The hardest thing to simulate in any wargame is logistics. The GSI combat system is based on that of a pre WW I Warsaw math professor who analyzed Napoleonic combat. The logistics system is based on the pre-industrial revolution triad of depots, baggage trains and foraging. Most wargames use cop outs like abstract "lines of supply" or just side-step the matter. Bill Feild is deserving of credit in that he ATTEMPTED to replicate the triad in this game.
The Triad:
Depots: If your troops, or those of a friendly ally, are at your pop center they can draw a limited amount of rations from the depots organized by the civil authorities.
Baggage trains: The issue at hand, at the moment. GSI made baggage trains more potent than they really were, but the game provides this choice for individuals willing to do the 'staff worl' required. A minority of players in my experience.
Foraging: The most common method of supply in both the pre-industrial revolution armies and in this game. See, Bill had given the matter some thought. Essentially, you take the troops to the supply and not the reverse. It takes time to gather supply, graze the animals, etc. Hence the movement reduction.
Again. logistics is the hardest item to simulate in any wargame.
···
From: Gavinwj <gavinwj@compuserve.com>
Reply-To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
To: <mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: [mepbmlist] fed armies
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2003 14:56:04 +0200If an army with 98% food supplies is treated the same as one with 0% yet a
huge army can be tricked into sharing a single sandwich... This all proves
that the food algorithm is beyond stupid. Yet another item that needs
fixing.Gavin
bbrunec296@rogers.com wrote:
>
> One can always also have 100 cav loaded with food rush out to meet that huge
> HI army that's still a couple of fed turns from Mordor and 780 when they meet
> in order to feed the larger force for it's final push.
>
> Or, one can send a smaller army, say 400 men, with enough food, in conjunction
> with a larger main army with none. Between the 2 armies is a third character.
>
> Small army splits to character, new army will have food at the 765. Character
> transfers command to large army, which is considered fed at 780, thus also fed
> for 85/60 and they all move together. Repeat following turn. Seems
> laborious, but it will work at less cost (in food) then Arthedain trying to
> send 5000 HC to the back door of Mordor...
>
> Mind you, if these guys rotate their 780's, there's a good chance they'll be
> able to shake any ScoArmies trying to hunt them down also, so there might be
> various benefits to pushing the boundaries of the Rules vs Common Sense
> file...
>
> Regards,
>
> Brad
>
>>
>> From: Rodrigo Manhaes <rsmanhaes@br.inter.net>
>> Date: 2003/07/23 Wed PM 02:17:09 EDT
>> To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
>> Subject: Re: [mepbmlist] Digest Number 1391
>>
>> Well, live and learn then, seems the rule of thumb I followed was wrong,
>> and it's been some 3 years already! Curse my "tutors"... :\
>>
>> Sorry for the misinformation, guys!
>>
>> Regards,
>> Rodrigo Manh�es
>>
>> Mike Barber wrote:
>>
>>> Hey Jeff
>>>
>>> Army 1 will definitely be fed in your scenario below.
>>>
>>> An old trick: for same scenario as before but Army #1
>>> only has 150 food, commander 1 xfers 400HI to
>>> commander 2 (order 355 i think) and commander 2 then
>>> xfers army to commander 1 (780). Outcome will be a
>>> fed army of 1000 troops with 50 food left.
>>>
>>> The important thing is, can an army feed its troops
>>> when consumption happens (around order 400)
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>> Mike
>>>
>>> From: "Jeff Wygal" <morgai@hotmail.com>
>>> Subject: Question about feeding armies
>>>
>>> Army #1 has 500 HI, and 600 food.
>>> Army #2 has 500 HI, and no food.
>>>
>>> Consumption of food happens after transfers, and
>>> before command
>>> orders (around order 400), so army #1 is fed, and army
>>> #2 is not fed.
>>>
>>> Army #2 transfers command (order 785) to the commander
>>> of army #1,
>>> combining the two armies.
>>>
>>> Is the new, combined army considered fed, or not fed,
>>> for the sake
>>> of movement?
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>> Jeff Wygal
>>
>> --
>> "Mortis In Anima
>> Curam Gero Cutis"
>> Carl Orff - "Carmina Burana"
>>
>> Middle Earth PBM - hit reply to send to everyone
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>>
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>>
>
> 1
>
> Middle Earth PBM - hit reply to send to everyone
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