A lot of players want stacking rules because of overstacking. For some atolls this may be true. But the main problem for 'normal' land hexes is 'understacking'. The size of a 60 miles hex is massively underestimated. Only to give you an idea you can see here the cauldron of Stalingrad. He fits nicely into a 60 miles hex. In the cauldron are nearly 300.000 german soldiers and allies, more than 20 divisions. Outside there was at least the same amount of soviet soldiers.
The battle in Normandy also fits into one hex (or perhaps two, depends where the grid lines are.The battle of the bulge to place in a 60 miles WITP hex, 30 allied divisions were involved in that battle. From the channel Beglium -Dutch border at the channel coast to the border of Switzerland the distance is 517 km (321 miles / 279 nautical miles). Let's be
generous and let asume that these are 7 WITP hexes. This perhaps gives a better impression about the dimensions.
Hex ownership
An artillery battalion cannot 'control' or 'own' a 60 mile hex. You need at least a division for that job. But that division cannot defend the hex. In WW2 a division could in general defend a frontline of up to 15 km / 9 miles. For a 60 miles hex this would mean at least 6 divisions. A division 'defending' in a 60 mile hex against a division of same size and quality will loose that battle. The defending division will be stretched across the whole hex. The attacking divison will concentrate in an area of its choice, will have a high numerical superiority in that place. The defending division will be destroyed piecemeal. If you assume that the defending division is concentrating its forces as well then it cannot control the hex anymore because the largest part is without troops.
Really weird is when a side 'owns' a hex by moving it through tat hex. Even without own forces your are still considered hexowner, which leads to the false conclusion that you still 'contro'the hex. When you leave a hex you will also loose the control. (This is similar with a credit card: when you take the credit card with you it is under your control. If you leave the card at home the card is out of your control. You cannot use it and you don't know what is happening to the card. It could be stolen by a burgler or your wife finds it[:(].) Assume that hex as a neutral hex because no forces are in it. If you want to cut off enemy forces that are moving in your hinterland a continuous frontline is the only solution that in real life can prevent enemy supply operations.
("We cannot drive further and deliver our supply to our troops!" "Why not?" Seven days ago a japanese artillery battalion has moved through this hex. This is a japanese hex!" "But I don't see anyone?" "That's true. They have left 2 days ago. The hex is empty. But we are not allowed to drive with supply through areas where enemy troops have been!" "Why??!!" "Don't ask, it's a rule.") When in the frontline only one hex is not covered (Distance from Ohmaha Beach to Avrances is only 48 miles) then there is no reason to prohibit enemy movement independently of the kind of enemy through that hole.
Wrong interpretation of the the effect of the hex size also leads to some strange implementations within the combat model. Forces in a contested hex can't move. An enemy attack independent of the size of the attack cancels all movement orders. The combat system prevents withdrawals. When encircled it prevents the reorganzation of onwn forces and an attempt to 'break out' of a cauldron. Disengagement and withdrawal are standard military procedures, difficult under enemy pressure, but of course possible. For unknown reasons the combat system prevents historical movement of forces.
ZOC
In WITP this is really a bad idea
. The combat elements have a range with direct fire of up to 2 km / 1.3 miles. The normal field artillery has a range of up to 10 km / 6 miles into enemy territory. Especially direct fire but also indirect fire depend on visibility of the target. At night this visibility will drop to less than 1 km / .6 miles. Artillery can of course fire 'blind'but this will greatly reduce the effectiveness. But even during day combat force will not be able to 'control' the enemy within combat range. But they are able to 'influence' him. In a tactiacl game with hex sizes of 1 km / .6 miles ZOCs may be useful. In a 60 miles hex forces can move in a corridor of 48 miles without any groundbased hostile interference. The 'ZOC'doesn't make sense with 60 miles hexes and should be skipped without replacement.
The combat model works as 'intended'. Unfortunately this implementation is too far away from reality. The main issue is that on a map with strategic size tactical combat is implemented in a way that doesn't fit to the map.
For those who want to transfer WITP into the Mediterranian: the Italian Peninsula is only up to 2 hexes deep (Meditarranian to Adriatic Sea), the front from El Alamein to Quatarra depression half a WITP hex (60 km,36 miles, 32 nautical miles). From the Mediterranian to Bir Hacheim one and a half hex (157 km, 97 miles, 84 nautical miles). But normally the combat concentrated more in the coastal zone. Does anybody think that that will be fun to play? A frontal onslaught in one or two hexes? [&:]
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Long time no post, but I'll take a whack at this one.
