Curtis Lemay
Posts: 12969
Joined: 9/17/2004 From: Houston, TX Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: ColinWright This statement is simply untrue. First, no one wants to build ridiculous daisy chains across the map -- particularly when those daisy chains represent something that isn't happening. What "daisy chains"? Supply Units have never required daisy chains. They function independently. And, as I said, you could make any single Supply Unit as powerful as you want. quote:
Like, the daisy chain representing trucks rumbling across desert expanses when in fact what is going on is airlift, or the diversion of shipping, or just more of the available supplies being sent that way -- but by rail. Again, this is a misuse of Supply Units that they were never designed to perform. Let’s take ports. Supposedly, a Supply Unit placed in a port would be simulating supplies arriving by sea. The thing is, though, that the Supply Unit must have a contiguous OVER-LAND path to a Supply Point in order to function as a Supply Unit. Without that, it’s just a crummy combat unit. So, if the enemy blocks that ground path, the port doesn’t get any supply from the Supply Unit. This is, of course, in contrast to reality, where sea supply would be delivered regardless of any ground path situation. So use of Supply Units to model sea supply results in absurdities. Now note that the same applies to an airbase. Drop a Supply Unit in the airbase and, supposedly, it would be simulating supplies being air-dropped to that base. But, again, if the enemy blocks the ground path, the base doesn’t get any supply. Again, this is in contrast to reality, where air supply obviously doesn’t require a ground path to be delivered. Again, use of Supply Units to model air supply results in absurdities. The conclusion if obvious: Supply Units were never designed to model supply delivery to ports or airbases. Not now. Not ever. In fact, the requirement for a ground path to a supply source in order for the Supply Unit to function clearly shows that Supply Units have always been intended to model GROUND SUPPLY TRANSPORT. Contrary to claims made in this thread, this was not something I conjured out of thin air. It was the only function supply units were ever designed to handle. That’s the only rational conclusion that can be drawn from their properties: 1. They must have a ground path to a Supply Point to function. Therefore they model ground supply delivery only. 2. They aren’t a supply source. Therefore that only leaves logistical transport assets as their only possible function. QED As such, it makes sense for the development of TOAW that that Ground Supply Transport function receive refinement. That’s what New Supply does, and, hopefully, future development will continue to do. Now, there are a lot of things TOAW can’t do yet. Designers try all sorts of kluges to get around these limitations. But, the thing about kluges is that if you do them, you’re on your own. TOAW cannot be expected to be handcuffed to a MISUSE of one of its features for something it was never designed to do – especially if that misuse never actually worked. Hopefully, we will be able to model sea and air supply down the road. But it will be done with features specifically intended to handle it. Not Supply Units.
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