Engineering units

Can somebody help explain how these work? Do they have to be elite?

Yes, they have to be elite. Mention that they are a engineer battalion when raising them. Otherwise they are raised as a standard infantry battalion.
They will be better than standard infantry at various tasks, such as making siege ladders (they are finished same month, otherwise next month), other siege related tasks and field construction.

Thanks, that's what I thought. I actually have non-elite engineer battallions with the engineers having been trained at engineering academies before being formed. This was in the position when I got it.

That's either a terribly clever way to avoid paying the on-going expense of elite units versus non-elite units, or its fail. Not sure which!

Deacon wrote:
Thanks, that's what I thought. I actually have non-elite engineer battallions with the engineers having been trained at engineering academies before being formed. This was in the position when I got it.

That's either a terribly clever way to avoid paying the on-going expense of elite units versus non-elite units, or its fail. Not sure which!

In past Richard has said that as an alternative to full engineer battalions players can attach trained engineers or miners either as individuals or as a small specialist detachments.

I assume having some specialist engineers to direct siege operations is better then just allowing Infantry to get on with it but not as effective as an engineering battalion. While specialist detachments of miners etc are as good as a engineering battalion but much more limited in scope.

As for a non elite engineering battalion. My view is that these units are note elite in the same way as your household cavalry and the extra cost represents specialist equipment, heavy transport waggons etc so non elite engineer unit is basically "pioneers" ie standard infantry equiped with axes and spades rather than muskets. Handy for digging trenches etc but lacking field forges etc because their Government was too mean to pay for them!

My view is that its better to just pay for a full engineering battalion to represent all of the armies technical services without getting hung up about all of the specialist/detachments lumped into this one unit. Other options should only be looked at if you are very short of recruits/money or if you are the type of fanatic who wants to have your forces as close as possible to the historic model.