Supply

[Amaury]

Hello
I just popped up the other day to see that the patch 1.06 was available. So installed it to see differences. The IA seems more aggressive IHMO. Also I noticed a few changes re. supply or maybe I didn't see them before:

1 - build a depot: you dont need 2 supply wagons anymore to be in one region to build your Depot1 anymore. You can simply use your Corps wagon which doesn't seem affected by the build-up (it doesnt't disapear)

2 - city supply: my understanding was that cities provided a de facto depot if > level 2 cities. now I play 1812 campaign, and the Russians are destroying the city depots after they're kicked out of town. I realized then, that my troops were starving.. Am I right I need to rebuild a depot in the city? By the way, how do you order your retreating troops to destroy a depot?

Generally speaking, the game seems more challenging, which is good, so thanks.

[arsan]

Hi!

Regarding number one... are you positive??
That wagons are not used up seems very strange
Maybe you had wagons on other stacks on the region that were used up?
If not, that may be a bug.... maybe you could upload the save game for someone to check
The only depot building change introduced on the game engine lately was that now it counts supply elements (8 supply element for a depot if i recall correctly) instead of units (2 supply units for a depot). In the end its nearly the same, but now you can use supply wagons with just 2 or 3 element as long as they add up to 8.

Regarding number 2: no, definitely cities don't have a "de facto" depot.
Some cities have depots, others don't.
But even cities without depots create supply, and the big cities can create as much or more supply than a depot. But of course that city with a depot will still create much more
I bet on the russian steppes you will need to build depots on cities or outside cities to keep you forces supplied. There are not many cities around there and the terrain is pretty barren.

To destroy a depot just click on the appropiate order button (on the left of teh unit panel). The selected force will destroy it next turn
You can order the force to move away in the same turn. They will wait until the depot/fort destruction is completed before moving.

Cheers!

[Amaury]

Hola,

Thanks for your comments.

Regarding 1, I'm positive though I didn't know about elements vs units and it may be possible that in some cases I had two corps in same region with 2 wagons and thus totalling 8 elements. but still, the wagon doesn't disapear. and I recall having just one wagon unit with X elements in it (<4), alone in a regions and creating a depot.

Regarding 2- : yes, I knew about the order, but that's when you know what you want to do. So how do you order a unit to destroy the depot post-combat as you retreat. The IA does that for Russians. basically you want to hold the city and its depot, but on the other hand if you lose the battle, retreat and destroy the depot (terre brulée)? It's a conditional order.

Again 2- : agree with the city providing supply. that was what I thought, but then why do my units suffer loss of supply (I measured it every turn)? Options:
- the city has no supply capacity (below level 3 I believe)
- the city is not connected to Home supply centres (Warsaw for 1812) because too far or route cut by enemy-owned region?
- the city does not produce enough for the present units? how do you check that?
- the units are not inside the city but in its region

see, I have my interrogations...

[arsan]

Hola,

Thanks for your comments.

Regarding 1, I'm positive though I didn't know about elements vs units and it may be possible that in some cases I had two corps in same region with 2 wagons and thus totalling 8 elements. but still, the wagon doesn't disapear. and I recall having just one wagon unit with X elements in it (<4), alone in a regions and creating a depot.

Regarding 2- : yes, I knew about the order, but that's when you know what you want to do. So how do you order a unit to destroy the depot post-combat as you retreat. The IA does that for Russians. basically you want to hold the city and its depot, but on the other hand if you lose the battle, retreat and destroy the depot (terre brulée)? It's a conditional order.

Again 2- : agree with the city providing supply. that was what I thought, but then why do my units suffer loss of supply (I measured it every turn)? Options:
- the city has no supply capacity (below level 3 I believe)
- the city is not connected to Home supply centres (Warsaw for 1812) because too far or route cut by enemy-owned region?
- the city does not produce enough for the present units? how do you check that?
- the units are not inside the city but in its region

see, I have my interrogations...

Hi!

Oh, i understand the destroy depot question now
Yes, in fact, besides you giving the orders, your units or the enemy ones can destroy them automatically during the battle or retreat because of the scorched earth rule.
You have no control over it. Its something done and decided by the units themselves. (don't know the formula used in game :bonk
I think only some scenarios have that rule activated because of what happened historically.
I bet the Russian ans the spanish campaigns have it (lots or scorched earth on them ) but probably the more "civilized" central Europe campaigns don't use that rule. (You can still order the destruction of depots with the button, of course).

Regarding supply: each unit or force needs a certain amount of supply. A big army will not have enough with the one produced on small cities, or even on a depot if there are to many troops.
To see the supply needs and production check the tooltips.
For the force needs, look for a supply icon on the top right of the units panel and pass the mouse over it to see the supply tooltip.
For the region production, it should be said on the region tooltip. But that is not all, additional supply can be sent form sorrounding regiosn or depots, depending of the distance and road network.
But in any case, if you force is lossing supply it is a sign that you are on a place where the supply network can't provide you with all the food your men neads. To fix this you can:
- Improve the network (creating a new depot o capturing a nearby city)
- Reduce the army size to a level you can feed there
- Move the army to a better place supply wise
- Send supply wagons back and forth from supply sources to the army (emergency measure)
...

Cheers!

[Amaury]

Hola y gracias

Ok, thanks for the depot descrtuction response.

For supply needs it says for an army. but for a region capacity I don't see it. All you know is that it is Rich, Civilized, but it doesn't give you capaccity of supply production.
And I've checked again: I can place one depleted Supply Wagon and have a depot created within 15 days, even w/o the 8 elements.