Supply Lines

[VladTepes]

If someone is to invade another continent, there has to be supply lines. A port has to be captured within X turns, and then there must be enough cities producing Supplies, a generic item that includes food, ammo, and fuel (for the modern era.) A ship must successfully cross and dock in the captured Port with the Supplies every so many turns. Failure to protect Sea Lines of Communication will result in attrition of troop strength.

 

[Goosbar]

i like it, but if you could elaborate more, that'd be great

 

[sealman]

I like the idea of supply lines. Maybe even a unit "supply depot" or somthing. All units in enemy territory must be x tiles away from a supply unit or friendly city. They lose one hit bar for every turn that they are out of supply.

 

[bjblue]

One thing that could replicate the need to capture a port/harbour is to have a transport unit which can only unload in a city. This transport should be the only one able to carry heavy units such as tanks and artillery. You would have to send in marines and paras to secure a harbour city then send in your heavy transports with the extra fire power. Like the D-Day landings.

 

[bjblue]

ohhh yeah...and the supply lines could be a unit too..like an oil truck.

so youve invaded your enemy...and each unit outside of your territory loses 1 movement point per turn.

A tank would be able to move twice in its first turn, once in its second turn and is stationary (but can still defend itself) after that. (remember that on your first turn of attack your tank would usually start its turn on your soil so really it could be two squares across the border by its first turn in enemy teriritory...so this shouldnt be too limiting.

Any way an oil tanker has one two moves but no deffence value... it has a sort of hit point system where for each movement point it restores it loses one hit point. once its used them all...it returns to a city with access to oil and like a unit healing its HPs are restored...

so without a decent supply of "hmm" supply units....your advance would grind to a halt.

in the earlier eras...this could be represented by food wagons etc.

what d'ya think?

 

[Spatula]

One thing that could replicate the need to capture a port/harbour is to have a transport unit which can only unload in a city. This transport should be the only one able to carry heavy units such as tanks and artillery. You would have to send in marines and paras to secure a harbour city then send in your heavy transports with the extra fire power. Like the D-Day landings.

Not like the D-Day landings, because tanks and artillery were unloaded outside of cities

It is a tad unrealistic - but not severe enough to be a thorn in the idea's side. I think it is a good one.

And whilst we're on the subject, how comes Cavalry has movement 3 and a Tank only has 2?

 

[bjblue]

On D-day we took a wopping great floating harbour with us to unload the heavy stuff. It was built in southampton (i think ) and floated across the channel. But im sure that we did unload tons of tanks etc directly on to the beaches. I was going for a more strategic view like when we secured Cherbourg and other channel ports and started moving vast quantites of heavy stuff.

As for the cavalry thing??? I never did get that either

 

[Aussie_Lurker]

OK, I am kinda with Sealman on this one ! Most veteran CFC posters will know that I have LONG advocated a supply line system.
Just to rehash quickly, my idea went somewhat along these lines:

(1) Every unit can operate normally within its own territory.

(2) Every unit also has an Operational Range, to indicate how far from friendly territory they can venture without harmful effects.

(3) In order to extend a units Operational Range, you have to build some kind of structure to act as a 'supply point'-which will then act as 'friendly territory' for Operational Range Purposes.

(4) For every hex a unit is outside its Operational range, its AS, DS, Firepower and Morale is diminished by 5%. In addition, said unit also has a 5% chance, per hex of losing a HP each turn due to attrition-10% if the unit has already suffered any damage.

(5) Units outside of their OR can also NOT heal, even with Battlefield Medicine.

(6) For a 'supply point' to work effectively, it must be able to trace a straight, UNBROKEN line to friendly territory. Thus enemy units can 'attack' an invading army not directly, but by going 'behind the lines' and either attacking the supply point OR cutting its 'access' to friendly territory!!!

(7) In completely 'virgin territory' (i.e., still blacked out) OR values are HALVED for non-explorer units.

(8) Certain Spec Op units and explorers would possess very HIGH operational ranges, to simulate their ability to go deep behind enemy lines or, in the case of explorers, their ability to penetrate deep into unknown territory!


Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

[Aussie_Lurker]

Hmmm, I was thinking about an earlier thread about forts (and zone of control), and how it could relate to supply lines.
Basically, if forts allow units in them to exert a Civ2-like Zone of Control, then said forts could seriously limit the areas through which enemy supply lines could pass (as the zone of control would act as a disruption to the 'unbroken' line between the supply point and friendly territory).
This could, therefore, make forts very important strategic assets, as their capture could both ensure unbroken supply lines AND said forts could also act as supply points for the invading army!

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

[Albow]

I like the additional idea for the forts as supply dumps ... I also think that some units should have "forage" ability, so they don't need supply lines (thinking Guerilla units etc) - also, supply issues should not effect low tech units as much. I mean, how much supply do pikemen need? food, water ... while modern infantry need LOTs of stuff!

Supply should also effect ships, so that Steam powered ships may be more combat powerful, but have smaller range of operation (well, wind power does have the advantage you don't need to supply yourself, right?) This also makes your need to have treaties for resupply with other nations (like the US made Japan open itself up for this reason)

 

[Aussie_Lurker]

Ahhh, well Albow, in my model Foot units will ALWAYS have the greatest operational range AND gain the greatest benefit from pillaging/foraging squares if they are outside of their Range. Mounted units have the next highest Operational Range, and Mechanised units have the lowest range (and cannot forage).
In addition, though, foot units from the classical era have a greater OR than ones from the medieval era, which themselves have a greater OR than foot units from the Industrial era etc. Same with Mounted and Mechanised units!
Oh, and I also agree with giving a range of operation to naval vessels as well, though perhaps a lot higher than the average land unit!
Lastly, Spatula, my range model would also allow you to deal with the discrepancy between tanks and cavalry movement, by being able to give tanks much greater movement rates than cavalry-WITHOUT unbalancing the game.
You simply give tanks/Modern Armour a shorter range than cavalry-to reflect the fact that, as mech units, they have a greater degree of maintainance!
This combination can also make armour units very useful for spearheading attacks, as their relatively high movement rate would allow them to attack, then pull back to within their Range before they can be effected by being 'out of supply'.

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.