What exactly is reserve mode ?

[nukkxx5058]

What does it correspond to in real life ?
In what circumstances should I put units in reserve ? and how long ?
Should the unit I put in reserve be a at least few hexes away from the front line ?

I would appreciate guidelines about when/why putting units in reserve mode.
The manual isn't very clear ...


Thanks

[Chris21wen]

I'm little unclear as to what the problem is? All armies used a reserve to be committed to battle when needed, either in defense, (the more usual) or attack. The manual is quite clear on how it works, ranges etc under section 15.5 updated manual.

[Sammy5IsAlive]

A unit that is in reserve mode can potentially be added to a battle even when it is not adjacent to the enemy. So I guess it probably corresponds to a tactical reserve in real life.

If you want a unit to commit to a battle it needs to be within three hexes of the closest attacking unit when attacking and six hexes of the battle hex when defending.

I think it's difficult to give a succinct answer on how to use reserve mode. I think one thing I would say would be that it is difficult to 'rely' on reserve units activating, especially as the Soviet side. So you really need to see them as a bonus. In terms of mechanics smaller units are more likely to activate but add less CV whilst big units are less reliable but if they do activate can really mess up your opponents calculations.

[eskuche]

There’s a big mini game or mind game with soviets using reserves. The German player has to either use decoy attacks, attack with more than needed, or simply gamble. Reserve mode decreases fort construction and the opportunity cost is that your units can’t be on refit to gain experience/morale. You should check the manual for the movement point requirements for reserve mode as it’s quite finicky.

The common thought for germans is to have units on reserve during blizzard, such as cavalry brigades and armor regiments.

[nukkxx5058]

ORIGINAL: eskuche


The common thought for germans is to have units on reserve during blizzard, such as cavalry brigades and armor regiments.

And why not on refit instead ?
In fact I can't figure out all the pros and cons of reserve mode ...

[Sammy5IsAlive]

ORIGINAL: nukkxx5058

ORIGINAL: eskuche


The common thought for germans is to have units on reserve during blizzard, such as cavalry brigades and armor regiments.

And why not on refit instead ?
In fact I can't figure out all the pros and cons of reserve mode ...

With Axis you are probably better using the TOEmax settings to manage the flow of reinforcements/equipment. I guess you might use refit to give further priority to your very best units? Plus IIRC units are more likely to upgrade to a more up to date TOE if they are left on refit in the rear. In terms of reserve mode the main con is that any unit on reserve is necessarily not in the front line (a unit can only react in reserve mode if it is not starting adjacent to an enemy unit). For much of the game I think it's fair to say that the Axis is struggling for counters to fill the front line and it is difficult to afford leaving units in the rear. One exception would be the first blizzard where you should have plenty of your panzers off the front line in towns/cities/urban in which case you could set them to reserve as you retreat towards those strong points.

With Soviets I think you are best using refit to build experience in your 'shell' units as they arrive as reinforcements or to rebuild morale in units that have been badly beaten up in combat. Those units are not the ones you want set as reserves (both because they are too weak and because they only get stronger quickly if you have them pulled back far enough off the front line that they are unable to activate as reserves). So you shouldn't have to choose between the two states I think. In terms of the major con to having units on reserve I'd suggest the thing to be careful with is that if a reserve unit activates into a losing battle on the defence it has a chance of routing. That's painful in terms of losses but perhaps more importantly it can leave big gaps in your planned 'second line' that the Axis can exploit.

[Jorgen_CAB]

I'm not nearly as experience in this game as most but as the Soviet I would probably like to leave my mobile brigades on reserve as they cover more ground and have a much higher chance to engage... you also can have more brigades covering a larger part of the front. You then leave the infantry divisions in a defence in depth formations.

Using the reserve function is pretty important for both the Axis and the Soviets especially in defence. You should always use a layered defence in terms of main combat divisions, smaller reserve brigades and counter corps/armies. Don't rely too much on the reserve forces as a second (or even third) line.

In any way, reserves in the game function much in the same way they did historically as far as I can see. As the game operate in week long turns the mechanic is a good abstraction for how mobile reserves can react between player turns in a semi realistic way.