The TOAW III War College - Curriculum

[Heinz57]

Reserve this area specifically for posting articles and information of significant value to new players. Include title, author, link, and short summary of contents.

The "Operational Art of War" College Curriculum:

Much of the material available for The Operational Art of War was written for previous versions. Fundamentally, the articles are directly relevant to TOAW III, especially in as much as they discuss strategy and basic game dynamics such as how to use artillery, acquiring flank bonuses on attacks, etc. Where the articles treat upon very specific elements of TOAW III, it is appropriate to weigh it in conjunction with the manual. Feel free to bring up questions that arise from your reading.


Siberian Heat's "Notes from the Front" -
http://toaw.xtreme-gamer.com/?p=38

A good place to start for getting a basic feel for The Operational Art of War in terms of strategy and the game system. Though written for earlier versions (i.e. Century of Warfare), it is directly applicable to TOAW III. It covers setting up a scenario for PBEM, the basics of defensive and offensive operations, use of artillery and more. Essential reading for new players.

The Operational Art of War Frequently Asked Questions
http://toaw.xtreme-gamer.com/?p=5

Though lengthy, you can find a lot of good, useful and important information in this document. Also written for previous versions, it is directly applicable to TOAW III. Essential reading for new players.

TOAW Strategy Guide-version 1.06
By Steve Knowlton and Steve Schneider
http://www.wargamer.com/toaw/scenplay/strategy.htm

A comprehensive article covering elements of strategy as much as game dynamics. Also written for a previous version, it too is directly relevant to TOAW III.


How to Begin a Game: The Road to Rimini
by Jean-Luc Betin (Der Wanderer)
http://toaw.xtreme-gamer.com/?p=71
This is a highly detailed After Action Report that provides specific examples for starting a scenario and executing a strategy. This covers a different, short scenario like "Two Weeks in Normandy". New players will want to acquire many different perspectives in the course of their play of The Operational Art of War III as there are many different scenarios, each with its own unique feel and conditions.

Two Weeks in Normandy:
Scenario Specific Materials

Allied Order of Battle for Two Weeks in Normandy
http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=1176

Axis Order of Battle for Two Weeks in Normandy
http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=1177

These two documents provide an extended Order of Battle detailing the forces for each side, their arrival areas and formation cooperation levels. Though not essential, they are useful for players desiring detail in planning their operations. MS Word files in zip format.


After Action Reports:
Allied - Two Weeks in Normandy, Strategies for Victory and Defeat (Mike Vargas)
http://www.warfarehq.com/index.php?page=after_action_reports/toaw_aar/two_weeks_norm_aar.shtml

Axis - Two Weeks in Normandy, A German Perspective (Siberian Heat)http://toaw.xtreme-gamer.com/?p=36

Not providing these in the context of "cheat sheets" - both of these articles provide detailed notes for consideration in the formation of your strategy. Players from both sides will be reading these, to surprise your opponent will require something "new"....


Advanced Studies

Replacements & Reconstitution in the Operational Art of War
by General Staff
http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/toaw/uploads/articles/rr/replacementsreconstitution.html

An exceptional article for getting a feel for the complexities involved with the replacement pool. When units are "destroyed" there is a chance that they will be reformed. Reformation of units is not of relevance to "Two Weeks in Normandy" but it is of considerable importance to longer scenarios. Replacement rates are relevant to every scenario, directly effecting the long-term durability of your units on the front line. Can an extra heavy rifle squad make a difference? Well, as Clint Eastwood would say, "Did I fire six shots, or only five..." While one bullet may not make the difference on a front, the impact of attrition and replacement rates may well determine how aggressively you press your forces.

[Heinz57]

Important - Everyone in the workshop should download the revised "Two Weeks in Normandy" scenario from the thread below (mid-way down on the first page, post by Jamiam) -

http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42520

This eliminates reconstitution, sets maximum rounds per battle to 3, and adds an Axis supply point in Cherbourg (stockpiling).

You will be downloading it as a .zip file, extract the scenario to your TOAW III > Scenarios > WWII - West Front folder.

[toltesi]

Just a brief note: THANK-YOU for doing all this work! It is quite exceptional compared to what I've experienced in other game's online communities.

Looking forward to the experience.

[Heinz57]

There's a lot of players who have put a LOT of time into helping others learn TOAW through articles, through advice during play, after action reports, in tourneys, etc. So, one idea here is to pass along the help they gave to some of us, to new players.

[General Staff]

I wouldn't bother with the Replacements and Reconstitution article in the context of this scenario- 2WIN, 12 turns and it won't make much difference. It's always worth IMO looking at your replacement rates, and I think in this or the 4WIN scenario (IIRC mentioned in briefing), Commonwealth replacements are less. But it's a hard read and certainly was a hard write.

It was written to figure out why I was getting thrashed in a Barbarossa 41 game, opponent aside, where it certainly should matter over the long haul. A painful lesson for me, but most lessons are learnt the hard way in TOAW.

H57- Thanks for consolidating all the links. Very helpful.

[Heinz57]

"The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other poor SOB die for his..." - George Patton

Well, it's a pretty obvious thing to try to keep your units alive, but sometimes that is easier said than done. In TOAW, there are a number of things that you can do to diminish the potential of catastrophes before they happen.

Defense in Depth - is probably the most important consideration. You don't want everything on the front lines - especially if you are on the defense. Headquarters and artillery should almost always be kept out of the front line in defensive situations. Lone artillery units are highly prone to automatic overruns. If you have a whole in your line and the only unit you have to fill it is an artillery unit...it is better to not fill that whole. Automatic over-runs do not cost the enemy the increased movement points for entering enemy zones of control.

