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New Player needs advice - 1/9/2015 10:34:11 PM

Devast8or

Posts: 74
Joined: 4/16/2001
Status: offline

As a new player I�m finding this game quite amazing. I tried it few years at a friend�s house ago but I just couldn�t get into it because it felt so overwhelming so I gave up. Now I picked it up during the sale and spent some time with it reading the manual (have around 20% left) and I followed the Operational Boot Camp document which got me into the game.I decided to play Operation Blau as Axis as my first scenario against AI (Normal) and I�m having a blast. There are however some elements that I feel are still somewhat fuzzy so I would like some comments and opinions from some of the seasonal players.

1. Air

Feeling kind of lost here, do you start with Air during your turn and in which order do you normally perform Air missions?
I�m not sure if I should be bombing units, air fields, cities because when I do I don�t really see any noticeable effect. I may conduct airfield bomb runs and destroy some planes, then perform bombing runs on units that I�m trying to encircle but what is the correct approach?
Also with the Air doctrine, there are bunch of settings but it still kind of feels distanced to me. Would appreciate some general tips on how you approach air units.

2. Support Units

I�m mostly attaching Engineering units directly to my divisions when trying to punch a hole through the front line but what about the other Jagdpanzer Battalion and other, would you use them as a support for Infantry facing tanks, or infantry defending or attacking?

3. Support Level

What does that do actually? The Boot Camp document sets Support Level = No Of Divisions Attached. The manual says
�Indicates the number of each type of support unit that the computer will attempt to automatically assign to the headquarters�
Does this refer to Support Units like Artillery, Engineers etc?? So if my HQ has Flak, Pioneer, and Jagpanzer units attached how come if I select an attached division and pick Assign I�m only able to select maybe Pioneer and Jagdpanzer but not Artillery or Flak. Where do the units in the Assign List come from?
Also what is the correct thinking regarding support level, what number should be set?

4. Unit Detail

What does the number in red box above actually mean?

5. AI Logic

Here I�m trying to create a large pocket, but I notice during the next turn that the AI will wisely evacuate and try to escape. Fair enough, at the same it abandoned Voroshilovgrad which is a VP. Does the AI ever make a stand, like no retreat directive that was common during the conflict on the Easter Front? Like stack some fortified unit in a city and try to bind some of my units for a turn or two so it can rebuild a line further back?

Also does the AI ever try to build and construct a counter attack, like try and conduct an offensive after being on defensive for a while? I see that it will always try to reestablish contact with isolated units so you really need to close the sack completely and fast.

6. Rail repair

From what I understand they operate automatically but you can also move them manually, is that correct?

7. Fatigue

How sensitive are you about fatigue? It seems that may units accumulate around 80 pretty quickly. Do you let them rest (not move) for a turn or do you move them back?

8. Production Screen

This part seems overwhelming, what should I keep my eyes on?

9. Event Log

There is also a lot of info here, anything in particular that I need to look at carefully? I don�t have any references to go after so it is difficult to understand what to look for and how to rectify it.

There are a lot of questions here and I appreciate every answer and comment I can get! Thanks!

Post #: 1

RE: New Player needs advice - 1/10/2015 7:44:57 AM

loki100

Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline

1 - the key way to read the air directive screen is that left to itself (ie every value =100) the AI allocates your air as it sees fit (the only exception then will be direct attacks on units and airfields where you can override it). If you set the top line at 100, then it will not select any air unit that has missing planes. The lower you go, it will select air units with less planes. I'd say set it around 50-60 and leave, but there are specific times you may want more or less. The individual choices then tells the AI how many aircraft to allocate to that mission. At 100 it picks what it thinks you need. At 300 it tries to find 3 times what it would have originally (and if it can't, won't make that mission). So you really are trading off a few, potentially dramatic attacks, against a lot of attacks with lower numbers of planes in each.

3 - support level is a means to control the AI assignment of support units (0 means it will only assign engineers?), 1 is one of each type - art/eng/aa/at/etc and so on. Tend to think that manual control is better (edited after realising had misread your query

)

4 - current cv/potential cv, its related to the proportion of TOE present (64% in your case) and fatigue etc

5 - the AI will run if it feels it is overmatched, it basically works on a force estimate, at some stage in this scenario you'll start to run your Combat Values (cv) down and it gets reinforcements so will stand. Worth noting that the Soviets start this scenario with a mass of very weak units (the legacy of Kharkov), with low morale and often 'unready' so it can't fight much early on

6 - your FBD you move manually. At this stage of the war they are a bit less important but make sure they are repairing the key rail to the front. The ones that are allocated to HQs will do a good job repairing links and cleaning up after partisan attacks

7 - it hits your combat value hard at the higher levels, so you need to constantly balance speed of movement/intensity of combat against fatigue

8 - varies, I've seen people prioritise rifle squads (ie a key building block to your combat units), over arms pts (key for replacements).

9 - same in that my attention wanders according to what is worrying me. It will tell if you if e-Adolf (or e-Jo) has been dismissing (or even shooting) commanders while you were away and you may want to repair the damage. I think, as with #8 its possibly of more use if you are playing the Soviet side as it gives you information that you can use (more control of production, harder to keep an eye on units swapping TOEs etc)

< Message edited by loki100 -- 1/10/2015 2:38:17 PM >

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Post #: 2

RE: New Player needs advice - 1/10/2015 11:27:46 AM

swkuh

Posts: 1034
Joined: 10/5/2009
Status: offline

3. support level is the number of units by type that may be attached to an HQ, applies to arty, mot Bns. Think Pioneers, construction Bns need to be player moved. Arty type seems to include all calibres. Set corps HQs to "1," intermediate HQs to 0 and OKH to 9 and wait out game code. Eventually the useful Bns will dispose themselves accordingly. If more needed then self-assign and lock. Didn't know if support level/support unit assignments affect command checks. Thought "overloading" related to combat unit assignments only.

