Observations from my current german campaign

[runequester]

Just because Polish tanks die easily, doesn't mean they can't blow up Panzers just fine.

Having ammo dumps next to my artillery is awesome... until a 100mm barrage comes inbound.

The 50mm mortar may be the worst weapon in the German arsenal

Tried level bombers for the first time.. a 7 turn delay is undoubtedly realistic, but also means these weapons are hard to employ.

I need to get better at predicting enemy deployment areas

The AT rifles are spending more time submachinegunning hapless infantry stragglers than actually getting within 2-3 hexes of Polish armour. They did shoot up a few tanks but its a bonus rather than an expectation.

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by runequester

Just because Polish tanks die easily, doesn't mean they can't blow up Panzers just fine.

Having ammo dumps next to my artillery is awesome... until a 100mm barrage comes inbound.

The 50mm mortar may be the worst weapon in the German arsenal

Tried level bombers for the first time.. a 7 turn delay is undoubtedly realistic, but also means these weapons are hard to employ.

I need to get better at predicting enemy deployment areas

The AT rifles are spending more time submachinegunning hapless infantry stragglers than actually getting within 2-3 hexes of Polish armour. They did shoot up a few tanks but its a bonus rather than an expectation.

- Early German tanks were not much technically superior from their neighbours, bar the radio fit and perhaps reliability. And they were inferior in armour to most French kit and some British. So an early German player has to learn to use them tactically, using enveloping moves to engage on the flanks and not simply standing still and duelling.

- If you park next door to an arty dump and draw attention to yourself by firing, then you can expect incoming delivery of presents by the other side which tends to touch off the ammo dump. Fire from a spot and then move the guns/mortars to a separate resupply location to bomb up again, and then move them to a fresh firing point to set up before firing again. If you must park beside an ammo supplier - use an armoured ammo carrier or an ammo bunker (hideously expensive, and deliberately so).

- The indirect fire 50mm mortars of any nation are pretty useless, unless you are in a static WWI trench situation at less than 500 yards. Use the heavy infantry section variants with them as direct fire weapons instead.

- Level bombers are only there for scenario designers to do the Normandy type opening barrages, e.g Goodwood and Cobra, and as a pre-planned barrage. The long delay in the game is simply to accommodate any player who takes them as on-call which is rather unrealistic in any case. Use your points on strike air, it is more versatile, or on arty.

- Rifle calibre anti-tank rifles are rather unreliable at killing even level one armour at 100m or less. Just as was discovered in WWII. A section of 37mm gun tanks per rifle coy, or a towed 37mm ATG section is more useful in this time frame - the latter needs skill to use properly though. Even a scout car armed with 20mm is useful in Poland as an AT and APERS support to riflemen. Otherwise, stick to any infantry with the gebalt ladnung hand grenade bundle till better AT grenades arrive in Russia.
(And if the AT rifles have enemy infantry within SMG range then they are in a perilous situation indeed!)

Andy

[runequester]

yeah, everything matches historical expectation. I am kicking myself over losing quite a few tanks to the Polish. I am well aware of the shortcomings of 1940 armour (I play tabletop miniatures games and mostly do Blitzkrieg era battles), but I got overcome by the urge to send tanks forward on their own. Needless to say, that didnt go well


Good observation on the level bombers. I wanted to try them out, but they are definately not something thats suitable in a battalion level fight

[Imp]

If you want to do an assault bombers are quite a good thing to use for simulating pre game bombardment as drop quite a bit then disapear so player cant use.

[Lt. Ketch]

Originally Posted by runequester

...I got overcome by the urge to send tanks forward on their own. Needless to say, that didnt go well

Been there. Done that. Hated myself for it. A while ago I posted a thread on sending unsupported tanks forward. If you, or anybody else, would like some good pointers on armoured advnaces and other topics, you can check it out here - http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=42493. To be perfectly honest, you've got more guts then I do. I hate Poland!

[runequester]

Fighting the British in 1940 is almost a bit of a breather. Though they buy far more artillery than I was anticipating. My poor guys are taking a LOT of 25 pdr shells inbound.

[reverend]

Level bomber in beach assault or river crossings can be a lot of fun. Or in a long battle where the enemy doesn't move his artillery after it being spotted.