Huge experience boost

[Zapmeister]

What I don't understand is those red heroic experience stars. I thought that if
you got one of them then you are in the Hall of Fame, and vice versa.

Obviously not, though, since I've had commanders with the star that are not listed on the HoF, and vice versa. So then, what determines who gets heroic experience?

[Psitticine]

You've got it right. A unit will get a "red star" skill once it enters the Hall of Fame. The skill will continue to improve as long as the unit is still in the Hall of Fame (even if it is dead) If the unit is booted from the Hall of Fame by the progress of other units, they do not lose the ability. It merely ceases to improve until the unit is again in the Hall of Fame.

I'd guess what you're seeing is the product of that "turn over". Your units are making the list, probably at the lowest position, and gaining the abilities. They then get "bumped' off the list by another up-and-coming unit and so have the ability but are no longer on the list.

[Zapmeister]

Fair enough. But it doesn't explain how I can have a unit in the HoF without a red star.

[Psitticine]

I've only seen that happen with Pretenders, who aren't supposed to get them. Are you seeing it with "ordinary" units?

[Zapmeister]

No, you're right. It's only happened with my pretender. Thanks.

[Endoperez]

It is also possible, or atleast was in Dom1, to have a red star on a commander without him being in Hall of Fame. Eventually I figured out that there were always ten units with heroic ability, and ten units in Hall of Fame. If there were pretenders in HoF, the abilities that they couldn't get were given to mortals that would be in HoF if the pretenders weren't there.

[Psitticine]

I'm pretty sure that's been changed for Dom II (you have to be in the HoF at some point to get a heroic ability) but I could be wrong.