Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778

In the Kursk scenario, I'm able to take the NW objective pretty easily, but then I get attacked by a very large force from the NE of my position.
If I start with units east across the river, I'm attacked by a large force from the north. I have even setup and stayed west of the river and used a bridge engineer to cross parallel to the air field midmap, but my units crossing are overwhelmed by yet another large force before they can establish a bridgehead. When my main force reached the center of the map, I saw that the remaining objectives were defended by heavy entrenchments and many units. I still needed to take three or four objectives. So I quit out of frustration.

The West scenario I mean may not be called Syracuse. It's the one where I have to evacuate 18 units to the mainland from Sicily. I can't use too many air units because they count toward my force limit and I don't have many ground units over 18. I did come within three or four evacuated units of winning after three tries.

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778

I, too, have been playing PzG and PzC for many years.

I don't know what you mean that you're not having the same "problems that I describe". What I'm saying is that tactics can only go so far in this game when you go up against forces two or three times as large as yours.

I play on Colonel mostly, and I'm overwhelmed by enemy units starting in '43. I have no way to upload the battlefield to describe what I mean, but after three tries on Kursk, I'm getting decimated again- I lost three core units including a SE unit, and haven't even taken an objective yet. I surrendered to see what enemy forces were left, and the number of units I'm up against is laughable.

I've been trying to follow the advice I've received here and other sites, but I'm slowly losing interest in continuing the DLC Grand Campaign. It's too frustrating and I obviously suck at it.

I like a challenging game otherwise I can quickly lose interest and become bored. But I also hate the feeling that it's a lost cause and a waste of my time.

I would rather the scenarios represented more evenly matched battles instead of well known German debacles like Kursk and Stalingrad, because even if you achieve a DV, the course of the war for Germany isn't affected.

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778

I, too, have been playing PzG and PzC for many years.

I don't know what you mean that you're not having the same "problems that I describe". What I'm saying is that tactics can only go so far in this game when you go up against forces two or three times as large as yours.

I play on Colonel mostly, and I'm overwhelmed by enemy units starting in '43. I have no way to upload the battlefield to describe what I mean, but after three tries on Kursk, I'm getting decimated again- I lost three core units including a SE unit, and haven't even taken an objective yet. I surrendered to see what enemy forces were left, and the number of units I'm up against is laughable.

I've been trying to follow the advice I've received here and other sites, but I'm slowly losing interest in continuing the DLC Grand Campaign. It's too frustrating and I obviously suck at it.

I like a challenging game otherwise I can quickly lose interest and become bored. But I also hate the feeling that it's a lost cause and a waste of my time.

I would rather the scenarios represented more evenly matched battles instead of well known German debacles like Kursk and Stalingrad, because even if you achieve a DV, the course of the war for Germany isn't affected.

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778

I, too, have been playing PzG and PzC for many years.

I don't know what you mean that you're not having the same "problems that I describe". What I'm saying is that tactics can only go so far in this game when you go up against forces two or three times as large as yours.

I play on Colonel mostly, and I'm overwhelmed by enemy units starting in '43. I have no way to upload the battlefield to describe what I mean, but after three tries on Kursk, I'm getting decimated again- I lost three core units including a SE unit, and haven't even taken an objective yet. I surrendered to see what enemy forces were left, and the number of units I'm up against is laughable.

I've been trying to follow the advice I've received here and other sites, but I'm slowly losing interest in continuing the DLC Grand Campaign. It's too frustrating and I obviously suck at it.

I like a challenging game otherwise I can quickly lose interest and become bored. But I also hate the feeling that it's a lost cause and a waste of my time.

I would rather the scenarios represented more evenly matched battles instead of well known German debacles like Kursk and Stalingrad, because even if you achieve a DV, the course of the war for Germany isn't affected.

quote:

ORIGINAL: James Ward

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778

I, too, have been playing PzG and PzC for many years.

I don't know what you mean that you're not having the same "problems that I describe". What I'm saying is that tactics can only go so far in this game when you go up against forces two or three times as large as yours.

I play on Colonel mostly, and I'm overwhelmed by enemy units starting in '43. I have no way to upload the battlefield to describe what I mean, but after three tries on Kursk, I'm getting decimated again- I lost three core units including a SE unit, and haven't even taken an objective yet. I surrendered to see what enemy forces were left, and the number of units I'm up against is laughable.

I've been trying to follow the advice I've received here and other sites, but I'm slowly losing interest in continuing the DLC Grand Campaign. It's too frustrating and I obviously suck at it.

I like a challenging game otherwise I can quickly lose interest and become bored. But I also hate the feeling that it's a lost cause and a waste of my time.

I would rather the scenarios represented more evenly matched battles instead of well known German debacles like Kursk and Stalingrad, because even if you achieve a DV, the course of the war for Germany isn't affected.

The DLC's are much different than the standard campaign so some of the techniques that work in the standard campaign do work quite as well with the DLC campaigns. The basic principals hold but you usually have a larger core and the enemy has WAY more units than the standard campaign.

I have only played the East Front DLC's to completion on Colonel and General but could not make it through at any higher level. While I got through them it was much harder and there were some battles that I am not sure I would have won if I had immediately played them over, I had good fortune in them.

The DLC's either can be won on the higher levels or there are a LOT of BS'ers, which I find unlikely. I am not one of them but I do believe it is possible so don't give up.

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778



I've beaten vanilla PzC a couple of times on Colonel. I thought the original game was too short. My complaint is with DLC Grand Campaign after '42.

Obviously, the Grand Campaign follows history pretty well- the Germans lost the war. But I don't want to be thrown into situations that are frustrating or hopeless- what's the fun in that? If there's a legitimate way to win, I would like to pursue it.

