Matrix Games Forums

Posted: **Sun Jun 16, 2024 7:41 pm**

Many people have been asking about how to handle logistics for Germany during 1941. I want to share a strategy I've used successfully. Although it's not perfect, it helped me reach far places like Stalingrad and Gorky in 1941. This method should work well unless you're trying to conquer the whole map before the rains!

Here's how you can do it:

1. Keep all Motorized Corps at supply priority 4 and everyone else at supply priority 3.
2. Increase the priority of all supply depots east of Berlin, Prague, Vienna to at least level 1.
3. Whenever a railroad reaches a new town or village, build a supply depot there right away.
4. Place an HQ on top of each new depot.
5. If there’s no railyard at the depot, send a construction unit to help build one.
6. Arrange the depots along the railroad lines by priority. Start with six depots at priority level 4, then three at level 3, two at level 2, and the rest at level 1.
(On the map, it should look like this sequence: 11111111122333444444)
7. Don’t move your troops more than 30 hexes from the nearest depot to keep them well supplied.

For more details and pictures of this method, check out my AARs here:

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 9#p5120369
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 6#p5066686

Posted: **Mon Jun 17, 2024 7:43 am**

What about the long term consequences to this strategy? i.e. are you wrecking your trucks for the rest of the game with a go for broke approach to 1941 or are trucks still okay?

Posted: **Mon Jun 17, 2024 2:21 pm**

Jango32 wrote: Mon Jun 17, 2024 7:43 am What about the long term consequences to this strategy? i.e. are you wrecking your trucks for the rest of the game with a go for broke approach to 1941 or are trucks still okay?

Looking at my second AAR linked above, it’s clear that my trucks managed well in supplying units at Stalingrad and Gorky without getting wrecked. Actually, having many depots can decrease truck attrition because it shortens the average trip length for trucks.

However, it seems there might be some confusion about my first point which recommends maintaining high supply priorities. I've noticed that some players tend to lower the supply priority of their motorized corps to 2 rather than keeping it at 4 during the initial stages of the campaign. I believe this doesn't really benefit in the long run. Here’s why: the supply priority of a unit directly impacts only the amount of supplies it carries, not the amount it uses. Lowering the supply priority results in the unit carrying less supply initially, which seems like a gain but actually has long-term drawbacks. Even if the priority is reduced, the unit will still use up supplies at its usual rate if it continues to move and engage in combat. But the lower priority means that the unit has less fuel and ammunition on hand, which decreases its CV in every following turn compared to a unit with higher supply priority. So, the temporary benefit of reducing the priority results in the unit being permanently less effective in combat.

That said, there is sometimes a good reason to temporarily reduce supply priority, especially when anticipating very bad weather like heavy rains or blizzard. Lowering supply priority during such times can be useful to minimize truck movements through mud/snow, reducing truck losses. However, once the units are near a depot or if the weather is expected to improve soon, it's crucial to increase the supply priority again to make sure that the troops maintain combat effectiveness. Overall, yes, there are times when reducing supply priority can be temporarily advantageous, but generally it’s important to keep it high so your units can maintain good CVs in the long run.

Posted: **Mon Jul 15, 2024 10:27 am**

How much is the maximum distance between one depot to another -- in order to create/bring a lot of supplies to frontline ? - beside parking FBD in frontline depot.

Posted: **Mon Jul 15, 2024 1:32 pm**

ErickRepie wrote: Mon Jul 15, 2024 10:27 am How much is the maximum distance between one depot to another -- in order to create/bring a lot of supplies to frontline ? - beside parking FBD in frontline depot.

I'm not sure I understand the question.

Posted: **Wed Sep 11, 2024 6:04 pm**

K62 wrote: Mon Jun 17, 2024 2:21 pm
Jango32 wrote: Mon Jun 17, 2024 7:43 am What about the long term consequences to this strategy? i.e. are you wrecking your trucks for the rest of the game with a go for broke approach to 1941 or are trucks still okay?
That said, there is sometimes a good reason to temporarily reduce supply priority, especially when anticipating very bad weather like heavy rains or blizzard. Lowering supply priority during such times can be useful to minimize truck movements through mud/snow, reducing truck losses. However, once the units are near a depot or if the weather is expected to improve soon, it's crucial to increase the supply priority again to make sure that the troops maintain combat effectiveness. Overall, yes, there are times when reducing supply priority can be temporarily advantageous, but generally it’s important to keep it high so your units can maintain good CVs in the long run.

Thanks for insights!

As I understand it, some players suggest reducing the supply priority for those motorized and mechanized divisions that are far from depots to save MP. Do you agree with that? Let's say during the German T1: according to your strategy, should you set the highest supply priority for the PG3 divisions that occupy positions near Polotsk, or for the PG2 divisions near Dauvgapilis? Thank you!

Posted: **Thu Sep 12, 2024 2:10 pm**

shgenerolas wrote: Wed Sep 11, 2024 6:04 pm As I understand it, some players suggest reducing the supply priority for those motorized and mechanized divisions that are far from depots to save MP. Do you agree with that? Let's say during the German T1: according to your strategy, should you set the highest supply priority for the PG3 divisions that occupy positions near Polotsk, or for the PG2 divisions near Dauvgapilis? Thank you!

Both Daugavpils and Polotsk have airfields within Ju 52 range. I would keep them at supply priority 4 and also use air supply to supplement.

Fuel is extremely important for the Germans. There is little point to go faster when that leaves your units with low fuel. They become more vulnerable to counterattack and will get even less next turn. For example, with 90% fuel but other problems, some units may get 25 MPs. That's OK for a steady advance. With low fuel, they suffer a 50% CV penalty and can drop as low as 1 MP. Then it becomes much harder to advance.

Posted: **Fri Sep 13, 2024 9:15 am**

Thanks a lot K62! Taking this opportunity, I have a few more specific questions regarding German logistics. If K62 or other experienced players could find the time to respond, I would really appreciate it.

1) Some players reduce the max TOE of infantry divisions in order to allow more reinforcements to tank and motorized divisions. Does this have negative consequences in the long run? It seems that this should affect the CV of infantry divisions.

2) It's worth turning on the refit mode for those tank and motorized units that stand next to the enemy divisions? This question arose in South, in Rovno-Ternopol pocket: can I expect at least a little reinforcements for Germans divisions that holding the pocket? Or maybe it is possible - it has no value and has a negative impact on supply in all fronts?

3) Is the supply of mechanized units affected by their size? It seems that tank regiments are better supplied than divisions (although I myself think that this cannot be the case).

4) It's worth building depots through the German T1 in cities like Minsk and Riga, where there is a lot of supply, but there is no railway?

5) It's worth moving part of the transport planes through T1 to Riga and Minsk so that in the future they will better supply distant PzG's? Probably the same question applies to all cities far from railway lines, but have some supplies.

6) I know my opponent likes to bomb Riga and Minsk on T1. It's worth moving fighters into (or around) these cities at the end of T1? Or maybe it just might hurt in the long run?

7) Do you think it is a correct tactic to set a lower asset priority level for all Luftflotte's, but set a higher asset priority level for all Fliegerkorps (and assign all fighters, bombers, transport planes to them)?

8) Almost all German TB's lack fighters (or Flak high systems). I usually cancel pre-planned fighters transfers from map to TB. Can I leave air capacity incomplete (but ground capacity full) in TB's like North Africa, Italy, Finland? Or it's better to aim for 100% air capacity in all TB's?

9) What units in TB are worth moving to the map? I always transfer panzer and panzerjaeger battalions from Finland, as well as RAD from Norway. Maybe there are still valuable units?

10) It's a correct tactic to assign two construction battalions for each Peremysli, Brest Litovsk and Riga depots during T1 (so it's 8 APs). It seems that then they are repaired faster, but I did not find in the manual about the influence of the number of construction battalions on the repair speed.

11) I've noticed experienced players assigning RAD to a single empty HQ: is this because the empty HQ is free to move around, or does assigning RAD to a different corps have negative consequences? Can the constant transfer of RAD from one HQ to another have a negative impact on its use?

12) Which HQ commander rating - administrative or initiative - affects the use of RAD?

13) I noticed that units far from the main force do not take supplies from nearby depots if those depots do not have a connection to the main railway lines. Let's say in one small scenario I crossed Caucasus mountains and captured Sochi with several mountain divisions and mountain HQ. Sochi had a full depot. However, my division's resources were only taken from it when I provided air supplies. Is there another way to force units to take resources from a non-rail but full of supplies depot?