4. Thanks, Loki. Who knew? Would appreciate better understanding of this one. Is this basis to cultivate one unit over another?

(in reply to loki100)

Post #: 3

RE: New Player needs advice - 1/10/2015 5:14:06 PM

vandorenp

Posts: 1028
Joined: 8/4/2006
From: Suffolk, VA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: davorp

5. AI Logic

Here I�m trying to create a large pocket, but I notice during the next turn that the AI will wisely evacuate and try to escape. Fair enough, at the same it abandoned Voroshilovgrad which is a VP. Does the AI ever make a stand, like no retreat directive that was common during the conflict on the Easter Front? Like stack some fortified unit in a city and try to bind some of my units for a turn or two so it can rebuild a line further back?

Also does the AI ever try to build and construct a counter attack, like try and conduct an offensive after being on defensive for a while? I see that it will always try to reestablish contact with isolated units so you really need to close the sack completely and fast

Played one game vs AI where I took Leningrad summer of 42. AI Soviets started massing for counteroffensive. I committed two Panzer Armies to offensive starting much further south to flank the mass in a NE direction. It unfolded much slower than I thought was required for success. i was surprised the AI Soviet just wouldn't give up the jump off positions and consequently I bagged the whole lot when I linked up with the Finns. (Subsequently took Moscow early winter and Soviets surrendered)

So the AI can play differently.

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Keydet

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Post #: 4

RE: New Player needs advice - 1/11/2015 8:37:13 PM

Devast8or

Posts: 74
Joined: 4/16/2001
Status: offline

Thanks for the info guys! Appreciate it! I'm still kind of puzzled about the support level but I'll play around with it and see what happens.

(in reply to vandorenp)

Post #: 5

RE: New Player needs advice - 1/11/2015 11:10:19 PM

Timotheus

Posts: 481
Joined: 12/13/2013
Status: offline

"Here I�m trying to create a large pocket, but I notice during the next turn that the AI will wisely evacuate and try to escape. Fair enough, at the same it abandoned Voroshilovgrad which is a VP. Does the AI ever make a stand, like no retreat directive that was common during the conflict on the Easter Front?".

Yup, it does pinprick attacks from turn 3 onward.

It does make a stand when it wants to protect a major location - for example, Leningrad. It tries to organize a defensive line to protect a major objective, like Kiev, Pskov, L-grad, etc, but some of them it is willing to let go more than others if the line is broken/unhinged by Axis. If in danger of encirclement, it runs. Runs fast.

As to them attacking you in a major way... wait till the full blizzard effect happens.

Then you will see.

Oh, you will see.

< Message edited by Timotheus -- 1/12/2015 12:10:37 AM >

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Post #: 6

RE: New Player needs advice - 1/12/2015 6:55:25 AM

Devast8or

Posts: 74
Joined: 4/16/2001
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Timotheus

Then you will see.

Oh, you will see.

Hehe, I look forward to it :) Actually in my current game as shown in the screen above I got sloppy with my right flank (hole) and it attacked there. Coincidence?? Don't know but it sure got my attention so I had to send 4 divisions south to help those poor Romanians that were attacked by a Soviet Tank Guards Corps. Are those Axis allies good for anything? They all seem to have CV 1..

I sure would like to play this game against a human in the future but due to a small child (2 years) and another coming in Match I just can't commit to longer games so I'll have to stick with the AI for the time being. Maybe in WitE 2.0 I'll start sparring with human opponents and if they eventually pull off War In Europe (both East and West) then it's going to be a blast!!

(in reply to Timotheus)

Post #: 7

RE: New Player needs advice - 1/12/2015 11:37:39 AM

Devast8or

Posts: 74
Joined: 4/16/2001
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: loki100

8 - varies, I've seen people prioritise rifle squads (ie a key building block to your combat units), over arms pts (key for replacements).

Maybe stupid question but how do you prioritize elements?
Can you prioritize certain afvs over other?

(in reply to loki100)

Post #: 8

RE: New Player needs advice - 1/12/2015 2:33:44 PM

loki100

Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: davorp

quote:

ORIGINAL: loki100

8 - varies, I've seen people prioritise rifle squads (ie a key building block to your combat units), over arms pts (key for replacements).

Maybe stupid question but how do you prioritize elements?
Can you prioritize certain afvs over other?

unfortunately not, what I meant was how to read all that data. I think different players have identified key lines that are important to them and rifle squads is something I've seen in a number of German AARs

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RE: New Player needs advice - 1/12/2015 8:36:21 PM

Devast8or

Posts: 74
Joined: 4/16/2001
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: loki100

quote:

ORIGINAL: davorp

quote:

ORIGINAL: loki100

8 - varies, I've seen people prioritise rifle squads (ie a key building block to your combat units), over arms pts (key for replacements).

Maybe stupid question but how do you prioritize elements?
Can you prioritize certain afvs over other?

unfortunately not, what I meant was how to read all that data. I think different players have identified key lines that are important to them and rifle squads is something I've seen in a number of German AARs

Too bad, but I guess it would be too difficult to balance. People would find exploits and build unrealistic armies.
What I would like to see in the future (WITE 2.0) are more switches for random events that could effect the course of the war. Now you are basically playing within historical context with little randomness (except for the weather) but it would be fun to explore some what if events that historians have been debating over the years. This is maybe something more important for a game that covers War in Europe. Another thing I'd like as an option is pre-deployment of forces.

(in reply to loki100)

Post #: 10