000 for every 1,000,000 of the population, or for every 100,000. linked into a Judicary system.

That might make more sense in some ways however I wonder if the current way allows a bit more historical accurateness, towns that take law and order seriously have watches, those that dont...dont...

According to "Advice for Princes", having a Watch in a town makes it less likely illegal recruitment will take place

I always try to set up the whole line of civilian units in every town if possible.
Town watch (with dogs), Fire Brigade, Rat Catchers and Night Soil Men.
Have their presence been beneficial, no idea but it looks better, and it is hopefully improving the lives of the people.
I also drill all these units whenever possible under the assumption that they will do their job better.

I must admit I am like Ardagor, I do try and have the whole range in towns too. I did once check with Richard after I drilled a Town Watch by mistake, and drilling them does work.

errr how did you drill them ... by mistake?

What can I say...I'm special

I gave an order for the garrison of a town to drill...which they did and that included the Watch. I hadn't expected them to be included in the drill order and that made me ask Richard about it.

Ta.

Interesting, I also noted that they helped prevent illegal recruitment.
On two Occasions now an Officer in the watch has been killed by the Officer in charge of the recruiting party. I am not sure if this is what is ment by stopping recruitment. But having the party thrown into gaol for Murder does mean it has been stopped.
Sacrifice in the name of Duty is one thing but I think this is a little too much.