Which Supply Rules Do You Like to Use?

[KG_Norad]

When the option is available which supply rules do you like to use? Explicit? Virtual Supply Trucks?

I have not played enough to have much of an opinion on this so I thought I would see what other guys like to use. I have only played scenarios with the default supply rules. I plan to play an explicit supply game soon to try it out though.

[printshop]

I normally go with what the default supply rules are. Otherwise I will just use the regular supply rules; i.e. not VST or Explicit supply. I know some like to manage their supply more closely, it's just not for me.

[D-ploy]

Most of my games I played with VST. Especially the Fulda Gap campaign looked so scary from NATO's point of view that I thought I needed any help I could get. Hence I selected VST since the Warsaw Pact was on the attack and therefore would stretch their supply lines. This makes the VST somewhat more believable than the pure probability based supply model. On the other hand it does not add too much complexity, since staying near ones supply sources (if the situation allows) and to keep the supply lines open (maybe with the help of some bridging engineers) is military common sense.

Explicit supply is a beast I did not master so far. For this you really have to plan your campaign thoroughly. It is hard to have enough supplies at the right time at the place of your Schwerpunkt. For this I think you have to calculate distances, resource usage etc. but the game interface won't help you with it. And I could not get myself to plan with paper and pencil first.

Regards,
Oliver

[Glenn Saunders]

Actually D-Ploy - when I calculated the amount of Exp Supply Units in the game I worked from the Default Supply levels, supply variation, increased or decreased force expectant and rate of arrival to get the amount of Supply in the game you need if you just keep pushing forward at an average rate.

...so essentially it is I who has done the work with Penicil, Paper and spreadsheet so you hopefully wouldn't have to.

That said I am with you on this point - if you really don't want to manage you own supply closely (and some guys love this) than VST is the way to go. By far most of the playtesting is done that way.

Glenn

[D-ploy]

Glenn, probably I am too much of a perfectionist, because thinking back to my FG campaign game (played as NATO), I would envision that I wanted to concentrate supply at some point for the counterattack. And this I would have to calculate well in advance, I think.

But don't get me wrong, I like the explicit supply rules, since I know there is just magnificent replay value standing on my shelf. Because when I master the game with VST I know I can play it with explicit supply and have even more control over the course of the campaign.

Regards
Oliver

[printshop]

I have seen other positive comments on using VST. I will give it more of a chance than I have in the past.

[Glenn Saunders]

> Glenn, probably I am too much of a perfectionist, because thinking back to my FG campaign game ....

Woops - sorry - FG85 was done by someone else so I didn't have anything to do with the amount of Exp Supply in that game (or in T41 for that matter)

But Bulge, MG44, Alamein come to mind where I was the guy who put the Supply amounts together. Just wanted to clearify that point.

On Exp Supply - the rules work well for longer campaigns but man-o-man it is tricky to get the levels right, so I can imagine they would be a pain to play with. Of course pain is the whole purpose.

People complained in Bulge that the added forces CG didn't have enough Supply maybe because we set the supply at the rate we felt was appropriate for the main CG and when we added extra troops, we didn't add extra supply as the Germans had all the supply they could get in that sector.

When we calculated and adjusted the levels in Alamein, I was well aware that the levels to be right had to hurt - but to hurt means people complain. As I've had no complaints, I am thinking I got it worng and there is likely too much supply - that or people playing it realize what we're trying to depict.

Glad your enjoying the game whatever model for Supply you select.

Glenn

[printshop]

Glenn - I'm playing a EA42 CG (with Exp Supply) as the Allies & my opponent has "complained" about his supply but in the same sentence is saying that is probably what he should expect as the Axis player. So, in our limited experience the supply seems to be about right.

[Glenn Saunders]

I'm glad to hear the levels seem fine - it has to hurt, but gauging how much is so difficult. I had a couple guys on it, most notably Volcano (the Art man) and we did put a lot of effort getting this as good as we could.

But then again, some people attack more than other and comsumption of supply is a function of that as well.

We also dicked around with various ranges to make the Exp Supply even more manual and in the player control. My original Idea (which we scrapped) was to have Supply Range = 1 1 so you would have to drive your trucks right to the battle or pull your units back.

I read a fair bit of fuel and ammo trucks exploding as the moved dangerously far forward - but while this sounded like a neat idea, it turned out to be not so good in practice.

Suffice to say the Exp Supply amounts took a fair bit of dicking with and I am encouraged by your comments that we did OK!

Glenn