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Isolation inside a Bridgehead
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Author:  Digglyda [ Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:11 am ]
Post subject:  Isolation inside a Bridgehead
Previously I described how my Reb opponent had escaped across the Rappahanock at the end of Day 1 of 4 on a Chancellorsville scenario.
Now around midday on Day 2 I have re-traced my steps and am attempting to follow him to the North side of the river by forcing crossings at US and Banks' fords.

I've managed to steadily amass a force on the other side of the river at Banks' ford but suddenly realised that any units that cross are immediately becoming isolated.
Surely an oversight on the part of the developers?

I'd understand if units having to trace supply over a bridge or ford suffered some reduced effect but full isolation seems a bit crazy.
100% strength un-fatigued units but all suffering the effects of Isolation the moment they reach the opposite bank has got to be wrong?

Image

Everything on that toe of land across the river is Isolated. The Banks' Ford hex is correctly served by a trail exiting both sides of that hex so in theory supply should be able to cross.
Author:  sstiles [ Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Isolation inside a Bridgehead
Interesting.
Your Reb opponent sounds a tricky customer :lol: Maybe unconditional surrender is the only option :twisted:
Anyway jokes aside - it is an interesting question. I look forward to trying to understand some explanation or theories.
The manual states:
Isolated Units
When the Isolation Effects Optional Rule is in effect, then at the beginning of each turn, a test is performed on each unit for the current player to determine if the unit should be flagged as being Isolated. The test attempts to trace a line of hexes from the unit to one of the following hexes:
• Any hex on the edge of the map.
• Any Blocked hex.
• Any hex containing a Supply Source.
This line of hexes must not pass through an enemy Zone-Of-Control that is not occupied by a friendly unit. If no such line can be traced, then the unit is marked as being Isolated. Isolated units defend in Melee at ¼ strength. This represents the tendency of surrounded units to surrender. It would appear that Reb ZOC are affecting the above. Maybe you should not have played with the Isolation Optional Rule (hindsight is perfect) but that should go hand-in-hand with the weak ZOC rule (imho). I wonder if the Rebs have similar issues - if I understood your other post they moved to the "wrong side" of the river. If I understand correctly both Yanks and Rebs have almost reversed their positions on the river & hence the line of supply (supply source/map edge) could be compromised on both sides? Can someone refresh my memory on exact definition of "blocked hex" referred to above?
Author:  Digglyda [ Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Isolation inside a Bridgehead
The problem would appear to be that no line of supply can be traced across a ford. My opponent isn't exerting ZoC on my units or the surrounding hexes ...in fact he has retreated from contact leaving me, as yet, a small uncontested bridgehead on "his" side of the river.
Isolation rules make most sense when applied to individual units either lost behind the lines or surrounded by the opponent. It has a calamitous effect when applied to large numbers of units effected at an operational level rather than the purely tactical considerations of this game system.
Author:  KWhitehead [ Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Isolation inside a Bridgehead
Could you post which scenario you are playing? I haven't seen one that covers the four days and includes Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville areas.

The problem determining why isolation is occuring is the game really doesn't tell you where your supply sources are. It has some vague rules for including edges of the map but I don't know if anyone knows what they really are. If an actual supply source hex is added these can be found.

But since you say your troops south of the river are in supply and only the ones that crossed the ford are out of supply, my guess is you ran into a bug in the path finding routines of the game. There is a slim chance that supply lines can't cross fords but I think we would see isolations all over the place if that were true. The map correctly shows a trail entering the water hex from both sides which should support a supply line.

An interesting test would be for you to block all fords and crossings of the river and see if the entire Rebel army goes into isolation. Also brings up a question are the dams on the river just decoration or are they crossable?
Author:  Ernie Sands [ Sun Sep 25, 2011 12:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Isolation inside a Bridgehead
This could be a situation that would be good to send to Rich H. and you should get a definitive answer from SUPPORT.
Author:  Digglyda [ Sun Sep 25, 2011 1:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Isolation inside a Bridgehead
KWhitehead wrote:
Could you post which scenario you are playing? I haven't seen one that covers the four days and includes Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville areas.


Ha! No, nor have I. I've been through the scenario list and it isn't there. My opponent made the challenge and selected this scenario. I wish I knew where he found it. I don't know if it's from the Cartography office or if it's one he created.

Unfortunately he has just gone away so it'll be a week before we can clear this up. I know I don't have the actual .scn file in my install so I am unable to open a new example of it. We've been playing for 80 turns now with no other technical problems. Perhaps there is an error in the file.

The game header calls it "4 Day campaign 30 April - 3 May"
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