scn005 first contact

[kondi754]

Hi,

I'm new to this game but I fell in love with her at first sight[8D][;)]
Play at Easy lvl with FoW ON
I admit that I have a big problem with the 5th scn, I don't know how to deal with the Soviet reconnaissance cars.
I have played as Germany twice so far, the first attempt was a draw (3/4), and the second time I lost 2/3.
I will be grateful for some advice

Excellent, addictive game [&o]

[Peter Fisla]

Hi kondi754,

Glad you are enjoying the game Make sure you grab the latest beta patch as it fixes few things after the official UPDATE5. You can get the latest beta patch here: tm.asp?m=4504508

Cheers!

[UP844]

In this scenario you basically have two choices:

1) Playing safe: move the exposed PzII back so that it is not visible to the Russian armored cars, then wait for them to advance (they have an exit hex). This will gave you the advantage of firing first and of having two Fire Phases (Movement or Defensive Fire segment + Fire) before the Russians can effectively return fire (hitting something after moving is very, very difficult). You can also go CE with the Pz III's to gain a bit of extra accuracy (but button up if an AC survives the Defensive Fire). The only drawback of this tactic is that the Russian lack radios and might never show up (I killed three AC's, but the remaining two never appeared).

2) Playing bold: move all your Panzers on the hill (Pz II first, so the AI will likely waste its Defensive Fire on the weakest German tanks), and fire on the three ACs you can see. The other ACs will have to climb the hill to move towards the exit hex, and you should easily dispose of them. (In my test, I killed all 5 Russian ACs, losing a Pz II and having a Pz II and a Pz III immobilised).

[kondi754]

ORIGINAL: UP844

In this scenario you basically have two choices:

1) Playing safe: move the exposed PzII back so that it is not visible to the Russian armored cars, then wait for them to advance (they have an exit hex). This will gave you the advantage of firing first and of having two Fire Phases (Movement or Defensive Fire segment + Fire) before the Russians can effectively return fire (hitting something after moving is very, very difficult). You can also go CE with the Pz III's to gain a bit of extra accuracy (but button up if an AC survives the Defensive Fire). The only drawback of this tactic is that the Russian lack radios and might never show up (I killed three AC's, but the remaining two never appeared).

2) Playing bold: move all your Panzers on the hill (Pz II first, so the AI will likely waste its Defensive Fire on the weakest German tanks), and fire on the three ACs you can see. The other ACs will have to climb the hill to move towards the exit hex, and you should easily dispose of them. (In my test, I killed all 5 Russian ACs, losing a Pz II and having a Pz II and a Pz III immobilised).

Thanks a lot, but mostly I mean that I shoot a dozen times from different directions to the enemy's ACs and nothing, but Soviets destroy my tanks regardless of the distance[:(]

[kondi754]

ORIGINAL: Peter Fisla

Hi kondi754,

Glad you are enjoying the game Make sure you grab the latest beta patch as it fixes few things after the official UPDATE5. You can get the latest beta patch

I'm not able to run the last patch because the program didn't find the "audiere.dll" file on my computer
Any suggestions?

[Peter Fisla]

ORIGINAL: kondi754

ORIGINAL: Peter Fisla

Hi kondi754,

Glad you are enjoying the game Make sure you grab the latest beta patch as it fixes few things after the official UPDATE5. You can get the latest beta patch

I'm not able to run the last patch because the program didn't find the "audiere.dll" file on my computer
Any suggestions?

The patch only replaces the game executable, so first you install the game then you update through the official update application and then you apply the patch manually into the directory where the game is installed.

[UP844]

ORIGINAL: kondi754

Thanks a lot, but mostly I mean that I shoot a dozen times from different directions to the enemy's ACs and nothing, but Soviets destroy my tanks regardless of the distance[:(]

This is very strange [&:]. Did your Panzers hit without penetrating, or did they miss altogether?

In the first case, you have been unlucky in the extreme: the BA-6 packs a powerful MA (for a 1941 AC [;)]), but its armor is very thin: the kills I obtained while I "played safe" were all made by Pz II, and in other scenarios I managed to kill them with ATRs (which speaks volumes about their armor [:D]).

As regards to the second case, I know it is a stupid question, but did you stop your tanks before firing? If they remain "In motion" accuracy is abysmal.

[kondi754]

ORIGINAL: Peter Fisla

ORIGINAL: kondi754

ORIGINAL: Peter Fisla

Hi kondi754,

Glad you are enjoying the game Make sure you grab the latest beta patch as it fixes few things after the official UPDATE5. You can get the latest beta patch

I'm not able to run the last patch because the program didn't find the "audiere.dll" file on my computer
Any suggestions?

The patch only replaces the game executable, so first you install the game then you update through the official update application and then you apply the patch manually into the directory where the game is installed.

Everything works fine.
I'm so stupid Of course, it's obvious that I have to overwrite the exe. file
Thanks a lot, and thank you for a cool game. [8D]

[Peter Fisla]

ORIGINAL: kondi754

ORIGINAL: Peter Fisla

ORIGINAL: kondi754




I'm not able to run the last patch because the program didn't find the "audiere.dll" file on my computer
Any suggestions?

The patch only replaces the game executable, so first you install the game then you update through the official update application and then you apply the patch manually into the directory where the game is installed.

