Supply consumption is absurd.

[=яενєηąŋŧ=]

So, finished meticulously clearing the Convoy mission at Santa Fe after a few hours with minimal losses and managing to steal everything that wasn't nailed down. 5 Tractors, 2 Dozers, HEMTT hauling all four Heavy Platforms, my Infantry Trailer, a full Fuel Trailer, and a mostly-empty ammo trailer. Dozen-plus vans, technicals, and trucks hauling every Light Platform on the map out.

Get to Albuquerque by the skin of my teeth and proceed to sell *everything*, only held onto my "rare" vehicles, Abrams, Bradley, M113, Stryker, 2 Humvees, 2 Tractors, HEMTT, a pair of Light Howitzer platforms and one Heavy Howitzer Platform. Sold all but about twenty squads including drivers, more of them than not the irreplaceable Founder squads I've managed to get by without losing, rest mostly Technicians and a few Heavy/RPG teams as drivers.

I still can't afford to get to the next mission, even after buying every last scrap of supplies from Albuquerque, to say nothing of paying the 40k supps to clear the road back to Taos. If I do that, I *might* have enough Goodwill to drive there, buy all *their* supplies, and continue on, but I'm having trouble convincing myself to even bother.

Are you supposed to have to sell off your "premium" vehicles, or what? I really don't see how to optimize my combat power more without progressing backwards and being forced to downgrade all the good stuff I've managed to save for technicals and peasant militia.

[FoxFort]

Short answer, yes. Gotta sell :/
I had a beautiful loot later on and after Oklahoma mission you have 6 days of travel to next mission. Now that was some heart breaking experience of selling lots of good units. I had enough goodwill, but 2 markets did not had enough so I had to sell further in order to reduce my consumption. Really disappointing ...

[=яενєηąŋŧ=]

That's the thing that bothers me the most. I have plenty of spare Goodwill, but very little to spend it on and I feel like I'm being artificially handicapped by what the game thinks I deserve to be able to buy.

It's like being punished for being successful, and it's very un-fun.

[zpc]

Going back to Taos is worth it a few sacrifices. After Santa Fe (and if you stayed friendly with them) their palette increases:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3169329353
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3169329353

Especially the Bradley mods are something you won't get for a long time (I've yet to see the Bradley armor & engine mods 3 missions after Santa Fe ...). So in my book Taos is a must-have stop after Santa-Fe, as is the invest in a better road (saves you 4 days when doing a busines trip to the north)

Having said all that - the Abrams and the Bradleys are my red line. I'd never sell them (bought me a second one from my first visit at Taos, now have 3 after Santa Fe). Everything else is luxury. Having one heavy howitzer is nice, but a small one can do it, too. Without spoiling too much - one doesn't really need supply and fuel trucks until after Tortuga. And after Tortuga there are a lot more options to get additional supply injection. Basically you have to survive until then, then it gets better.

[=яενєηąŋŧ=]

Originally posted by zpc:

Going back to Taos is worth it a few sacrifices. After Santa Fe (and if you stayed friendly with them) their palette increases:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3169329353
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3169329353

Especially the Bradley mods are something you won't get for a long time (I've yet to see the Bradley armor & engine mods 3 missions after Santa Fe ...). So in my book Taos is a must-have stop after Santa-Fe, as is the invest in a better road (saves you 4 days when doing a busines trip to the north)

I sold off all my supply trailers because the game has seemed to throw them at me so far, I just keep the Tractors so I can loot more trailers to sell after I've consolidated the 3+ trailers in each mission into one and reloaded/refueled all my vehicles next to the exit zone, lol.

How did you get a Bradley in Santa Fe though? I didn't see one in the entire mission, not with the Movers and not abandoned because I scoured the whole map and picked up every stray Plasma MG and SMAW I saw in addition to the two "hidden" supply trucks, dozer, and fuel container.

[zpc]

Originally posted by =яενєηąŋŧ=:

I sold off all my supply trailers because the game has seemed to throw them at me so far, I just keep the Tractors so I can loot more trailers to sell after I've consolidated the 3+ trailers in each mission into one and reloaded/refueled all my vehicles next to the exit zone, lol.

Good strategy - but after some point you need fuel tankers. I'd say make some room in your supply calculation after Tortuga to have at least one fuel truck / trailer / whatever. There is a huge map where I almost spend the whole fuel tank of my Abrams... More important are supplys though - I had only one supply track and it was close. You still get some but you have to fight for them (and take care not to roast them during attacks :D) And as you might have a helicopter then you need a lot of fuel. (it's worth it though ;) )

Originally posted by =яενєηąŋŧ=:

How did you get a Bradley in Santa Fe though? I didn't see one in the entire mission, not with the Movers and not abandoned because I scoured the whole map and picked up every stray Plasma MG and SMAW I saw in addition to the two "hidden" supply trucks, dozer, and fuel container.

I'm a Bradleyaddict No, seriously - the first one in Abe-iqui-whatever (where you meet the Movers the first time), then afterwards bee-line to Taos, buy the second one. Then Santa Fe, stay friendly with the Integrators and sell the Abrams anti-missile-mod, then go back to Taos, they restocked their shop. Dang - 3rd Bradley.

[Mr Smuggler]

I have finished the first cartel mission. I would say you need to limit what you have. In terms of vehicles i maintained 1 abrams, 1 bradley with minigun and TOW missiles, 1 Hotwizer plus truck for hauling and the rest are troops consisting of about 3 snipers (Kondo sniper unit inclusive), 3 Anti tank soldiers, 1 ranger squad, infantry squad and 2 tank-capable drivers. In every mission, I make it a point to steal any vehicle I can find or drive off with. On the map, then I sell off extra troops and non-essential vehicles. and use goodwill points to bring up supply point. JUST MAKE SURE YOU DONT LOSE YOUR ESSENTIAL TROOPS IN MISSION. AND ALSO TRY TO SAVE AS MUCH TROOPS IN THE SECOND MISSION. The game is very unforgiving. I wish Dev will lighten the supply cost by 50% cause it makes travelling to and fro places very hard and forces me to save scum. Heck I feel XCOM isnt as hard as this in some sense LOL. But still love the game. Its pure relief once you finish a mission.

[=яενєηąŋŧ=]

So I just realized I'm a bit of an idiot and didn't realize that after talking to the Mover commander at Albuquerque, another "talking head" pops up with a guy that gives you 200k supplies or 18k Goodwill... this alleviates my problems entirely and now I wish I didn't sell so much stuff, lol.

Originally posted by zpc:

Good strategy - but after some point you need fuel tankers. I'd say make some room in your supply calculation after Tortuga to have at least one fuel truck / trailer / whatever. There is a huge map where I almost spend the whole fuel tank of my Abrams... :lunar2019shockedpig: More important are supplys though - I had only one supply track and it was close. You still get some but you have to fight for them (and take care not to roast them during attacks :D) And as you might have a helicopter then you need a lot of fuel. (it's worth it though ;) )

I keep the HEMMT around for that and just top it off from any stationary containers available before I leave missions, if they aren't full enough to be worth the towing slot. HEMMT is nice because it costs the same supplies as a Tractor+Fuel Trailer but lets you tow a heavy Platform.