Positioning
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Positioning
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Importance of Position:
The position of the flags will dictate the chances of winning and losing every battle across the front. Any town can be taken at any time, but why struggle to capture one town, when you can take 3 easy ones? How important is positioning? Read the following list, every item on the list is directly related to positioning.
Areas of Weakness (Axis and Allies) Areas of Strength (Axis and Allies) Identification of specific divisions or flags that are vulnerable to being attacked Ability to maneuver Ability to reinforce weakened divisions or flags
If you can’t do the above list, you are going to lose battles and campaigns.
The Goal: Create Options for your side and limit the options of the opposing side This entire chapter is based options. The more options you have, the more chances you have to counter or exploit weaknesses.
The MORE options you have to maneuver your flags: 1.) You will have more opportunities to destroy the enemy on the battle field. When you see a weakness, you will be able to shift flags to capitalize. 2.) If the enemy takes a key town, you will have a greater ability to cover and prevent further loss of towns.
The LESS options you have to maneuver your flags: 1.) You will have less opportunities to destroy the enemy. You will see an enemy's weakness, but won’t be able to shift your flags into a position to take advantage of it. 2.) If the enemy takes a key town, you will have little ability to cover, allowing the enemy to create a potential breakout resulting the loss of key towns.
Overview:
Positioning is defined as the placement of flags in relation to the enemy flags. Ideally, the goal is to place our flags in such a way that the enemy can do little harm, but allows us to inflict the maximum harm to them. Unfortunately, the enemy doesn't always cooperate with us to achieve that goal. Of all the things to learn about WWIIOL, this chapter may be the most difficult for many of you. Flag movements in the game are very much like a cross between checkers and chess. But unlike both of those games, WWIIOL isn’t black and white. In chess or checkers, a fast, well programmed computer can calculate out the best possible solution to any move made by your opponant. In WWIIOL there are too many nuisances that can or will affect the outcome. Player numbers, which squads are online, morale, RDP, and a hundred other impossible to measure factors may hide the “best” solution to any given situation. Most of these factors you will not be able to control. You will be given a situation, and will need to do the best you can with the resourses, players and officer available to your command. Sometimes you’ll be given a highly motivated army that has active officers and squads assisting your, allowing the map to roll West. At other times you’ll be given an army that has two divisions that have been routed with no hope of returning to the front for the next ten hours. One last comment before we move forward. All of you need to recognize that there is no perfect map placement in WWIIOL. Each map placement has pros and cons depending on the real time situation you are dealing with. You won’t know how well you did placing the flags until it is too late to do anything about it. You will be forced to weigh several options, and choose the option that you believe will be the best choice for what you think may happen next on the map. The rest of this chapter is about identifying strengths and weaknesses, shifting flags to take advantage of opportunities, and the pros and cons that come with those decisions.
Several concepts will be addressed to complete this chapter The training will breakdown these concepts in a step by step fashion as follows:
1.) First, we are going to simplify the map. Viewing the map needs to be simplified in order to determine what actions are being taken and why. The map will be broken down into smaller segments in order to simplify the decision making process. 2.) Second, we are going to analyze each of the smaller sections of the front and quickly determine where there are strengths and where there are weaknesses. 3.) Third, we are going to discuss advanced concepts of positioning. You will learn how to strengthen the front while exploiting the weaknesses of the enemy.
STEP 1 – SIMPLIFY THE MAP
Front Line(s):
If you look at the WWII homepage it will show you a graphic of the current Front Line in game. Under “normal” circumstances, one line is drawn North to South along the map. This however is not the truth, there is no single “front line.”
The Truth - Every “front line” is actually made up of multiple smaller lines linked together.
We are going to mentally divide the “front line” into multiple smaller lines. The two methods we are going to talk about are “Geographic Isolation” and “Regional Isolation.” Both methods are used together to simplify the WWII front line.
Why do we will divide the “front line” into smaller parts? Because we can greatly simplify our options that we need to consider. We can remove all the highly improbable options and be left with only a few realistic options to choose from. Instead of trying to guess how 16 divisions (8 Allied, 8 Axis) are going to interact with each other, we can instead concentrate on smaller regions with only a few divisions each. Let “Deep Blue” (first Chess computer to beat a grand master) worry about every possible combination of choices, do what humans do best, simplify the problem to the best possible options and choose one of them.
