RPKUPK
Posts: 185
Joined: 9/17/2009
Status: offline
|
Don't give up mein Colonel!
The German Army in WWII, man for man, tank for tank, plane for plane generally was superior to the Allied side. BUT, the Soviet Union (and Allies) out-produced the Germans with their lesser stuff. The Germans had to fight on multiple fronts. The Russians had a seemingly overwhelming supply of men, equipment, and materiel. The Germans survived on the Eastern Front by their superior command control, expertise in combined arms and use of their mobile forces that were used as fire brigades on wide fronts.
For '43, my suggestions are:
1) Decide if colonel level is too challenging. Every player has their own intrinsic game experience and command capabilities. Perhaps you could play pre-'43 as lieutenant and gain prestige to last into later years when you take a promotion. You used to only be able to play at a higher difficulty level at the beginning of new game years, now, I believe, with the latest Panzer Corp update you can change difficulty levels at each battle.
2) The most important tactic, I feel, is top notch air superiority. This means, as you have done, upgrading to Fw-190s. You need more than five! I have found that having more fighters protects your units from the damaging hordes of Russian fighters that end up bleeding your prestige. This positive smart tactic saves on LONG TERM preservation of prestige...you'' need more fighters as each year goes by.
You may have to limit your tactical/strategic bomber number to three, maybe only two units...or LESS. Air superiority!**
I find it is helpful to have at least one 88AA unit per battle. This has a significant effect on Russian air raids anywhere near your 88. They'' stay away mostly. The bonus is, the 88 can easily be used as anti-tank (beware new rules!) defensively AND offensively if placed just right. The 88 smacks the hell out of Russian steel! Gives the AA experience too. Nothing wrong with two 88s/battle if you can.
3) Convert all tanks to Pz IIIL, Pz IVG, Tiger, in that order. Panthers good because of their movement range that always helps in a pinch. The Pz IIIN is surprisingly good against enemy infantry** in forest/rough/city hexes and can attack with few losses--very different from other .
4) Keep ALL armor on clear or country side hexes. They get damaged or destroyed (!) by infantry easily on forest, rough, swamp or city hexes! If forced to place armor on non-clear/country side hexes, ALWAYS back up with experienced (!) overstrength artillery. Since the '43 battles are mobile, use the mobile artillery units like the wurframen or captured Su-122(r) that can be used and moved to advancing locations AND be ready to fire in defense. Keep ammo resupplied for these units. Great for infantry backup that many times dissuades the Russian from counterattacking your vulnerable infantry on poor defense hexes--clear/country side. The Russian LOVES to smash advancing unprotected infantry because it knows they are key in reducing fortifies objectives later which could cripple the offense later.
Armor on clear/countryside, infantry on forest/rough/swamp/city!**
Nothing wrong with having maybe two 21cm Mars 18 long range artillery units--great on defense, and useful with their three hex range. I use them a lot to hit enemy AA near an objective then wreck the enemy AA with a tactical bomber followup attack. The big artillery has an excellent anti-armor effect.
5) Use you fighter cover wisely. The Russian LOVES to air attack German artillery because they are key in reducing fortified hexes/objectives. Keep fighter cover over vulnerable units. Remember that the enemy can only "see" into so many hexes like you, so make your air cover choices wisely. Put your fighter cover where enemy can see you.
Planning your artillery moves for next turn is critical so they'll be ready to aid the attack. I prefer to keep them ammoed up, i.e. more ammo than just one left to avoid running out during an unexpected next turn counterattack which happens all the time. Better to wait and be ready.
6) Ideally, have one Ju87G anti-armor, one Hs-129 anti-soft tactical bombers, and IF you can, a strat bomber--wonderful ammo suppression for tough AA or armor units, but you'll burn prestige rebuilding the damage they take! Remember, enough fighters first... ALWAYS!
7) Crafty capture of off-the-beaten-path non-victory objectives to score captured units (like the invaluable Su-122(r) artillery!
8) Protect those SE units.** They don't count against unit deployment numbers!!!Especially, protect the newbies. The more SE units, the more victories!
9) Other than captured heavy tanks convert captured units to German. German tanks are better, the AI loves to kill captured units, so if it sees German it leaves them alone.
