Fortifications as a meta

[lwarmonger]

So just some thoughts from my recent experience and from what I am seeing on other threads.

Currently it seems like engineers are a meta for survival. China needs them to hold a line around their interior... they are not optional. The Soviet Union needs them to hold the line against Germany. They are also not optional. If the Axis player commits some armor to north Africa, then the only way they are being kept out of Egypt is with a British Engineer building a series of fortifications.

Bottom line, where you put your fortified line in each of the major theaters will determine success or failure in most cases. For china, this means your initial engineer should be preparing your fortified fallback positions in the south (where the Japanese typically make their main effort) immediately at games start. For the Soviet union, one of your first purchases after infantry weapons should be another engineer to begin fortifying your main fallback line against Germany. For the british, a rapid purchase should be an engineer to ship to egypt to begin fortifying around el alamein.

Also, anyone have the location of a description of the exact effects of fortifications? The manual is vague. I know it let's a unit have up to 4 entrenchment levels, and some protection from air attacks... but some specificity would be nice.

Thoughts are welcome!

[HamburgerMeat]

Here are the 1.03 notes to clarify the issue: 

"Fortifications that have a lower defense value than the terrain they are located on, will now adopt the terrain defense value + 1. Otherwise the regular Fortification defense value will apply."

I don't recall fortification values by themselves, ypu'd have to check their properties in game.

It is also important to note that you can upgrade forts with anti air defense (the same as you can do with towns, cities, settlements, etc.

[HamburgerMeat]

A british engineer is very helpful, but I would not say necessary (unlike the USSR and China, where they are necessary).

The Allies should not simply let the Axis transport their troops into N Africa as they please (unless you plan on choking them off at El Alamein, at which point you really would want an engineer). You should be using your carriers and battleships to destroy the ports, while being mindful of luftwaffe bombers destroying your capital ships and carriers.

[Grotius]

Hamburger Meat, which ports does one destroy to prevent the Axis from using transports to reinforce North Africa? The sending ports in Italy/France, or the receiving ports in Libya? How does destroying ports help, anyway?

[HamburgerMeat]

A port with less than 5 supply cannot be used to disembark transport ships. So you want to attack the Italian ports in N. Africa. Upgrade naval weapons on all your carriers and battleships.

If you have two naval units near a port, they will also reduce the port supply over time

[Grotius]

Thanks - I didn't know that! Will try it.