Supply?

[bosbes]

I'm well into the 1940 invasion, but I'm encountering difficulties in keeping my German units supplied. Do I have to my the HQ units closer to the frontline units or what? Any suggestions.[&:]

[RocketMan]

Supply flows from the top HQ (OKH) down to the Army Group HQs (Army Group A and B) then to Army HQs (e.g. 18th Army, 6th Army) then to the Corp HQs (e.g. X Corps, IXL Corps). Each link in this chain has to be less than 100 supply movement points for supply to flow at 100%. More than 250 supply movement points means no supply flows down that link. From the manual:

If the distance from the original source to the target unit is more than 100 AP, only a part of the
requested supplies can be delivered. If more than 100, only 75% will arrive; if more than 150,
only 50% will arrive; if more than 200 only 25% will arrive.

Also look at section 4. Movement of the manual to see supply movement costs.

So you probably have too many movement points in your supply chain somewhere. Roads are very important to keep your front line units supplied. If supply has to cross overland, the distance it can travel at 100% is very short, just 5 hexes of fields will degrade supply below 100%.

[RocketMan]

Also, use the supply overlay. That way you can see what hexes are in supply and check how your supply is flowing.

[bairdlander2]

I had the same problems as the OP in my first game.I now always ensure HQ's are on rail lines or roads.

[RocketMan]

ORIGINAL: bairdlander

I had the same problems as the OP in my first game.I now always ensure HQ's are on rail lines or roads.

Good point. It is very important to keep your HQs on rail lines and roads.

[hank]

What is the process, If there is one, for gaining replacements?
This is similar to supply, but directly affects replacing units (men and equipment) removed from combat due to destruction, death, damage or WIA.

I prequalify this by: I have not gone all the way through a campaign to see if replacements are added but for several moves I've pulled units with losses off the front line for 4 or 5 turns but they don't regain strenth or numbers or replacements lost during combat. I'm fairly sure they are in good supply lines since I've pulled them back close to their Corp HQ. (other units around them are in supply)

[henri51]

As far as I know the only replacements you get are from a card that gives you an extra division (that has no chance of reaching the front before the end of the scenario).

[hank]

Surely you jest. No replacements??

I can see there being no replacements for short scenario's but for campaigns lasting several weeks, replacements happen (within specific guidelines).

On the card subjecct, if I remember correctly, I played that card early in the France campaign and I got the Division either that turn or the next. I think it was 3rd SS Pz Div Totenkopf (forgive spelling). I do know right now its kickin some butt somewhere along the north front.

[gwgardner]

Surely some guru around here will enlighten us - in the historical Case Yellow, were replacements for depleted units flowing to the front in the four weeks or so of the campaign? Seems rather doubtful. I'm not referring to additional units, but new bodies to fill out a platoon or regiment.

[patchogue]

Strat movement should get the new troops to the front - mind you I've had XXXX corps marching through Belgium and France for two weeks and yet to fire a shot!

[henri51]

ORIGINAL: patchogue

Strat movement should get the new troops to the front - mind you I've had XXXX corps marching through Belgium and France for two weeks and yet to fire a shot!

At least in the Netherlands scenario, the available points for startegic movement is less than available by normal movement if applied to a whole division.

[hank]

I was thinking I used the wrong term so I checked the dictionary. Replacements are soldiers that fill in where others were WIA or KIA. For example if the number of soldiers drops from 4000 to 3500, I need 500 soldiers to replace those WIA/KIA's to at least return the unit to its original numbers (quality is another factor).

In this game reinforcements can be acquired via cards or strategic transfer from one part of the battlefield to another. That's not what I'm referring to. Reinforcements are additional Units, Divisions, Regiments, etc. that suppliment the units already on that particular part of the battle field.

I would think, in a battle (campaign especially) that lasts for a month or more, if you wish to pull a division off the front like to get replacements to regain its combat power, you cold do so. If what I'm seeing is true, you can push a Pz Div to the point of breaking and there's no way at any point in the depletion process to rest and refit them. Once they take casualties and destruction of equipment, there's no way to build that unit back to near its original compliment (and as I mentioned, quality of replacement is another factor).

[gwgardner]

ORIGINAL: hank

I was thinking I used the wrong term so I checked the dictionary. Replacements are soldiers that fill in where others were WIA or KIA. For example if the number of soldiers drops from 4000 to 3500, I need 500 soldiers to replace those WIA/KIA's to at least return the unit to its original numbers (quality is another factor).

In this game reinforcements can be acquired via cards or strategic transfer from one part of the battlefield to another. That's not what I'm referring to. Reinforcements are additional Units, Divisions, Regiments, etc. that suppliment the units already on that particular part of the battle field.

I would think, in a battle (campaign especially) that lasts for a month or more, if you wish to pull a division off the front like to get replacements to regain its combat power, you cold do so. If what I'm seeing is true, you can push a Pz Div to the point of breaking and there's no way at any point in the depletion process to rest and refit them. Once they take casualties and destruction of equipment, there's no way to build that unit back to near its original compliment (and as I mentioned, quality of replacement is another factor).

Very well put, in terms of a clarification.

My response is admittedly NOT from expertise, just from reading about the war. I could be totally wrong, but:

1) I don't believe whole divisions were pulled out of the 'line' during Case Yellow for refit and replacement. The situation was too fluid. Even when Hitler called a halt in Belgium for a while, it wasn't a matter of pulling units out of the line. It was a halt in place.

2) Pulling a division out of a battle such as Case Yellow, to refit and replace, would take longer than the entire campaign.

[hank]

I am OK with it if its a historically accurate decision to not allow replacements in this particular scenario. I was just worried that the game engine was not structured to allow replacements.