Geographic Isolation: The map is comprised of towns. Each town is linked to other towns in a spider web of links. Some towns have only a few links, others are central hubs for entire regions. At the Northern part of the front line, for the Axis to advance, they must take Antwerp. In the far South, for the Allies to advance, they must take Luxembourg. Both of these cities control access to 8 surrounding towns. These towns are said to be Key Towns. Ownership of Antwerp or Luxembourg are the Keys to get access to the towns surrounding them. Other towns like Spontin are towns in-between the key towns (in this case Ciney and Dinnant).
Loops:
The Town link network also creates divides in the front line. The following graphic depicts the town link spider web and a number that shows the size of the loops that are created by the web. A loop is a group of towns that form the outside edge of a shape. Each number represents the number of sides that the particular shape has. Notice the shape just south of Andenne and North of Ciney. This shape has 10 total sides and is one of the most difficult for the Axis to deal with at the beginning of every campaign.
Loops prevent easy movement of flags and therefore take forward planning to advance around. Take the Andenne/Ciney Loop. While the “Front Line” runs through Andenne and Ciney, a flag in Andenne cannot help a flag in Ciney. A flag in Ciney can not help a flag in Andenne. Because of town links, these towns are said to be Geographically Isolated from each other. While flags in Andenne and Ciney can reach each other, it would take many hours and a weakening of the entire front line to do it. By the time a flag from Andenne was available to be shifted into Ciney, any battle at Ciney would be over with.
A 2 prong Axis division can not cover both Andenne and Ciney without leaving one flag very routable. A 3 prong Axis division can split into two parts, but both parts would be weak because they couldn’t work together do to the distance separating the halves.
Each Loop effects each side differently, depending on town ownership. The Andenne/Ciney Loop doesn’t effect the Allied side due to their starting position. A flag in Namur can easily reach the flag in Anhee and vice versa. If the Allies tried to advance through Ciney or Andenne, then the loop would begin to hinder their movements. As the Axis retreat to Ramet, the loop has a lesser effect on the Axis movements.
A Loop that hurts the Allies during the start of each map reset is the Sedan/Haybes Loop. For the Allies the number of towns in between Sedan and Haybes is 3 towns, way to far away for those flags to be able to easily help each other. For the Axis, there is only 1 town between Gedinne and Boullion.
Because of these Geographical Isolations, the Front Line is broken in to many smaller lines. This graphic shows those smaller line segments. Notice that the line segments are not the same for both sides. This is due to the set of towns that are currently owned by each side. As towns are traded back and forth, these line segments shift, merge, and break. There are many cases where the capture of a Key Choke Point can unify the Axis’ line and break the Allies’ Line.
Regional Isolation:
While the spider web network that connects towns together create natural breaks in the front line, there is a second way to break up the front line. Every Division along the front has a general long term goal to accomplish. The long term goal can’t be “to capture Paris.” The goal is either to capture a nearby Key Town or to protect a nearby Key Town. At map reset, an Allied division stationed an Antwerp goal might be to protect Antwerp. Now that division will attack Schilde and Kalmthout, but it only launches attacks to protect the Key Town (Antwerp). An Allied Division in Sedan goal could be to capture Bertrix or defend the River Line from Sedan South. The Antwerp Division doesn’t worry about Bertrix. The Sedan division doesn’t care what happens to Antwerp. Two divisions, two different goals. Regional Isolation is guessing what the goals are individual or multiple divisions and grouping them to simplify the map.
For a single or multiple divisions to be grouped together in a region, they must share a common goal, and the ability to work together to achieve that goal. When a division is transferred from one region to another region, its goals change. Sometimes a division can have a flag in one region and a second flag in another region.
Confused? Here is an example.
Region 1 is in the Zeelands. The Axis goals could be to either take Vlisigen, invade the mainland to the west of Antwerp, or to just to defend. Any Allied division in the Zeelands goal would be to capture BOZ, head north to Helle, or defend.
Region 2 is the area around Antwerp. Any Axis divisions stationed in Region 2 are either trying to take Antwerp or protect Breda and the northern AFs. Any Allied Divisions in Region 2 are either protecting Antwerp or pushing NE.
