Dragoon.
Posts: 175
Joined: 3/2/2003
From: Rio Grande do Sul
Status: offline
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Some months ago I played RS too and written down my own thoughts about the campaign. I didn't played all Scenarios from 1.5 so far because of the arrival of SPWaW 8.0. Never less I saw this Thread and thought to copy my comments fron the Word file to here.
Hi Darroch!
My name is Patrick Raphael form Germany.
I am playing Russian Steel 1.5 and have some comments/suggestions for the battles that I have played so far.
I took the forces you used as Testing Force.
1 Company of BT-5 Tanks with a Section of T-34M1 (19 Tanks)
1 Company of SMG Infantry with a extra Platoon of Rifle Infantry
4 76mm AT Guns
4 37mm AA Guns
6 82mm Mortars
1 FO
1 Ammo Truck
6 Cossacks
The Build Points however wasn’t enough to buy all. I increased it to 2000.
I had True Troop Cost on Rarity off.
Battle 1 Dubno Defend
I played already RS 1.4 but stopped after I read that 1.5 is coming out.
Despite the fact that there is still no, DL Link and I had to ask an other forum User to get a copy. ;-), I though to know what to expect in this battle.
Massive German air strikes taking there toll. The first time I played, they hit me really hard, killing a lot of Tanks. The losses of this tanks wasn’t actually so hard to me because I had only took T34 and some KV-1 tanks. They are so advanced that I only needed a few to hold my ground. What has hurt me a lot more was that my accompanying Infantry was wiped out by the bombs.
I had to come up with a plan. I remembered the Kosovo War where Serbian Forces successfully tricked NATO Forces with their cardboard fake Tanks.
They knew, they couldn’t stop or prevent the enemy planes from attacking. So the only thing they could do is to give them something to bombe. Something that makes the Pilots happy to bomb but it doesn’t hurt you.
You provide the player with a lot of SO Wagons. These were my cardboard tanks.
After bringing their cargo to the frontline I placed they on roads in the open fields in the middle of nothing but easy to spot. When my tanks were fighting in the city, I placed them 3-4 hexes around the city.
I could significantly reduce my loss by air raids to only 2-3 tanks when I played this battle several times again.
What I want to tell you is, put these air strikes back. In the first months of the invasion, the German Air force had air superiority. They used this superiority well and literally bomb whole Russian. Because that you should put the air strikes back. However, to not kill the fun, tell the player if in a scenario the Luftwaffe is there. Give him some clues how to counter that and provide him with tools to do so.
Beside that, everything is ok. The scenario have become better, even I liked it already before. That the Germans now march into the city instead is there already was a good decision. Also the tweaking of the German forces in south and north was a good decision.
As note: I used my reinforcements points already in the deployment phase to call a KV-1 Platoon, which saved the day after all T26 and some of my BT-5 were destroyed in the north.
Battle 2 Slutzk Counter
The battle is still some of my favorites. That in the victory hex on the northwestern end of the road is now German controlled was a good idea.
I found the battle a bit easy but this is more because I already played it before and the flame tank was wiped out before doing any hard damage. One was destroyed by a rife hit *lol*.
There were some problems with the loaded 251/1 Halftracks that the computer retreated to the other side of the river.
Because of my fast advance, I forgot about the later arriving recon troops.
It was really thrilling because I go caught be surprise. Lucky for me I had some depleted Cossacks Squads guarding the northwestern Victory hex. In 3 turns, this hex change the owner 3 times before some of my tanks made clear it belongs once and for all to me. *g* I thing that this is where the scenarios could be improved. Add some more late comers. I would add 2-3 PzII and maybe even a PzIV plus one under strength Platoon low on ammo. A force not strong enough to really battle a tank enchanted foe but something that is not going to die without a good fight.
Battle 3 Slonim Escape
Well the only difference that I noted was a new crossing over the river east of the old one. A small but imported change. It was a lot easier to clear the road to the crossing and to defend the road and the crossing. This relieved me from some stress and improved fun. Only when the last troops were to cross the Germans from west and the tanks from the south started to hit the crossing. The Germans moving from the north could be delayed with smoke.
When I first time played this scenario back in RS 1.4 it really pissed me off that some many trucks and tanks had been flooded out when crossing the river.
I came up with the idea to use a barge as “bridge”. This time I used my support points to bought one and it work perfectly. Not only that it reduced the risk of flood out significantly because there is now only 1 water hex they have to move through. The one next to the barge, it also speeded up the crossing it self because the troop was immediately shifted over the river not blocking the riverbank for following troops. This time only 2 Yaks and 1 AA Truck flooded out and with the barge I could “push them away” to a other hex.
I’m not sure if you had this in mind when you designed the scenario but I’m quit happy with my little trick. Call it Russian inventiveness. Maybe so should include a barge in the scenario as default.
Oh, I used my reinforcement points for calling a company of KV-1 for defending the west road and later helping to defend the north-southwest road crossing.
A mistake because it coasted me the decisive victory. Too much points where lost due the points going to the enemy for calling reinforcement and that they was retreated so late.
