GC upgrade project replays

[nikivdd]

The army survived the hell of Tatsinskaya with only one loss, a core Bf 109g; it could have been a lot worse. I haven't seen so much enemy air activity in any of the scenarios sofar and plenty of tanks to shoot at.
Fortunately, the last objective was taken at turn 16, 33402 PP
This scenario marks the end of DLC 42.

45 - Tatsinskaya (16 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

Let's start DLC 43 with same campaign parameters as before.
After upgrading a whole bunch of units, this is the current state of the core army (*=100 XP):

1x 43 Wehr ***, 2x 43 Wehr ****, 2x 43 Gebirgsjäger ****, 1x 43 Pioniere ****, 1x 43 Brückenpioniere, 1x MG 42 **, 2x MG 42 ****
2x Pz IIIM ****, 1x Pz IVG ***, 3x Pz IVG ****, 1x Tiger I *, 2x Tiger I ***, 2x Pz IIG ***, 1x SS Tiger I ***, 2x SS Tiger I ****
2x StuG IIIG
3x 17 cm K18 ****, 1x siG33 II(sf) ***, 1x siG33 II(sf) ****, 2x StuG IIIE ****
1x SdKfz 7/1 **, 1x SdKfz 7/1 ***
2x Bf 109g ****, 1x Bf 109g ***, 1x Fw 190A, 3x Fw 190A ****
5x Ju 87D ****
2x Bonus Bf 110F ****
3x He 177A ****

[goose_2]

I decided to escape Stalingrad. Together with the Hungarian allies all objectives were taken and seven Hungarian units made it to the designated area.
DV in 11 turns, 33829 PP, and first core loss of the campaign: a Bf 110f.
I'm impatiently waiting for the Tiger I to appear, but as my army needs a bit more armor, i bought two StuG IIIF/8's.

44 - Escape from Stalingrad (11 turns).rar

Just incredible to have made it this far with only one core loss, my bashing continues into 1945 with losing 2 more units in Marck.

[goose_2]

Let's start DLC 43 with same campaign parameters as before.
After upgrading a whole bunch of units, this is the current state of the core army (*=100 XP):

1x 43 Wehr ***, 2x 43 Wehr ****, 2x 43 Gebirgsjäger ****, 1x 43 Pioniere ****, 1x 43 Brückenpioniere, 1x MG 42 **, 2x MG 42 ****
2x Pz IIIM ****, 1x Pz IVG ***, 3x Pz IVG ****, 1x Tiger I *, 2x Tiger I ***, 2x Pz IIG ***, 1x SS Tiger I ***, 2x SS Tiger I ****
2x StuG IIIG
3x 17 cm K18 ****, 1x siG33 II(sf) ***, 1x siG33 II(sf) ****, 2x StuG IIIE ****
1x SdKfz 7/1 **, 1x SdKfz 7/1 ***
2x Bf 109g ****, 1x Bf 109g ***, 1x Fw 190A, 3x Fw 190A ****
5x Ju 87D ****
2x Bonus Bf 110F ****
3x He 177A ****

That is a solid army that I will have to compare to mine when I get some time.
What is your prestige at the start of 1943?

[nikivdd]

That is a solid army that I will have to compare to mine when I get some time.
What is your prestige at the start of 1943?

Just over 28000 PP after upgrades

[nikivdd]

Kharkov is captured once again. The local Soviet counter-attacks can be deadly, especially if the bridges over the Donets river remain unprotected. I'm sure i could have captured much more here, but somehow the offensive run out of momentum on the far side of the river. One bonus Bf 110 was downed but considering the circumstances, it is a loss i can live with. DV in 17 turns, 29258 PP.

46 - Kharkov43 (17 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

Belgorod fell, with surprisingly small opposition. The Soviet tanks on the eastern bank of the Donets river was efficiently taken care of and to my surprise i managed to destroy the entire Soviet force on the map. The Soviet air force could be a major pain, but i fielded enough fighters to deal with them swiftly.
Previously i lost the bonus Bf 110 but i got a nice bonus Ju 87 in return, it is almost a two star unit after one mission.
A DV in 17 turns, no core losses, 28927 PP.

47 - Belgorod (17 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

A very intense but rather quick engagement. All kind of Soviet goodies are committed against my forces; partizans, paratroopers, heaps of tanks and planes but in the end, the city of Orel was never threatened.
A DV in 11 turns, no core losses, 28052 PP.

48 - Orel (11 turns).rar

Replay

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[nikivdd]

Only to be able to chose only 9 units at the start of DLC 42-43 West is difficult. With a DLC 41 East core available, it pains to depart from so many good units.
You require the DLC 42/43 W upgrade package to be able to watch.
I play DLC 42/43 W on Colonel, AI level 2, combat random, reform units off, v1.21 rules with softcap switched off.

These are the units i chose (*=100 XP):

MG 42 *** with +2 attack, +3 initiative
MG 42 *** with +2 attack, +1 movement
MG 42 *** with +3 initiative, +3 movement, +2 defence
17 cm K 18 *** with +3 attack
SdKfz 7/1 ***
Bf 109F ** +3 attack, -2 defence, +2 initiative
Bf 109F *** +2 attack, +1 defence, +2 initiative
Ju 87D *** +9 attack, +9 defence, +1 movement, +1 spotting
Do 217E *** +3 attack

SS Pz IVF/2 *** +1 spotting
SS Pz IVF/2 *** +2 defence
SS Pz IVF/2 ** +1 attack

In order to protect the docks, i committed a MG42, a Bf 109f and the Do 217E together with the two auxiliary Kradschützen.
The remaining units were used to repulse the Allied attack in the northwestern sector of St Nazaire.

