The Logistics Units Adding the "Logistics Units" set to your Victory game will add another level of depth and excitement. They provide opportunities to build airfields or construct mulberries to enhance supply and port capabilities. The factory pieces require that a player both plan his production carefully and guard specific production centers from attack. Markers that allow the destruction of bridges and canals enhance the ability of a player to disrupt his opponent's plans. Lastly, the storm adds uncertainty for both players. Factories At the beginning of the game, players divide the factories evenly between themselves or as determined in a particular scenario. Since each factory can only produce one type of unit, planning is critical. Players may "switch" factory types during their production phase so there is some flexibility. However, the cost for this "switch" is to forego production for that turn so it would be wise to keep this activity to a minimum. Factories may be targeted separately from other enemy units instead of being lumped with "ground" units. This is a critical distinction - the presence of units in a hex gives a defender the ability to inflict damage on an attacker but does not limit the attacker's ability to damage a factory if he so chooses. Factory damage is repaired at one step per turn. A three PP city, reduced to zero, will take three turns before it is able to resume its original production. This adds strategic bombing to the list of tactics available to a player. When playing games with factories, there are several key factors to consider. One is the optional rules you have chosen to use. When using the 2PP per cadre rule, in a typical two-map scenario both players will have only three cities in which to build new units. Each should specialize in one of the three unit types or players will be unable to build new units of a particular type. In any case, you will probably want to place critical production as far from the enemy as possible. It is very likely that your production will be a target - and the further away from the enemy, the better. Another consideration is the relative isolation of the production cities. It would probably be wise to give the lone city on an ocean the capability to build naval units as air and land units could be moved there using normal strategic movement. This is less critical in cities that are well connected by both sea and land. After these initial considerations, it's also important to note the best strategies for attacking and defending your factories. Obviously an attack from the air is most likely, however don't ignore the abilities of the other units types. Battleships can do a great deal of damage, especially if there are only fighters there to defend the factory. Similarly, one or two land based units could attack a city and destroy the factories without making an attempt to capture the city, retreating once they have done their damage. This vulnerability requires that players defend in depth and minimize the opportunities for enemy actions in their cities. Airfields Airfield markers give a player the opportunity to build small or large airfields nearly anywhere. Small airfields can support one air unit (of any strength) and large airfields can support two. However, large airfields can be targeted like logistics units by the enemy and reduced to minor airfields with 2 (two) hits. Minor airfields may not be targeted in this fashion. It is important to note that both types of airfields do NOT serve as sources of supply. Building airfields can be a very good tool in a player's success. Adding to the number of available aircraft in either an attack or a defense could easily tip the scales one way or the other. During a game it will be important that a player analyze his need for air units and build appropriately. Areas where this could be especially important might be during attacks on enemy islands or other areas close to the front. Players can also use the airfield markers to design their own variants. Try playing a game with Cities and Towns only having airfields if a marker present. Airfields can be built, upgraded, and targeted as normal. Mulberries Mulberries were used by the Allies during Operation Overlord to bring additional forces ashore once the beach was secure. These floating harbors allow units to enter a coastal hex without coming through a port city or town. In addition, they provide supply. This gives a player the ability to attack and hold a coastal area with less regard for supply considerations. However, these mulberries are subject to attack, as well as to being damaged by the storm. Units caught in unfriendly territory will suffer attrition should this occur. Because of this limitation, a wise player should keep one or more marine units in reserve so that a replacement mulberry can quickly be constructed. It is unwise to rely on mulberries for the long term. Destroying Bridges and Canals The "destruction" markers allow players to destroy bridges and canals. These can be used to destroy bridges leading to a city in an attempt to isolate it, limiting the enemy's ability to reinforce. Without bridges, Strategic Movement by road is prohibited and supply is cut (unless the City is a port), giving the attacker an advantage. The second instance is where a player might destroy a bridge as a defensive measure in order to slow down or impede an attack. If a player faces an offensive assault force, he might choose to blow the bridges along the attack route, as well as those leading into his city. This action will slow down an attack significantly, giving a player more time to prepare, or perhaps even mount a counter-attack. These same strategies can also be applied to a canal. As an offensive strategy, a player can attack a canal in an effort to limit sea reinforcements to a city or region. In a defensive strategy, the same would slow or eliminate sea units from using the canal in order to conduct an attack. Regardless of which tactics are used, players should plan to keep at least one Engineer unit in the area so that they can make repairs if necessary. These units should also be guarded with at least one fighter unit in close proximity. An especially sneaky opponent might blow a bridge or canal, wait for you to repair it with a lone engineer unit, then pounce on that unit with another air attack and reduce your capability to make further repairs. The Storm The storm adds another level of uncertainty to the game. Other then hoping that the storm does not disrupt their plans, there is not much that players can do about this random element moving about the game board. One thing to consider is to spread out your units so that the storm cannot completely immobilize a potential attack. Another is to be ready to take advantage of a "well placed" storm that grounds part of an opponent's air response capabilities in one area of the board to gain the advantage of air superiority.