Supply lines

[Vigilus]

having more than one way to beat an army, like being able to steal supplies or cut an army off from resupply.

an army without food could forage, but would have to do so depending upon the terrain they are in.

If an army gets their supply lines cut in say a desert, they would be in a very bad position, losing men to starvation.

It would make and allow for different regional terrain to matter all the more, since forage might not be so easy to come by.

This would mean supply lines would also have to be defended, so having players invest all their forces in one huge MOB army would have a disadvantage. If the mob loses its food source, it has to go home. Defending supply lines would serve to increase the depth and strategy of a campaign as well.

food for thought

[Sirstroud]

Originally Posted by Vigilus

having more than one way to beat an army, like being able to steal supplies or cut an army off from resupply.

an army without food could forage, but would have to do so depending upon the terrain they are in.

If an army gets their supply lines cut in say a desert, they would be in a very bad position, losing men to starvation.

It would make and allow for different regional terrain to matter all the more, since forage might not be so easy to come by.

This would mean supply lines would also have to be defended, so having players invest all their forces in one huge MOB army would have a disadvantage. If the mob loses its food source, it has to go home. Defending supply lines would serve to increase the depth and strategy of a campaign as well.

food for thought

Sounds like a good idea, i think that it'd add abit of realism

[Sturn]

I love the idea. Allow pillaging of merchant convoys also.

[efz88]

Hands down good idea

[Bourne]

Is there not a system like this in play already?

[Toth]

This is a very good idea. However, how do you propose players defend their supply lines? I think having to post additional smaller armies next to the supply line would be a bit cumbersome. Nevermind the fact that small armies are vulnerable, they're basically thrown away troops.

I can imagine armies having to carry food while marching and each unit can only carry so much food. When the food runs out, morale drops, units desert and starve. Then you can use a high speed "caravan" unit to move supplies to the army. The caravan unit can be attacked by other players, but because it is so fast you won't be able to attack it with a large army (Assuming large armies are slower then small (cavalry) raiding parties).

I like your Idea best and believe it critical because It makes the map relatively smaller. The longer your supply route, the more chance someone will attack it and make your army starve. Thus limiting your effective attack range. It will force players to stay local instead of attacking people on the other side of the map.

[haski12]

Nevermind the fact that small armies are vulnerable, they're basically thrown away troops.

I have to agree with this but idea of a caravan unit is nice.

[Joseph Visscher]

When it comes to food, Orcs only need to find an enemy army, kill it, then loot the dead (ahem,,, and eat them).

We already have this in besieging castles (not right now against AI, but when you guys start besieging yourselves online you will see this.) There are resources all over the map, trees, wheat fields around mills, deer migrating around, gold and stone mines, slaughter all his livestock outside. All of these can be overtaken by a sieging army before trying to invade the actual stronghold.

For long sieges this can be deadly as the enemy stronghold cannot try to train or build anything without new income and the sieging army has all of it! Army camps can build some new units, mostly more siege equipment.

As for attacking World Map Trading Carts:
No comment.

[andyf91]

what if it were implemented a bit with the economics and diplomacy systems? as in you don't have to have any kind of supply lines within the area around your and your allied cities(maybe this have to be arranged between allies?). within areas controlled by a neutral state you have to buy food from that city/faction and in enemy controlled areas you have to make supply lines.
this way it won't be to much micro managing and having strategically placed allies will be more important

[Zackreaver]

There are alot of ways this can be done, I mean look at how company of heroes did it, one moment a player has complete map control, the next minute they lose all of their income because they left their supply line undefended. Now they have to send some troops back to recapture the territory that was lost, during that entire time their economy is basically shut down.

For a game like this, as mentioned sieging a stronghold happens pretty much how realistic siege's happen. Lock the enemy inside their stronghold until their either surrender or starve to death. Assuming this exists in the game, the defending player could be aggressive and in turn attack the attacking players supply camp, destroying their field rations.

Basically I think the real suggestion here is how well can the espionage aspect of the game be. Kinda hard to sneak a loud army that marches through a forest rustling the tree's alerting the wildlife swinging their flags in the air trying to keep the troop organized, especially if all the enemy needs is one scout to see the army mobilizing. But take a small platoon specialized forces who stand no match for an enemy army, sneak past the bulk to perform a surgical strike on the vital supply rations the attacking army needs to continue the assault (assuming they haven't already taken your own food supplies)