Getting started

[Michael Hopcroft]

After hovering around the demo for years I finally get my paws on NCP today. I still have not mastered the concept of supply and depot from the demo, but I am still very interested in trying my hand at PBEM for a short scenario to get my feet wet.

Although I would love to see a NCP 2 in the future, I should be able to work with what we've got.

So then there's that supply issue. What is the most efficient way to keep an army in the field, well, in the field?

[Omnius]

Michael,
First thing to consider is that keeping an army in the field for extended periods of time isn't really a good thing, especially after a battle. The depots are your key to running supply forward and the areas between depots need to be converted to your military control in order for supply to run from rear depots to forward depots more efficiently. After a battle it's always smart to move your units to a depot so they can absorb replacements. Then you should rest them so that you recover unit cohesion. It's kind of like a three-step dance - Move, Fight, Rest.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Michael,
First thing to consider is that keeping an army in the field for extended periods of time isn't really a good thing, especially after a battle. The depots are your key to running supply forward and the areas between depots need to be converted to your military control in order for supply to run from rear depots to forward depots more efficiently. After a battle it's always smart to move your units to a depot so they can absorb replacements. Then you should rest them so that you recover unit cohesion. It's kind of like a three-step dance - Move, Fight, Rest.

I see. I find it sadly rather easy in the heat of planning the week's maneuvers to forget to move people forward to build depots.

One other problem is that you have to protect the depots. It sounds like having an enemy capture a rear depot would lead to serious problems for the army in front.

Logistics has never been one of my strong suits. I will have to pay more attention to it.

[Omnius]

Michael,
You don't necessarily have to build depots if you can capture them instead. The early scenarios allow for easy capture of depots but later like 1812 and beyond the depot capture becomes less likely as they get burned down by the fleeing populace. Remember that you have a 5 region supply line between depots. Don't waste too many valuable supply wagons building depots or you'll run short of supply units to supply combats.

Yep losing a rear area depot will mess up pushing supply forward to forward cities and depots. One must leave detachments behind to garrison depots that might be in jeopardy. Definitely must remember how important logistics are in this game as they were in real life.