14) Maybe someone has tested the effect on German logistics of increasing the vehicle repair rating to 10 at the beginning of the war and to 15 in the second half of the war?

I know there are a lot of questions, but thank you very much if you find time to answer them!

Posted: **Fri Sep 13, 2024 4:38 pm**

shgenerolas wrote: Fri Sep 13, 2024 9:15 am Thanks a lot K62! Taking this opportunity, I have a few more specific questions regarding German logistics. If K62 or other experienced players could find the time to respond, I would really appreciate it.

1) Some players reduce the max TOE of infantry divisions in order to allow more reinforcements to tank and motorized divisions. Does this have negative consequences in the long run? It seems that this should affect the CV of infantry divisions.

2) It's worth turning on the refit mode for those tank and motorized units that stand next to the enemy divisions? This question arose in South, in Rovno-Ternopol pocket: can I expect at least a little reinforcements for Germans divisions that holding the pocket? Or maybe it is possible - it has no value and has a negative impact on supply in all fronts?

3) Is the supply of mechanized units affected by their size? It seems that tank regiments are better supplied than divisions (although I myself think that this cannot be the case).

4) It's worth building depots through the German T1 in cities like Minsk and Riga, where there is a lot of supply, but there is no railway?

5) It's worth moving part of the transport planes through T1 to Riga and Minsk so that in the future they will better supply distant PzG's? Probably the same question applies to all cities far from railway lines, but have some supplies.

6) I know my opponent likes to bomb Riga and Minsk on T1. It's worth moving fighters into (or around) these cities at the end of T1? Or maybe it just might hurt in the long run?

7) Do you think it is a correct tactic to set a lower asset priority level for all Luftflotte's, but set a higher asset priority level for all Fliegerkorps (and assign all fighters, bombers, transport planes to them)?

8) Almost all German TB's lack fighters (or Flak high systems). I usually cancel pre-planned fighters transfers from map to TB. Can I leave air capacity incomplete (but ground capacity full) in TB's like North Africa, Italy, Finland? Or it's better to aim for 100% air capacity in all TB's?

9) What units in TB are worth moving to the map? I always transfer panzer and panzerjaeger battalions from Finland, as well as RAD from Norway. Maybe there are still valuable units?

10) It's a correct tactic to assign two construction battalions for each Peremysli, Brest Litovsk and Riga depots during T1 (so it's 8 APs). It seems that then they are repaired faster, but I did not find in the manual about the influence of the number of construction battalions on the repair speed.

11) I've noticed experienced players assigning RAD to a single empty HQ: is this because the empty HQ is free to move around, or does assigning RAD to a different corps have negative consequences? Can the constant transfer of RAD from one HQ to another have a negative impact on its use?

12) Which HQ commander rating - administrative or initiative - affects the use of RAD?

13) I noticed that units far from the main force do not take supplies from nearby depots if those depots do not have a connection to the main railway lines. Let's say in one small scenario I crossed Caucasus mountains and captured Sochi with several mountain divisions and mountain HQ. Sochi had a full depot. However, my division's resources were only taken from it when I provided air supplies. Is there another way to force units to take resources from a non-rail but full of supplies depot?

14) Maybe someone has tested the effect on German logistics of increasing the vehicle repair rating to 10 at the beginning of the war and to 15 in the second half of the war?

I know there are a lot of questions, but thank you very much if you find time to answer them!

#2 the refit options does not work when next to an enemy unit. Meaning it doesnt get a prefernce over other units being on refit.

Posted: **Sat Sep 28, 2024 12:31 am**

shgenerolas wrote: Fri Sep 13, 2024 9:15 am 1) Some players reduce the max TOE of infantry divisions in order to allow more reinforcements to tank and motorized divisions. Does this have negative consequences in the long run? It seems that this should affect the CV of infantry divisions.

3) Is the supply of mechanized units affected by their size? It seems that tank regiments are better supplied than divisions (although I myself think that this cannot be the case).

4) It's worth building depots through the German T1 in cities like Minsk and Riga, where there is a lot of supply, but there is no railway?

5) It's worth moving part of the transport planes through T1 to Riga and Minsk so that in the future they will better supply distant PzG's? Probably the same question applies to all cities far from railway lines, but have some supplies.

6) I know my opponent likes to bomb Riga and Minsk on T1. It's worth moving fighters into (or around) these cities at the end of T1? Or maybe it just might hurt in the long run?

