How exactly does Supply work?

The sequel of the legendary wargame with a complete graphics and interface overhaul, major new gameplay and design features such as full naval combat modelling, improved supply handling, numerous increases to scenario parameters to better support large scenarios, and integrated PBEM++.
Oberst_Klink
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by Oberst_Klink »

ORIGINAL: Fred98

Sorry, what I have been trying to do is just glance across the map and see where the supply is good and where the supply is bad.

I will operate where the supply is good. Where the supply is bad I will try to improve it.

You have now explained why 16 is adequate in some scenarios and not in others. And why supply is so difficult in this game series.

.
No need to be sorry about anything. Just out of curiosity mate... what scenario are you playing atm?

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Fred98
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by Fred98 »

None in particular. I tend to open a scenario I have not seen before, play maybe 5 turns, come across a problem, then try another.

I like to play the side that is advancing. Supply is a regular problem.

.
DanNeely
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by DanNeely »

"Good" is relative; and in most cases you're not going to have enough supply to sustain continuous high intensity combat; OTOH in shorter single battle scenarios supply will run out over the course of the fight and not last long enough to recover.

It really comes down to what you can do with it. At default scenario settings when moving you lose supply equal to the number of points spent to enter each hex (with the caveat that if you started with >100 supply your first move drops it to 100). This means that in scenarios with higher movement allowances need higher supply levels to keep things going, alternately the scenario designer can adjust the supply cost of movement down (or up). See page 47 in the manual.

Direct combat uses 10 points of supply/round for units in direct combat and 5 points/round for artillery/etc supporting via reserve status (these guns only fire at half effectiveness as if they were directly assigned). For the defender (only) supply consumption can be reduced if the attacking units are collectively much smaller. See page 60.

There're a lot more pages in the manual talking about supply, I just cited the two main ones I used as reference.
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OpT1mUs
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by OpT1mUs »

ORIGINAL: Oberst_Klink
ORIGINAL: OpT1mUs

Huh, so it's seems from that sheet you linked, that for a non moving unit to get a full possible supply (hex supply value * formation supply distribution efficiency) it needs to have HQ adjacent (or in the hex). So HQ doesn't actually give supply bonus per se, it's just that you have a de facto penalty without it? Either way, it seems much clearer now, thank you
HQ's do give a bonus, EDIT: delete cooperative HQ or not. But if your HQ's have support squads and they get 'screwed', that will affect the supply distribution to the formation.

Klink, Oberst

I understand that they technically give a bonus, but it's just that you have 33% penalty without HQ, and effectively 0% penalty with HQ (you actually get Supply value that is printed in the hex). In that sense I said that HQ doesn't give a bonus, but you get a penalty without one.
OpT1mUs
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by OpT1mUs »

I just spotted this in the manual:

8.2.8. unIt deployment orders
(advanCed rules)
Units may be deployed in various ways within
their location. This Deployment status reflects an
internal optimization for specific roles or missions:
§ Defending – The unit is deployed to defend
the location. There are defensive and supply
advantages for this deployment.


What are the supply advantages of Defending deployment?
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sPzAbt653
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by sPzAbt653 »

Three Cheeseburgers or one Large Pizza, players choice. Additionally, if a unit performs no actions for the entire turn and remains dug in it receives a free liter of soda.
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by larryfulkerson »

Any of my helicopter pilots that gets a direct hit gets a free case of beer.
Does the CIA still do wet work, from time to time, depending on the National Security threat say......?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTSJhBJeYKk
OpT1mUs
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by OpT1mUs »

Actual answer would be cool
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larryfulkerson
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by larryfulkerson »

Sorry, I appologize for my non-answer. I think Steve and I are trying to say
that almost nobody knows for sure. It would have to be researched in the
code or maybe tested in a sandbox scenario or somebody could just ask Bob
Cross. He would know I bet. Digging in the unit will free up the supply
transportation equipment ( trucks ) and those will be automatically
contributed to the overall supply effort. Asset sharing it's called.
So it's a good idea to dig in the units when you're through moving them.
But as to how much of a boost in terms of supply just from being dug in
is a really good question. Somebody ought to look into that.
Does the CIA still do wet work, from time to time, depending on the National Security threat say......?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTSJhBJeYKk
OpT1mUs
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by OpT1mUs »

It's just that I want wargames in general to be a bit less niche, so I try to help out people who have questions on, for example, Reddit, to better understand the game. Someone actually asked about this bonus, and I had no clue because I didn't even notice that tiny sentence in the manual.
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Curtis Lemay
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by Curtis Lemay »

ORIGINAL: OpT1mUs

I just spotted this in the manual:

8.2.8. unIt deployment orders
(advanCed rules)
Units may be deployed in various ways within
their location. This Deployment status reflects an
internal optimization for specific roles or missions:
§ Defending – The unit is deployed to defend
the location. There are defensive and supply
advantages for this deployment.


What are the supply advantages of Defending deployment?
I'm not aware of any. The above goes back to TOAW I, so we'd have to ask Norm.

Run a test and find out.
My TOAW web site:

Bob Cross's TOAW Site
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Fred98
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by Fred98 »

How can I push supply forward?

I have no roads nor railway lines. The forward units are out of supply.

How can I push supply forward?
.
Oberst_Klink
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RE: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by Oberst_Klink »

ORIGINAL: Fred98

How can I push supply forward?

I have no roads nor railway lines. The forward units are out of supply.

How can I push supply forward?
.
Fred

I am not sure if I have already pointed you to the tutorial scenarios that try to shed some light on various aspects of TOAW IV? In case I haven't, here's the complete list. There's one scenario in particular with various supply units and how to keep the LOS/LOC open.

Tutorial '41: tm.asp?m=4382552
Tutorial '42: tm.asp?m=4387818
Tutorial '42 - Editor: tm.asp?m=4401098
Tutorial '43: tm.asp?m=4390285
Tutorial '43 - Combat: tm.asp?m=4394374
Tutorial '44: tm.asp?m=4397183
Tutorial '45: tm.asp?m=4412329

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fulcrum28
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Re: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by fulcrum28 »

a question about this supply situation.
why does the hex next to Torun city have 38 supply and not 40?
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fulcrum28
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Re: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by fulcrum28 »

Germany conquered Poland one turn before so Torun city has just been converted to German control. Perhaps the game takes more than one turn to update the supply net so that supply still comes from Berlin and decreases to 38 and 36. I will see if the supply if re-established after a couple of turns.
Scenario is Europe AFlame 1.3.1

**I confirm that the supply is back to normal after a couple of turns.**
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golden delicious
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Re: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by golden delicious »

fulcrum28 wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 10:11 am Germany conquered Poland one turn before so Torun city has just been converted to German control. Perhaps the game takes more than one turn to update the supply net so that supply still comes from Berlin and decreases to 38 and 36. I will see if the supply if re-established after a couple of turns.
Scenario is Europe AFlame 1.3.1

**I confirm that the supply is back to normal after a couple of turns.**
Supply level in each hex is calculated before auto rail repair, so I'd suggest this is because the hex in question had "broken rail" at the start of the turn.
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fulcrum28
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Re: How exactly does Supply work?

Post by fulcrum28 »

Thank you for your reply.
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