Time to discuss the trickier regions of 3 and 4. You could argue that for the Allies, the goal for both these regions could be Liege, and therefore we should combine the two. A less valid argument could be made for the Axis in the capture of Namur. What separates these divisions is the Geographical Loop that occurs between Andenne/Ciney. While the Allies could send divisions of both regions towards Liege, the divisions in both regions wouldn’t be able to assist each other in their attacks due to the Andenne/Ciney Loop. So while the goal would remain the same, the divisions would not be able to work together and are therefore 2 separate groups.
Region 3 is the St. Trudien-Andenne area. Axis division in region 3 will try to capture the Key Towns of Brussels or Namur, or defend. Allied division stationed in Region 3 will try to capture the Key Towns of Hasselt and Liege, or defend.
Region 4 is the Ciney-Dinnant area. Axis divisions will attempt to either capture the River line or defend. The Allies will try to capture the Key Towns of Ciney, Marche, and Wellin, or defend. What makes this situation interesting is that while the Allies Region 3 and Region 4 can easily shift divisions back and fourth, the Axis cannot due to the Geographical break in the Front Line.
Region 5 is the area around Bertrix. Axis divisions will try to capture the River line or protect Bertrix. Axis Flags in Region 5 can easily shift to Region 4 and vice a versa. Once a division is transferred its goals change. If a division is split between two Regions, each of its flags has different goals. For instance, a division that has a Flag in Gedinne and Boullion with the HQ in Bievre is in two regions. The Flag in Gedinne could be used to attack the river line or protect Wellin (Goals of Region 4). The Flag in Sedan could be used to attack Sedan or protect Bertrix (Goals of Region 5). The Allied Flags in Region 5 will be to hold the River line or attack Bertrix.
Region 6 is the area around Luxembourg. Axis division will want to capture Longwy and the Southern AFs. The Allies will want to capture Luxembourg and protect their AFs.
STEP 2 – ANALYZE REGIONS STRENGTH AND WEAKNESSES
Specific Division and Flag weaknesses:
Divisional Isolation Weakness
Regional and Geographically Isolated Divisions are more vulnerable than those that are not isolated. An Isolated division is a division that can not be helped by neighboring friendly divisions. This is almost always due to the town links network. Isolated divisions are most common around the edge of the map (where they only have one neighboring division for support) or in-between two or more large town link loops (where the town links prevent a nearby division from shifting in to support).
Isolated divisions cannot rely on friendly nearby divisions for support. Therefore is it possible to attack a single Isolated division with 2 or 3 of our divisions. As we send wave after wave of fresh flags, the Isolated division can not shift out nor can a friendly division shift in to give the defenders fresh supply. The Isolated division eventually gets worn down and can be attacked over and over. As you take the first town, the division retreats to the second which you attack and force the weakened division to retreat to a third. Geographically Isolated Divisions are particularly vulnerable to this strategy.
Flag Isolation Weakness Flag Isolation is Divisional Isolation on a smaller scale. Due to the way a Division’s Flags are setup, one flag might become isolated. This doesn’t mean the flag is routable, it means that friendly flags (Either from the same division or a different division) can not easily shift in to assist that flag on defense or attack. These flags make great targets, because it is likely you will only have to destroy 1 Flag of supply before taking the town instead of having to fight fresh Flag after fresh Flag of supply. After an Isolated Flag is attrited and bumped from the town, you can sometimes continue to attack it to make larger gains. Isolated flags don’t remain isolated for long. As soon as one is in danger, it is common practice to begin shifting other flags to help support it. A truly isolated flag should not be able to be supported by a friendly flag for at least 2 hours.
Counting Divisions:
As we discussed earlier, we have simplified the map into regions. Counting divisions is as easy as it sounds. Simply count the divisions of each side in each region. Some times divisions will be split into two separate regions. Give these divisions a .5 score.
Regions that you have numerical advantages in are regions that you should focus your attacks in. The Attacker takes higher casualties, the extra flags you have in the region will allow you to take the casualties and continue to attack. The above graphic is a map reset layout that is typical. Each number represents the number of divisions that a side has in each region. Half a division is awarded when a division is split between two different regions. Remember that Half divisions are good for defense, but are not useful if a major line shift occurs East or West.
Example 1: Above Graphic
Region 1 – Allies have a placed one division in the Zees, the Axis 0, The Zeelands should quickly be turned Blue.
Region 2 – The Allies are down half a division, so attacking would be difficult (at least until the Zeelands Division in Region 1 decides to join in to Region 2.) The Axis are forced to place 2 division here due to the town link network. Because Antwerp is difficult to attack, there is little hope to advance here.
