WitE2 Logistics Guide

[Karri]

https://mesmeric.games/wite2-logistics- ... f-freight/

A work in progress, I need to take a break from writing to clear my head from all that manual fluff. However, I think this might clear up some stuff for those wondering about logistics. I might have also misunderstood things, so let me know if there is something to correct.

[xhoel]

Nice read, keep at it. Just 1 correction: When talking about the unit freight details (example 3/8th Rum. Cav Div), the 30 trucks are not what the unit needs to get supplies. That is the amount of trucks the unit needs to function at full capacity. Those trucks could be used to tow artillery, other elements or to pick up supplies. So in this case they had 31 trucks on hand but used 19 to draw freight and lost 2 in the process.

The 90 No trucks and No freight indicate that there was no more freight and trucks left to be used at the depot AFAIK.

[Karri]

Thanks, updated the relevant parts, I hope. Do you know what Unit truck use in depot data means? Is it trucks from the depot used by units? Or the trucks the units use?

[oldMarinePanzer]

Very good Guide. Do you know the optimum spacing in hexes between depots? 3 or 4 or 5 or ? hexes depending upon terrain and rail lines maybe?

[carlkay58]

Unit truck use is the use of trucks assigned to combat units to retrieve supply for the unit. The more trucks the unit uses for supply purpose the less trucks available to move their forces easily and thus results in lower movement points.

[Karri]

ORIGINAL: oldMarinePanzer

Very good Guide. Do you know the optimum spacing in hexes between depots? 3 or 4 or 5 or ? hexes depending upon terrain and rail lines maybe?

I haven't really tested any of that. It really depends on the situation. If there are multiple cities with railyards within a hex of each other, there's a lull in fighting, then each could use a depot. If you're trying to get supplies to the spearhead, then better not saturate the front with too many depots. If you're in swamps and forests, remember the three hex rule for horse-drawn supply. Too many depots in a single rail line might mean none of them gets sufficient freight.

Ideally, you would cover as much of the frontline with horse-drawn supply as possible. These depots should then lead back to regional major cities with sufficient rail capacity, stacked with HQs to stockpile as many supplies as possible.

[RedJohn]

I only had time to do a 3 turn test, but utilizing your guide I also set every unit to supply priority 4. Theoretically, this should be a terrible idea - but it actually ended up pulling more freight forward than by every unit not being supply priority 4.

What has been your experience with this?

Oh, and have you had much experience in the GC supplywise as germany? I was wondering also if you knew what roughly is a good supply number to be pulling forward.

[jubjub]

ORIGINAL: RedJohn

I only had time to do a 3 turn test, but utilizing your guide I also set every unit to supply priority 4. Theoretically, this should be a terrible idea - but it actually ended up pulling more freight forward than by every unit not being supply priority 4.

What has been your experience with this?

Oh, and have you had much experience in the GC supplywise as germany? I was wondering also if you knew what roughly is a good supply number to be pulling forward.

You’ll get more supply, but you’ll also use more trucks, which get damaged and destroyed. I’m coming to the opinion that I want to starve my infantry on priority 1 unless they are within 3 hexes of a depot.

This will also make the panzer divisions rely on their unit trucks to get supply, leaving them with fewer movement points.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: RedJohn

I only had time to do a 3 turn test, but utilizing your guide I also set every unit to supply priority 4. Theoretically, this should be a terrible idea - but it actually ended up pulling more freight forward than by every unit not being supply priority 4.

What has been your experience with this?

Oh, and have you had much experience in the GC supplywise as germany? I was wondering also if you knew what roughly is a good supply number to be pulling forward.

as jubjub says, HQ priority sets demand, so everything on #4 means high demand. You can't supply this demand locally so the units shed trucks looking for the freight you told them to find.

Those trucks do 2 bad things. Short term lower your cv and mp, longer term increase the damaged/destroyed trucks.