It's just that it's eluding me so far, and I can't believe it's possible to win on higher levels; that's the jist of this thread. I'll have to check out the AARs to see how it's done.

Otherwise I may have to play on a lower difficulty, which feels like cheating.

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778
It's just that it's eluding me so far, and I can't believe it's possible to win on higher levels; that's the jist of this thread. I'll have to check out the AARs to see how it's done.

Otherwise I may have to play on a lower difficulty, which feels like cheating.

quote:

ORIGINAL: James Ward

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778



I've beaten vanilla PzC a couple of times on Colonel. I thought the original game was too short. My complaint is with DLC Grand Campaign after '42.

Obviously, the Grand Campaign follows history pretty well- the Germans lost the war. But I don't want to be thrown into situations that are frustrating or hopeless- what's the fun in that? If there's a legitimate way to win, I would like to pursue it.

It's just that it's eluding me so far, and I can't believe it's possible to win on higher levels; that's the jist of this thread. I'll have to check out the AARs to see how it's done.

Otherwise I may have to play on a lower difficulty, which feels like cheating.

I know the first time I did the East Front DLC's I had a rude awakening in late 42-early 43. I didn't have nearly enough experienced infantry and lost a lot of units in the Stalingrad fighting. They do play different.

In the base game there are some unit types I generally ignore, AT and AA mostly. In the DLC's the mobile AA came in real handy because of what you pointed out, the large number of enemy planes that made it harder to own the air. I even found use for AT units which I almost never purchased in the base game. The good thing is you generally can have a larger core in the DLC's so it was more a matter of integrating the units I didn't use much into my force and figuring out how to best use them rather than totally re-thinking things.

If you haven't already checked out the Slitherine forums you should, there are plenty of people who can give you more specific hints and there are a lot of good AAR. They helped me a lot when I first got the game and I still pick up new things there.

quote:

ORIGINAL: James Ward

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778
It's just that it's eluding me so far, and I can't believe it's possible to win on higher levels; that's the jist of this thread. I'll have to check out the AARs to see how it's done.

Otherwise I may have to play on a lower difficulty, which feels like cheating.

There is nothing wrong with playing the game on the default level, that is the one that you should play on. If a game is not challenging on the recommended level then I think it's poorly designed.

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778

At the start of Grand Campaign East '43 this is my core before upgrades:
12306 prestige

3 Ju88
1 Bf110F
2 Ju87D
3 FW190A
3 Me109G
1 SU122
1 Nblwf 42
4 21 cm Mrs 18
2 STuG 111F/8
1 Sd Kfz 222
1 SE Pz IIIL
2 M4A2
2 T34/41
3 Pz IVG
2 Pz IIIN
2 Pz IIIL
1 SE Gebirgjager
1 Bruckenpioneer
1 SE Grenadier
3 Pioneers
1 Gebirgjager
1 Fallschirmjager
1 Grenadier

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778

I actually had 2 Ju88s, not 3.

I tried Kharkov 43 again on Lieutenant difficulty and lost again. I bought a couple of Tigers, another FW190, and upgraded my PzIIILs to PzIIIMs, my STuGs to STuG IIIGs, Ju87s to Ju87Rs, my INF to INF 43 units, and my ME110F to ME110G. I still couldn't capture enough objectives for a MV.

quote:

ORIGINAL: James Ward

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778

I actually had 2 Ju88s, not 3.

I tried Kharkov 43 again on Lieutenant difficulty and lost again. I bought a couple of Tigers, another FW190, and upgraded my PzIIILs to PzIIIMs, my STuGs to STuG IIIGs, Ju87s to Ju87Rs, my INF to INF 43 units, and my ME110F to ME110G. I still couldn't capture enough objectives for a MV.

Dang. I will try to fire the 43 DLC up again and get to Kharkov as I don't recall it exactly. I'm pretty sure my force wasn't a whole lot different than yours but I could be mistaken.

quote:

ORIGINAL: James Ward

Here is what I start with in 43:
1 INF
4 GREN, 2 are SE
4 ENG
1 PARA
7 IVG, 3 are SE
3 IIIM
3 KV1
2 SHERMAN
2 STUG IIIF/8
4 21cm ART
1 STURM
1 WULFRAM
1 STU 42
1 SU 122
2 88s
5 FW 190A
2 87D
2 110G
2 DO177A

Units are mostly 3-4 stars. All are overstrength except the captured units, the 88s and the STUGs, as I don't intend to use them this scenario. Only the GREN are 43 INF.

I am staring with only ~1300 Prestige so I may disband some units as I have 48 but can only deploy 38.

You need 7 objectives for an MV and start with 2. I intend to just go straight North with my main thrust and try to get the 5 additional objectives quick then decide if a DV is worth it Prestige wise. I'll let you know how it works out.

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778

Thanks for the advice. A few comments:

How do you capture entrenched INF in cities if you don't use ENG?
I see you have Shermans as well. I find that they're compatible with higher level German tanks except Tigers and Panthers.
I see you also have a couple of Stukas and 2 heavy bombers like I do.
PzIVGs are the best all around German tank at this point IMO, except for the Tigers and Panthers which are very expensive.
What are Sturm and Wulf?

BTW- I was able to get a DV at Kursk attacking from the north.

quote:

ORIGINAL: joe6778

Thanks for the advice. A few comments:

How do you capture entrenched INF in cities if you don't use ENG?
I see you have Shermans as well. I find that they're compatible with higher level German tanks except Tigers and Panthers.
I see you also have a couple of Stukas and 2 heavy bombers like I do.
PzIVGs are the best all around German tank at this point IMO, except for the Tigers and Panthers which are very expensive.
What are Sturm and Wulf?

BTW- I was able to get a DV at Kursk attacking from the north.