Drill in Version 7 Rules

I agree with Ardagor's understanding on this. Drill is completely separate from status. The rule on units losing elite status if made inactive is much older than the drill rules.

Drill and Army Regulations seem to have grown in importance in later editions of the rules. Units retain their drill levels if made inactive, but can lose them if their equipment changes significantly (swap rifles for muskets?) or if the regulations alter (deploy in 2 lines instead of 3, or adopt platoon fire). This is an interesting aspect of the game which I don't think has been fully tested on a large scale. If you have fixed regulations and drill the troops until they become automatons then you end up with very rigid, correct linear tactics, high rates of fire and no doubt very tough infantry in a straight musket duel. However, if knowing your troops have been drilled in that way, the enemy decides to adopt less conventional tactics and avoid a musket duel, then does the year spent drilling your troops benefit them or harm them. There are plenty of historical examples of well drilled units being slaughtered by militia because they couldn't form up as instructed. I'm not completely against drill and can certainly see the advantages, but I don't think it will always enhance performance and there could be a downside. It would be very interesting to read of examples of combat in LGDR where drill gave a long term advantage.