Re: Supply Lines

From: Henry <henry@penninkilampi.net>

Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000 00:00:00 +0000

In article <909m66$b0n$1@nnrp1.deja.com>, bharts@my-deja.com wrote:

> I'm developing a fantasy wargame.
...
> If possible I would really like to incorporate supply lines into the
> game. However, I have a feeling that such a system would overwhelm
> players with nitty-gritty details and make the game less enjoyable.
>
> What I have right now is that the player must simply pay a maintenance
> fee in gold each turn to the military unit. It's a simple system, which
> is why it's used by most everyone, but it suffers from being a bit TOO
> simple, in that several potentially important aspects of the game (such
> as raiding supply lines, etc) is neglected.
>
> So basically I'm fishing for ideas. If anyone has an idea I'm all ears.

If your fantasy wargame features towers, castles, villages and towns,
then these are the obvious choice to become supply depots.

Units draw their supply needs from the _nearest_ supply depot via an
assumed, yet invisible supply line (which requires no management).
Front-line towers (supply depots) in turn draw their supply needs from
other towers, castles, villages and towns located deeper within the
empire.

Simple path-finding between supply depots which support/supply each
other will show you where new roads/supply lines will appear.
Intersections between roads/supply lines will develop into villages, or
even towns (depending on the amount of traffic that passes through).

Enemy units that exert influence over a road connecting supply depots
will interrupt supply.  Likewise an enemy force which sacks a tower,
castle, village or town will cut supply to any dependant units/depots.

Supply depots act as warning beacons which advise the players of enemy
units in the vicinity, and act as locations where troops can be
stationed, or patrol from.

Virtually all of this can be automated.  Players need simply heed the
warnings that issue forth from the supply depots about enemy forces
being spotted, supply lines being interrupted, or supply lines being
cut, and station troops accordingly to protect their supply depots and
lines of supply.  Strategic placement/construction of a network of
towers would also be the player's responsibility.

If a supply line is interrupted, then the amount of supplies flowing to
forward depots will be effected.  Depending on the supply reserve held
at that depot, front-line forces may not be affected for several days,
weeks, or even months.  It is assumed that players will take actions to
restore an interrupted supply line (ie. patrol the region to eliminate
the enemy forces).

If a supply line is cut (a depot gets sacked/captured) then the computer
can automatically re-route dependant unit's/depot's supply via a
different depot.

If a forward supply depot's reserves get depleted, then logical things
happen on the front-line (seiges break, troop moral falls, and so-on).
Forces denied supply for an extended period of time ultimately rout.
How long a force can hold out in the field without supply would probably
be dependent on its experience/moral level (green units rout faster than
veteran ones).

Adopting the above approach (letting the computer build handle supply
lines automatically) removes the tedium from the game, but still makes
supply an important aspect of the game.  You send your rangers behind
enemy lines to map out the countryside, and then ambush supply caravans
on roads with the express purpose of decreasing your enemy's reserves at
the front-line.  You send your spies in to work out the actual supply
levels.  Then when you see that reserves have been depleted, and moral
is being affected, you launch your main offensive!

Furthermore, so that you can send your troops on long-range missions,
you could actually create a "Supply Unit", which is simply a mobile
supply depot.  All nearby units draw their supply needs from the mobile
depot, and the mobile depot draws its supplies from distant depots.
Naturally, the further the force pushes into enemy territory, the more
likely it is for that line to be interrupted, and for the mobile depot
to be "on its own".  Suffice to say that it then becomes a very tempting
target to the enemy.

What I'm basically saying is don't worry about managing supply lines
_between_units_, just manage supply lines _between_depots_ and assume
that the units take care of themselves.  With the exception of the
"Supply Unit", all supply depots are immobile, obvious, and hence can be
laid to waste with a good plan - causing much havoc on the front line,
and stressing out the enemy commander immensely.

Heh, heh.

Henry.

References

Supply Lines
bharts@my-deja.com
Sat, 02 Dec 2000 02:18:49 +0000

Referenced By

Supply Lines
bharts@my-deja.com
Sat, 02 Dec 2000 02:18:49 +0000