10) Use a combo of Grenadier/pioniere infantry to reduce city/fortified hexes, and Gebirgsjager to MOVE fast in rough/forest areas allowing a more efficient attack as they are more often set up for next turn's attack.There is LOT of rough terrain in the '43 battles.
You may have to convert an experienced infantry unit to Bruckenpioniere to help sneak units across rivers and surprise the enemy. They can always be converted back to tougher grenadier, etc., later in scenario if you have the prestige for extravagance. REMEMBER, SE units cannot become bruckenpioniere, so always add non-SE infantry to deployment mix.
11) Auxiliary units: in '43 convert all mobile AA to 88s!** Great anti-armor AND antitank effects.
Upgrade units if you can. Overstrength them BEFORE battle as the AI loves to kill them off. Judicious use of auxies may be key to some battles. First turn, retreat them from the enemy, build 'em, protect 'em, use 'em. Wise air cover helps as they often bear the weight of the Russian's initial attack.
12) '43 counterattacks: The key to these early '43 scenarios is river defense! Attack until Russian back across river. DEFEND the one key river crossing hex with experienced armor--Tiger if possible or grenadier/pioniere infantry backed with artillery. You can slaughter Russian unit after unit trying to move across the river so bad that they exhaust themselves allowing your own offensive across the river to score objectives! ALL these crossings must be defended. Watch for Russian AA and artillery behind the river. Have one or two extra units along the river to help clean up/repel straggler attackers that were weakened.
13) Always, at deployment, plan your advance around airfield locations. They are KEY to air unit refuel and will be critical in later stages of the battle, when you most need air support.
Never attack enemy AA alone. Attack to their doorstep, then hit AA with He-177 which suppresses ammo and counterattack, then NEXT turn BE READY for ground assault against AA. Long range (3 hex artillery) is key to soften up AA, as is a followup tactical bomber strike. I love smashing the AA efficiently as then your tac air can wreak havoc against remainingtough defenders.
14) Upgrade your recon to survive Russian armor. ALWAYS protect them carefully calculating retreat behind tougher front line units after they moved up and did their work. The AI loves to knock off recon. Let the recon bulk up experience by letting them bottom feed on the the enemy stragglers after the big boys are done. This way recon gets experience and overstrength to survive. Recon key to spy out heavily defended fortified objective areas! Recon great at scooping up objectives, often times moving again so you don't have to tie up your heavy hitters for the next attack turn.
15) Use fighters as recon to scope out problem areas/sneak attacks. DON'T FORGET counterattacks can come on board scripted to arrive on future turns so you must be vigilant for nasty surprises in "cleared" areas.
16) Utilize the new Allied Corps derived rule of gaining extra prestige from surrounding/trapping enemy units and making them surrender!
17) Plan your deployment wisely, especially infantry so they can be ready to attack any close by objectives. Have artillery in range for turn one. Same thing as battle progresses, place units as efficiently as possible to attack next turn.
18) Rotate your newbies and or captured units into battle--maybe one or two--so they can pick up experience.
19) ALWAYS ALWAYS fighter escort bombers. Before closing to enemy's turn check carefully that your bomers are escorted, especially if your units are "within sight" of enemy units (two sqaures) as the AI WILL smash this unescorted bomber the very next turn crippling your offensive.
20) Don't develop too many anti-tank units. One is fun, and must be used in surprise ambush. They are terrible against infantry. They can gain experience cleaning up damaged enemy armor after the heavies have hit... Never put them in a city unless heavily backed up by ready-to-fire infantry. Ambush is their key.
OK, that's my top twenty for '43. I could go on and on. I think you'll get it without my picking out specific '43 objectives. If I think of more tips I'll send 'em your way.
I know, I should write the manual helpful hints.
Good hunting!
Oh, one more tip. If you were good and you captured objectives ahead of schedule, in the last turns before the last one, refrain from capturing the one last objective, retreat back a square or two and let the AI place new inexperienced units around the objectives, then use your wisely re-ammoed units to smash these units, then occupy the last objective on the very last turn. This way you'll make the Russian burn prestige for the future. I also use this maneuver to move up newbies and let them experience up on these easy marks. Devilish, I know. It's war..
Genug, Herr Colonel!
|
Printable Version
Grand Campaign 1943-need help - 
RE: Grand Campaign 1943-need help - 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread