Campaign - Watchword Freedom - Updates?

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Mon Nov 27, 2000 1:54 am

Now it's time to hear from you on Watchword Freedom. Some of you have been hard at war on the Eastern Front, seeking desperately to rescue those kamaraden trapped behind the Soviet steel trap.

So, anyone there yet? Lemme know. I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

Be warned. Some of the following posts may contain spoilers (descriptions of battles that may reveal too much about them to your liking...just so you know).

We'll be starting testing of the newest, The Victors, sometime toward the end of this week. My stalwart group of accomplished campaign tester are ready!

the partially deaf Kunel

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

[This message has been edited by Wild Bill (edited November 26, 2000).]

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Mon Nov 27, 2000 2:16 am

Still fighting the first battle trying to get up that road from the southwest(?). had to flank the soviets but it is difficult with the terrain and the ruskies are not cooperating. moderate losses so far aand haven't even got to the first VH. Intense action.

deggo · Post by **deggo** » Mon Nov 27, 2000 2:41 am

Just managed a draw in the first battle. My support troops were pretty much wiped out but my core units are in fairly good shape.
I seemed to be missing an awful lot of high percentage shots so some bad luck also hurt me in this one.

Scott

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Mon Nov 27, 2000 3:05 am

Thanks, warriors! It is without a doubt a very tough campaign, but hang in there, and take Lyssanka. Your fellow soldiers at Korsun are counting on you...WB

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

TheOriginalOverlord · Post by **TheOriginalOverlord** » Mon Nov 27, 2000 8:37 am

Just got a marginal on the first one. Had 2 (out of 5) Panthers break their 75mm on the first few shots they took. Needless to say I turned off weapon breakdown for the remainder of that game. The Tiger Zug was doing well coming up the East side and accounted for a large ammount of the Russkie tanks. My support was a Zug of PzkfIV's (and a few Batteries of 15cm How)and I brought them up the center with a platoon of SS leading the way.

Basically I sent my Panthers and a Platoon of SS and a Platoon of Engineers up the "finger" of the SW most hill with a VH on it. After some hard and closequarter fighting they managed to hold the hill while my Tigers went around and came up the Right side approach to the VH's. They got into a heavy tank fight and came out with no damage and just smoking Russian tanks as markers.
The Panzer 4's got into a little fight as some of Wild Bill's "Surprises" got in the "back door". This along with Russkie air got an AA-track destroyed and immobilized a Panzer4.

I got through the early battles and the adrenaline was surging as I made a final push for the final hill and cluster of 3 VH's after a rolling barrage of arty pounded the few Russians still holding it.

I forgot the score but it was a marginal victory.

On to the next battle!

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Semper Fi!

Overlord

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Mon Nov 27, 2000 8:46 am

Good start, Overlord. You did well. It won't get easier, I fear! You can handle it. Nice choice of forces...Wild Bill

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

lnp4668 · Post by **lnp4668** » Mon Nov 27, 2000 8:53 pm

I am on the last battle. Have 1 draw, 1 marginal and 3 decisive so far. Hope the last battle will not be too difficult. Many sleepless nights on previous battles.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Mon Nov 27, 2000 9:12 pm

Having done that well till now, I'm sure you will rescue the trapped fellow soldiers. Good hunting! Let us know how you do...WB

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Tykkijulli · Post by **Tykkijulli** » Mon Nov 27, 2000 10:54 pm

Well, I got draw in the first battle, I was a little too slow. Then decisive, marginal and decisive IIRC. Can one see the length of the battle before it ends just before you get the last flag?
I think that the biggest problem I´ve had, is the poor quality of german infantry. In the beginning I had rifle squads and engineers. But rifle squads had problems even against enemy tank crews, not to mention against SMG squads. Were they really so bad historically? So I´ve slowly changed them to Spec Ops, FJs and engineers, but still infantry alone can´t do anything.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Tue Nov 28, 2000 2:10 am

You can get a lot of data on the battle, Tikkijuli, by running you cursor up on the terrain screen, top right hand corner. It will give you the date, location, turns in the battle and the type of battle you are fighting.

Infantry alone does not stand a chance. I recommend purchasing SS infantry. It does better than the regular guys. Your choices were pretty good too.

