New Player Frustration

[DP Blitzer]

I'm playing the Japanese in the Marco Polo campaign and I'm having trouble with a few things that just don't seem right.

First, this seems to be a "war of posts". I'm finding it difficult to keep enough supply to be able to attack effectively or even draw replacements. Everything is a slow, slow grind. Most supply dumps are 5, which is not enough for you to be able to take the next 5 supply dump. Taijuan is impossible to approach and have any supply to be able to attack.

Second, it is extremely frustrating to remove 8 or 9 points from a unit and have it come back full strength next turn. Especially irritating in that the attacker can't afford to delay a turn to replace up to full strength.

Third, Japanese bombers have zero effect. I can't even destroy a single point with the bombers. My best is usually losing 1 point of the bombers and having no effect on the enemy.

Played many games over the years, but this one has me scratching my head.

[BillRunacre]

Hi

Supply is crucial, and low supply will make units fight less well, it also affects their ability to reinforce, so if you can, pursue a strategy to maximise your own supply, using HQs to generate supply (keeping them in or close to supply sources), while ideally reducing enemy supply by cutting off units and locations from sources of supply. Targeting enemy HQs is one way to do this.

Bombers' primary use is to de-entrench and reduce the morale of enemy units, rendering them more vulnerable to attack by ground units. They can inflict strength point losses, especially when upgraded with Ground Attack Weapons, but weakening the enemy prior to assault, like artillery, will make your ground attacks more successful.

Medium Bombers are better at demoralising and de-entrenching, Tactical Bombers are inflicting losses, so using them in that order is also best.

If you haven't already, there's plenty of advice in the Strategy Guide and also in the Manual, both of which can be accessed either via the Game Launcher, or from one of the buttons at the top right of the screen while playing.

[DP Blitzer]

Thank you.

For my HQ, I've just tried to keep them within 5 hexes of the units attacking. Is it more effective to position the HQ in the supply source or closer to the front? For example, if the supply source is 4 away from the attackers, would it be best to have the HQ on the source, or just behind the attackers?

[BillRunacre]

Placing it within the resource will maximise the supply it receives and can therefore distribute, so while this won't necessarily apply for all situations, as a rule of thumb it is what I would advise.

If you press S on the keyboard you can see the supply level for all hexes in your possession, and pressing it a second time will give a prediction of supply next turn (including if you conquer territory).

Providing the HQ is in a hex with a supply level of 6 or more, then it will be able to distribute a supply value of 10, providing it is at full strength, as a HQ's supply distribution value is relative to its strength.

This is why weakening enemy HQs will make them focus on repairing them, because otherwise their supply and combat bonuses are reduced. Making HQs a good target to attack!