WIP Campaign "Za Rodinu!"

[jivemi]

OK, thanks Ts4EVER, but how is the player to determine from the briefing that ROADS are to be avoided as well as enemy units? Adding a platoon of armored cars doesn't exactly connect the dots. Likewise, how is a player to divine the single unopposed route--with a ford that can trap tanks as well as trucks--while presuming that a trench at its end "has no weapons to speak of"?

As you noted in an earlier post, "The trick is using your recon to uncover the enemy positions, destroy those closest to the road, direct fire tank smoke at the rest and then feed your infantry through." That implies moving along a road, n'est-ce pas? Which is precisely what I did, or tried to do, blowing away units along the road while masking off or bypassing the rest. So how is anybody to know that "powering through" like that wasn't what you were "looking for"?

All right, it's easy to be a critic. Your scenarios and campaigns are much appreciated. But a complex problem such as this--with various plausible avenues of approach over consider distance and numerous scattered objectives--might be expected to have more than one obscure "easy" solution based on advanced knowledge of enemy dispositions, IMHO.

End of rant . It's a neat scenario regardless of my whining. Sorry for any ruffled feathers. Thanks for your kind attention and dedication to Steel Panthers. Cheers and carry on.

[Ts4EVER]

No ruffled feathers at all, this is the kind of thing a test needs to uncover, obviously the briefing is not clear enough. I will add a line that heavy resistance should be bypassed and one should keep ones eyes open for alternative routes. Maybe I will add a small graphical representation on the map too.

[jivemi]

Glad you're unruffled . Didn't wanna "look a gift horse in the mouth" or otherwise display ingratitude. Thanks for understanding.

--SPOILERS, BEWARE--

It would be quite difficult to broadly hint at the perfect approach in your briefing without, in effect, verbally drawing arrows on the map and saying "Go here." It looks like you've got to take the north road before going off-road to cross the stream. Not too obvious, especially when the commander doesn't know which trench line is weakest. OTOH a hint on the map itself would probably give away the solution too easily. Not saying it's impossible, just delicate and tricky.

You could, as zovs66 suggested, add more support (I'd prefer infantry with HT's for mobility). Or reposition some defenders to equalize the MLR while thinning out roadblocks a bit. Either alteration (or both) would make "powering through" along any road a more viable option.

Then again maybe the scenario is fine as it is. You've already established yourself as a designer of original, very challenging
battles and campaigns. Why change your signature in an attempt to please everyone? After all, I DID get an MV once I sobered up and reloaded, with enough repair points to fix all but 3 or 4 of the core. There are no doubt better gamers who could score a DV by taking just about any reasonable path to the objectives. So maybe you're better off waiting for more feedback from other players before making any changes.

Enough bloviating. Thanks for reading and good luck. Cheers, Jon

[Ts4EVER]

I decided to increase the number of rounds to 40 and to decrease the morale of all German forces not in the defensive line by 20 points, on account of them being beaten and retreating. I will also add a clearer briefing.

[Double_Deuce]

What post has the latest release? Is it this one?

[Ts4EVER]

Yes.

[Ts4EVER]

BTW I will wait for the final feedback from you guys and then post a finished version. After that I reckon I might have one other campaign in me before becoming sick of winspww2 for a few months. Does anybody have a good idea for one? No more Germans or Americans please, we have enough of those.

Three ideas I had:
Greek campaign about the battle for Rimini
Romanian First Armoured Division (you could be fighting Russians AND Germans!)
Canadian Campaign, maybe with a focus on the battle of the scheldt estuary

[zovs66]

Well I have played through to the 3rd scenario twice now, and it's no fun on that one. The fun factor for this CG on this scenario is NIL.

Like I have said I have been playing SPWW2 for 10+ years and I mostly only play CG. This one has some serious issues.

Its now Turn 21 and I have been stopped outside the last German Trench lines with no way to win. Here are my losses with the 3rd try.

A0 T-34/85 M1943 (Dam 4)
B0 BA-64 AOP Destroyed
C1 Maxim HMG [2] Destroyed
C2 ZiS Truck Destroyed
C3 ZiS Truck Destroyed
D3 PTRD ATR Team Destroyed
D4 ZiS Truck Destroyed
D5 ZiS Truck Destroyed
D6 ZiS Truck Destroyed
F3 ZiS 42 Destroyed
F5 ZiS 42 Destroyed
G1 Tank Hunters Destroyed
G2 Scouts Destroyed
G3 Sniper Destroyed
G4 M3A1 Scout Car Destroyed
G5 SdKfz 251/1 Destroyed
H0 T-34/76 M1943 Destroyed
I1 T-34/76 M1943 Destroyed
I2 T-34/76 M1943 Destroyed
J0 T-34/76 M1943 Destroyed
J1 T-34/76 M1943 Destroyed
J2 T-34/76 M1943 Destroyed
K0 T-34/76 M1943 Destroyed
K1 T-34/76 M1943 Destroyed
K2 T-34/76 M1943 Abandoned
O0x BA-64 Destroyed
O1x BA-64 Destroyed
O2x BA-64 Destroyed
O3x BA-64 Destroyed

Sorry but this CG needs some work man...

[Ts4EVER]

In the final version you will have more time and the Germans on the road start heavily demoralized.

[zovs66]

Well that is good to know, those 75 ATG are very trigger happy and like to stay concealed after 2-3 T-34s go up in smoke, kind of hurts the CG when 6 of your 9 Tanks go up in smoke and you can't add to your core.