
THE HIDDEN ARMY TACTIC  by MARION EVANS




****************Hidden Army*****************************
Redefining the Group Attack as a Staging area.

Group attacks are not used for obtaining regions but for massing troops to be
used in individual attacks. Hence their target and success/failure is unimportant

Contributions to the group attacks are mandatory.
You will contribute what you can every day.
	Beginning of the game 25k soldiers 25k jets will suffice. But actual
	numbers depend on the Baron not this document.
You must maintain defenses.
	It is suggested that you make 100% of industrial production into missle bases.
	It is suggested that you do NOT mantain a majority of your regions as 
		coastals and urbans as these will make you vunerable to spies.
When you have amassed enough forces to be reasonably assured of victory you may
	begin your attacks individually within the scope of the directives of the
	Warlord or Charter of your board.
A group attack must be scheduled at all times in order to collect the forces. 
	Therefore the time frame of the attack is not important early in the game.
	120 hour attacks are acceptable in this scenerio.  Again target isn't 
	important, the long term storage/savings plan is.  The Warlord of the game
	may designate a new group attack at the time the current one reaches negative
	hours or the first player on in the morning may start a new attack on any target
	(consisent of course with board/charter policies).
This Plan is not a complete strategy for dominance at BRE. But it is a policy/mind set
	that allows for individual dominantion and a feeling of excellence by each player
	that allows each individual rewards for his accomplishment and a stake in the game.
	The flexibility of this plan allows all participants to enjoy the rush of victory,
	and the feeling of individual accomplishment toward the goal of domination of the
	game.  (It makes it kinda fun, :) )


Reasoning behind this strategy.
Group attacks return 10% of the total regions of the target when successfull.
The destruction of the military of the target remains consistent whether the attack
is a group attack or a collection of individual attacks.  Individual attacks return
20% of regions and are therefore more desirable.  We fight to bring his total regions
down.  
The Air/Land Battle plan of the United States military. And the battle strategies
of other industrialized nations include the provisions for a "staging area".
A Staging Area is defined as a predefined area where troops mass for attack. 
This strategy allows the group attack to perform that function. 
You may use the group attack as a large holding area of troops and equipment that
you do not have to pay support costs for during your normal turns.  This allows you
to be able to have more ready cash and the ability to mass troops even quicker.

Reason for the name Hidden Army and Background on it's conception.

The armies committed to group attacks are not counted in networth and are therefore
invisible to enemies off board. Hence the name Hidden Army.

The armies destructive force is not readily apparent at the target because it only
takes 10% of regions of the target it will leave the target viable.  (kinda like a
leech).  The military destructiveness of the oversized attack should be readily 
apparent to the target in that his military defenses will be crushed. (this action
goes largely unnoticed as the target doesnt know what to look for).


This strategy came about while I was playing BRE with 2nd City in Joplin MO.
I and another player, David Harrell (a reservist in the USAF) came up with the idea.
and used it successfully in order to help each other and remain nameless on our targets.
We did this because we were not the biggest or the baddest but wanted to take regions
without inviting retaliation from our stronger enemies.

When we used the strategy for an entire game we found we could each amass overwhelming
individual forces quickly in the game.  The Last game we played this particular strategy
together at 2nd City was in the March 93 to May/June 93.  We were playing in the national
leagues and this strategy made us individually the most powerful players in the game.

By the way some of you playing the nationals may recognise David Harrell by the name
Spooky or Spookyville. He kinda likes that.