Everything works fine.
I'm so stupid Of course, it's obvious that I have to overwrite the exe. file
Thanks a lot, and thank you for a cool game. [8D]

Cool, I'm glad you got it working

[kondi754]

ORIGINAL: UP844

ORIGINAL: kondi754

Thanks a lot, but mostly I mean that I shoot a dozen times from different directions to the enemy's ACs and nothing, but Soviets destroy my tanks regardless of the distance[:(]

This is very strange [&:]. Did your Panzers hit without penetrating, or did they miss altogether?

In the first case, you have been unlucky in the extreme: the BA-6 packs a powerful MA (for a 1941 AC [;)]), but its armor is very thin: the kills I obtained while I "played safe" were all made by Pz II, and in other scenarios I managed to kill them with ATRs (which speaks volumes about their armor [:D]).

As regards to the second case, I know it is a stupid question, but did you stop your tanks before firing? If they remain "In motion" accuracy is abysmal.

I achieved a Major Win (5/2) thanks to Your hints.
Of course, I turned off the engines before the attack, besides, before I started to play the game, I read the manual very carefully and watched the tutorials on youtube ...[:D]
It was my mistake to shoot from too far away. Playing previous missions I got used to maintaining a significant distance between my Shermans (or even Pershing) and Tiger I tanks [;)]
I was approaching 80-100 meters (2-3 hexes) to the ACs this time and the shots were much more effective now. I destroyed all enemy vehicles for my 1 Pz II and 1 Pz III
Thank you again for your help

[UP844]

I asked because sometimes forget to hit the "Stop" button, with the nice result of having a useless AFV for the next two fire segments [:@].

Small calibre guns (37mm and smaller) should also have penalties to the to-hit roll at longer ranges (12+ hexes). If I remember correctly, this is also true - to a lesser extent - for 40 to 57mm guns.

[kondi754]

Next scn - denfense the hill in Estonia by Langemarck ss-Rgt
Soviet T-34 tanks are standing still and firing my positions from a safe distance, that's why the 7.5cm Pak 40 is useless - I'm not able to attack tanks because of the lack of range. I received such a message: "Target out of CA". Untsch. Shrijnen didn't increase his achievements this time...[;)]
This is very strange, because Soviet tanks have no problem with the fire of my position with a similar cannon caliber (76mm)
Despite this, I managed to get Minor German Win (17/9), it was a desperate but wise defense...[8D][:D]

[kondi754]

Second screen

[DoubleDeuce]

ORIGINAL: kondi754

I received such a message: "Target out of CA".

Which Russian tank are you trying to fire at when you get that message? The one further south is out of your ATG's covered arc so you could not engage it unless you rotate the gun facing.

[kondi754]

ORIGINAL: DoubleDeuce

ORIGINAL: kondi754

I received such a message: "Target out of CA".

Which Russian tank are you trying to fire at when you get that message? The one further south is out of your ATG's covered arc so you could not engage it unless you rotate the gun facing.

Of course, CA = Covered Arc
I forgot to check this... Everything ok now, thanks

[UP844]

May I suggest a tip? In this battle, and in any other where you:

- are defending
- have long, unobstructed LOS
- have good leaders

fire at your opponent to break, not to kill. Don't make big attacks, made single-unit (or MG) attacks with high negative DRMs, targeting leaders or units moving in stacks or units carrying MGs. Such tactics will kill less enemy units, but in a few turns will blunt the enemy advance:

- less leaders providing movement bonuses and leadership DRM to fire
- broken units will run to the rear through open terrain and will be out of action for several turns at least
- the effectiveness of the fire from any units coming into range will also be affected by cowering

This is a general advice: if the Russian AI gets lucky, however, and kills some of your few units with OBA or with the T-34s, you will fully understand the meaning of "Russian steamroller". Barring such luck, however, you should end up with a situation like this (this is the southern part of the map, where the Germans only have three squads, 2 LMGs and a C* leader; in the north, a A** leader with two squads and a MMGs routed the Russian back to the map edge).

P.S. these were the only two VP hexes the Russian occupied, and the squads in one of the VP hexes are all broken.

[Rosseau]

There is much to learn in this game, and I have not read the manual like the OP wisely has done. Threads like this help. In this game, real-world mistakes will get you killed. Much more complex beneath the surface than say HPS Squad Battles.

[UP844]

Being an old grumpy ASL player helps [;)]

[Hailstone]

I will add researching ASL sites for all kinds of gaming aids that help explain what's going on. I too am an old grumpy Squad Leader player and I still have to reference my old 3 ring binder ASL BOOK for explanations as to why something works the way it does in the game. For example, the impact of WOUNDED leaders. I was wondering why they couldn't move like the rest of the leaders but then I read the book. They can only move 3 hexes max and their leadership rating drops by one. Makes a big difference on how to use WOUNDED leaders. The major advantage old SL/ASL players have is that we already know the rules and the game mechanics you don't see. It's a testament to SL/ASL that former gamers still remember how to play a game many haven't played since the late 70's or early 80's. We love this game! [;)]

[Big Ivan]

ORIGINAL: Hailstone

I will add researching ASL sites for all kinds of gaming aids that help explain what's going on. I too am an old grumpy Squad Leader player and I still have to reference my old 3 ring binder ASL BOOK for explanations as to why something works the way it does in the game. For example, the impact of WOUNDED leaders. I was wondering why they couldn't move like the rest of the leaders but then I read the book. They can only move 3 hexes max and their leadership rating drops by one. Makes a big difference on how to use WOUNDED leaders. The major advantage old SL/ASL players have is that we already know the rules and the game mechanics you don't see. It's a testament to SL/ASL that former gamers still remember how to play a game many haven't played since the late 70's or early 80's. We love this game! [;)]

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