Supply Questions

[Regs]

I really do not understand supply in this game. I have played many old Avalon Hill and SPI board-games so complex supply rules are not new to me. I have read the section on supply in the manual and use the S button to examine the supply situation but I still struggle with it.

I guess I am looking for a tutorial that goes into supply if there is one available.

Here are some questions I had. These are based on playing the Union side.

-How is supply calculated? Is it based on where it was in the previous turn or is it calculated fresh every turn?

-Do friendly ports (Cairo, Paducah) on river hexes give full (10) supply but captured ports (New Orleans, Charleston) do not? It looks like that but wouldn’t a major captured port city not give max supply since it has a naval connection to the north?

-Is supply reduced by attacks? Sometimes it looks like this but other times, it doesn’t.

-River hexes seem to be best for supply. Should you put your HQ on a river hex or a hex adjacent to the river? Is a port city hex better than a river hex for the HQ? For example, in New Orleans, should I put an HQ in the city or on a river hex near the city? Which will provide the best supply to the nearby troops?

-Why is my supply so bad when I march in enemy territory? For example, in the game, I slowly march into enemy territory and occupy town after town on a rail and road hex leading back to my territory (and capital) but my supply sucks. This can be seen when I march Grant south and capture Dresden with his armies. My supply drops to 3 or less even though I can trace a rail line north to Paducah and I hold Cairo across the river.

-Are rail lines used for supply? Do they need several turns to be made “operational” after they are captured?

-Is supply built up and stored over several turns of inactivity? I had 4 brigades in towns in West Virginia with no leaders near by. All were stationary for many turns and one was under attack. Why do they have different supply levels even though they were all on towns? Also, why do they have higher supply than the hexes immediately north of them that are closer to the supply source? See screenshot attached.

Thanks for any answers.

[BillRunacre]

I really do not understand supply in this game. I have played many old Avalon Hill and SPI board-games so complex supply rules are not new to me. I have read the section on supply in the manual and use the S button to examine the supply situation but I still struggle with it.

I guess I am looking for a tutorial that goes into supply if there is one available.

Here are some questions I had. These are based on playing the Union side.

1) -How is supply calculated? Is it based on where it was in the previous turn or is it calculated fresh every turn?

2) -Do friendly ports (Cairo, Paducah) on river hexes give full (10) supply but captured ports (New Orleans, Charleston) do not? It looks like that but wouldn’t a major captured port city not give max supply since it has a naval connection to the north?

3) -Is supply reduced by attacks? Sometimes it looks like this but other times, it doesn’t.

4) -River hexes seem to be best for supply. Should you put your HQ on a river hex or a hex adjacent to the river? Is a port city hex better than a river hex for the HQ? For example, in New Orleans, should I put an HQ in the city or on a river hex near the city? Which will provide the best supply to the nearby troops?

5) -Why is my supply so bad when I march in enemy territory? For example, in the game, I slowly march into enemy territory and occupy town after town on a rail and road hex leading back to my territory (and capital) but my supply sucks. This can be seen when I march Grant south and capture Dresden with his armies. My supply drops to 3 or less even though I can trace a rail line north to Paducah and I hold Cairo across the river.

6) -Are rail lines used for supply? Do they need several turns to be made “operational” after they are captured?

7) -Is supply built up and stored over several turns of inactivity? I had 4 brigades in towns in West Virginia with no leaders near by. All were stationary for many turns and one was under attack. Why do they have different supply levels even though they were all on towns? Also, why do they have higher supply than the hexes immediately north of them that are closer to the supply source? See screenshot attached.

Thanks for any answers.

Hi

I've numbered your questions to make them easier to answer.

1) It is calculated afresh every turn.

2) Both can give supply, unless they are blockaded.

3) Only if the resource itself is damaged and its strength reduced, as supply value = resource strength.

4) All things being equal, put it in the city. Unless the city is under direct attack, in which case you want to keep it nearby, but protected by friendly units.

5) Resource strength is probably being reduced due to scorched earth. Press H on the keyboard to see the strength of all resources on screen. Those damaged by scorched earth will ordinarily repair at 1 strength point per turn.

6) They need to be at strength 5 to be used for operating troops by rail.

7) Supply is not stored. Check the resource strengths, that may explain things.

Unfortunately in your screenshot these aren't shown so I cannot comment, but hopefully all will become clear when you return to the game.

[Regs]

Ok. I am starting to get it. I need to consider resource strength to understand the supply value for a town.

Thanks.