Questions.

[Kurt]

Hello, I recently managed to buy TOAW (ACOW) after debating whether to purchase it almost since its first release. I'm only sorry that I didn't buy it sooner! I've read the manual twice but I still have some things that I don't understand and would be very grateful if anyone can clarify them for me.

1/ When I select an artillery unit and directly attack an enemy unit with bombard.... what do the options for minimize, limit and ignore losses affect.... I mean, I wouldn't expect to sustain any losses since I'm not engaged in combat. Do these options signify how long I'll keep up the bombardment?

2/ Will my units receive replacements faster and recover supply quicker if they are not adjacent to enemy units (so they can rest..)?

3/ If units are cut off can they only receive supply by air IF they are on an airfield?

4/ Reading posts on this forum there seems to be a concensus that putting units on tactical and especially local reserve is not good... can you please explain in 'simple' terms why this is bad, I don't quite understand it. In theory and from reading the manual it seems to be a good option.

5/ My final question ( for now:) ) is about support in combat. When I'm reading combat reports I sometimes see lines saying 'such and such division supports the attack'. This might sound like a stupid question but which units are supporting the attack?? Is it adjacent units or units with 'reserve' status?

6/ Sorry, one more question I just thought of. Is it better to simply use artillery and some air craft (on 'combat support') and not give them individual targets to attack. It seems to me that even though I don't give each unit specific commands they still seems to participate in some combats.

Sorry if some of these questions seem very basic, I have only had the game a few days and have scoured the manual but it can't solve my confusion.

Many Thanks
Kurt

[Siberian HEAT]

Kurt, welcome to HQ! Glad to have you aboard. The manual is less than helpful in many areas of this game...it would have to be the size of a small dictionary to cover everything LOL. I recommend looking through the articles of the TOAW section on this site for more in-depth strategy guides. The Kasserine one is an excellent tutorial and explains several of the items you mention.

There is another good one here...although a bit dated.

Strategy Guide (http://militarygameronline.com/artofwar/strat_guide.asp)

If you have any other questions (and you will!) feel free to ask them here.

:banana:

[ER_Chaser]

Originally posted by Kurt

1/ When I select an artillery unit and directly attack an enemy unit with bombard.... what do the options for minimize, limit and ignore losses affect.... I mean, I wouldn't expect to sustain any losses since I'm not engaged in combat. Do these options signify how long I'll keep up the bombardment?
Kurt
Yes, typically, for a mere bombard mission (not any other attacks, even on other hexes, combined), mini-loss will cost you 1 combat round, limited will cost 2, and ignore loss will cost 4 or 5.

Originally posted by Kurt

2/ Will my units receive replacements faster and recover supply quicker if they are not adjacent to enemy units (so they can rest..)?
Kurt
No. Unless your supply is cut off by the enemy forces, your supply level solely depends on the supply of the hex (you can check that on spot by choose show the supply option.)


Originally posted by Kurt
3/ If units are cut off can they only receive supply by air IF they are on an airfield?
Kurt
No, in some scenarios, your theatre air transport ability is large, it can receive minimum supply anywhere, but usually it does not happen in a scenario when you have relatively (to your totally forces) small air assets.

Originally posted by Kurt
4/ Reading posts on this forum there seems to be a concensus that putting units on tactical and especially local reserve is not good... can you please explain in 'simple' terms why this is bad, I don't quite understand it. In theory and from reading the manual it seems to be a good option.
Kurt
Because it will "force" your units to move "unexpectedly" --- i.e., your enemy could use your local reserve setting to manipulate your units' movement by choosing to attack from certain places first and then after your units consumed its MPs, he can initiate the true attacks. Besides, LR and TR settings all denied the beneficial defensive bonuses.

Originally posted by Kurt
5/ My final question ( for now:) ) is about support in combat. When I'm reading combat reports I sometimes see lines saying 'such and such division supports the attack'. This might sound like a stupid question but which units are supporting the attack?? Is it adjacent units or units with 'reserve' status?
Kurt
1. All non-mobile artilleries in range with high enough "force support levels" (usually they do, see manual) will contribute to either attack or defense. Please note that non-mobile includes tactical reserves and local reserves, this is very important and probably the only use of TR and LR for me.
2. Any adjecent troops to the hex of fighting with artilleries, with enough force support levels, of course
3. Any adjecent troops to the hex that enemy retreated also have a chance to join the fight.
4. Any air units within range setting in combat support/ air superiority mission, has certain possibility of involvement, depending on its proficiency, distance, readiness and the order of battles took place.

Originally posted by Kurt
6/ Sorry, one more question I just thought of. Is it better to simply use artillery and some air craft (on 'combat support') and not give them individual targets to attack. It seems to me that even though I don't give each unit specific commands they still seems to participate in some combats.
Kurt
Yes. It is much better to artilleries to support fires, rather than directly attack. This is always true unless you choose to attack airfields by your arties (by choosing airfield attack from the manual, not bombard). For air strikes, sometimes it is better off you directly set them to attack --- esp. when you want to concentrate your air assets there, otherwise, they may join other missions you plotted earlier and later, they may not join the one you really wanted them to help.

[Kurt]

Many thanks for the replies, they both helped immensely. I also played through the Kasserine 43 scenario with the notes and it was a hge help in showing me the finer poinjts of turn management.... completely opened my eyes because previously I was simply moving all my units their maximum and then attacking.

thanks again. :)

[ER_Chaser]

And I did not know that "guide" before, and after I followed HEAT's link and read it, it is very good reading, it covers almost all tactical aspects of this game. Maybe you would recommend it to every member of our club(in case anyone like me, did not know it at all), HEAT? Thank you for providing such a good link!

[Major Banned]

Originally posted by ER_Chaser
And I did not know that "guide" before, and after I followed HEAT's link and read it, it is very good reading, it covers almost all tactical aspects of this game. Maybe you would recommend it to every member of our club(in case anyone like me, did not know it at all), HEAT? Thank you for providing such a good link!

I printed this out over a year ago when I first found it. Despite the fact that it was written for the older versions, the basic premises still stay the same for ACOW. I have found myself getting away from some of the basic concepts. This has been a good reminder, also I have drug out Dunnigan's How To Make War. Sun Tsu's work also contains valuable tips for operational warfare.