7) Do you think it is a correct tactic to set a lower asset priority level for all Luftflotte's, but set a higher asset priority level for all Fliegerkorps (and assign all fighters, bombers, transport planes to them)?

8) Almost all German TB's lack fighters (or Flak high systems). I usually cancel pre-planned fighters transfers from map to TB. Can I leave air capacity incomplete (but ground capacity full) in TB's like North Africa, Italy, Finland? Or it's better to aim for 100% air capacity in all TB's?

9) What units in TB are worth moving to the map? I always transfer panzer and panzerjaeger battalions from Finland, as well as RAD from Norway. Maybe there are still valuable units?

10) It's a correct tactic to assign two construction battalions for each Peremysli, Brest Litovsk and Riga depots during T1 (so it's 8 APs). It seems that then they are repaired faster, but I did not find in the manual about the influence of the number of construction battalions on the repair speed.

11) I've noticed experienced players assigning RAD to a single empty HQ: is this because the empty HQ is free to move around, or does assigning RAD to a different corps have negative consequences? Can the constant transfer of RAD from one HQ to another have a negative impact on its use?

12) Which HQ commander rating - administrative or initiative - affects the use of RAD?

13) I noticed that units far from the main force do not take supplies from nearby depots if those depots do not have a connection to the main railway lines. Let's say in one small scenario I crossed Caucasus mountains and captured Sochi with several mountain divisions and mountain HQ. Sochi had a full depot. However, my division's resources were only taken from it when I provided air supplies. Is there another way to force units to take resources from a non-rail but full of supplies depot?

14) Maybe someone has tested the effect on German logistics of increasing the vehicle repair rating to 10 at the beginning of the war and to 15 in the second half of the war?

1. Prioritization is important when manpower is limited. A team of five is far more effective operating a Tiger tank than forming half of a rifle squad.

3. If the regiment is within an HQ, it's likely to receive better supplies as HQs are usually closer to depots.

4. It's preferable to build depots in towns and villages without railyards, allowing for repairs before the railway arrives.

5. Supplies in a city without freight are inaccessible to units. Relocating anything but fighters to newly captured airfields is usually a bad idea.

6. Yes, advancing fighters on T1 is a good idea. Placing an HQ with AA in each city is also good.

7. Asset priority only works with AI Air Assist. Better to play without using that feature.

8. Withdrawing fighters from TBs is unwarranted unless facing a significant crisis on the Eastern Front. Just pick your air battles wisely to keep Bf 109 losses below 50 / turn after T1.

9. SUs with AFVs are the most important, followed by infantry regiments. Pioneers, construction units and artillery can be taken out from TBs where they're in surplus. Army flak is also valuable since it can be attached to units.

10. Doubling construction units does not seem to improve repairs.

11. Assigning RADs to a corps HQ forces their deployment within a 5-hex radius, giving you more precise control over their positioning.

12. It's best to use the least capable leaders. Leader stats don't seem to make any difference.

13. Without freight, depots can't send out supplies. Resources within a city are not directly accessible to units.

14. It will give you slightly better logistics in the long run and a lot more margin for error. If you're prone to running trucks long distances through heavy mud and heavy snow, it will help a lot.

Posted: **Sat Sep 28, 2024 7:16 am**

Thank you so much, K62 and HLYA! I really appreciate your time and insights. Since I'm already at T4, I've learned some things myself from good and bad experiences

I haven't figured out how to do aerial reconnaissance without moving the reconnaissance planes to airports that aren't connected to the rail network. But it doesn't seem to have had much of an impact on vanguard logistics (yet).

I would be very grateful if you ever find time to take a look at this question of mine: what to look for (which numbers and trends are important) when reading logistics and production reports: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 6&t=406140

Thank you very much, guys!

Matrix Games Forums

Effective German Logistics in 1941

Effective German Logistics in 1941

Re: Effective German Logistics in 1941

Re: Effective German Logistics in 1941

Re: Effective German Logistics in 1941

Re: Effective German Logistics in 1941

Re: Effective German Logistics in 1941

Re: Effective German Logistics in 1941

Re: Effective German Logistics in 1941

Re: Effective German Logistics in 1941

Re: Effective German Logistics in 1941

Re: Effective German Logistics in 1941