GAME MANUAL - Steam

HEARTS OF IRON DARKEST HOURPreparation andSupport of theMilitaryThere are many componentsthat must fall into place for acampaign to be successful.Armed forces must haveaccess to a continuous flow ofsupplies if they are to remainin fighting form, and they willneed strong and capableleaders who are able tocommand them effectivelywhile maintaining an overalllevel of discipline and organisation.Factors such asterrain, weather, and theplacement of defensivestructures will greatly influencetheir performance, as will theirprevious experience in suchcombat situations.Supply, Outfittingand TransportCapacityYour ability to supply, outfitand transport your troops willbe vital to your militarysuccess. Armies requireammunition and food(supplies) to fight. Motorizedvehicles, aircraft and navalvessels will also need fuel (oil)if they are to remain operational.You will need Convoysto send supplies and fuel tothe overseas troops notconnected to your capital andEscorts to protect theconvoys.For overseas engagements,you will also need to be ableto move men and equipmentgreat distances that are too faror impossible to reach bynormal means. Failure tosupply your forces will result ina reduction of their operationalcapabilities, as they will loseorganisation and will suffercombat penalties.Supplies are manufactured byallocating IC to theirproduction and then aretransported to your forcesalong your supply chains. Thiscan involve ground supply(using your provincial infrastructure),naval supply (viaconvoys), air supply (via yourairborne transports), or acombination of these, all ofwhich can also be disruptedby enemy actions. If yoursupply chains are damaged orcut by the enemy, or if youlack sufficient oil and suppliesfor your military, your chancesof survival are exceedinglyslim.There is also the issue ofTransport Capacity toconsider. This reflects theinfrastructure such as roads,railways and such that are inplace to move large volumesof materials and men in areasonable period of time.Each province has an infrastructurelevel which you canincrease that will limit thisvolume and can be damagedor otherwise diminished byenemy aerial bombardment.Sea supply demands that youdevote enough convoys to thetask and have an availableport to offload those supplies.If those convoys are leftundefended, they can quicklyfall prey to enemy submarines,surface vessels and evenaerial bombardment, so youwill need to provide escorts orother protection for them aswell.Airborne supply tends to bevery tricky and not particularlyefficient because the capacityof the aircraft is limited, theyrequire fuel to operate, andunless you assign them someprotection, your enemy’sfighters will probably shootthem out of the skies fasterthan you can replace them.Nevertheless, this is a methodof keeping your troops aliveuntil you can find an alternatemeans of getting resources tothem.Don’t be surprised to find anenemy actively engaged indisrupting your supply,particularly if he enjoysnaval or aerial supremacy.Of course, you can employsimilar tactics, disruptinghis supply and encirclinghis troops to devastatingeffect.14