Matrix Games Forums

I like PFE and have been playing the campaign both as Allied and Axis. But there are some things not explained in the manual which I don´t understand.

- How does replacements work ? Some units in supply can get replacements and som can´t. They don´t seem to be accumulated over the turns either ?

- Can I as allied in the later part of the campaign still make amphibious invasions if I remove workers from my ports and put to the available pool ? The message at the end of the allied turn hints that.

- Sometimes supply hexes are very weak and red and the next turn they can get very high again without any enemy interferrence. I don´t know why. How can I know if how much supply my troops use ? Is it based on the stack size value ? Knowing this will let me optimise the use of troops in western and eastern part of Italy.

- I fail to see that the Axis Air Superiority setting works at all.Even though the allied have less Air Superiority I never see enemy losses from the Axis panel view.

Overall I think the A.I is pretty good on both sides. And I would love to see a sequel with an improved game engine in another setting.

ORIGINAL: KarlXII

I like PFE and have been playing the campaign both as Allied and Axis. But there are some things not explained in the manual which I don´t understand.

- How does replacements work ? Some units in supply can get replacements and som can´t. They don´t seem to be accumulated over the turns either ?

..........Replacements show in the unit info box, whenever you select a unit, but only if replacements are available for that type of unit will the 'add replacements' button appear. However, replacements are specific and the 'add replacements' button will only appear, if the unit needs replacements and if the right type of replacements are available. Infantry/Armoured, US/British, Airborne, Commando are not interchangeable and some types and national groups are in short supply. You need to use your airborne and New Zealanders carefully as there are few replacements and you might have to wait some time before they become available.

- Can I as allied in the later part of the campaign still make amphibious invasions if I remove workers from my ports and put to the available pool ? The message at the end of the allied turn hints that.

..........As long as you have the minimum number of workers in the pool (you can transfer them from working ports) and you have air superiority (capturing FOGGIA extends your air cover North of ROME).

- Sometimes supply hexes are very weak and red and the next turn they can get very high again without any enemy interferrence. I don´t know why. How can I know if how much supply my troops use ? Is it based on the stack size value ? Knowing this will let me optimise the use of troops in western and eastern part of Italy.

..........Supply can vary with the weather, or as ports increase their capacity towards 100%, you could be shifting from beach-head supply to port supply as a captured port develops.

- I fail to see that the Axis Air Superiority setting works at all.Even though the allied have less Air Superiority I never see enemy losses from the Axis panel view.

..........I have put a 'Tech Support' comment in on Axis air superiority, which seems very unbalanced.


Overall I think the A.I is pretty good on both sides. And I would love to see a sequel with an improved game engine in another setting.

..........I would also like to see these games developed into other theatres and if you look into the 'scenarios' game folders you will see theatres beyond Italy which would be great to have, if Frank has the time to carry on with development. The more interest there is in the game, the more likely this will happen.

Supply is a subject all of its own and their are sections of the manual describing the use of supply in movement and combat, a word search on supply should take you to the relevant sections, although it can get complicated. I have never tried to work out just how much supply is needed for any particular operation, but just monitored fuel and supply and tried to get the balance right, which cab be difficult enough.

Thanks for all your answers Rasputitsa! You cleared up some things for me.

I have noticed that when NAPLES becomes fully operational it seems to provide 100% supply over most of the map, almost irrespective of terrain, which I think is too much. I have a 'house rule' to adjust the number of workers to keep NAPLES at about 50% efficiency, which give a better supply coverage. I have no data to back that up, except reading about how difficult supply was in the mountains and a gut feeling that NAPLES is too strong.

Same for TARANTO, see these threads :

tm.asp?m=4247280

tm.asp?m=4372024

I am using a series of 'house rules' to balance the game against the Axis AI.

I have noted house rules for PFE in other threads, but here is a copy :


This has had limited play-testing so any comments ?

Bump !