A frigid gust almost spitefully whipping against the hull on the barren ice. “It’s cold this morning, Captain”. “Yes, Vitali”. A determined pause. “Cold” came the reply. He looked up, grabbed his papers and stoned faced he said, “The fleet is being deployed. Tell the men we are leaving”. “Aye aye, Captain” said Vitali smiling back, then quickly leaned over the railing and with a sharp whistle signaled to the three men below. We were to become the extension of Soviet foreign policy in the Atlantic.
Military Deployment
Your military units are the most potent physical force on the planet, hard power when you need it. In order to leverage that military might, you need to position your forces and manage your resources skillfully. Our brightest days are surely ahead with a tactful use of means.
Focus Points
Focus Points (FP) are the most important resource in Terminal Conflict as it determines how many turns you will get to play in each timeline. When selecting a decision it is therefore vital that you plan ahead. Selecting a focus that grants many focus points might be strategically important if you are working towards military expansion as even deploying close to home, each deployment will cost you at least one FP.
Military Logistics
The further you deploy from your main logistic HQ the more resources intensive your deployments are, yet they carry potentially higher rewards. The hub can function via land and via the sea and costs depend on the regions distance from your logistical capital.
This carries different implications for the USA and USSR and did so historically throughout the Cold War. The Soviets, unlike the US border more nations via land than sea. Make smart choices and be sure to avoid disarming in faraway theaters, as sending armed forces back later to reestablishing logistics will strain your precious resources. When possible seek to control straits, as that limits and cuts off your opponent’s ability for logistics and deployment. Especially vital if you aim to keep it costly for the USSR to engage in Latin America or perhaps disrupt the USA in the Middle East or South Asia.
To Region from Command Reserve
In Terminal Conflict, all procured units that are not currently deployed, are in the Command Reserve. You can direct deploy armed forces easily to friendly regions where you have a continuous logistical path as long as you can afford the cost. Intelligence plays a vital role for any successful deployment especially in regions where you or your opponent does not exercise control.
Ambushing Deployments
Maneuver your opponent into deploying from the Command Reserve without sufficient intelligence and have your units ambush them. Ambushed units are immediately defeated and forced to withdraw, disarm or be destroyed but not all units have to form up in uncertainty.
To Units from Command Reserve
Army Commands possess the ability for direct deployment onto Surface Fleets. Picking up men and equipment from home ports does have it's benefits. Though all previous rules for regional deployment must apply, this preparation also guarantees that you can quickly ferry your armies into unfriendly territory where you are not be able to deploy.
Embark to Units from Region
Army Commands may also embark Surface Fleets in a region by you giving the Embark order.
Embarking a unit from a region counts as a defensive action and does not end your turn, which comes especially handy for evacuations as once you are loaded up, you can command your Fleet to safer waters.
Disembark to Region from Unit
The procedure of Disembarking is somewhat reverse to embarking as an Army Command can deploy from a Surface Fleet (with an AC marking on the map) to a friendly region, counting as a friendly movement action. Disembarking into a neutral or hostile region on the other hand is a hostile act and will end your turn and potentially establish or escalate conflicts into a warzone.
Re-basing/Redeploying Air Units
Unlike Army Commands or sea going Fleets, Bomber and Fighter Commands are stationary and move only by re-basing.
This means that your Command will remain in a region even if your influence has deteriorated, yet once the command has been sent back home by disarming or re-basing, the Command might not be secure for reestablishment in the previous region until conditions have become friendly again.
The Nuclear Aspect
What about the nukes I hear you say? Yes, without units to deliver them, there are no nuclear strikes and no deterrent and your stockpiles will sit in your arsenal unable to rain fire and hard fury. This is where our Submarine Fleets comes in. Although the Arctic holds no friendly port for either faction and cannot host direct deployment it is also the only place where disarmament negotiations cannot reach or properly verify, and so we play our games as generations before us. "Start a plot, Vitali!".
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