Some Tactical Questions

[Richard III]

As Axis playing D 21:

1: I surround red units on five sides and conduct a all out attack, yet they always retreat out of the open hex side, even if it is into a Forrest hex and they are a mech unit ?

2: I`m consistently running into many broken rail lines as I advance, as I have several air groups set as Interdiction, could I be doing this myself ? Do I have advance the rail units to the cut hex and then they repair ? I really need more rail repair units.

[Hellen_slith]

RE: rr repair, I think D21 is the scene where you want to keep the repair units embarked, next to or near to broken hex....
the repair is auto done if repair check passed. Has been talked about a lot in AARs, Larry is probably most knowledgeable about it.

[sPzAbt653]

For 1 - Double click opens planner: If on, a double click on a target hex will open the Combat Planner for that hex. Note that, if enabled, this is a method to avoid causing the defender to Retreat Before Combat, if that is desired. You can also hover over the hex and hit the P key to open the combat planner.

[larryfulkerson]

...Larry is probably most knowledgeable about it.

It has been my experience that the RR engineers are supposed to stay embarked and just rail to adjacent to or at least "near" the next broken rail hex and eventually it will be repaired but I don't get much mileage from my RR engineers so far. Every third turn or so they will actually repair something and you can move them to the next place.

[golden delicious]

From what I've seen automatic rail repair will tend to work outward from your supply points, which is not super great if you want to extend a rail line all the way to Moscow and not worry about whether you've fixed the branch line to Nowherevsk.

The presence of rail repair unit may cause some sort of bias in the logic as well, but it seems like a design where the RR repair unit doesn't physically go into the hex and make that satisfying "clicky-clack" sound is going to lead to the rail net being fixed up thoroughly but potentially at a great distance to the rear of one's advance.

Happy for someone to give me an example of how I'm totally wrong as this is at the moment just a general feeling.

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: Richard III

As Axis playing D 21:

1: I surround red units on five sides and conduct a all out attack, yet they always retreat out of the open hex side, even if it is into a Forrest hex and they are a mech unit ?

Only certain hexes are impassable, and forest isn't one of them- even if you're mechanised. Better to wait and either close the one remaining hexside or let the unit spend a turn suffering the effects of being unsupplied. That is, assuming the unit isn't blocking the road and half of Heeresgruppe Nord isn't waiting patiently for the lollipop lady to flip her sign around.

[sPzAbt653]

Happy for someone to give me an example of how I'm totally wrong

You are correct 100%, but that is also how the design is supposed to work. Historically, the German railheads didn't catch up to the front lines until right before Case Blue, and until then the AG's were constantly fighting over priority. So these Rail Repair Units were designed specifically for D21 to simulate that, and the Repair Rate is also set to simulate these conditions. The player can give priority to an area but still isn't guaranteed what repairs they will get each turn. Otherwise, focus on three lines [one for each AG] and you will get historic results. It all works well for D21.

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

Happy for someone to give me an example of how I'm totally wrong

You are correct 100%, but that is also how the design is supposed to work. Historically, the German railheads didn't catch up to the front lines until right before Case Blue, and until then the AG's were constantly fighting over priority. So these Rail Repair Units were designed specifically for D21 to simulate that, and the Repair Rate is also set to simulate these conditions. The player can give priority to an area but still isn't guaranteed what repairs they will get each turn. Otherwise, focus on three lines [one for each AG] and you will get historic results. It all works well for D21.

Won't this result in an unrealistically complete set of rail lines in marginal areas- the branches that connect up the major arteries?

Anyway, if the AGs were fighting over priority yet the player has the complete freedom to choose which troops go where, shouldn't this also apply to the rail repair?

I suppose one of the problems for a scenario like this is that it would simply not be possible to shove half the Wehrmacht down a single rail line, yet TOAW wouldn't bat an eyelid if you tried, and so limiting the advance of the rail lines is one way of mitigating the problem.

[carll11]

Ive played d21 several times, restarted it twice at turn 30 and 50 just because I had totally mismanaged my rail building.

A lot of the advice to get on track pardon the pun, was from aars and I believe Slith and Larrys advice in several threads.*hat tip*

You should concentrate rail units, I had best luck with stacks of 3. If I remember correctly you can get 3 stacks of 3 and a stack of 4 concentrating your Italian rails repairs units with the German( when you can get them there).

Pick routes- take a really good look at whats ahead and where you think you'll need them best, one for each army grp. as a primary line you want repaired and stick with them( you can start repairing branch lines another routes later). The first 12 or so turns there wasnt much repair but for some reason there after it went fairly well.

I was getting 4-5 hexs ( or more) repaired ahead of 2 or 3 of the 4 stacks per turn, its random re; which stacks will reapir each turn.

I didnt see much if at all, any hexs repaired behind or further way than what I sat them directly in front of, as close to then line/hex you want repaired as possible.

Theres a probability factor per repair unit per turn, so concentrating them is key, gets you better odds per stack on repair where you want it. Also another tidbit I picked up later, disband the RR unit in Finland as its not much use as it seems to increase the probability for the other units because there are fewer.

When you've got a main line for each of your Army Grps, then go back to the nearest next broken line you want build to supply another area of the front, keep the rr units concentrated, always.


I just went back and looked; at turn 70, Feb. of 42, I was doing pretty well, had 3 main lines and was working on branch lines, its doable.