19 – LOGISTICS

LOGISTICS

UNITS OF LOGISTICAL ACCOUNTING

  • SIMPLE Rule for CSO: This is the one that we currently use. For every 1 on a D6 rolled during firing, place an ammo marker on a base to show that it is OUT of ammunition. The base cannot fire again until it is reorganised by a LOGISTIC base arriving at the bases’ unit HQ, signifying resupply.

  • In the DSO or RSO, Ammunition combat units (CUs) and artillery fire units (FUs) may be represented by ID6 of an appropriate colour to represent L (Green) M (Purple) or H (Black) fire. We just use these colours because they are the ones I happen to have. You can use any type of ammunition marker that you please. A base can carry dice equal to its strength marker and can fire 1D6 per turn. Dice are not expended during close assault (everyone is too busy hitting each other with rifle butts!) THERE IS NO NEED TO CARRY THE DICE ON THE BASES. We sometimes used a truck or pack horse behind the unit, or fill a logistic truck with dice, or use pins on a small grid marked on a cork base. If most of the the bases in the unit can fire 3 times before running out of ammo, we would put 3 model ammunition boxes in the unit truck, or have 3 pack horses, or men carrying ammunition boxes, or whatever to represent the grouped FUs or CUs. Each time you hand over a marker, every base that can fire in the unit is given 1D6 of the appropriate colour to roll against the Winning the Firefight Table 12.

Divisional Logistic Units (LOG)

  • SIMPLE Rule for CSO: This is the one that we currently use. As long as a division or corps has a LOG vehicle and a clear line of supply back to then next highest unit, it is in supply.

  • For DSO and RSO, a DIV LOG unit is a logistic unit of supply that generates enough dice to resupply a division or independent regiment or brigade-sized unit with food, spare parts, socks and ammunition. Expending a DIV LOG unit allows every unit in the division to be topped up to full supply with CUs and FUs. When the divisional supply dump wants more units from corps, it must send a vehicle for a DIV LOG unit to the corps supply dump, or be sent one from corps. Likewise, corps must send a vehicle to the army RAILHEAD for every DIV LOG unit that it wants. The onus is on Army and Corps to push vehicles forward to division during the first turn of the day. Vehicles are assumed to be EMPTY so if the need arises to move DIV LOG units, they are placed on, or in the empty vehicle.

Divisional Fuel Units (POL)

  • For DSO and RSO, a DIV POL unit supplies enough Fuel to keep a tracked division or independent tracked regiment or brigade running for 1 Day. A LOG or POL unit is represented by boxes or fuel drums on a base. A truck can carry 1 LOG or POL Unit. (We usually do not model POL units. As long as the unit has a POL truck or bowser with it, we deem it to be in supply. If it loses the truck to enemy fire, or cannot trace a supply line back to its Supply Dump, then it is out of supply and cannot move, if out of POL, or attack if out of LOG or AMMO).

  • Fuel is accounted for by having a fuel vehicle per motorised or armoured division within one road march move of the headquarters of the division. Then a Corps fuel vehicle must be within one road march move of its own corps HQ and the divisional fuel vehicles etc. forming an unbroken chain through Army back to a Railhead or Depot. Only tank and mechanised divisions need fuel bowser as other units do not expend significant quantities of fuel compared to ammunition. For campaigns and tabletop scenarios, these distances may need adjusting to suit. Suddenly, the value of clearing enemy strong-points and counter-attacks at road junctions becomes very clear!