GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis, Di

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hugh2711
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis

Post by hugh2711 »

7) Caen [DV] Prestige = 5172 [three capturable units + 100 prestige per turn]
Strategy: Easier than it looks. Medium sized map. The trick in this one is to form some killing fields on the river orne crossings. The enemy will come across like lemmings and you can force lots of surrenders by just blocking with infantry backed up by arty. At the same time a group of tanks goes north up the left side and takes out the (defended) dumps to get the free capturables. When they have run out of units to be slaughtered, just cross the river with your infantry backed up by arty and retake the urban hexes. There is plenty of time to get alot of the secondary hexes as well. The hardest part of this scenario are the strong waves of air attack one of which is about halfway through. You get given a few aux units which are usefull as a sacrifice to slow them down while you position yourself.
Core activity:re-overstrength Do355a. Bought anther stug 4 as needed more artilliary.
Deployed: Softcap at 43% 2x grenadier, 2x para, M+3, pionere, 3x KT, 5x SE KT, 2x stug4, 17cm, 4x wurf, sig38. Air; 6xf, 2x TB, 1x SB.
Destroyed: 39.13.2.6.7.3.3.3.5.2. Total = 83.
Comments: As expected. The sherman is worth 383, the churchill 527 and the spitfire 478. I am disbanding all three because there is no in family upgrade and it is not worth the little experience they have. They are worth in total 1432.
Attachments
replay(24.03.2018) Caen, Turn 19.rar
(55.42 KiB) Downloaded 132 times
hugh2711
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis

Post by hugh2711 »

You now have a choice of two paths each of two scenarios. Both of them consist of an easy scenario and a hard one. I will follow the toulon/montelimar path. The reason for this is; although the st lo scenario is very easy the following falaise scenario is difficult to get a DV, alot more difficult than it is to get a DV in montelimar.

8 ) Toulon [DV] Prestige = 6538
Strategy: Straightforward scenario. It is a large map with lots of units spread out. Mixed terrain. A few waves of air activity. First I would block the naval invasion around St Tropez. At the same time I woud spread my forces out to deal with the most northerly enemy unts i.e. get rid of all those above the arc and argens rivers. Then my main thrust would be along the coastal plain from east to west. Other spread out units would retake any other relevant hexes and deal with the smaller enemy drive north along the west side.
Core activity: Bought a couple more wurfrahmen. Disbanded the three previously captured units. Minor repairs and overstrengthening.
Deployed: Softcap = 39% Grenadier, 2x para, M+3, pionere, 3x KT, 5x KT, recon, stug4, 6x wurfrahmen, sig38, 88mm, mobileAA. Air; 6x F, 2x TB, 1x SB.
Destroyed: 44,11,4,0,6,0,0,6,2,3. Total = 76
Comments: As expected easy. Most of my losses came from air attacks. I dont expect to use those two extra wufrahmen again. There is a case to be made for having a flammpanzer to deal with all those spare enemy infantry however once again a new one would be too vulnerable without heroes and I dont really have the time to farm it up. Next run I might try to train one.
Attachments
replay(29.03.2018) Toulon, Turn 15.rar
(53.22 KiB) Downloaded 125 times
hugh2711
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis

Post by hugh2711 »

9) Montelimar [DV] Prestige = 8244
Strategy: A tall, thin map. The location of the airfields makes this awkward for air cover. Straightforward IFF....This is one of those where I would have to say a MV is harder than a DV. A DV is very easy if you bypass alot of the VH's and secondary hexes and you just go straight for the DV transporting the units completeing the mission. There are a couple of waves of air attacks but nothing too big and one big tank counter attack after you take a central VH in your path is easily dealt with by the king tigers. You dont need to use the 5 transport units at all, just get them to where they have to go.
Core activity: Repair pionere. Minor repairs.
Deployed: I deployed 9! less units than I was allotted, this kept me just about under the softcap and showed how easy the DV is. Grenadier, para, M+3, 2x KT, 5X SE KT, stug4, 4x wurf, mobile AA. Air; 5xF, 2X TB, 1x SB.
Destroyed: 8,7,3,7,2,0,0,4,2,4. Total = 37
Comments: As expected , easy. I did rush it finishing before neccessary and played it quite badly anyway :-) . It is better to take that central airfield as early as possible to make life more comfortable for your airforce. With a bit more concentration it would be easy to take a few more hexes and destroy a few more units. However my prestige is quite good now so I dont really need it. The 5 transports can be disbanded for 700 prestige.
Attachments
replay(30.03.2018) Montelimar, Turn 13.rar
(49.72 KiB) Downloaded 129 times
hugh2711
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis

