Soviet Grand Campaign (DLC 42 v1.00)(28/03/24)

[nikivdd]

I just JGSMEd one DLC out and then JGSMEd the other in. No other manipulations.

A last thing that comes into my mind is that the first scenario of DLC 42 contains a unit which is not in your equipment file.

If all fails, than i could abandon the dynamic link campaign approach, and just make one big campaign folder running on one campaign.pzdat file.

[imp44791]

That's going to be my own solution if you don't provide it yourself - I can fool around with campaign files.

Incidentally, thanks for doing the "correction" (cosmetic really) with Venev at Kashira. This is now a really fine scenario.

EDIT: Yes, I did just that, and I am continuing with the old save game without core porting. It makes no difference.

[imp44791]

Played Gorky quickly. Fun. No need to change anything in my opinion.

Question: are the two scenarios afterwards mutually exclusive? Or is there a way to play them in sequence (the start date seems to say the first: either/or). I will have saves for both of them for testing purposes.

Thanks again for your hard work.

[nikivdd]

Played Gorky quickly. Fun. No need to change anything in my opinion.

Question: are the two scenarios afterwards mutually exclusive? Or is there a way to play them in sequence (the start date seems to say the first: either/or). I will have saves for both of them for testing purposes.

Thanks again for your hard work.

You cannot play them in sequence, only a Triumph presents a choice, a Victory leads the army to Izyum.

[nikivdd]

Since GME (generic mod enabler) and dynamic linked campaigns (DLC's), appear not always to be compatible, i am offering alongside the downloads i already posted a third option.
You can play the campaign either by playing Soviet GC DLC 37-41, Soviet GC DLC 42, and so on. This method allows you at the beginning of each DLC the option if you wish to import a core army (and you should so).
OR
You can play the campaign with all DLC's merged into one long campaign. This option should not give any problems with mods loaded up with GME.
This download is called USSR GC 37-46 and you can download it from https://www.sendspace.com/file/1dxyma

!!!You can play this campaign by either extracting the separate DLC's in your mods folder (likely not GME compatible) or by extracting the USSR GC 37-46 in your mods folder (GME compatible). Do not extract both options in your mods folder, it will definitely cause problems because of the GUID!!!

When new updates arrive in the future, both options will always be updated and released at the same time.

The first post of this thread has also been updated because of this post.

[imp44791]

Many thanks as ever. I looked at the campaign and noticed that the two scenarios are exclusive.

I am playing Demyansk now, and it's excellent. No problems so far (Turn 6) and an interesting setup.

One thing I noticed is that the American halftracks are available with this equipment file this early in the war. I am sure this is an inheritance from the vanilla file, but if you ever work with your own equipment files having the Soviet infantry on American halftracks in January 1942 is very ahistorical. There were samples early on, but large scale deployment was a 1943-4 event. Anyway, nothing to do with the mod but looked very odd to me. I simply chose to keep my infantry on Soviet trucks for now.

[nikivdd]

Many thanks as ever. I looked at the campaign and noticed that the two scenarios are exclusive.

I am playing Demyansk now, and it's excellent. No problems so far (Turn 6) and an interesting setup.

One thing I noticed is that the American halftracks are available with this equipment file this early in the war. I am sure this is an inheritance from the vanilla file, but if you ever work with your own equipment files having the Soviet infantry on American halftracks in January 1942 is very ahistorical. There were samples early on, but large scale deployment was a 1943-4 event. Anyway, nothing to do with the mod but looked very odd to me. I simply chose to keep my infantry on Soviet trucks for now.

I think the Izyum scenario is easier than Demyansk, as planned, hence the decission that a victory at Gorky continues at Izyum.
I was glad to have some units in those halftracks to kill a few pesky one-strength German mountain units at Rzeh-Vyazma . I had a good feeling playing Rzhev-Vyazma, a bit harder then usual at Colonel level of difficulty.
I'm currently testing Fredericus, which is most likely the most difficult script wise scenario up until now in this campaign. I'm at the phase of the frequent change between playtest and scenario editor
I also created a scenario called Pinsk (a bit kind of different scenario like Gorky), and the alfa version of Voronezh is also done. After Pinsk the campaign will move on in two branches; a "Don" branch and a "Caucasus" branch.
That's all for new info for now. ATM i have no estimate when the next update will arrive.

[Vano2004]

Many thanks as ever. I looked at the campaign and noticed that the two scenarios are exclusive.

