migkillertwo
Prince
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2010
- Messages
- 404
Logistics and supply lines have never featured in any civ game prior, and I think this is a badly overlooked game mechanic.
One game I feel handles logistics very well is the Wargame series (an RTS based on a hypothetical Cold-War-gone-hot). If you haven't played, wargame gives every unit an ammo and health meter, and mechanized units (tanks, APCs, trucks, etc.) have a fuel meter. As a unit moves, it burns up gas. As it fights, it burns up ammo. Wargame requires players to actually manage individual supply units (ships, trucks, and helicopters) and bring them to the fighting forces as the battle rages on.
The most important implication of logistics in Wargame is thus: for individual engagements, logistics management usually makes no difference. If I command a section of tanks and spot an enemy tank platoon, I will decide to attack (or not attack) no matter whether I or the enemy has logistics support. Wargame avoids turning logistics into a micromanagement nightmare.
However in the "grand scheme," logistics can be vitally important. If for instance I intend to attack an enemy that is clear across the map, I will need to bring supply trucks because most vehicles will only have enough fuel for a one-way trip to the objective; If my attack succeeds, I won't be able to maneuver to defend against the counter-attack. Likewise, if I attack but am repelled, I will not have enough fuel to retreat and re-arm. Or, in another common scenario, if I send infantry to hold an objective (usually a town), whether they can actually fend off attackers will be affected by logistics management. If the infantry does not have supplies, they will eventually run out of ammo and thus be unable to destroy approaching vehicles.
So in any individual attack, logistics make little difference. However, if there are repeated attacks, logistics can determine whether the defending unit actually holds territory.
So here's a rough-sketch proposal for logistics in Civ VI: Starting in the industrial era, units that are on or near a road that has an unbroken path to a friendly city will have certain bonuses. First: A supplied unit will have a tiny but non-negligible improvement to raw combat strength. Second, a supplied unit will heal faster between turns of combat while an unsupplied unit will not heal. Finally, a supplied unit will have movement bonuses. An infantry unit will be able to move, say, one extra tile per turn while a mechanized unit will be able to move, say, two or three extra tiles per turn.
Comments?
One game I feel handles logistics very well is the Wargame series (an RTS based on a hypothetical Cold-War-gone-hot). If you haven't played, wargame gives every unit an ammo and health meter, and mechanized units (tanks, APCs, trucks, etc.) have a fuel meter. As a unit moves, it burns up gas. As it fights, it burns up ammo. Wargame requires players to actually manage individual supply units (ships, trucks, and helicopters) and bring them to the fighting forces as the battle rages on.
The most important implication of logistics in Wargame is thus: for individual engagements, logistics management usually makes no difference. If I command a section of tanks and spot an enemy tank platoon, I will decide to attack (or not attack) no matter whether I or the enemy has logistics support. Wargame avoids turning logistics into a micromanagement nightmare.
However in the "grand scheme," logistics can be vitally important. If for instance I intend to attack an enemy that is clear across the map, I will need to bring supply trucks because most vehicles will only have enough fuel for a one-way trip to the objective; If my attack succeeds, I won't be able to maneuver to defend against the counter-attack. Likewise, if I attack but am repelled, I will not have enough fuel to retreat and re-arm. Or, in another common scenario, if I send infantry to hold an objective (usually a town), whether they can actually fend off attackers will be affected by logistics management. If the infantry does not have supplies, they will eventually run out of ammo and thus be unable to destroy approaching vehicles.
So in any individual attack, logistics make little difference. However, if there are repeated attacks, logistics can determine whether the defending unit actually holds territory.
So here's a rough-sketch proposal for logistics in Civ VI: Starting in the industrial era, units that are on or near a road that has an unbroken path to a friendly city will have certain bonuses. First: A supplied unit will have a tiny but non-negligible improvement to raw combat strength. Second, a supplied unit will heal faster between turns of combat while an unsupplied unit will not heal. Finally, a supplied unit will have movement bonuses. An infantry unit will be able to move, say, one extra tile per turn while a mechanized unit will be able to move, say, two or three extra tiles per turn.
Comments?