Post by hugh2711 »

10) Arnhem [DV] Prestige = 11485 [enemy goes first]
Strategy: Another quick and easy scenario. Your king tigers can take anything thrown at them so as long as you keep them in the right clear hexes they can go anywhere you want and brush off any opposition. Their performance against infantry is so good you should not take any losses on them. You just have to survive the initial onslaught of lots of paratrooper units. For this you will need a staggered deployment and to be careful about what units you initially place where, including your three range wurfrahmen. You will also need other experienced wurfrahmen for thier excellent infantry destroying ability. You also need lots of air units, firstly to destroy the big initial wave of air attack and secondly to take out as many transports in the air while they are vulnerable before they can deploy. Some of their fighters initially go to pre-arranged positions so traps can be set. You should have time to also take/retake some secondary hexes for prestige.
Core activity: Convert all the fighters to me262's. This is a big step up in initiative and attack so they will have superiority for a good while. The experimental Ta152h will be converted as well as it is a big step up, of course it keeps its excellent heroes. Disband the 5 transports for the prestige. Minor repairs.
Deployed: Again I deployed 9 less units than allotted, just about keeping me at the softcap. grenadier,2x para, M+3, pionere, 2x KT, 5X SE KT, 4x wurf, mobileAA, 5x me262, SE109g, 2x tactical bomber.
Destroyed: 28,0,0,4,0,0,0,6,0,0. Total = 38
Comments: As expected. Although my prestige took a big dip for converting all my fighters to 262's I still have plenty. That was more profitable than it appears.
Attachments
replay(30.03.2018) Arnhem, Turn 8.rar
(46.21 KiB) Downloaded 118 times
Last edited by hugh2711 on Sat Mar 31, 2018 1:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
hugh2711
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis

Post by hugh2711 »

11) Nijmegan [DV] Prestige = 7758 [enemy goes first]
Strategy: A slightly more difficult scenario. A very quick/short scenario but a big map, however you are spread quite thinly. As before lots of paratroopers and lots of air atttack. Some of the fighters initially go to pre-arranged positions so traps can be set. To protect the bridges you need to re-establish your lines in amongst the many units during the initial attack. When you try to complete the mission there is also a big tank counter attack. As before deployment is tricky. The trick is: You need to put a bunch of your invincible king tigers nearest the evacuation point, they will brush aside the tank counter attack and you will have plenty of time to complete the mission.
Core activity: Minor repairs.
Deployed: Softcap starts at 84%. I deployed 5 less units than allotted because it is an easy scenario. From north to south; recon, 3xwurf, KT, pionere, 88mm, para, grenadier, M+3, MobileAA, KT, SE KT,wurf, para, grenadier, gebirj, 4x SE KT, stug4. Air; 4x me262, SE bf109g, 2x TB
Destroyed: 27,5,4,4,3,0,0,9,0,0. Total = 52
Comments: There is also time to take some of the secondary hexes as well once you have established your own lines. If you look on the strategic map you will see there are alot of secondary hexes (even in close/near places) that are nominally yours by flag but if you retake them you will get some prestige. Took a big hit on a para because I got complacent and rushed froward.
Attachments
replay(31.03.2018) Nijmegen, Turn 10.rar
(51.23 KiB) Downloaded 128 times
hugh2711
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis

Post by hugh2711 »

