What level of losses?

[Weasel]

Just wondering what level most players set their unit loss tolerance too? I have been using limited on the attack, and for France40 I have been putting my dug in French as ignore since I am trying to burn turns.

Does going to ignore use tons more supply, or just a bit more? Should arty be set to minimum, limited, or ignore when dug in?

I am enjoying TOAW3 now that Antoni has explained some of the finer points that I didn't now about. It is a very nice change from SP that is for sure but I find you have to play the scenarios mirrored since they all seem to be weighted towards one side or the other.

[Pax25]

I tend to stay with limit losses at all times. However, when the game starts getting close to the end, I'll use ignore losses to hold important positions.

I only use minimize losses when I've got a unit that can't retreat very far, is in the red, and is certain to get attacked.

Then again, what do I know.

[Weasel]

Thanks for the reply.

Does nobody read this forum, not very many replies?

[cillmhor]

I would have replied, but I've not had enough experience to be able to give you any sound advice. Here goes anyway.

I tend to use all three settings depending on the situation. Minimise losses in attacks sometimes if I want to probe away at a position and not burn too much of the turn, ignore losses if I need to take a position or force a retreat , especially if I need to definitely force the retreat to cause evaporations (when enemy is surrounded or boxed in). Also use ignore losses on defenders quite often now, as they are less likely to retreat and as you say burn the opponent's turn.

In a recent game I had a severely weakened (in the red) infantry regiment entrenched in the mountains with an escarpment hexside, it was the last unit left in the line with the enemy on three hexsides. I left them on ignore losses to stall the enemy not expecting much. However, the enemy attacked in some force and my unit evaporated, but in the course of the attack it inflicted what I saw as hugely disproportionate losses. So terrain can allow you to use settings to your advantage.

Having said all that, I quite often when attacking go for the limit losses. If I don't want to force units forward into the hex I'm attacking I use limited attack. Just depends on the context, I don't know myself if limited attacks and full attacks make any difference in terms of effectiveness and supplies? I assume they do, I do have a hunch an attack pressed into a hex may give the defenders a harder time disengaging, especially with high recon in the attack, and so you may get more evaporations with weak retreating units, but this is only a hunch.

I think with a limited attack you lose less, and the defender loses less, and can escape more easily?

As for artillery in an indirect fire role, I was under the impression that it did not matter what setting in terms of burning time or causing casualties, that minimise, limit and ignore losses all gave you the same result. But maybe one of the more experienced players can clarify?

Anyway, that's about all I know, hope it helps.

[Fulcrum]

As for artillery in an indirect fire role, I was under the impression that it did not matter what setting in terms of burning time or causing casualties, that minimise, limit and ignore losses all gave you the same result. But maybe one of the more experienced players can clarify?

Anyway, that's about all I know, hope it helps.

yes, artillery losses settings don´t matter in indirect support. Only matter when the artillery ALONE attacks one hex. I think that the best use for the artillery is to support with direct fire an attack....checking it attacking with an unit with minimal looses supported with direct artilley fire with ignore looses..sometimes results are devastating

[cillmhor]

Right, nice tip, but is the artillery in a direct fire role open to casualties when it is directly involved in the combat? And what happens if the attack burns the last of the turn and the artillery and the supporting units are open to counter attack? Would the minimize losses supporting units retreat first leaving the ignore losses arty unit to suffer the brunt of the counter attack?

[Fulcrum]

Right, nice tip, but is the artillery in a direct fire role open to casualties when it is directly involved in the combat? And what happens if the attack burns the last of the turn and the artillery and the supporting units are open to counter attack? Would the minimize losses supporting units retreat first leaving the ignore losses arty unit to suffer the brunt of the counter attack?

Artillery in direct attack supporting an attack can suffer counterbattery fire.
If the turn burn suddenly I suppose that your artillery units (now in mobile status) have some safe hexs of distance from the front line. the enemy woud have to overrun your units with minimal looses in the front first.
But i think that is rare. Normally you can attack in the way that I said several rounds in the turn. When the turn is with 50 or 40 per cent, is better to dig your artillery units to support your defense in the enemy turn

[cillmhor]

Thanks, that is clear now.

[Fulcrum]

Hi
I attached a FAQ doc that was done in WarfareHQ sometime ago. Is about Century of Warfe but you can see that it´ is applicable to TOAW 3 too

see you and good luck with your battles!!!!

[Bigwig]

My technique on attacks:

Minimize losses/limited attack: my most common attack, preferably with as much artillery as I can scrape together. Used to inflict losses and knock people out of entrenchments.

Limit losses/attack: Against weak targets where I know I can win. Usually these targets have been made weak by minimize/limited attacks.

Ignore losses/attack: Not used often, because it tends to burn combat rounds and can really mess up my side if I'm not careful. But I find that very large, low proficiency armies fighting a vulnerable target sometimes give up before they've accomplished their mission if set to limit losses. This is basically a human wave attack, and has all the drawbacks you'd expect from this.

On defense, I almost always use limit losses, unless I'm in a really vulnerable position and can't dig in - then I go for minimize losses and hope my boys retreat before they get slaughtered. I will sometimes use ignore losses in a critical sector where I can't afford to retreat, though sometimes units retreat anyway.