Region 3 – Region 3 is tied in deadlock.
Region 4 – Allies have a slight advantage here, they may be able to push slightly East.
Region 5 – Close AFs and difficult towns to take dead lock this area.
Region 6 – The 2:1 division advantage gives the Axis a strong position in this region. The main Axis attacks should be located here, the Allies should take a defensive stance.
Example 2: Below Graphic
The below graphic is another simplified exampled of Divisional Counting.
Region 1 – Slight advantage is given to Side 1. Neither side has a strong advantage and you can expect many hard fights here.
Region 2 – 3.5 against 2. Strong Side 2 advantage. Region 2 should collapse quickly and a major push or breakout could occur here.
Region 3 – 3 against 2. Strong advantage for Side 1. But outside factors play a role. Due to the closeness of Side 2’s AF, Side 2’s division may be able to hold off Side 1’s division advantage. Line should remain deadlocked.
VERY IMPORTANT CONCEPT:
Though this is all hypothetical, it does illustrate a point. In the above example, each side was given 8 divisions to be placed on the map. But the result was a deadlock in Regions 1 and 3, and a strong advantage to Side 2 in Region 2. In certain areas of the map, a smaller number of divisions can hold off a greater number of divisions, using Air Power (Closeness to AFs) and easily defendable towns (Multi AB towns or Rivers towns). This allowed Side 2 to place an extra division in Region 2 while still being safe in Region 3.
This is what positioning is about, putting divisions in strong defensive positions, and concentrating divisions not needed in areas that can give the most gains.
Step 3 - Advanced Concepts of Positioning
Stretching and Shrinking:
Stretching and Shrinking is the most important concept in this chapter. Lets imagine that the current map has a front line that run from a northern town directly to a southern town. Graphically, both sides have an equal distance to defend.
Graphic
More to be Added.
HQs – Supply, Risk, and Reward:
One Question in positioning that always is debated is where to place the HQs. There are many pros and cons to the use of HQs. The following is a look at the different opinions on this topic. If you have already made up your mind about this topic, I invite you to hear all the arguments and reconsider what you think is the right choice.
First, a couple facts that everyone can agree on.
1.) HQs are easily routed. If the AB Bunker of a HQ is captured, the HQ is sent to training. Both sides have trouble guarding the AB Bunkers, even when there are dedicated defenders inside the Bunker. 2.) HQs have almost 1/3 of the total supply in game. The side that can use that 1/3 supply better will have a big advantage on the side that doesn’t use that supply at all. 3.) HQs are difficult to use on Offense due to the inability to use the Target Town’s spawnable and problems with using the offensive FB.
The above facts create a problem. You don’t want HQs on the front because they can easily be routed. But if you don’t use the HQ supply on the front, you are probably going to lose the campaign because the enemy will 1/3 more guns and tanks than you. The following is a set of guidelines that will use the HQ supply while reducing our risk to routing as much as possible.
Guidelines for HQs
1.) Use the HQs when attacking. The best time to do this is when there is no FB between the towns (BDEs lose their special advantage of using the FB easily). 2.) HQs are generally safe on the front if HC and the Player base are watching for their security. Placing HQs in certain towns can make them very safe. 3.) Whenever possible, do not leave HQs on the front for lengthy periods of time. The longer the HQ is on the front, the more chances of it getting attacked and routed. 4.) You will be forced to place HQs on the front for short periods of time. The low risk of a HQ rout is almost always worth the reward of a better overall position.
If you do place an HQ on the front follow these guidelines for placement. Remember there are many good reasons to leave an HQ on the front, just becareful with its placement.
1.) The HQ should always have an easy way to shift out of the town if it comes under attack. Remember that is easy to AO multiple front line towns. Ideally the escape town is not a front line town. 2.) Place the HQ in multi AB towns or towns that are critical to the front line. Multiple AB towns are more difficult to Ninja Cap, giving some added protection to the HQ. Towns that contain AFs or that have 3 or more ABs almost always draw a large and motivated defense force. The more motivated defenders a town has, the less danger is from being captured. 3.) Place HQs in river towns. Rivers are great hindrances to attackers. This is especially true if at least one AB is on the opposite side of the river than the attackers FBs. 4.) Place HQs in towns near AFs. The Air Superiority will give your defenders the best chance for success.
