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I've seen the term HQ build-up a few times...what is it?

It's pretty much the most important "weapon" in German arsenal. [;)]

Study it, use it, cherish it. If used right it's incredibly powerful. It's well documented in the manual. Vs the AI it might not be too important, but vs human it's essential.

IMO it's the equivalent of Kido Butai Death Star from War in the Pacific if you played that game. (If you didn't, play it [:D])

Wow...nice feature...another one of those things I wish I had known...as I often found myself out of fuel and supplies...

Trick is to realise you need an HQ build the turn BEFORE you actually want to do it. That's what I love about WITE -- you have to plan ahead.

Remember, you HQ can't move at all in the turn it does HQ buildup, so it has to be in the right position the turn before; also, if it is too far from the supply railhead you are going to burn trucks massively. HQ buildup isn't a solution for being at the end of the supply line... it's what you use when the enemy has assembled and you have paused. I just did one in a game (random weather) where there was a gaping hole, then the mud came... hole disappeared and, while still supplied, the following turn was back to square one.

But yes, it is an essential weapon in the August-September period in the first year, and then probably at key times in 1942.

I use it sparsely, because of the cost, but it's absolutely great when your panzers need to rest anyway because your slow Inf has to catch up with the forward troops. Then when the Inf has mopped up the pockets and reestablished contact with your fast troops, *then* your Panzers are ready for yet another deep strike. If done well your opponent has another "oh crap" turn in his mailbox hehe.

As the Russians I would avoid doing HQ buildup, ever.

Late in the game you have enough tanks on the board so that you don't need it. Small encirclements kill quickly, larger encirclements kill more men but slowly.

By that stage of the game anyway you are mostly about assaulting cities. If you're still encircling divisions of infantry in the Ukraine in mid 1944 then you have essentially lost the game. Once you're into Germany proper the cities will be your main enemy, and you will need the big rifle corps, lots of artillery divisions, and sappers to help you with that. Even built up, tank armies won't get you into a city.

Additionally, doing HQ build up on a large tank army totally cripples your trucks pool.