There is an inflexion point (that is highly circumstantial) where setting too high a unit priority actually leads to weaker units than a low supply priority.

I'm now putting all my infantry armies on #1 for 1941 unless they are near a good supply net, even the Pzrs are usually on #2. Keep an eye on the freight table in the logistics report, if demand>supply you might as well lower demand to a point where the 2 values are closer (a small mismatch doesn't really matter).

If you look at the vs AI AAR I have going as the axis there is a lot of discussion about depot layout and rail capacity (starting from the NSS), may give you some ideas. But in the end, the ability to push freight from the NSS sits at the core of the supply system. There are then a load of tricks you can use to push the effect up, but you can't overcome that basic limitation.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: RedJohn

I only had time to do a 3 turn test, but utilizing your guide I also set every unit to supply priority 4. Theoretically, this should be a terrible idea - but it actually ended up pulling more freight forward than by every unit not being supply priority 4.

What has been your experience with this?

Oh, and have you had much experience in the GC supplywise as germany? I was wondering also if you knew what roughly is a good supply number to be pulling forward.

as jubjub says, HQ priority sets demand, so everything on #4 means high demand. You can't supply this demand locally so the units shed trucks looking for the freight you told them to find.

Those trucks do 2 bad things. Short term lower your cv and mp, longer term increase the damaged/destroyed trucks.

There is an inflexion point (that is highly circumstantial) where setting too high a unit priority actually leads to weaker units than a low supply priority.

I'm now putting all my infantry armies on #1 for 1941 unless they are near a good supply net, even the Pzrs are usually on #2. Keep an eye on the freight table in the logistics report, if demand>supply you might as well lower demand to a point where the 2 values are closer (a small mismatch doesn't really matter).

If you look at the vs AI AAR I have going as the axis there is a lot of discussion about depot layout and rail capacity (starting from the NSS), may give you some ideas. But in the end, the ability to push freight from the NSS sits at the core of the supply system. There are then a load of tricks you can use to push the effect up, but you can't overcome that basic limitation.

I have had nothing over a priority #2 until turn 10 when I set one Corps to a 3 my whole game with Jubjub so far. My truck situation is much lower compared to my other games I had started on release. What Loki typed above is good info

[jubjub]

Yeah, you'd think priority 2 is low until you realize they'll go for supplies/ammo/fuel if they're under 70% - this usually puts them at 90-100% after the logistics phase.

Another thing to do is set TOE limits so they won't try to receive replacement tanks 200 miles from a railhead.

[RedJohn]

So to summarise then- set all units to supply priority 2 at the start of the game, focus on repairing the main dual-track routes into the SU, whilst paying attention to also connect lvl 2 railyards wherever is convenient (and assigning empty corps FBD units so that they can repair to more out of the way railyards), build depots on railyards, and ensure priorities are set in increasing order?

Is that a correct summary to good German logistics?

[carlkay58]

Not necessarily. There are other methods that work as well or better. Logistics in WitE2 is an art form - there is no scientific method for the 'best' way to do things. Experience and intuition are actually the best answers here. You can do a good supply net many different ways. There are only a few 'bad' ways to do it. Some ways work better for some players while other ways work better for others.

While many latch onto the 'three hex rule' because units within three hexes of a depot that it is drawing on does not use trucks, remember that when the unit does this it doubles its freight requirements. Which means your supply net is now half as effective in supplying that unit and if your entire army group is within three hexes then you have doubled the amount of freight that entire army group requires. On the other hand it is less dependent on trucks and not as affected by bad weather. So it is a trade off that depends on your specific situation and playing style.

[OberstVonWitz]

test

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: OberstVonWitz

test

of what?

[blond_knight_new]

Nice article on the end to end of logistics in the game. The editor article was good too, though still alot of speculation.

[Rosencrantus]

To expand on SMPs and moving freight, the amount of SMPs needed to move freight is dependent on rail usage (22.4.3)