Depots distribution (again)

[rob89]

The same Logistic questions, be patient [:)]

Is there a magic formula in the choose of the depots' distribution?

Is it better a wider number of depots, with increasing priority levels from the rear to the front (with full repaired rail lines), or too many along the chain are only a waste of resources (trucks etc.)?

thanks

regards

[Stephan61]

What I generally do is as follows, playing as Axis.

Those Depots that you want to distribute freight tot he front line are set at 4.
Then those Hubs (City Railyards of 2+) are set to 2 as I like a build up of freight in-between the main Hub Berlin.
Depots that are only servicing Airfields etc are set to 1.
All ports on the northern shores are set to 0 and export.
Ports near the Front are set to 3 Import.

I use the Factory toggle Switch to highlight where the Railyards are, then tactically create Depots and Priority Repair the Railyards & Manpower.

Then I use the FBD's to repair the Railyards as a Priority to those front line depots.

For the Labour Squads I clean out a couple of Corps HQ units and attached the Labour squads to these, then move them to areas where they can concentrate on fixing bulk secondary lines ( They only repair within 5 hex from a Corps HQ).

Only once in an H2H game thus far has this not worked, but that was due to a massive mistake by me, which stopped freight getting to Smolensk for 3 turns before it was spotted and that ground the whole Centre Front.

I make it a goal to spend at least 15-30 mins now each turn going through the distribution network ensuring it is set up correctly to my liking.

[Commanderski]

The more depots the better. The Germans usually had one every 50 - 60 kilometers which is about 5 - 6 hexes apart. Freight from depots flow from the lower number to the higher number so have your 4's near the front and the lower ones in the rear. Having them relatively close together also reduces your truck losses as they don't have to go too far between depots.

[carlkay58]

It comes down to this: the logistics can be done many different ways most of which work. Logistics in this game is an art - not a science. What works best for one person and their playing style may not work so well for another. Experience is the only way to learn what works for you best. There are many threads in the War Room section and other threads in the main discussion area that cover ideas and experiences. You can also check out the AARs - I have two up there that concentrate on how I do logistics.

[xhoel]

ORIGINAL: Commanderski

The more depots the better. The Germans usually had one every 50 - 60 kilometers which is about 5 - 6 hexes apart. Having them relatively close together also reduces your truck losses as they don't have to go too far between depots.

This is incorrect. The more depots you have that have a priority higher than 0, the higher the chance that your forward depots will not be getting all the freight they can get as the system will try to send some freight to the other smaller depots too.

Freight moves from depot to depot by rail so no trucks are used. Having depot close to each other doesnt affect truck losses. What you need to aim for is to have depots close to your units (within 3 hexes) since in that case no trucks will be used, but horses.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: xhoel

ORIGINAL: Commanderski

The more depots the better. The Germans usually had one every 50 - 60 kilometers which is about 5 - 6 hexes apart. Having them relatively close together also reduces your truck losses as they don't have to go too far between depots.

This is incorrect. The more depots you have that have a priority higher than 0, the higher the chance that your forward depots will not be getting all the freight they can get as the system will try to send some freight to the other smaller depots too.

Freight moves from depot to depot by rail so no trucks are used. Having depot close to each other doesnt affect truck losses. What you need to aim for is to have depots close to your units (within 3 hexes) since in that case no trucks will be used, but horses.

well not quite.

a) depots balance local demand as well as their notional supply value. So IF they don't need it locally AND it can move closer to a high priority depot they will take relatively little if any (try an experiment, set every depot in the Reich to #2, they won't fill up

Carlkay has done an excellent job showcasing the payback for a network of small depots as an alternative logistics model.

b) horses only replace trucks IF there is enough freight at that depot, so its not the existence of the depot, its the depot plus enough freight for local demand. In effect a unit that needs to claim from a more distant depot reverts to trucks

Oh and freight also moves by water ..[;)]

[Germanshep]

For us dumb older folks that love to play WithE2 I will never understand all this. I am going to let the AI set up my Depots and hope they do a decent job. Can anyone speculate if this will be ok please?

Thanks for any help. I just bought the game but am feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I am hoping the AI can keep supplies moving well enough for me.

[carlkay58]

The AI Depot management works well enough to get you by. It is probably better than the historical logisticians for both the Axis and Soviets. It is not always the best but it is far from the worst. It does the job well enough for you to get comfortable with the rest of the game systems before taking it over.

[DeletedUser44]

This is one change from WiTE that I do like is the logistical management in WiTE2. I find it very challenging and enjoyable. Is almost a game within a game.

One complaint I have is in regards to the air transport system, which requires you to have stockpiles of freight at key airbases.

Well, the interaction between an abstracted depot-freight management system does not interface well with the highly micromanaged air transport system. In this regards it is frustrating, especially how easy it is to get stockpiles of freight in the north, but next to impossible to get those accumulated excess freight stores properly re-distributed to the south.

I would like more control over that aspect of the logistic system.

....

Also find it very difficult to over-supply under-utilized air-bases in preparation for subsequent rebase operation on following turn. Seems there is always a lag in getting advancing aircraft properly supplied and noway to pre-plan for it.

[carlkay58]

Base your transports on cities with a high priority depot (say a 3 so it will continue to push freight to the front lines), a good sized railyard, a higher level HQ, and a size 2 or better airfield. This means the transports will always have the freight to fly forward.

[DeletedUser44]

ORIGINAL: carlkay58

Base your transports on cities with a high priority depot (say a 3 so it will continue to push freight to the front lines), a good sized railyard, a higher level HQ, and a size 2 or better airfield. This means the transports will always have the freight to fly forward.

I have tried to do that, but what I am finding is that my northern Baltic State cities are consuming and stockpiling all of my excess freight and I am having difficulty accumulating any excess in the Ukraine.

Every turn I am lowering Baltic State depots more and more, hoping some excess freight would be redirected to the South. Got the current critical Ukraine depots all at priority 4 and even have Army HQs stacked on 4 or 5 of them.

But it seems that Baltic State cities were serviced first and by the time Ukraine cities were looked at by logistic AI, nothing was left. ???

So basically, I have a feast in the North, but famine in the South... and very little I can do to change things or ability to prioritize moving some of this excess freight down to where I really need and want it. Maybe this is not a quick (2 turn) fix?