12) Eindhoven [DV] Prestige = 9542 [+50 prestige per turn]
Strategy: This is a difficult scenario. It is a large map with mixed terrain and lots of rivers. There are waves of air activity. Some air units are within range of your first go. It is straightforward to get an MV in this but a DV in is difficult and costly. It is a long scenario so there is plenty of time to get secondary hexes. If you look at the strategic map you will see secondary hexes that are nominally yours but can be retaken for more prestige.
Core activity: Repair para. I am disbanding the SE 109g. It is worth 478. I am disbanding it because if I dont do it now I will not be eligeable for an SE tank at the beginning of the next scenario/campaign. Overstrength SE tanks to 13. Unusually I have overstrengthed some other units higher than normal as I am going to be doing some risky and possibly expensive tactics. Since the map is split into sections across rivers particularly for the last two VH's you have to do some risky crossings of rivers. The last two VH's are particularly well defended and also you will get swamped by an attack of enemy units when you get one of them.
Deployed: Softcap = 51%. 2x grenadier, 2x para, M+3, Gebirjager, pionere, 3x KT, 5xSE KT, 2x recon, stug4, 17cm, 4x wurfrahemen, sig38. Air 6x 262, 2x TB, 1x SB. 2 recon are needed because it is such a big map to keep an eye on large areas.
Destroyed: 46,26,3,20,16,2,0,9,9,7. Total = 138
Comments: Most of my losses were from enemy air activity, both on my fighters and ground units. Unusually I did repair some infantry during the battle with cheap green replacements.
Attachments
replay(01.04.2018) Eindhoven, Turn 30.rar
(66.73 KiB) Downloaded 128 times
hugh2711
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis

Post by hugh2711 »

endcore save of GC44west for anyone who wants the core:
Attachments
endGC44west(01.04.2018) Eindhoven, Turn 30.rar
(66.73 KiB) Downloaded 124 times
hugh2711
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis

Post by hugh2711 »

GC43west total units destroyed = 569 .......Prestige gain = 6444 ....units 30+5
GC44west total units destroyed = 832 .......Prestige gain = 4164 ....units 39+6

state of the core:
Infantry: Still using alot of unheroed units. This could be a problem as alot of the scenarios coming up are rough terrrain.
Tanks: Awesome, no more upgrades coming, all heroed.
Artilliary: Good but max range of 3 only. This is the problem with relying on wurfrahmen. Could do with at least one range 4.
Air: Great heroed fighter force. Could possibly do with more heroed TB's.

Looks good however this is a mix for open country/clear terrain fighting so wether it does so well in the rough terrain of this next campaign remains to be see.

Next scenario starts with 10608. Since the coming campaign is the last one for this path I can splash out and overstrength using up this prestige. Also since it is the last campaign I wil not be worrying about deployment softcap rates as much.
hugh2711
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis

Post by hugh2711 »

GC45 WEST

1) St Vith [DV] Prestige = 10608 [free hero unit]
Strategy: I think this is difficult but doable. There is no air activity. You can deploy some of yours but most of the turns will have bad or worse weather so any air units will be largely redundant. The scenario is quite short and you are quite tight for time. The trick is to ignore the enemy positions in the south and centre blocking you. Just deploy in the north, take out the units in your way and go straight for the first two VH's which are well defended.Immediately split off some tanks to go straight for the south west VH which is also very well defended. After those first two VH's are taken split off into two groups to take the last two VH's. Also send some arty and infantry support to that southwest VH. You are given a load of V1's. I tend to use them for a quick blasting out of the way of the first things in my path. There may be a better use for them (but I havent tried!). You are given a couple of infantry units (skorzeny) which are useful as distractions/diversions.
Core activity: I obtained an SE panther G at the start of this campaign, rather than convert it to a king tiger; as an experiment I will see how it gets on. Minor repair/re-overstrength (particularly on air units).
Deployed: Softcap = 90%, this goes down considerably when you get the free unit. 2x grenadier, 2x para, >+3, Gerbirjager, pionere, 3x KT, 1x SE Panther, 5x SE KT, 2x recon, 2x stug4, 17cm, 6x wurfrahmen, sig38, 2x TB, 1x SB. Note I deployed 5 less units than allotted.
Destroyed:17,3,3,10,6,3,0,0,0,0. Total = 42
Comments: I was fortunate with the weather, because it was better than normal I got to use the bombers more than normal, I think this saved me some losses. I very nearly lost a para unit. This is the problem at this late date, if the units are not heroed when they get stuffed you tend to lose them completely not just major damage. The free unit is very good, a heroed up jadtiger which will be useful and will not be too weak as most units are if they come in green at this stage in the game. However it is very expensive, the softcap went down from 90% to 78% after I got it.

