                               Command : SUPPLY

NAME
   supply - Cause a unit to draw supplies

Level: Basic

SYNTAX
   [##:##] Command : supply <UNIT/ARMY>

The  supply  command  causes  a  unit  to draw enough supplies from its supply
sources to make sure that it has its basic load of supplies.  Supply tells you
which units have enough supplies.

A basic load of supplies for a unit consists of:
        1) enough food to eat for one update

        2) enough shells to fire once
                A unit uses shells equal to its ammo stat to fire once.
                Use the "show" command to find out how much ammo
                the unit uses per shot.

        3) petrol equal to its fuel use number, if the unit uses fuel
                (show land stats will show the fuel use number)

If  the  unit has enough of all these things, it is said to be 'in supply'.  A
lack of any of these things is enough to make the unit 'out of supply'.

When supplies are drawn & used

A unit that fights may use a basic load of supplies to attack with.   (depend-
ing  on  the intensity of combat. The more intense the combat, the more chance
the unit will use a basic load of supplies)

During the update, each unit will attempt to draw food  supplies  just  before
starvation is calculated.

When  a  unit needs to draw supplies, such as when you use the supply command,
or the unit wishes to attack, or is attacked, etc, it must attempt to get them
from  supply  sources.  Other  things may use the same routines, such as loyal
sectors, which will draw food from supply sources when in  danger  of  starva-
tion,  and  ships/forts/sectors, which will draw shells when they need them to
fire defensively or fire AA at planes.

Supply Sources

There are four sources of supply. In each case, the unit must be within supply
range of the source. Supply range is:

   10 * ((tech+50)/(tech+200) sectors.

In  addition there must be a valid supply path to the source. A supply path is
a path of sectors owned by the owner of the unit  that  leads  to  the  supply
source.  (Note  that  the  path  may be of any length.. only the supply source
itself must be within supply range.. this is to make the coding  simpler,  and
may  change  in  the  future) The best path (in terms of mobility use) will be
used.

In each case, mobility is used to move the supplies.

The first source of supply checked is the sector the unit is in.  This is for-
aging, and uses some mobility from the unit itself.

If the unit's needs can't be satisfied by foraging, it look for an owned ware-
house or headquarters that is at  least  60%  efficient.  Drawing  from  these
sources uses mobility from the warehouse or headquarters. (A headquarters will
NOT supply a unit if it has no distribution path)

If still in need, the unit will look for an owned supply ship  (one  that  has
the  supply ability) in an owned harbor.  The harbor must be at least 2% effi-
cient. This uses mobility from the harbor.

If it still can't find enough supplies, the unit will look for an  owned  unit
with  the  'supply' ability. (see info show for information on how to find out
about abilities of units) In this case, the supply unit uses its  mobility  to
use the supplies. After it supplies the unit, the supply unit will then itself
try to re-supply, so that it is possible to  form  a  chain  of  supply  units
reaching back to a headquarters or supply ship.

If after all this the unit can't get enough, it is out of supplies.

Note  that  no  supply  source  will give up enough food to make it starve. In
addition, no supply source will go below 1 of any commodity.

   [##:##] Command : supply *
War band #2 has supplies
   4 units

OTHER USES OF SUPPLY

In general, when any land unit/ship/fort needs shells, it will attempt to draw
them before use, if it does not already have them.

Also,  units/ships/sectors  will  use supply sources to get enough food during
the update so that they do not starve.

SEE ALSO
   lload, LandUnits