Hang in there!...Wild Bill

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Major_Johnson · Post by **Major_Johnson** » Tue Nov 28, 2000 2:51 am

Hey!! Where can I find this scenario?? I couldn't find it at the depot. Thanks!

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MJ
We serve others best when at the same time we serve ourselves.

Major_Johnson · Post by **Major_Johnson** » Tue Nov 28, 2000 2:56 am

Never mind, I just found it on Fabios site! I shoul dhave looked before posting! Sorry.

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MJ
We serve others best when at the same time we serve ourselves.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Tue Nov 28, 2000 3:29 am

No problem, Major. Both Fabio and Tankhead have it posted on their fine SPWAW support sites.

It's an honor for me to have them there, and a much quicker download for you

Good Hunting!

Wild Bill

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

bbbf · Post by **bbbf** » Tue Nov 28, 2000 11:13 am

One draw, a decisive and a marginal so far..

This is tough going! In the draw I managed to grab all VH, but got chewed up too much!

Some FJ's and some cargo planes got me the furhest hexes, but boy did they get hammered once there, only just managed to hold the hexes at the end when my tigers finally arrived.

great campaign, really feels like you're out there trying to pull off the rescue against big odds (watch those forts!)

Fredde · Post by **Fredde** » Tue Nov 28, 2000 12:04 pm

Finished the campaign with one draw, two marginal victories and the rest decisive. Very tough one!

adantas · Post by **adantas** » Tue Nov 28, 2000 7:02 pm

Still fighting at first battle, my Panthers just secured the hill with the VH on it and now I have a nice view of the road with a VH at its cross, many Russkie tanks burning there

, my Tigers are flanking the hill by the right side towards the road, I lost one Tiger for a 150mm SPGun. my SS infantry is waiting near the hill. I got a flamepanzer sec that anihilated the MG nastys at the hill, at the left flank half of my Panthers are pushing to the hill with 4 VH on it. Very hard fight there, perhaps need to break contact to reload ammo with the ammo trucks...
I'm enjoing a lot!!!!!!

Senta à Pua!!!

Gallo Rojo · Post by **Gallo Rojo** » Tue Nov 28, 2000 7:59 pm

I get a draw on the fist one, a decisive victory in the second. Now I’m at those bridges... and I fear the worst! I had lost one Tiger, and all my column is stopped by those dam bunkes.

Tykkijulli · Post by **Tykkijulli** » Tue Nov 28, 2000 8:27 pm

Thanks, Vild Pil!

Maybe I should spend some time learning more about the game before asking stupid questions. Very good campaign indeed, you never know, what´s after next corner. And flanking attack (is it right term?) has been quite effective in the first 5 battles.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Wed Nov 29, 2000 3:16 am

No such thing around here as a stupid question, my friend. We're here to help if we can...WB

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Wiseman · Post by **Wiseman** » Wed Nov 29, 2000 7:39 am

I won the campaign. Here is my force: 5 pzkpfw-vle; company of FJ Airborne; enough JU-52 Troop to make the drops. One drop only per scenario.

!!!!Spoiler!!!!

My tactic in the first scenario was to buy artillary, as much as I could. 1 turn was to blast the hell out of the VH areas. 2nd turn I dropped my troops on those VH's. This caused the Russians to split their forces and go after these VH's. The Russian infantry was in disarray when my troops dropped in on them. Now the key for me was to blitz to the high ground and catch the Russian armor in the flats. Now with a company of FJ's I was able to have some troops left over and mounted on the tanks. This allowed me to use them to find the mines. The FJ's also have Panzerfaust to hold off the armor. By turn 3 I owned all VH's. However a few of them traded hands a couple of times, but getting the armor into the fight quickly allowed me to recapture the VH's.

Now in the defensive scenarios I would put my armor on the highground and I had enough troops to do an overlaping defense which allowed for making firing lanes. Also I placed my Panzerfaust in the hex behind the front line troops.

All I can say is use rolling artillary and lots of smoke. Keep your tanks on the high ground and give long firing lanes for them. Keep the Russian armor at arms length.

Awesome campaign!! I never was very interested in the Eastern Front but this kept my attention. Very challenging WB!!

Wiseman