Immediate unit replacements
Moderators: Slitherine Core, Panzer Corps Moderators, Panzer Corps Design
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Alexander1
- Corporal - 5 cm Pak 38

- Posts: 38
- Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 12:36 pm
Immediate unit replacements
This topic must have been already discussed before. But what is the general opinion on ability to make full unit replacement in one turn? I believe it must be somewhat slower process. Either less replacement points in one turn (no 1 to 10 strength in one turn) or slower conversion from suppressed strength of added replacements to full strength. I am sure it would make game more realistic – naturally there are no 8-9 strength points immediately available as replacements, especially for heavy units.
Re: Immediate unit replacements
It would make the game different for sure, Order of Battle uses this mechanic but they implemented it right away, furthermore it's also harder to kill a unit in OoB, it works well for that game.
But PzC is a different game, if it were implemented then I think every scenario/campaign would have to be changed as well, at least the amount of turns that you would need would have to be increased.
I'm not sure if the biggest change would be to offensive or defensive scenario's.
What could be implemented at least is that you can choose the amount of replacements instead always have to replace to full strength, it that case you can more or less mimic the behaviour of having limited replacements.
They did add that a unit is suppressed after receiving replacements and that worked out well I think.
But PzC is a different game, if it were implemented then I think every scenario/campaign would have to be changed as well, at least the amount of turns that you would need would have to be increased.
I'm not sure if the biggest change would be to offensive or defensive scenario's.
What could be implemented at least is that you can choose the amount of replacements instead always have to replace to full strength, it that case you can more or less mimic the behaviour of having limited replacements.
They did add that a unit is suppressed after receiving replacements and that worked out well I think.
Re: Immediate unit replacements
I agree that this is one of the more unnecessarily "gamey" aspects of the system, along with the dichotomy between elite and green replacements, and that it should be revisited if ever there is a PzC 2.0.
What is being modeled here? Really two distinct phenomena: short-term loss of effectiveness due to shock, fatigue, disorganization, equipment damage, loss of tactical momentum, etc; and long-term loss of effectiveness due to casualties and equipment loss. A unit can recover fairly quickly from the first kind of damage, but not from the second. Part of the problem with the current system is that it tries to model both at once.
One alternative would be to allow a damaged unit to be instantly reinforced (perhaps by some maximum number of points), but also to lower maximum unit strength in proportion to combat losses. So, by the end of a scenario, a unit that took a moderate pounding might be reinforceable up to only 50 or 60 percent of its original strength. (Between scenarios, full reinforcement would take place.) This would of course change the game quite a bit, so it would not be a backwards-compatible change.
What is being modeled here? Really two distinct phenomena: short-term loss of effectiveness due to shock, fatigue, disorganization, equipment damage, loss of tactical momentum, etc; and long-term loss of effectiveness due to casualties and equipment loss. A unit can recover fairly quickly from the first kind of damage, but not from the second. Part of the problem with the current system is that it tries to model both at once.
One alternative would be to allow a damaged unit to be instantly reinforced (perhaps by some maximum number of points), but also to lower maximum unit strength in proportion to combat losses. So, by the end of a scenario, a unit that took a moderate pounding might be reinforceable up to only 50 or 60 percent of its original strength. (Between scenarios, full reinforcement would take place.) This would of course change the game quite a bit, so it would not be a backwards-compatible change.