I am playing Demyansk now, and it's excellent. No problems so far (Turn 6) and an interesting setup.

One thing I noticed is that the American halftracks are available with this equipment file this early in the war. I am sure this is an inheritance from the vanilla file, but if you ever work with your own equipment files having the Soviet infantry on American halftracks in January 1942 is very ahistorical. There were samples early on, but large scale deployment was a 1943-4 event. Anyway, nothing to do with the mod but looked very odd to me. I simply chose to keep my infantry on Soviet trucks for now.

ARMORED VEHICLES. In total , it was delivered to the USSR:
British armored personnel carriers: "Universal Carrier" - 2560 units,
of which Canadian - 1348 units.
American armored personnel carriers: M2 - 342 pcs., M3 - 2 pcs., M5 - 421 pcs., M9 -
419 pcs., T16 - 96 pcs., M3A1 "Scout" - 3340 pcs.
American self-propelled guns: ZSU (anti-aircraft self-propelled gun)
M15A1 - 100 pcs., ZSU M17 - 1000 pcs., ACS (self-propelled artillery
installation) T48 - 650 pcs., ACS M18 - 5 pcs., ACS M10 - 52 pcs.
http://www.wio.ru/galgrnd/car/avto-llb.htm
http://www.wio.ru/galgrnd/car/avto.htm
http://wio.ru/tank/ww2tank.htm

[imp44791]

The totals look correct, but the question here is the timing. Lend Lease equipment became noticeable only after the summer of 42 and a major contributor and feature of the Red Army only in 1943 and onwards. Early on shipments were mostly raw materials, some Hurricanes, some Valentines (one of the very few Allied tanks the Soviets found useful, as per Zaloga, since they allowed Soviet industry to focus on T-34s rather than light tanks). Even the ubiquitous Studebaker lorry, which became iconic as an infantry carrier and a Kat launcher, came later.

Anyway, these are details. I choose to keep my infantry on Soviet lorries until 1943. Role playing, if you will.

[imp44791]

Finished Demyansk, which is excellent and doesn't need any changes that I can see. I will try Izyum before I have fun with Rzhev-Vyazma. Probably tomorrow

[imp44791]

Finished Izyum. If anything, I found it a tougher fight than Demyansk, though I still DV'ed it with turns to spare. I don't think I noticed any Hungarian troops, but I may be wrong.

Good scenario. You might consider making the DV tasks tougher, perhaps a Kharkov hex to correspond to better than historical Soviet performance. But this is fine as it stands.

I may get a crack to Rzhev-Vyazma later today depending on work.

[nikivdd]

Finished Izyum. If anything, I found it a tougher fight than Demyansk, though I still DV'ed it with turns to spare. I don't think I noticed any Hungarian troops, but I may be wrong.

Good scenario. You might consider making the DV tasks tougher, perhaps a Kharkov hex to correspond to better than historical Soviet performance. But this is fine as it stands.

I may get a crack to Rzhev-Vyazma later today depending on work.

It might also be somewhat related to core composition. I found Demyansk harder but i managed to get the bonus unit (T-34); i sacrificed plenty of the auxiliaries.
For Izyum there is also a capturable, but German vehicles will probably be sold off by most. This map was taken from the German GC.
The same map i used for Fredericus operation, which i am currently testing and tweaking a bit. But i don't want to invest too much time in it anymore. It ends up in a similar fashion like the "Bzura" mission from the German GC 39. For me that's alright.
It is difficult to create AI offensive missions. Kashira is quite the accomplishment but after a lot of cursing. And when rives are involved it makes it even worse.
The Gorky mission, it looks so easy to play, but not so easy to create. It took me several runs and i had to give the AI certain advantages in order for its planes to attack the factories. Instead of level bombers and Bf 110's, i could have picked Stuka's but that would have been unrealistic.
I have eight scenarios on the drawing board, starting with Fredericus. Only when those are finished there will be a new update.

[imp44791]

A few turns into Rzhev-Vyazma and it is fantastic. The hostile sky makes it really challenging (even though I have an 85mm AA with a "Range" hero in it). You really long for those snow turns.

[imp44791]

And that concludes it. DV'ed by taking the German HQs on Turn 14. Very hard fight, loved it.

No comments really other than that the Soviet pocket is a bit more Northward than in history (it was more centred round Dorogobuzh to the SW of Vyazma), but this is insignificant.