But, your artillery and HQ's have a very important function in helping with force preservation. Both units are immune to the possibility of disengagement attacks when they are moving into another hex with a friendly unit. Most other units trying to evacuate from a hex suffer a real risk of being engaged with the potential additional effect of being routed or evaporated.

This "rescue operation" is accomplished by moving the HQ or arty unit into the threatened hex, move the unit that is at risk out, and follow it with your HQ making sure it is the last unit to leave the threatened hex.

Another trick that conserves your Movement Points is to divide an artillery unit into three, use one third to extract the unit, then reform and the unit as a whole will still have at least 2/3rds of its movement remaining.

You will want to check, or at least make an informed guess about whether the unit/s performing rescue (or rear guard) actions have enough movement points to get into the hex and get back safely. Enemy ZOC's coupled with bad terrain and harsh weather can make such rescue operations very difficult.

There will be occasions where even this is not enough, or not a viable option. In these circumstances, you need to look at where your strength really is. Sometimes, you will have plenty of artillery and a critical shortage of infantry...so it may be necessary to sacrifice some artillery - a frequent occasion on the East Front. Infantry can hold ground, artillery doesn't do that by itself very well. If you are short of artillery, then you may need to sacrifice some front line units...

When it comes to selecting which units should stand and fight to the last, it is generally best to select the most expendable - the units with the least strength and lowest proficiency. Moreover, if you find that you do have an expendable regiment - you actually have three expendable battalions - break it into thirds. Use one battalion to hold the present position, redeploy the other two to relieve the strongest units and let them escape to safer lines.

There are two essential elements to World War II defensive doctrine. The first is to maintain a continuous defensive line - it makes more difficult for a breakthrough to achieve depth in penetration due to the Zones of Control of adjacent units. The second consideration, not necessarily applied by one dictator in particular is...if you cannot maintain a continuous defensive line, than shorten the line so that you can. A division can defend 10 kilometers exponentially better than it can defend a 20 kilometer front.

There are some exceptions to this, both situational and strategic, relative to different scenarios. One exception is when you just need to buy time...hedgehog defenses - a unit entrenched or fortified in every other hex along a front may buy you just enough time to reinforce the area with mobile reserves, or to keep you opponent from achieving a high value objective. This is the equivalent to a sacrifice, in many if not most circumstances.

Though force preservation is a basic element of warfare and wargames, it is critically important. The one thing that will save you is defense in depth. When one unit is forced to retreat, it is likely retreating into a hex where another unit is already entrenched.

This covers the very basics of force preservation, and more will be added. I will produce diagrams upon request if the ideas here aren't particularly clear. Or, if it is clear, can move on to Force Preservation II...?

[Heinz57]

I wouldn't bother with the Replacements and Reconstitution article in the context of this scenario- 2WIN, 12 turns and it won't make much difference. It's always worth IMO looking at your replacement rates, and I think in this or the 4WIN scenario (IIRC mentioned in briefing), Commonwealth replacements are less. But it's a hard read and certainly was a hard write.

It was written to figure out why I was getting thrashed in a Barbarossa 41 game, opponent aside, where it certainly should matter over the long haul. A painful lesson for me, but most lessons are learnt the hard way in TOAW.

H57- Thanks for consolidating all the links. Very helpful.

Yes...but, your article is a masterpiece! Not so much relevant to short scenarios, but very helpful for understanding the long-term nature of attrition in games like FITE, DNO, etc. I'm working on a scenario that will attempt to apply the dynamics of your article to the extreme. I haven't started the math yet...ha!!!!!

[Heinz57]

Attached is a file that *might* provide some assistance for understanding Formation Support Levels - how well units of different formations cooperate.

Questions are welcome and will be compiled to clarify this issue further.

Formation Support Levels are very important to understand relative to both defensive and offensive deployments. If you learn nothing else from the workshop, learning this is probably the most important aspect in achieving better performance.

[Heinz57]

I just came across this and think it would be helpful for new wargamers - not just to TOAWIII but to anyone who isn't familiar with NATO icons, what the numbers mean, and such. Interesting reading -

http://www.lostbattalion.com/t-ff_symbols_and_trees.aspx

[Heinz57]

Following on with learning the Unit Icons, the functions and doctrines behind them, and how to use them best - the workshop will add a daily Unit Focus. Everyone is welcome to participate to add what they know and ask questions.

At the end of the workshop, each Unit Focus thread will be summarized, reformatted as a Word file, to include any graphics and added to this or another thread so as to keep everything in one easy reference point.

Contributors to each thread will be listed in the final document. For this workshop, we will focus primarily on the unit type's encountered in Two Weeks in Normandy, and perhaps a few other most common units, saving the rest (most of the modern icons) for future development.

[Veers]

Following on with learning the Unit Icons, the functions and doctrines behind them, and how to use them best - the workshop will add a daily Unit Focus. Everyone is welcome to participate to add what they know and ask questions.

At the end of the workshop, each Unit Focus thread will be summarized, reformatted as a Word file, to include any graphics and added to this or another thread so as to keep everything in one easy reference point.

Contributors to each thread will be listed in the final document. For this workshop, we will focus primarily on the unit type's encountered in Two Weeks in Normandy, and perhaps a few other most common units, saving the rest (most of the modern icons) for future development.
What a great idea. Kudos, Dabbs.