Tips for Westwall

[Hofstadter]

Does anybody have any suggestions for this scenario. I am finding the middle of the line, 90 percent of the yellow units are absolutely useless. Have no idea where to focus attacks or how to manage my logistics, bit of a mess

[RedLancer]

Don't be too critical of yourself. I wrote Westwall primarily as a logistics conundrum. It will teach you most of the key tips and techniques for managing logistics.

Here are a few tips:

- Supply coming from the UK is constrained by mainland europe port capacity. You need to open ports up and get them attached to the rail network.
- Your frontline units are drawing supply at some distance from your depots. You need to establish depots closer to the front line.
- To achieve the above think carefully about your rail repair.
- Eisenhower had a broad front strategy - with reduced supplies you can either dispense equal misery for all or seek to set someone to a higher priority in the hope that they will crack the Westwall before the Axis reinforce enough.
- The biggest port is Antwerp - is Market Garden better directed at clearing the Scheldt or crossing the Rhine?
- Having captured Brest is it better to rail 9th Army east or march them. One consumes more fuel the other restricts rail capacity.

[RedLancer]

One more:

- All depots are not created equal - the larger the railyard the greater the freight capacity of the depot. You should look to open up depots on the larger railyards.

[Hofstadter]

Yeah this scenario is a logistics nightmare. Far as I can tell the most immediate ports are Bolougne, Calais and Dunkirk. Dunkirk is pointless, enemy is too heavily fortified there unless i was to draw units from the frontline. Theres also the ports of saint nazair, lorient and brest, but those are at a ridiculous distance and again, are heavily fortified. Antwerp confuses me, not sure where to clear there to open up the port/

As for priorities. I guess supply would have to be prioritised to the 2nd BR Army. And then divided evenly between 7th and the 3rd. Probably towards the 7th because the 3rd is begging to be pocketed with its weaker units.

[RedLancer]

Don't forget Ostend ! It needs only a rail connection - every bit helps.

Antwerp rules are in the Manual at 16.2.1 - handy diagram!

[Hofstadter]

Yeah. This scenario is crazy. It seems like its written less to win and more of a training scenario to show you how to make sure your logistics dont go to hell in a handbasket.

[RedLancer]

I agree that it is logistically challenging but that was exactly what the Allies faced in September 44 which is why I think it works as a scenario although I am totally biased.

The pursuit of the Axis had caused the Allies to break their supply system. Personally I think people concentrate too much on the failure of Market Garden when in reality the damage had already been done. The value of this scenario beyond forcing the player to learn the nuances of the logistics system is to be able to explore the other strategies that SHAEF could have employed. Personally I use 21st Army Group to clear the Scheldt and prioritise 3rd US Army at the expense of everyone else. The Axis have almost no combat power in the first few turns. There is a brief window in which the Allies can progress before the Axis recover and the autumn rains set in.

[Hofstadter]

Gah this scenario is seven types of hell. The logistics are to far gone at the start to make any progress after the first turn.

[RobertK65]

noob here. will removing depots from west of france and normandy push supplies further north and west?

[RedLancer]

ORIGINAL: RobertK65

noob here. will removing depots from west of france and normandy push supplies further north and west?

It will help providing there are depots north and west to receive supply. I played the opening turn again last night for the first time since testing. It does force you to understand the logistics system.

You need to build depots in Ostend, Bruges and Sedan for starters. You'll notice the rail lines have been repaired but no depots built at the ends. These depots need to be set to high priority to get the supply east.

Repair the rail to Antwerp so supply flows to that depot too. Use priority repair to fix railyards and ports.

Prioritise the Armies as you wish - I support 3rd Army - look at south of Metz the Germans are very weak.

[RobertK65]

thanks red lancer!