Re: Supply Lines

From: bharts@my-deja.com

Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 00:51:42 +0000

You've got a lot of interesting ideas. I'm not sure this is the system
I will implement, but it's as good as (well, better) that what I
currently have.

Just to clarify your ideas:
  1. Are you suggesting that no matter how far a unit is from a supply
depot, it can still be supplied from the depot?

2. If a supply run to Unit X travels from Location A-->B-->C-->D--
>Unit X, and an enemy sacks Location B, would the supply be interupted
immediately?

Lastly, if I do use this system, I like to give credit where credit is
due. Is this system largely of your own creation, or is it from another
game? If so, what game?

Henry <henry@penninkilampi.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> 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.
>

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References

Supply Lines
bharts@my-deja.com
Sat, 02 Dec 2000 02:18:49 +0000
Re: Supply Lines
Henry <henry@penninkilampi.net>
Sat, 02 Dec 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

Supply Lines
bharts@my-deja.com
Sat, 02 Dec 2000 02:18:49 +0000
Re: Supply Lines
Henry <henry@penninkilampi.net>
Sat, 02 Dec 2000 00:00:00 +0000