Pinning:
Both sides have a list of towns along the front line that they want to defend. If either side wishes to hold onto any of those towns, they will have to place a Heer Flag in every town along the front. “Pinning” is a technique that forces the enemy to keep specific Heer Flags to defend specific towns. This reduces the number of options the enemy has in maneuvering and therefore strengthens your position.
Pinning and Stretching are related. The goal is to pin as many enemy flags as possible, stretching their line and reducing the enemies ability to maneuver.
The graphic below represents a typical front line. The divisions on one side have pinned the enemy divisions on the other side. Notice that a single division can pin 1 or more enemy divisions. Notice Side 2’s bulge. Side 2 has 2 divisions in the bulge, but it has pinned 3 divisions of Side 1.
Every town has at least two links to it, but some have seven or eight links. Choosing which towns to defend with Heer flags along the line greatly effects the number of flags your side has pinned and the number of flags
Free Division - The Most POWERFUL Strategic Force in Game
A free division is a division that none of its flags is forced to defend any town. This allows this division to move to anywhere on the map.
A free division is the ultimate tool in the HC arsenal. Free divisions can be placed in the exact spot for maximum effect. They can plug up holes in a line, or they can punch through the holes of your enemies line out maneuvering them and taking Key towns with little fight.
Almost EVERY major breakout (when a dozen or more towns are captured in under 24 hours) has occurred with a Free Division leading the forward edge of an advance.
You can win a campaign and never use the free division method. You can grind out town after town and be successful. But you will never have a decisive victory either. The true talent of a Commanding HC is not if they take a few towns. It is if they can take a dozen or more towns, many for free.
Bulges:
Bulges are areas in the front line where one side has pushed forward farther than the rest. In this first graphic we can see a typical bulge. Each side has 4 divisions covering the perimeter of the bulge. We will assume that other divisions are covering the non-bulge areas.
The first thing of interest about bulges is who has the stronger position. While the total perimeter of the bulge is the same for both sides, there is a significant difference in the distance that one division must travel to support another friendly division. In the below graphic, all of Side 1’s divisions are close to each other, ensuring that if one division were to get in trouble, another could easily shift in and support. Side 2’s divisions are farther apart. While a nearby friendly division could shift into support a division that gets into trouble, Side 2 cannot rely on 4 divisions helping each other out like Side 1 can. In other words, Side 2’s divisions are more isolated than Side 1’s divisions.
BULGE STRATEGIES:
Side 1 Strategies: Because Side 1’s divisions can so easily be shifted and swapped, Side 1 will have lots of options to maneuver and will have few risks associated with those options.
There are 3 strategies that Side 1 can use to gain further position.
1.) The first option is to try for a cut off. In the graphic below, Side 1 uses its ability to maneuver to push through Side 2’s line. Side 1 pushes for the edge of the map, cutting off Side 2’s X and Y divisions. Once the X and Y divisions are destroyed, Side 1 will have a 4:2 advantage and should be able to easily push towards the factories.
2.) The second option for Side 1 is to go for a key town. This can be a AF, factories, or a large town link hub like Liege or Lux. In the graphic below, Side 1 uses their ability to maneuver to push through Side 2’s stretched line. The goal in this case it a strike on the factories.
3.) The third option for Side 1 is to widen the bulge until it no longer is a bulge. This is done by concentrating on other parts of the line and pushing North and South along the base of the bulge.
Of the 3 options listed, option 1 and 2 offer decisive victories for Side 1. While Side 1 places itself at greater risk, the risk is far greater for Side 2 who must stop the maneuver or face a major defeat.
Option 3 is the safest option. There is little risk involved and Side 1 could only expect meager gains.
Side 2 Strategies:
As we had discussed earlier, Side 2 is a disadvantage. While side 1 can shift its flags inside the bulge and risk little (due to the ease that another division can help support), Side 2’s divisions are stretched and any movement will weaken part of the line.
There are two different options that Side 2 can choose.
1.) The first is try to pinch off the bulge at its base. This is difficult to do for a few reasons. First only divisions W and Z can attack the base, but Side 1’s A, B, C, and D divisions can be shifted in to defend. Secondly, as Divisions W and Z move forward, Divisions X and Y will need to be stretched to cover, weakening the line in this key area and allowing Side 1 to make a break out if it chooses.
2.) The second option for Side 2 is to squeeze the bulge from all 3 sides. This option is safe, but is time consuming and will be difficult.
