HQ Support help to CUs - distance too far

[Wiedrock]

The Support Squad help/"passing down" mechanic of HQs to CUs in the chain of command has twice the range it should have.
The distances are:
OKH: 180
AG: 90
A: 30
C: 10
instead of 90, 45, 15, 5.

A unit that lacks Support Squads will try to make up for the lack by drawing on any
spare support squads in its controlling HQ. However, the headquarters unit must be
within a certain distance from the attached unit in order to do this. This distance,
termed “Command Range,” is measured in hexes and is based on the type of
headquarters unit (15.5.4). Any headquarters unit in a unit’s chain of command that
is in command range can provide support with its excess support squad ground
elements.
HQ’s will provide support help to units as long as they are within the command range
of the HQ (5 for corps, 15 for army, 45 for Army Group and 90 for high level HQs).
During the logistics phase, support from HQ units is passed down from HQs.
When viewing an HQ’s own unit detail screen, the Support/Need numbers shown are
the number of support squads the HQ used for itself versus the need it had in the last
logistics phase.
This provision of support occurs automatically during the phasing players logistics
phase. To provide support help, an HQ unit must be able to trace a land path to the
unit being supported. The exception is that a non-isolated HQ unit may send support
up to 3 hexes to a non-isolated unit no matter the terrain (i.e. may go through
water/impassable hexes).
A HQ will always satisfy its own need before using any of its support squads to help
units under it. If the Support value shown is higher than the need, then it means the
HQ had excess support that it did not give out to units. HQs whose support equals its
need, have given out all their support squads as help and there are probably units in
the chain of command that are short of help.
A HQ unit has two different calculations of the number of support squads and how
many it needs for its own purposes.
If a HQ unit has fewer support squads than its ‘NEED’ its leader will not gain certain
bonuses when trying to pass admin checks (15.5.2).
A headquarters unit can provide assistance to its attached units’ support squad needs
using excess internal support squad ground elements,

Attached a scenario to run either in the Editor (you need to press the "RESET UNTI SUPPORT VALUES" in the Main Editor Window) or to run in a live game (I removed the spaws/transfers for ~7 turns to not interfere).
Axis allied HQs are just there as landmarks.

This test shows additionally that the "breaking" of the chain has no impact on the Support help (since the Army is way out of reach of the Army group and so on).
The test also shows why OKH is assumed to have "unlimited range" as the rumors say.

[Wiedrock]

To elaborate on the Scenario.

Setup:

• Each HQ's TOE was changed to contain 105 Support Squads.
• The HQ's TOEs need 5 Support Squads internally, so they are always able to "help" with 100 Support Squads to the Division (while in range - the range which is too far/double what it should be).

  

  HQ.png (11.89 KiB) Viewed 231 times

• The ID was changed to need a lot of Support additionally by giving it lots of Rifle Squads.
• The ID's TOE contains only 50 Support Squads internally.

So the ID containing 50+100 x n = SUPPORT HAVE of the Division is the value to look at (and check which HQ is at 100/5 and which at 5/5 Support [HAVE/NEED], so you know for a fact which sent its Support.
Since there are 4 HQs in the Chain this gives a max of 50+100x4=450 Support in the initial positions with the distances given in the initial post.
If you move the ID one Hex to the East you will lose the connection to the Army Group (since the CU will be at 91Hexes distance) and end with 50+100x3=350 Support (example below misses one damaged Squad).

1HexEast.PNG (3.3 KiB) Viewed 231 times

If you move the ID one Hex to the West you will lose the connection to the Corps(11 Hexes) and the Army(31 Hexes) and end with 50+2x100=250 Support.

1HexWest.PNG (3.73 KiB) Viewed 231 times

Check "i-key" to see when reinfocements/transfers arrive which may mess up further testing.

[Joel Billings]

I think this is another case where it is best to leave it as is.

[Lurberri]

It's probably best not to touch this area at this point, at the risk of causing "greater harm." However, it would be appropriate to clarify it in the living manual... although I'm afraid such a change would affect quite a few sections of the rules.

[Wiedrock]

I just don't get the numbers or the whole "chain".

Either it should be as described in the manual or if you want to be easy on the player an...

• High Command's range should be (at max): 90+45+15+5=155
• Army Group's range should be (at max): 45+15+5=65
• Army's range should be (at max): 15+5=20
• Corps's range should be (at max): 5=5

...every exceeding of those distances would automatically mean an broken chain of command - selfinflicted by player action - due to the positioning of the HQs.
What are the HQ distance-indicators otherwise meant to be there for? As it is now all they indicate a miniscule amount of reduction in roll chances (miniscule as seen in the attachment - assuming everyone gets the Corps to be within 5 Hex for SU committments).

I would even argue to block movement of all SUs (both directions) and block all rolls of higher HQs (or add a massive penalty) once any "chain connection" is broken (on top of the small range penalies).

[Lurberri]

Ouch, that caught me by surprise; I didn't know things were like this. We all know that every game is pure statistics, numbers and probabilities after all, but a mere 4.3% difference between one situation and another seems very small indeed. The effort required to keep everything within limits... only for the result to be so meager. I thought the difference (beyond the distances Wiedrock mentions) would be greater and would compensate for the effort made to maintain the chain of command.