"Low on Supply" calculation

[Crossroads]

Having read and reread the manual and the hints-and-tips document I still remain somewhat confused as how a unit becomes low on supply.

Manual, in chapter 8, seems to indicate that a unit can become low on supply regardless whether it has fired or not. There is a designers note at the end of the chapter describing possible reasons for this, such as that the unit has to conserve its ammo.

In Hints-and-tips document Jason describes how he sometimes prevents from firing artillery if he knows he will absolutely need them in a near future: "When I know an attack is going to happen, I will usually withhold using my artillery for a turn or two to ensure all my tubes have ammo."

How does the calculation work? Is it done in a different way depending on a type of a unit, or is it the same for all units?

I am playing a scenario where I really appreciate the benefit of indirect fire disrupting the attacking hordes of MG42 units :mad: , and would like to know if preserving fire has an effect to ensure the mortars can hit when I absolutely need them to. Which is on every turn, but that's another story

EDIT: First, the manual states very clearly that the supply level is calculated only once the unit has fired: At the start of each friendly turn, a supply check is made for each friendly unit that fired in the preceding turn. This check is made to maintain supply if the unit is not currently Low on Supply. But then it goes on to explain how Maintaining supply works. I guess what I am looking for here is an additional confirmation that Supply is calculated only once the unit has fired...

[Mike Abberton]

I don't have the manual in front of me at the moment, but to the best of my knowledge, a unit that starts the scenario in supply, cannot go out of supply until it fires.

The one caveat is that I am pretty sure the editor allows a unit to be flagged as out of supply on the first turn.

Regarding units getting back into supply, there are two methods to regain supply, an HQ check and the base ammo level for the scenario.

For an HQ check, the unit has a percentage chance to regain supply as long as an in-supply HQ in its chain of command is available. The percentage chance varies with distance from the HQ. The "W" key highlights the 50% line. I don't know what the max percent is for being co-located with the HQ. If the HQ check fails (or there is no HQ), the unit also checks against the base ammo level.

Artillery only uses the second method (the base ammo level check), and I think all other units use both methods. And yes this does mean that artillery HQs are basically useless. I usually keep them on-map and near the artillery anyway "for flavor".

Mike

[Von Earlmann]

Unless it has changed if a unit goes low on ammo due to having fired and it's parent HQ is either not there or been destroyed it can never regain supply. Supply checks go thru HQs from highest to lowest so in theory the more HQs the more supply checks which may improve the HQs chance of resupply. Any unit located in the same hex as it's supplied HQ is automatically in supply. Exception is indirect fire units which only check supply once per turn against the base supply level for the scenario. Hence if you foresee a need for all arty a few turns down the road not firing them for a few turns should increase the chance that they will all be in supply at the critical time. I usually will save some each turn if possible esp in the large scenarios.

VE

[Crossroads]

I don't have the manual in front of me at the moment, [... snip ...]

What, you do not have JTCS at your work computer? :smoke:

Thanks for the confirmation, Mike!

I can now with confidence order my troops to hold fire until they see the white in the enemy eyes.

Which unfortunately might also be the case for my indirect units soon enough :(

And of course, this is an appropriate penalty when deciding to shell enemy rear areas with indirect-fire-by-map. It could mean I am slower to react to some acute crisis in my front lines.

The supply rule is definitively making more and more sense as I become more aware of the subtleties in the design of the game engine :chin: :)

[Crossroads]

Hence if you foresee a need for all arty a few turns down the road not firing them for a few turns should increase the chance that they will all be in supply at the critical time. I usually will save some each turn if possible esp in the large scenarios.

VE

Thanks, VE!