DV 14/14, no core losses, 2875

1 - St Nazaire, Turn 14.rar

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[nikivdd]

The second mission, in Bayonne, i upgraded the Do 217E to a He 177A. I bought two siG 33 II (sf) and a Pz IVF/2.
In the upgraded version, the German reinforcements have been changed into made in Germany equipment, not the Soviet stuff any longer. For now you can grab the updated scenarios from page 15 http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtop ... &start=300 ; you also find the latest changes for the next missions.
The British commando's are a nice touch in this version; ast they are stronger i had to be a tad more careful in eliminating them. At least with the all-German reinforcements (also in Dieppe), it won't be so costly to upgrade those units. Altough the T-34s and KV-1s (Dieppe) are tempting, they are too expensive to upgrade.

A DV in 7 turns, no core losses and 1005 PP.

2 - Bayonne, Turn 7.rar

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[milliethedog]

Hi Nico, are you going to fight in the East after completing the west?

Martin

[nikivdd]

Hi Nico, are you going to fight in the East after completing the west?

Martin

Very soon, i am waiting for a few last minute panzers arriving by rail transport

[nikivdd]

Successfully concluded the Hardelot map hopping. DV in 16 turns, no core losses, 699 PP.
The first strike is always at the same place, the second is an amphibious assault (two possible landing areas) and the third is a land attack (either from the northeastern or southeastern edge) has more to do with luck than planning where most of the core army will be concentrated by that time. At least there weren't any Allied planes...

3 - Hardelot, Turn 16.rar

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[goose_2]

Nuts here is where I tap out as I have not played West and am desiring to do a Blind Playthrough.

Blessings on your endeavors Nico.

[nikivdd]

Nuts here is where I tap out as I have not played West and am desiring to do a Blind Playthrough.

Blessings on your endeavors Nico.

It is a confirmation that Panzer Corps is a great game

[nikivdd]

At the start of Dieppe it was time for a few upgrades.
The SS Pz IVF/2 to G, regular Pz IVF/2 to G, Pz IIIJ to L, Bf 109F to G and i bought a new Bf 109G.
I had no prestige left, so i sold the Pz IIF just in case.
10 turns were required to drive the invaders back, enemy air force is tough (almost lost a fighter). The level bomber was used at first to sink enemy transports containing most troublesome units (like Churchill tank).
The scenario felt better with all German equipment, the StuG IV prototype and a prestige reward (2000 PP on normal difficulty).
No core losses and 3354 PP.

4 - Dieppe, Turn 10.rar

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By the time i finish the next scenario, the train transports carrying much needed panzers will have arrived just on time to start offensive operations at Ponyri, Kursk sector north.

[nikivdd]

The enemy incursion of the Gironde estuary has failed; subs are vulnerable against stuka attacks. The enemy ground attack was repulsed abruptly and we send them all back to England in any ship that could carry them.
A DV in 12 turns, no core losses, 2909 PP.

5 - Gironde, Turn 12.rar

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[nikivdd]

The battle of Kursk has begun. New equipment became available, so i did some upgrades first. All Pz IVG to H, a StuG IIIE to Panzerwerfer 42, a Pz IIIL to Panther A.
I fielded almost my entire Luftwaffe, including the three He 177A for uncooperative clients.
The bulk of the army is being deployed between Tagnio and Maloarkhangelsk, including a core Bridge engineer since i cannot lose time to cross the Oka river. The objective of Nizhnee-Mukhanovo is protected by 4 core units, not more because i do not see this area as a second staging area to attack.
The first battle of Kursk is intense; the army suffers from attrition in a target rich environment. I kept concentrating on the main objectives, advancing slowly, dealing with the most pesky units first (AA to name one), holding off the Soviet counter-attacks. The southernmost objectives were taken in turn 16, 28447 PP. I lost a core unit underway but i still have to figure out which one; i refill the mug from time to time during AI turns .

49 - Ponyri (16 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

Olkhovatka is just a continuation of the previous mission in terms of enemy activity and my core army's progress; it is really a slugfest at times. The second Pz IIIL was upgraded to a panther D.
The battle of Kursk can really be an expansive affair if one is not careful. I am lucky that most of my infantry and artillery were barely scratched, the panzers are not too badly damaged but i guess that the units of the Luftwaffe lost most strength points.
All objectives were achieved by turn 15, no core losses and 27576 PP.
I hope that raiding the armories at Kursk will yield some profit.

50 - Olkhovatka (15 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

At the start i upgraded the bonus Stuka to model G, the second StuG IIIE to Panzerwerfer 42.
The Kursk armories have been raided. The question is if it is really worth it to risk the army for two KV-85s? In my case i would say yes, because several units got another hero, the army gained more experience and there are quite some flags to capture for some extra prestige. Because of the introduction of the KV-85 and the IS-1 on the battlefield, the Soviets have once again an edge over the Germans in terms of armor and initiative. It will be a good time to upgrade the core stuka's to model G for their superior fire power against armored units. For this mission, strength point losses have been rather few among the ground units, but most of the Luftwaffe units got quite a beating; the threat does not really come from the Soviet fighters but from their cursed AA.
I waited to take the last objective until the other flags were taken but still got the DV in 16 turns, 28079 PP and no core losses (phew).

51 - Kursk Armory North (16 turns).rar

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Casualty report for the entire campaign so far:

Casualty01.png (136.36 KiB) Viewed 3335 times

I think it is impressive