FWW... whats next?

[ComradeP]

When it comes to modelling more static fronts, I don't think the current mechanics would be able to represent those.

There are 3 main reasons for that:

1) The Disruption system doesn't check for volume of fire or casualties, meaning any result can cause Disruption.

That's also why the protection offered by trenches are in a different league than those offered by bunkers: with bunkers or other strongpoints, your troops can't currently be targeted by many enemy units due to their HA of 0. The different kinds of "soft" protection offered by terrain, elevation or entrenchment only result in lower casualties, not in a lower Disruption chance. You might very well end up with the same 1,2,3,4 Men D results that result in particularly the Soviets not being able to hold a line in PzC.

2) The "second row problem."

Due to the way casualties are increased for higher stacking densities, frontline hexes will be lightly held if the defender wants to prevent casualties from relative "overstacking". This, in turn, means divisions are likely to have numerous units in the second row. If the attacker assaults the first hex, he is then exposed to fire from the second row. You'll end up with assaults and counter-assaults for the first trench hex that the attacker (the Entente in most cases) is likely to win due to having more artillery and stronger units (in terms of men, as the Germans are likely to be understrength as the war drags on). After a few turns, and shelling of the second row, the line will more or less inevitably break due to the defenders Disrupting. All of this can happen in a single day worth of turns.

3) Support weapons are vulnerable to assault in the first row.

If there are one or more MG units, one of which isn't Disrupted, and a Disrupted infantry battalion in the front row, the MG unit will take most of the damage in an assault. Due to how small they are compared to the assaulting infantry, there's a reasonable chance they'll die or lose most of their strength. It isn't uncommon for that to happen in either EP '14, where the Russian assault values can lead to the 90 Men German MG units being destroyed or seriously weakened after a single assault, or France '14, where Entente MG units are small. Gun units that are forced to retreat lose at least half their guns.

Even though you have limited offensive capabilities against a retreating defender when the situation is fluid due to everyone having the same speed even when Disrupted, a static defence and the need to hold a line might result in local encirclements if the defender doesn't pull back. As soon as a breakthrough is made anywhere along the line, the neighbouring sections will soon become untenable. This already happens in East Front PzC, where you can methodically grind Soviet defensive positions into dust without them being able to do much about it.