Mehring
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Joined: 1/25/2007
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"During the phasing players logistics phase, any friendly hexes that cannot trace a path of
friendly hexes to a friendly unit will automatically become enemy hexes. In addition, friendly
hexes that are not adjacent to a friendly combat unit that can only trace a path of friendly hexes
to isolated friendly units will also become enemy hexes. These cases represent the conversion
of an empty isolated enemy pocket and the contraction of an existing pocket containing
isolated enemy units respectively."
This has doubtless been around since the beginning, but I never noticed the second part of this until yesterday. I'd always assumed the loss of territory in my pockets had been due to enemy movement. My current opponent used a couple of divisions to encircle me- fine. But what I saw made me think I'd hit a massive bug. All the hexes in the pocket not adjacent to my combat units became enemy controlled. This is outrageous!
Does it make sense or concur with the rest of the game?
A unit encircled is not considered isolated until the next turn. Good, it allows that the unit will be trying to re-establish links with its compatriots during the enemy turn and may in fact be retreating during the enemy turn. But once that enemy turn is over, it turns out the same unit is assumed to have been attempting quite the opposite, to withdraw into a shell, not just abandoning territory but giving it to the other side, even if the nearest enemy is hundreds of miles away. Gimme a break!
Many have commented on the T1 German dash to Rumania, and the lack of realism in the massive pocket they invariably form. Why? Because it presumes the Russians have just been sitting in place as the Germans drive deep behind them. The finality of the pocket is confirmed by the T1 Russian movement restrictions. I've never had too much of a problem with this but this rule goes too far. It asumes a player will not so much rationaise his line and establish a perimeter, but abandon all hope of linking with outside and relenquish control of terrain to enemy forces which, in many cases could not realistically be where the game puts them. Let the player have a say what terrain in his pockets he wants to surrender.
This is primarily an anti-Russian device, given their limited ability to convert enemy hexes to their own control in 1941, and low movement rates.
There is some rationale for converting unnoccupied isolated enemy territory, but let's keep it real. I would suggest a conversion rate based not on whether or not the isolated terrain contains enemy units but upon an estimation in MPs of the encircling units' ability to take control of the ground. If the pocket is occupied, let the encircling side take the ground as if it weren't encircled.
< Message edited by Mehring -- 2/17/2012 2:00:37 PM >
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