About supply in operational warfare

[Pyrrhos1976]

Hello !
I recently discover AT.
The Editor seems great and I would like to simulate some campaigns of WW2. But I don't know all the possibilities of the game at the operational level. For example, can it simulates the logistic problem of a campaign especially the extension of supply line and the natural exhaustion of an offensive which can create opportunities of counter-attack (as it was the case in North-Afrika or in Russia) ?

[mtvaill]

welcome!  You'll find it's quite easy to overextend your supply lines in this game.  You can tune your scenarios to increase or decrease the effective supply range by changing the action point cost of transporting supply over various terrain types, as well.  The editor really is very powerful, although a little difficult to pick up at first.  You'll find plenty of help in these forums, though.  

[Pyrrhos1976]

Thank you !
The supply system is based on action point cost too ? Ok, I will study this...
Is the number of trucks in a HQ important for supply ?

[Vic]

No it does not cost trucks and cargo-ships to deliver initial supplies.
 
The one thing is still dont like is that it is quite easy work around for a smart player to create more HQs and chain them to avoid any supply problems due to distance....
 
But it is possible to make a scenario that works around this.
a) Set the max chain of HQs realy tight. Like max 2 or 3 in a chain instead of current 4.
b) Set supply move cost realy high. So that even with roads the stuff is only distributed like 5-10 hexes max.
 
That will require the player to do gather trucks in his home HQs and use them to send the supply manually to the front HQs.
 
This will also allow you to.
c) Switch on land anti supply in the rulevars and allow air (and optionally partisan and artillery) sftypes to dammage such transfers.
 
Such an approach should work. Though i dont think the AI will be able to cope with it. But for Human Only it should work.
 
Kind regards,
Vic

[Barthheart]

ORIGINAL: Vic

...
The one thing is still dont like is that it is quite easy work around for a smart player to create more HQs and chain them to avoid any supply problems due to distance....
...

Why don't you like this Vic? I think it is a very good that a chain of HQ's will distribute supplies, makes it seem like a real world situation to me. Having a good supply chain was vital for the US to advance across France.

Also won't anti-supply disrupt the auto-transfer of supplies from HQ to HQ over land, if the RuleVar is set, the way it does over seas? If not then maybe it should.... This will simulate interdiction really well.

[Pyrrhos1976]

Interesting.

Two things:

1) I think it is always possible to reduce the capacity to create HQ with a limited number of PP.

2) Why do you think the AI would not be able to cope with it ?

[PDiFolco]

ORIGINAL: Barthheart

ORIGINAL: Vic

...
The one thing is still dont like is that it is quite easy work around for a smart player to create more HQs and chain them to avoid any supply problems due to distance....
...

Why don't you like this Vic? I think it is a very good that a chain of HQ's will distribute supplies, makes it seem like a real world situation to me. Having a good supply chain was vital for the US to advance across France.

Also won't anti-supply disrupt the auto-transfer of supplies from HQ to HQ over land, if the RuleVar is set, the way it does over seas? If not then maybe it should.... This will simulate interdiction really well.

It would be ... if you needed trucks or anything to move supplies. But as they move "on their own power" you can abuse the system by using more and more HQs. Unless you set supply range to 0 and move them all manually, but that would be really player-unfriendly.
I'd really like to see land anti-supply implemented but can't figure how it would work with aircraft.

[Twotribes]

The AI uses its Headquarters extensively for supply purposes. If you make it difficult for the AI to build them and use them you will effect how well it can function.

[serg3d1]

Hmm, more HQ in chain make it more vulnerable. It could be made even more vulnerable if each HQ require some staff and minimal readiness level to function. That way bombing could cut supply chain.

[Pyrrhos1976]

One question (I need to understand how supply works): only for supply (not for combat value) is there a difference for units between:
1) one HQ which brings supply to units at 100 hex
and
2) one HQ which brings supply at 100 hexs to another HQ which brings supply to units at 2 hexs

?

[Pyrrhos1976]

ORIGINAL: Vic

No it does not cost trucks and cargo-ships to deliver initial supplies.

The one thing is still dont like is that it is quite easy work around for a smart player to create more HQs and chain them to avoid any supply problems due to distance....

But it is possible to make a scenario that works around this.
a) Set the max chain of HQs realy tight. Like max 2 or 3 in a chain instead of current 4.
b) Set supply move cost realy high. So that even with roads the stuff is only distributed like 5-10 hexes max.

That will require the player to do gather trucks in his home HQs and use them to send the supply manually to the front HQs.

This will also allow you to.
c) Switch on land anti supply in the rulevars and allow air (and optionally partisan and artillery) sftypes to dammage such transfers.

Such an approach should work. Though i dont think the AI will be able to cope with it. But for Human Only it should work.

Kind regards,
Vic

Do you think that AI isn't able to use trucks to send supply "manually" ?

[Vic]

@pyrhos,
 
i am quite sure there. but it is something to maybe add for next versions.