Explicit Supply question

[larsonney]

Quick question...I'm sure this is well known and I'm showcasing my  factor by asking, but here goes:

If a scenario is designed for explicit supply and you play it with virtual supply, what, if any, effect does that have on supply in the scenario?

Thanks...Jon

[Mr Grumpy]

I believe a scenario that is designed to use explicit supply has the supply units included in the OOB that the scenario uses, I think this is the only reason it is flagged as a "s" scenario on the filename and not using the rule and opting for the VST rule instead should not have any effect on game play.

If I remember in the first titles to be release after explicit supply was added to the game (like Tobruk) there were two versions of each scenario one with a "s" to indicate that ES could be used and another without the "s", as the series progressed I think it just became normal for all scenarios to have the "s" on their filenames.

[Kool Kat]

I believe a scenario that is designed to use explicit supply has the supply units included in the OOB that the scenario uses, I think this is the only reason it is flagged as a "s" scenario on the filename and not using the rule and opting for the VST rule instead should not have any effect on game play.

If I remember in the first titles to be release after explicit supply was added to the game (like Tobruk) there were two versions of each scenario one with a "s" to indicate that ES could be used and another without the "s", as the series progressed I think it just became normal for all scenarios to have the "s" on their filenames.

Hey Darran and Jon:  

But if the explicit supply units are attacked, suffer casualties and / or destroyed by enemy action... it awards points to your opponent's scoreboard - correct?  

So, I "assume" that both sides that have explicit supply units in their OOB need to keep them hidden and far away from the front lines?

[Ricky B]

If a scenario includes supply units, but the explicit supply optional rule isn't selected, then the supply units are not included in the game and the selected supply rule is used as it would have been if the scenario didn't include supply units in the first place.

I don't think, but could be wrong, that there were ever two versions of scenarios - I think the above is how things were from day one. But I do think the very earliest supply scenarios didn't include the s, and they were named that way in following titles to make it clear if they had supply units or not.

But yes Mike, if supply units are present, losing them to enemy fire would lead to points being awarded. However, they can be captured by the enemy and don't lead to points in that case, unlike surrendering men/tanks that disappear.

Just to be sure my memory serves me right, I just setup and ran a test scenario and validated all of the above.

Rick

[larsonney]

I believe a scenario that is designed to use explicit supply has the supply units included in the OOB that the scenario uses, I think this is the only reason it is flagged as a "s" scenario on the filename and not using the rule and opting for the VST rule instead should not have any effect on game play.

If I remember in the first titles to be release after explicit supply was added to the game (like Tobruk) there were two versions of each scenario one with a "s" to indicate that ES could be used and another without the "s", as the series progressed I think it just became normal for all scenarios to have the "s" on their filenames.

Thanks for the clarification!! I thought it should not effect play but wasn't sure and couldn't find a definitive answer in the manual.

[larsonney]

If a scenario includes supply units, but the explicit supply optional rule isn't selected, then the supply units are not included in the game and the selected supply rule is used as it would have been if the scenario didn't include supply units in the first place.

I don't think, but could be wrong, that there were ever two versions of scenarios - I think the above is how things were from day one. But I do think the very earliest supply scenarios didn't include the s, and they were named that way in following titles to make it clear if they had supply units or not.

But yes Mike, if supply units are present, losing them to enemy fire would lead to points being awarded. However, they can be captured by the enemy and don't lead to points in that case, unlike surrendering men/tanks that disappear.

Just to be sure my memory serves me right, I just setup and ran a test scenario and validated all of the above.

Rick

Thanks Rick!!

[larsonney]

I believe a scenario that is designed to use explicit supply has the supply units included in the OOB that the scenario uses, I think this is the only reason it is flagged as a "s" scenario on the filename and not using the rule and opting for the VST rule instead should not have any effect on game play.

If I remember in the first titles to be release after explicit supply was added to the game (like Tobruk) there were two versions of each scenario one with a "s" to indicate that ES could be used and another without the "s", as the series progressed I think it just became normal for all scenarios to have the "s" on their filenames.

Hey Darran and Jon:  

But if the explicit supply units are attacked, suffer casualties and / or destroyed by enemy action... it awards points to your opponent's scoreboard - correct?  

So, I "assume" that both sides that have explicit supply units in their OOB need to keep them hidden and far away from the front lines?

Hi Mike.

Correct, you get points for killing them, but they are sooooo much more valuable as captured supply, especially to the attacker. I guess if you were on the defense and your opponent was insane enough to let you spot supply units you could fire away...I never shoot at sighted enemy supply units when on the attack...I wait to assault and capture it for my thirsty panzers!! 

You do lose half of the total supply unit's value when you capture it, but some is better than none! 

Cheers, Jon

[Mr Grumpy]

I don't think, but could be wrong, that there were ever two versions of scenarios - I think the above is how things were from day one. But I do think the very earliest supply scenarios didn't include the s, and they were named that way in following titles to make it clear if they had supply units or not.

I looked at my Tobruk title and it did seem there were two versions, for example...........

#12 - Three Against One (19-20 November 1941)

#12s - Three Against One [Supply] (19-20 November 1941) it says in the description "NOTE: This scenario is for use with the optional Explicit Supply rules."

So I think for Tobruk they used this approach, but in later titles the "s" appears on almost all the scenario file names.

[Kool Kat]

I believe a scenario that is designed to use explicit supply has the supply units included in the OOB that the scenario uses, I think this is the only reason it is flagged as a "s" scenario on the filename and not using the rule and opting for the VST rule instead should not have any effect on game play.

If I remember in the first titles to be release after explicit supply was added to the game (like Tobruk) there were two versions of each scenario one with a "s" to indicate that ES could be used and another without the "s", as the series progressed I think it just became normal for all scenarios to have the "s" on their filenames.

Hey Darran and Jon:  

But if the explicit supply units are attacked, suffer casualties and / or destroyed by enemy action... it awards points to your opponent's scoreboard - correct?  

So, I "assume" that both sides that have explicit supply units in their OOB need to keep them hidden and far away from the front lines?

Hi Mike.

Correct, you get points for killing them, but they are sooooo much more valuable as captured supply, especially to the attacker. I guess if you were on the defense and your opponent was insane enough to let you spot supply units you could fire away...I never shoot at sighted enemy supply units when on the attack...I wait to assault and capture it for my thirsty panzers!! 

You do lose half of the total supply unit's value when you capture it, but some is better than none! 

Cheers, Jon

Gents:  

Thanks for the explanations!   

I've never played with explicit supply units as I don't like to micro-manage supply logistics. 

Virtual Supply Trucks is as far as I go with supply in the Optional Rules menu!