Battle 4 Pripet Delay
This battle is ok how it is. I really enjoyed the close-quarter battles in the western woods. Maybe it is too easy to defend the eastern part of the map against the German Kampfgruppe. Because I don’t see that a minor defeat could happen when your core force is in good shape. I don’t think a lot of people will ever play the scenario you get for a minor defeat.
Battle 4.5 Briansk Raid
I noticed a spelling mistake in the scenario text.
Our Loyal Partisans have reported German Convoys moving about in the are (area).
I don’t know if it is good to point out an other one mistakes when my own spelling and grammar is… *g*
Oh in German, Military police is called Feldjäger (Feldjaeger) not Feldpolizei.
Battle 5 Orel Meeting
Good one, especially when you immediately start to bombard the bridges with your 152mm and 203mm Guns.
Battle 8 Taifun Defend
Oh, my good you should have really warn me about this massive Stuka attack.
The first time I send immediately 2 Platoons T-34 with troops to the frontline.
They were completely wiped out. I quitted and redeployed my forces and this time I stayed behind.
If you hadn’t placed this 82mm Mortar with all this smoke shell, I’m sure my core Tanks had suffer great losses. But the combination of smoke and my now experienced SMG infantry was really deadly to this German rush in the south.
After the battle I understand why the Germans was hitting and killing at any range. 100 Experience troops how mean. *g*
Battle 9 Moscow Defend
At first, I was quite disappointed when I saw the scenario.
Because when I saw all this trenches, fire lanes and fortifications I hoped to deploy my forces there. Seeing how the German forces break their neck on the Moscow defenses.
Fortunately, my opinion changed completely after I start to play it. The Map offers much space to maneuver and laying ambushes.
Battle 10 Moscow Counter
I quickly start to hate this battle. As it was advised in the Scenario briefing, I aggressively pushed west. I was conquering the last Victory Hexes, when right in front of me many German Tanks spawned. I never had a change to opfire. After this I quickly retreated. Well it was more a rout.
Battle 12 Kaluga Defend
This battle was until now the best from all. The battle has a good design.
A nice trick to deploy German Units in certain spots that then move out when a number of Victory hexes has been conquered. This gave the battle a lot of movement and the feeling there is someone setting up counter attacks.
Battle 13 Juhnov Assault
This battle was extremely hard. I got out a draw and I am happy it was not worse.
A small force attacked the central village. The losses were 1 KV and one T34 lost to mines and 1 KV immobilized by a Stuka attack.
Most of my forces went south around of the big central hill. They took the Victory Hex there. They than helped take the central village and the little hill east of the southern village. The price was 4 more T34 lost. One lost to a close assault and 3 to AT fire.
My original plan was to pass the southern village north and go directly after the hill in the west. I thought I could than attack the village from behind and later the north village from the south. I quickly forgot that after I lost two more tanks. One to a close assault from the recon unit and one to the AT gun firing down the hill. A Task force of 5 T34 and 1 platoon SMG try to enter the southern village from south. They had more luck, because they had not losses but 3 tanks were knocked out.
My force finally link up in the center of the village after destroyed all this bunkers along the way. Not to forget the armored counter attack they had to repel. I check than the ammunition levels of my tanks. I got a good shock when I saw that 4 Tanks where out of AP round. When looking at their remaining HE rounds they must been past sometime when they shot the last AP shell.
No wonder they were doing so badly.
Two Tanks other tanks had only 11 and 9 rounds AP left. Whit the fact it has been 18th turn this mean my offensive was practical over. All I could do was to retreat my 4 now useless Tanks out of AP rounds. The remaining 2 Tanks with the infantry killed than the last German present in the village.
I saw than how a second German Tank force was heading from the north to the village. My infantry hid in the houses ready to ambush them. Luck for me the immobilized KV was repaired to help them out.
The hill on the northern edge could be taken with my Guards platoon and heavy artillery support. I never had a change to take or even move near the northern village.
I started with 19 Tanks from that were 8 destroyed, 3 immobilized, 4 out of AP rounds and 2 had only 5 AP rounds left.
In the briefing, it was told that the defenses and minefields are not finished and weak in the flank and rear areas. I tried to take advantage of it by trying to maneuver around the village and attack from behind. This led me directly in front of this hill full of AT bunkers and 5cm PAK.
These guns were firing all the time on my forces later when they entered the village. I was out of their killing range but one of my tanks was striped of all his machine guns. *g*
Its suicide to flank the enemy like it suggest in the briefing.
The only right way is to do a direct frontal attack on the village.
Do not get me wrong. I had fun playing the battle but I had all the time this bitter taste in my mouth. Like I have been send into a sure death trap.
The battle should be edited to be more playability. Reduce the armor of the bunkers and men inside them. This should prevent that the tank ran out of ammo. Sometimes strongpoint can take a surprising amount of hits. Usually each hit kill one man. So when you reduce the occupants from 15 to say we 5-4 men. This should prevent the player from aborting the assault, because his tanks are out of ammunition.
Battle 14 Borodino Hedgehog
After the last battle, this scenario was quite relaxing to play.
I found only one thing here disappointing. I only got a Marginal Victory.
7697 Soviets to 2147 Germans. I was slaughtering the Germans with ease. Only in the northwest, they could put up a good defense. The German had tanks and skilled machine gunners there. I had only one T28 and a dozen of under strength squads.
However, after my core T-34 arrived they died like the rest.
On turn 4 the Kolkhoz Farm has fallen. Turn 8 the fortress and on turn 13 all Victory Hex where under my control. In turn 15, the last German died on this map.
My losses where only 1 T34 to a mine and 5 of the Aux Tanks. Additionally 160 men and 1 mortar where lost. It should been a decisive victory and the hex values should be tweaked. The other thing I note that made this battle so easy. That the German infantry almost never shot my cavalry units unless I moved directly next to them. They reacted only when I shot them before.
So when my cavalry discovered the infantry positions, I moved a tank in and killed them. When the German had at least shot my cavalry at a distance of two, they could have delayed my advance significantly. I had then to reliant on my infantry by foot to scout ahead. This is of course much slower.
Battle 16 Vyazma Rescue
This battle played well. I have nothing to improve and defiantly nothing to complain.
Battle 17 Oka Bend Assault
Ouch, the minefields took their toll but at least it was quit fun shooting up the weak Hungarians.
Battle 18 Oka Bridgehead
The paratrooper action was cool. Sad they were so slaughtered by the German Tanks. What was not so funny was the first sighting of the new German Tanks with 7.5cm long guns. I’m really fighting by the thought to meat my first Cat.
Battle 19 Fighting Retreat
Wow. This battle had good strategic deep. I attacked the northern German Taskforce from four directions. East with the AT guns, southeast, south and from southwest with T34. They never had a change in this crossfire. I took them out in no time by the book. However, at the least two turns I noticed a problem when I was scouting with a cavalry unit the highway bridge. I discovered the southern Task Force. All German tanks there were stacking on Hex 88.55. Maybe their paths were blocked by the minefield on Hex 89.54. Possible the removal could help. When I took the opportunity to fire all my mortars on this hex, which killed six Tanks, the now dismounted infantry could move toward my position.
Nice of you to give 750 rebuild points after this battle. I have now 14 T-34 m.42E Tanks. My favorite tanks, which I will now really need because of their apcr Ammo against the heavy tanks.
Battle 20 Millerrovo Delay
Hmm, one word: Boring. It was so lame watching the German tanks driving around the map. Here and there shooting up the Russian infantry with impunity and then only be slaughtered defenseless by my tanks.
I hate really maps with visibility 40. I am then always forced to watch the move of every ****ing unit. Because it was so boring to see the drive of German Tanks through the endless Russian steppes, I started to watch TV at the same time.
Battle 21 Morozovsk Delay
First, I thought, oh again a boring battle, but after finishing, I was quite satisfied.
My first plan was to send one tank platoon to the forest north and one south for flank attacks. The rest went to the central city. Nevertheless, when I saw this 8 PIVF2 with 8 Marder-II coming from the west I had enough. I mean this force plus all the other PIVF2 and the Sturmgeschuetze with 7.5cm long. Only a dozen 76.2cm ZIS-guns could fight this force. In the briefing, it was told to preserve the core force. So I immediately loaded my infantry on the tanks. My complete core forces march to the retreat hex and left the map. Only the HQ and mortars stayed on the ammo dump I have bought with the supply points. I transported the onboard artillery and ammo trucks there too. Then I set opfire to automatic set range to maximum for all units. All what I was doing now was to set artillery fire. I didn’t even fire or moved units. I left all to opfire.
I hoped to get at least a minor defeat. I was quite surprised when I got a draw. *LOL* Soviet 8743 Points, Germans 7723 Points
All what my core force did before I retreat them was to shoot up 3 PZIII, 2 PZIV and 4 Half-tracks, except of course the mortar kills.
Oh, 2 AI faults I discovered. The victory hex (10-Points per Turn) in the southwest corner, on the hill with the two Infantry-guns was never taken. Northeast from that there is a victory hex next to an Infantry Gun too was never retaken after I retook it with the guns crew. Even German infantry was close
Battle 22 Don Cauldron
This battle was relieving after the previous two dreary battles.
However, I must admit that this battle was a bit too easy for me. I could hold the village with ease and the recon forces overrun the Germans at ford without my core tanks help.
Battle 23 Gumrak Escape
Ouch, I say. I was nicely beaten here. I played it two times. The first time 3 tank platoons were shoot to pieces from 88’s, 7.5 and 5 cm Pak’s when I tried to squish the Infantry. After that, I learned that this tree line mark how far I could advance. Everything were going good, until the German forces from south arrived.
The first units were easily defeated, but then platoon after platoon arrived.
I had a Tank Platoon with Infantry stationed in the woods near the most western victory hex. They had no change. However, the scenario made so much fun, that the loss of an entire tank platoon and a SMG platoon didn’t upset me.
Battle 24 Spartanovka Raid
I love this kind of battles. You go in, rape the enemy, and get out before anyone knows what actually happened. Fun scenario. Good Work!
Battle 27 Serafimovich Assault
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