Matrix Games Forums

Does fuel and oilfields play any role in this game?

I've played two games that have this type of feature, but TOAW does not have exactly the same. However, there are things that can be done in TOAW to represent such a feature.

How does it deal with that feature in the large scenarios - fuel was really important in ww2

Usually a reduction in supply and sometimes a reduction in replacements. Without enough fuel nothing goes anywhere very fast.

I have oil fields in my Soviet Union 1941 scenario. Their effects are achieved via events.

TOAW doesn't have component supply yet (supply broken down into petrol, ammo, and etc.). I think we'll get there, though.

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

I have oil fields in my Soviet Union 1941 scenario. Their effects are achieved via events.

TOAW doesn't have component supply yet (supply broken down into petrol, ammo, and etc.). I think we'll get there, though.

That sounds great. I hope you are right

ORIGINAL: jnpoint

How does it deal with that feature in the large scenarios - fuel was really important in ww2

But wouldn't these oilfields be rather strategic resources? This is not really my expertise but my understanding is not that you can drive your tanks up to the oilfields and refuel but that the crude oil needs to get through the refinery process that is often (always?) not done next to the oilfields.

ORIGINAL: Chuck B

ORIGINAL: jnpoint

How does it deal with that feature in the large scenarios - fuel was really important in ww2

But wouldn't these oilfields be rather strategic resources? This is not really my expertise but my understanding is not that you can drive your tanks up to the oilfields and refuel but that the crude oil needs to get through the refinery process that is often (always?) not done next to the oilfields.

Especially in long/large scenarions (such as Eastern Front 41-45 ) one can plan events so that capturing an oil field hex leads to a supply loss/gain a few turns in the future to simulate changes in the strategic pipeline.

ORIGINAL: Chuck B

ORIGINAL: jnpoint

How does it deal with that feature in the large scenarios - fuel was really important in ww2

But wouldn't these oilfields be rather strategic resources? This is not really my expertise but my understanding is not that you can drive your tanks up to the oilfields and refuel but that the crude oil needs to get through the refinery process that is often (always?) not done next to the oilfields.

Not entirely. Most wells produce some "condensate" - straight gasoline (maybe 10% or so).

Most oilfields get blown up before the other guy reaches them so they have to be rebuilt along with pipelines before you can even consider using them. For instance the Maykop oil fields were so damaged by Soviet demolitions it was going to take a year to get them operational again. These fields and the fields around Grozny supplied about 10% of Soviet oil. 80% came from/through Baku. It would have been the shortage of oil for the Soviets that might have been the tipping point. So the gain by the Germans in a few turns would be entirely inappropriate. But the loss by the Soviets would have been immediate.

ORIGINAL: Lobster

Most oilfields get blown up before the other guy reaches them so they have to be rebuilt along with pipelines before you can even consider using them. For instance the Maykop oil fields were so damaged by Soviet demolitions it was going to take a year to get them operational again. These fields and the fields around Grozny supplied about 10% of Soviet oil. 80% came from/through Baku. It would have been the shortage of oil for the Soviets that might have been the tipping point. So the gain by the Germans in a few turns would be entirely inappropriate. But the loss by the Soviets would have been immediate.

Is this Information from the history or is it something from a scenario in the game? I would love it to be a part of the game ☺

Well, maybe not ... the Soviets had already been setting up oilfields in 'Second Baku' across the Caspian and this largely replaced any likely losses (Caucasus production in 1945 was only 40% of what it was in 1941 and the Red Army still managed to reach Berlin! Those 'Second Baku' fields helped ... a LOT).

Then there's the fact that a large chunk of WW2 soviet oil requirements, 100% of high octane fuel (for the air force) came from Lend Lease ... either as direct shipments of fuel or as at least one entire US built refinery capable of producing it.

Then there's Persian oil ... the Allies could have built rail capacity up the East side of the Caspian, or simply to Persian ports (and build the damn ports as well) on the Caspian and ship that way ... the Russians showed they were quite capable of building long lengths of rail line during WW2 when threats made it necessary.

None of it easy in and of itself, but multiple options to spread the load.

Phil

Shipping would have been a bottleneck.