Supply

[Rasputitsa]

I think that the way the game handles supply needs some attention. Here is the incident where KOLOWRAT is surrounded and destroyed, leaving only the corps commander's icon on the map, but he still shows with 136 supply points. In the next turn KOLOWRAT disappears, but what happened to the supply ?




When I first opened this game-save, KOLOWRAT's unit stats showed all zeros 00,00,00 (strength points), confirmed by the 'Division by zero' message panel, which all means that he has no troops left. A second look now shows strength points in his panel, 4 Inf, 1 Cav, etc., but this must be an error, as the 'View units' panel is blank, empty, nothing left.

However, the main point is supply and KOLOWRAT is shown sitting by himself and apparently holding 136 supply points, with 5 French units in the same hex (visible in hex stack numbers).

This is not credible.

In the same turn BELLEGARDE is shattered and fleeing to KLATTAU, but taking 101 supply points with him, whereas some of this should be lost in the disorganisation of the corps.

The point being, that when corps lose strength and become shattered, there should be some proportional loss of supply that they are carrying. The corps is losing strength points to combat and stragglers, the same should be happening to the supply wagons accompanying the corps.

Great efforts are made to save the guns during retreat, but supply wagon drivers are not known for hanging around when things get tough.

I propose that when a commander is 'shattered', the supply being held is reduced, similar to the losses incurred by straggling and at least in proportion to the overall loss of strength points suffered by the corps.

It's strange to see great damage being inflicted on a corps, when the supply it is carrying seems to be untouched.

[Rasputitsa]

Another comment on supply, is that 350+ supply points were captured by HILLER at MUNICH and sent back to the main Austrian depot at the LOC WIMPERK. I watched the progress of this large supply convoy, as the AI controlled supply system threaded it's way back to WIMPERK, crossing through the line of advance of two French corps.

There was some loss, which is nice touch of realism, but to get such a big convoy back, neatly dodging powerful French units, was a startling achievement. I am happy to have this extra supply, but it is barely credible that there should have been such little loss during such a dangerous journey.

....or, was I just very lucky. [8D]


PS : looking back at the game-saves, the large supply convoy left MUNICH and passed the French corps that were moving from LANDAU to BRAUNAU. It's difficult to see all the movements during turn execution, but the convoy came though this at 328 points, which was a minimal loss. It was down to 319 points as it neared WIMPERK, but there were no French units in the way in this area. The loss in passing two French corps was no more than the general loss of passing through an uncontested area, further along the route.

The French are obviously not partial to Vienna Schnitzel.[:)]

[Rasputitsa]

PPS : the supply convoy is now stuck and has been stationary for two turns near PASSAU, I guess because KIENMEAYER's corps is trying to move the other way on the same road. One Austrian corps has caused more hindrance to the movement of this convoy than two French corps. There is a lot of realism in the way that the game is handling these movements, but it needs some refinement.

[Rasputitsa]

Just to illustrate the scale of the situation, whilst artists in the Napoleonic era were not very interested in the depiction of supply convoys, here are images of Custer's 1874 expedition of just over 1000 men.

The units in CotD have 10,000s of men moving with their supplies, through country which is not as open as the Dakota Territory.



Imagine this scene multiplied many times for a Napoleonic army on the move.

Admittedly Napoleonic armies where expected to use some foraging for food and fodder, but the supplies of war material must have been extensive.