Supply 101

[Finarfin]

I just don't get it. Let's say that I land a force in a colonial area. How do I supply it? Do I need some sort of naval force adjacent to it?

[PhilThib]

Don't land a large force, it won't be supplied overseas unless you are close to a good level harbor, in which you can build a depot... use small brigade size forces of colonial/expeditionary troops...anything else will just be killed quickly by mosquitoes and other colonial woes...

The games fairly handles lack of supply and high attrition in 'colonial' areas...don't expect any improvement before the 1880's where tech about sanitation and tropical diseases will help basic situation (and you have secured safe entry points in colonial areas)...

[Finarfin]

Ignoring force size for the moment, I think that the problem is that I just don't understand the mechanics. How does supply get from a supply source to an overseas force? Are you saying that I need a harbor? How does a brigade-sized force remain supplied. I don't understand how it works.

[Eoghammer]

normally your merchant fleet in the MTB will automatically move the supply from your national regions to colonial regions... you will see messages if you are playing the last beta patch 1.01f ...
it will then be landed to the various portuary equipments in order to be stocked in the right structures (city 3+, depots,...)
then there is a few more supply movement phases that allow the supply to be moved to non coastal structures allowed to stock supply... or to forces not too far away... if they have supply wagons...

[Finarfin]

Ok, that makes it a little easier to understand. If I land a small force, brigade-sized, in a coastal colony area, will it survive only from it's internal supply if there is nothing built and nothing nearby, even if I have a merchant fleet in that colonial region's MTB?

[montgomeryjlion]

Basically, I believe the answer is no.
If it is a colonial brigade, it will last a bit longer, though.
I haven't succeeded in getting a colonial brigade to last for more than about 2 months without some sort of supply.
Still working on that one.
I'm testing it as we speak so I'll try to give you a firm answer later today.

[Finarfin]

This game really suffers from a lack of detailed information about game mechanics. I know that I, and I'd be embarrassed if I'm the only one, am stumbling about like a blind man in the dark (not that I guess it matters whether it's dark or not if you're blind).

[Pocus]

It is basically as the ACW supply system, that has a lengthy article on the Wiki about it, with a few improvements (multi level depots, depots you can deactivate) and a much better and efficient naval supply system.

[Finarfin]

It is basically as the ACW supply system, that has a lengthy article on the Wiki about it, with a few improvements (multi level depots, depots you can deactivate) and a much better and efficient naval supply system.

I don't even know what you mean by 'ACW supply system'.

[Nikel]

More info in this link

http://www.ageod.net/aacwwiki/Supply

[montgomeryjlion]

OK,
I landed 1 Colonial Brigade (Made up of 2 Colonial Regiments) in Boffa.
I have 35% CP in Boffa but no structures.
Area was not pillaged.
Unit was at full supply (12) when it landed. Usage of 4 supply a turn.
I have Merchants in adjacent MTB.
So,
Landed Late July
Early August, still full supply
Late August, down to 8 Supply
Early September down to 4 Supply, move transport unit adjacent to him.
Late September, Still 4 Supply
Early October, 0 Supply, but not reported Unsupplied, no losses
Late October, Still 0 Supply, still not reported Unsupplied, no losses
Early November, Reported Unsupplied, 15 losses, unit moved on board transports.

So,
No living off the land except for 1 turn.
Transport seemed to help a little bit.

Morale:
Don't land units, even colonial, by themselves.

Going to try it with a depot with him next to see what happens.
Then I'll try building an Anchorage and see what happens.

[Finarfin]

So no supply was being transported overseas at this point, even with merchant ships in the MTB.

[montgomeryjlion]

Correct.
I believe you need a depot or wagon to hold the supply.
OTH, I found that if I take an African Regiment (Which are not available to Prussia), they can live off the land indefinitely.
Will keep experimenting.

[StephenT]

Units which run out of supply points have a chance of foraging for supply instead; if they're successful, they count as supplied for another turn. Some leaders get bonuses to increase the chance of foraging; it's possible some colonial-type units are also eligible for the bonus.

The game checks for each element in the force individually, and if even one fails, the province is considered Pillaged and nobody can forage there again for another year. The little burning flame symbol shows that the province has been pillaged.

[Finarfin]

Here's the experiment I set up for myself:

I landed a brigade in a colonial area.
I now have 16% military control and a size 1 depot and a size coaling station.
The depot shows as having supply of 12/0.
I moved the brigade into an adjacent region where the locals have 10% military control (no one else, including me, is showing as having any).
That unit is now down to 4 supply and uses 6 per turn.
I have a merchant fleet in the local MTB.

For a few turns nothing has changed. Then suddenly the depot has 16/0 supply, but the adjacent brigade still has 4 and doesn't seem to be changing at all.
The fleet in the MTB isn't even mentioned as transferring supply and my others are transferring 0.

Now, in game mechanics, what is happening? Where do the 4 extra supply in the depot come from, and why isn't my brigade resupplying from it?

[Pocus]

Not to sure, it seems that several rules are not working in your game, but last time I checked, they were all. A MTB definitively send supply... Depots can replenish units... I don't quite get the situation here.

[Finarfin]

I think I'll try moving the brigade back into the province with the depot and see if that makes a difference. Maybe it's time for me to go back to an earlier Ageod game and get familiar with more of them (I have Birth of America but haven't played it much).

[Eoghammer]

in my 1.01f party, I was able to sustain rather large forces (from corps to army) first in Belize then in South Africa

They were systematicaly escorted by supply wagon in order to give them the time to establish structure for supply before dying.

And as soon as i was able to build the harbor and depot, the stock of my forces didn't decrease anymore and was soon replenished...

[montgomeryjlion]

Belize and South Africa are existing Colonies.
Try moving those forces out into wild Africa and see how far you get

[Eoghammer]

As soon as i have invaded the little mountanous lesotho and annexed it... i will move one corps sized force north to see if there is some problems...

[montgomeryjlion]

Keep an eye on SSL.
I believe, although I haven't checked that it should be pretty high for all of South Africa and into Bechuanaland and Rhodesia.
South-west Africa, Angola and further north should be very tough though.
What I can't figure out is why SSL is higher for Gabon than Senegal.
About the same but Gabon is almost double.
Having been to both, I'd rather try to support an army in Senegal although neither would be easy.