Here is where it gets tough on a designer: its a percentage that it will expend a round. Just like whether it will cause Low Ammo.
Here is my formula:
Count the number of batteries and add them up. Ammo expenditure is by battery whether its 4 guns or 12.
Now figure out whether the army should be considered fully stocked for ammo, moderately stocked, or low stock.
Divide the number above by:
1 if fully stocked
2/3 if moderately stocked
1/3 if low stock
The result is X
Now the time factor:
For each turn the factor is 2
Add up the total number of turns = T
X * T is the total number of rounds (R)
For meeting engagements divide the total by 3/4
For set piece battles use there is no reduction.
Examples:
32 turn scenario
20 batteries
Moderately stocked - 2/3
X = 13
T = 32 * 2 = 64
X * T = 832
Each battery will fire from 2-4 times in a turn on the average. Sometimes one battery will fire 10 times and others wont fire for several turns as the are limbered.
32 turns, 20 batteries would see a potential of 640 shots if all batteries fired each Offensive Fire phase. This doesnt count in the Defensive fire which is harder to calculate.
If guns are limbered they dont fire. And if guns get captured then you lose 8 rounds per battery.
Now we know that not all guns are going to fire each turn. Adding in that the Defensive Fire will eat up alot of ammo BUT that we have considered that not all of the guns will fire each turn offensively or defensively then this total - 832 - will model a moderate ammo supply to fulfil the player's needs.
If the ammo supply were full then the number would be 20 * 64 or 1280 or an almost unlimited amount of ammo. Again, remember that batteries will not fire every turn. They are bound to be out of action for some time due to maneuver.
And if this was a meeting engagement then the number above would be 1280 * .75 or 960.
If someone sees a fault in my factoring please let me know.
Again, this is a fudge figure and nothing more. There are other things that will determine the ammo supply usage such as weather and player skill. I went with this calculation scheme as it seems to give the players the right amount of ammo.
Oberst Wilhelm Peters
2nd Kuirassiers, Reserve Korps, Austrian Army
[url="http://www.acwgc.org/acwgc_members/burr/Austrian%20Army/Bill_Peters.htm"]Officer Battle Dossier[/url]
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