Next scenario start prestige = 12472

I am now going to go back to the EAST thread for a while before I finish this campaign.
Attachments
replay(02.04.2018) St. Vith, Turn 14.rar
(50.74 KiB) Downloaded 124 times
PanzerCro
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis

Post by PanzerCro »

hugh2711 wrote: Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:44 am 6) Syracuse: [DV] Prestige = 6015 [two free units, enemy goes first]
Strategy: This is a very difficut scenario. The enemy is very strong everywhere. Their air force is particularly strong in both number and stats of units. My plan is; Agressively go after their airforce. Physically block the invasions at gela, augusta and syracuse. Take out as many units as you can while they are in transport. Everything gets upgraded before this scenario so all my prestige will be used up. While the advance/invasion is being blocked try to evacuate units via two routes. The coastal route behind the tigers and the other route above gela. Above gela you should use some infantry units plus wurfrahmen to clear the path of enemy infantry. It is rough terrain. The coastal path is open terrain suited to tanks. Your tanks will be used to block the big attack of enemy tanks from the south up that route but it is still best to finish as quickly as possible. There will be more waves of air activity during the scenario. Although most of the italian units are rubbish you need to save as many as possible iether for disbandable prestige or for another later scenario. It doesnt matter what state they are in as long as they survive as they can be repaired for free. A few of them are actually usefull as well.
Core activity: Upgrade everything. Disanded one sturmpanzer (because of too low prestige) and bought another wurfrahmen.
Deployed: softcap at deployment = 43%, this went down to about 31% after the two free units were triggered. Once you have tigers and the advanced infantry your softcap penalty shoots up dramatically. Left group; 3x wurf, SE P4ivh, grenadier, para, sig38, 4x 190a, heinkel, rudel. Right group; 3x SE tiger, tiger (S+2), wurf, m+3, KV1c, 190a, 109.
Destroyed: 23,10,2,4,7,0,0,6,3,2. Total = 57
Comments: Difficult but I managed to take 21 italian units with me, you only need 7 to get a DV however in a later scenario theoretically you need to use "18" ( you can actually get away with 14). If disbanded all of these italian units are worth 4602!. For the moment I will leave 14 of them as they are since most of my units are already upgraded but I will disband the most expensive units for the prestige. The 12.8cm flak is also not that usefull. The 12.8 cant be switched to AT mode like the 88mm and although the attack stats are slightly better I dont think it is worth that loss of flexibility. I wont actually be using static AT much in this or the next campaign so I will disband it for prestige.

How do you have 6015 prestige in this scenario ? I started with only 1745 despite beating previous mission on DV ? :?
PeteMitchell
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis, Di

Post by PeteMitchell »

Maybe through forced surrenders?
Comprehensive Battlefield Europe AAR:
http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=145&t=86481
hugh2711
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Re: GC42-45 West, Field Marshall level, Replays and analysis, Di

Post by hugh2711 »

PanzerCro; Since your prestige gets reset I consciously make an effort to farm prestige in the easier early scenarios. This involves mainly three techniques.
1) I let the enemy take and then I retake primary and secondary hexes which I dont need to lose.
2) I sell captured/given units which are evolutionary dead ends or not up to the units I have taken with me on this branch. When I picked my 9 units I took ALL SE tanks with me as up to this point I have already made a particular strategy of farming 'all se units are tanks' and by now they are all well 'heroed up'. That helps greatly so I can sell all the expensive armour. I think I keep a KV1c and there is a highly heroed firefly later on but the rest i sell.
3) always upgrade to the highest available rather than 'it will do' as this gives the least losses when attacking

I also tend to be risk averse in that I avoid long attritional slogging matches and when attacking use the most powerful units so the enemy is always completely destroyed rather than 'just take a few points off to disuade it'.

Also I will occassionally deliberately go for marginal victories rather than decisive as I think if it is a massive prestige loss and weakens you for a later battle where you need the latest upgrades then it cant be a "decisive victory" regardless of what the program says.
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