In terms of bonus/capturable units I got the T-34/43 prototype in Demyansk, the PzIII in Izyum after the hangars are destroyed, and of course Belov in Rzhev.

Well, thanks very much for a very good mod so far. I will periodically check the thread for whenever you decide to release the next batch, but I appreciate this will take some time. Thanks again.

[nikivdd]

And that concludes it. DV'ed by taking the German HQs on Turn 14. Very hard fight, loved it.

No comments really other than that the Soviet pocket is a bit more Northward than in history (it was more centred round Dorogobuzh to the SW of Vyazma), but this is insignificant.

In terms of bonus/capturable units I got the T-34/43 prototype in Demyansk, the PzIII in Izyum after the hangars are destroyed, and of course Belov in Rzhev.

Well, thanks very much for a very good mod so far. I will periodically check the thread for whenever you decide to release the next batch, but I appreciate this will take some time. Thanks again.

I was just wondering which type of triumph you went for? The occupation of the German HQ's or moving the army to the eastern edge of the map?
Start positions were chosen in function of both options for a Triumph.
I think the partisans and the airborne forces did rather well in close terrain and it also gives a clue what kind of opposition there is in that particular area of the map.
I thank you for the time you have taken to write your impressions. If every person who download this campaign would write some words, there would be double as many pages written in this thread.
I will send you a PM in the near future.

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[imp44791]

Thanks for the kind words, but it is a pleasure to interact with one of the top modders. I will wait patiently for the next update whenever it comes.

One little comment on Rzhev-Vyazma. As I said, it was a hard fight to get all the HQs, mostly because of several clear rounds that were very painful for my truck based units. I just about managed to save my Kat lorries from the Bf-110s. There were however 3-4 German tanks (definitely 2 SEs, a Somua and I think a Pz-II) that were drawn off by the partisans/airborne to the south. The auxiliaries got their behinds kicked even in the forests, but these good German units might have made the difference if they had come to the pocket battle to the north of Vyazma instead. I'm curious - are they scripted to move anywhere, or did they just react to the auxiliaries moving close to Vyazma?

As I said, great scenario.

[nikivdd]

Thanks for the kind words, but it is a pleasure to interact with one of the top modders. I will wait patiently for the next update whenever it comes.

One little comment on Rzhev-Vyazma. As I said, it was a hard fight to get all the HQs, mostly because of several clear rounds that were very painful for my truck based units. I just about managed to save my Kat lorries from the Bf-110s. There were however 3-4 German tanks (definitely 2 SEs, a Somua and I think a Pz-II) that were drawn off by the partisans/airborne to the south. The auxiliaries got their behinds kicked even in the forests, but these good German units might have made the difference if they had come to the pocket battle to the north of Vyazma instead. I'm curious - are they scripted to move anywhere, or did they just react to the auxiliaries moving close to Vyazma?

As I said, great scenario.

The SE were tempted to attack your units when they got too close or were in sight of another unit defending Vyazma. They have no particular orders.
I added the supply trains as an extra touch. Perhaps someone will be tempted into destroying them.

[nikivdd]

Partial video of the betatest of the scenario Pinsk (DLC 42).
This scenario is a behind the lines sabotage mission with only one core unit and all your SE units...with the help of some partisans.
I consider this a kind of a breather (again) after Operation Fredericus and before all hell breaks lose with the Axis' 1942 summer offensive.

https://youtu.be/i2Lx19v3l7k

[HHT1]

Hello Nico and all friends of the German language.
I have translated the first 4 missions of Soviet GC DLC 42 v.0.42 into German. Here you go

http://www.streitmacht.com/viewtopic.ph ... 4&start=15
or direct

https://www.mediafire.com/file/11qvenkz ... 2.zip/file

Hallo Nico und alle Freunde der deutschen Sprache.
Ich habe die ersten 4 Missionen von Soviet GC DLC 42 v.0.42 ins Deutsch übersetzt. Bitte schön

http://www.streitmacht.com/viewtopic.ph ... 4&start=15
oder direkt

https://www.mediafire.com/file/11qvenkz ... 2.zip/file

Grüße und viel Spaß
Hans

[nikivdd]

Hello Nico and all friends of the German language.
I have translated the first 4 missions of Soviet GC DLC 42 v.0.42 into German.

Grüße und viel Spaß
Hans

Herzlichen Dank für die Übersetzungen.
Hochachtungsvoll,
Nico