Supply Wagons

[Martin James]

That's an interesting article Jack. Thanks for posting. I stand corrected over the mules

It's very striking that, even in 1864, Sherman's army needed 5,000 wagons. McClellan was criticised for his enormous trains in 1862, but it's pretty clear that the tyranny of logistics was a major constraint on those who came after - even in the more rough & ready western theatre.

Martin

[Kerflumoxed]

Might be able to forage off the land, but there still needs to be a supply of ammunition I 'spect.

J

[Saddletank]

That's useful, Garnier, thanks.

I was only addressing the in-game issue of ammo wagons in the front lines and was deliberately ignoring the huge wagon parks that sat behind armies. No wargame rules I know of have ever addressed the issue of baggage trains, etc. In a scenario the designer can give a ruling about what damage a retreat move would cause to an army's state of supply, and in a camapign the umpire can impose penalties. I find, for campaign design, that limiting armies to lines of supply that string out behind them and must use metalled roads is enough to make players think about flanks and when and where to retreat.

I agree too, that no-one wants to wargame the logistical problems of supply parks and wagons etc.

Yes, Davinci, the current AI would have to be adjusted to be given an understanding of a line of supply and a division recovery area.

[Davinci]

@ Garnier – Thanks, I’ll try that!

The previous game did allow for immobile wagon trains by adjusting the OOB, giving it negative values. But, that was corrected with this version of the game.

@ Kerflumoxed - Great Post!

@ Saddletank – I think that you have a good idea, I just don’t think that it is viable for the current game.

The line-of-communication could be represented by objectives or something similar, placed every half a mile extending to the end of the map nearest the starting point.

If this line is broken, then the supply would cease, and a new line would have to be established. But, very few people play those types of long games so this probably wouldn’t work for the majority of players.

I think that the current maps are too small to have such an elaborate supply system.

But, I actually like moving the Supply-Wagons around on the maps and resupplying the troops.

I just don’t like how the AI handles the supply-trains. But, we all have small complaints about certain things in the game that we don’t like. But overall most of us are happy to finally have a game that does do so much!

davinci