securing roads/railroads

[apatheist]

There have been many debates about whether you should be able to use roads and railroads in enemy territory. Both sides have good points to make, so I think a compromise is in order. Rather than have a blanket yes/no to using enemy infrastructure, there should be a "secure" action. This simply means that the unit, presumably on enemy road or railroad, secures the area and enables that road or railroad for use by friendly forces. "Secure" is an action that uses up that unit's turn. Once a tile has been secured, it remains so as long as it is occupied by friendly forces. In other words, it does not need to be re-secured every turn if a friendly unit is on that tile at the end of the turn.

This would make paratroopers more useful (and historically accurate). You would launch your paratroopers at the start of your war to secure roads, railroads, forts, etc. ahead of your main invasion force (i.e., on tiles more than 1 turn distant). They would secure the roads and then buckle in for a rough ride as the enemy tried to take those tiles back. If they survive, then your following units have a clear path the next turn. If they don't, well, better luck next time ;-). You could of course secure terrain with other units, such as 3-move cavalry when you're deploying 2-move tanks. That might be too powerful, though, so "secure" could be a special ability that only some units have.

 

[Bloodsfire]

Me thinks you should be able to use any road but you can put land mines on your own and wait til you want to detonate or detonates when an enemy steps on it. That way they use it at their own risk.

 

[Dudedudeyo]

I think anyone should be able to use a road. Its there and it makes movement easier for everyone in real life. There would have to be limitations though (like half movement instead of x3 movement). with the securing of railroads i would actually make paratroopers.

 

[Poseidon_55]

Ok but this secure thing is good because well ya antone can use the road but there it ambuushes and what not while traveling on an unsecure road such as after d-day on the roads by the hedgerose

 

[I am the Future]

If all roads were useful fortress on roads would be usful tactic. That way you could stop tropps from marching strait to your cap in a couple of turns.

 

[Kurioku]

This would make paratroopers more useful (and historically accurate).QUOTE]

Yeah exept for that instance of the 101st landing in occupied france in 1944......ouch not as secureas though.

 

[GoodGame]

@apatheist,

Pretty good idea, but providing security is an active thing. The unit would have to actually sit in that square. I'd probably only allow that one square to be counted as 'secured'.

This might be expanded to a special 'military police' promotion that allows a unit to secure a zone of control around it, allowing more than 1 tile of 'road/rail' to be used in enemy territory. The ZOC = active patrolling.

 

[GoodGame]

But realistically, unsecured roads (not rails) should always be useable, its just that there'd be a risk of spontaneous partisan activity (negative health) if you use unsecured roads.

 

[apatheist]

Pretty good idea, but providing security is an active thing. The unit would have to actually sit in that square. I'd probably only allow that one square to be counted as 'secured'.

Yes. I think I said that ;-). The unit doing the securing only secures the tile it is on. The act of securing ends its turn. If the tile is not occupied by a friendly military unit at the end of your turn, it is no longer secure. It could be any friendly unit, however, not just the one that initially secured the area.

But realistically, unsecured roads (not rails) should always be useable, its just that there'd be a risk of spontaneous partisan activity (negative health) if you use unsecured roads.

I am reluctant to have this happen. Damage should only come as a result of attacks or loss of supply lines. If the enemy wishes to damage my forces, they should have the ability to infiltrate with irregulars/guerrillas/commandos and attack them directly, but my units shouldn't hurt just by being in foreign territory.