Noob Questions

[KGrob]

I recently purchased the game, played through the tutorial and then played the "Road to Minsk" I think it was. Now, I'm starting the long campaign...I just started turn 2.

I have tons of questions but I'm finding most answers either in the manual or in the forums. But here are some questions I can't find answers to so far.

1) What is the difference between "1-1" and "1=1" on the unit icons/counters?

2) Is it possible to change prior to the scenario start...such as moving some of my units around prior to turn 1 (as in a setup). I'd love to be able to move at least a few units before it hits the fan.

3) I'm playing Germany but who moves Italian, Romanian, and other units? So far, (again, on turn 2), they are all just sitting around.

[Mynok]

1) 1-1 is CV-Movement and 1=1 is attack=defend CVs. This display is controllable from the preferences screen.

2) No change prior to the scenario is allowed.

3) The Axis player can move any allies that are active. They activate on a set schedule (check the reinforcement screen).

[KGrob]

ORIGINAL: Mynok


1) 1-1 is CV-Movement and 1=1 is attack=defend CVs. This display is controllable from the preferences screen.

2) No change prior to the scenario is allowed.

3) The Axis player can move any allies that are active. They activate on a set schedule (check the reinforcement screen).

Thanks for your help.

Number 2 sounds like a potential expansion feature to me...a varied start would add some spice in my view.

[Mynok]

It can be done with the scenario editor if you wish.

[Berkut]

You can use the 'z' hotkey, IIRC, to switch the display values back and forth. Very handy when playing the Soviets.

[KGrob]

ORIGINAL: Mynok


It can be done with the scenario editor if you wish.

Thanks. I just purchased the game and I'll certainly give that a try at some point.

That scenario editor sounds like it will work great for my side...but I can't imagine it would take long to substantially memorize where the enemy units are located...a little variety there would add some spice as well.

Maybe someone with enough experience could come up with something like that for the rest of us. Someone...say, Mynok, or example...could create a half dozen different starting setups for each side that others could download/copy into their files to get some variance in gameplay.

It couldn't be "wow, what in the world were you thinking there" sort of stuff. I mean, it would need to be reasonable and logical...just different.

I don't know enough about it to know how feasible it is.

But it's certainly worth looking into for someone that likes to do that sort of thing (and it would benefit some of us greatly).

[KGrob]

ORIGINAL: Berkut

You can use the 'z' hotkey, IIRC, to switch the display values back and forth. Very handy when playing the Soviets.

This actually helped me a lot. I didn't fully understand the distinction until I tried this.

At first I didn't notice a difference...I was pressing "z" like crazy and didn't see a thing...I think I was expecting to see something different. Then when I zoomed in and looked closer, I saw the numbers changing.

It's funny what we don't know when we first start to play.

Thank you very much for your suggestion...I suspect it will assist me greatly.

[CheerfullyInsane]

Just be aware that the printed CVs are *guides*.
It's the initial CV+any fortification modifiers.

A few things to remember that it does not take into consideration:

Halving of armor in terrain (heavy woods, mountains, swamp, urban).
Fortification levels of any applicable river-assault.
Halving of the CVs of hasty attacks.
Command modifiers.
And probably a few more that I've forgotten.

The point is that they're useful guides, but not absolute values.

[Mynok]

Correct. The actual CVs are shown on the battle reports.

[KGrob]

I'm sorry, but I'm still not understanding how my Axis Friends get into the game. Romania and Hungary (and everyone else) is just sitting around.

I see a few coming in via reinforcement on the reinforce screen...but what about all the guys who are there right now and just hanging out.

I'm wondering if there is something I'm supposed to do before I press "end turn" to get these guys doing something.

[CheerfullyInsane]

A lot of them are garrison units that will remain frozen until the Red Army approaches (19.1.1)

Some Romanians are released when a German unit moves within 3 hexes of the border somewhere (details escape me at the moment), or if that doesn't happen, on Turn 3.

[KGrob]

All right...some progress with my Axis Allies...I'm starting turn 3 and see that they have some movement capability.

[cpt flam]

generally you can have Finns for turn 4 & 5
italians come later
for others passing mouse over units will tell you how long they are frozen

[Berkut]

ORIGINAL: KGrob

All right...some progress with my Axis Allies...I'm starting turn 3 and see that they have some movement capability.

Movement capability is all you can ever really expect out of them, to be honest... [;)]

[KGrob]

ORIGINAL: Berkut

ORIGINAL: KGrob

All right...some progress with my Axis Allies...I'm starting turn 3 and see that they have some movement capability.

Movement capability is all you can ever really expect out of them, to be honest... [;)]

LMAO. Ya, they won't strike fear in many enemy units.

I pushed a large German force in south of the swamps to Rovno and now I'm turning south. If I can get those Axis guys to help just a little bit, I can cut off 25 to 30 Soviet divisions either this turn or next in the area of Lvov, Tarnopol, Stanislav.

[KGrob]

At this point, I'm not sure if it's better to try to take ground or to simply focus on encirclement and destruction of Soviet units.

It seems as though I could capture a lot of territory up north. But it also seems like I may be able to encircle some large groups of Soviets in the center and south regions.

[KGrob]

Where is a place that explains the unit color scheme?

I know in the manual on page 309 that it explains a little about color, mostly background color for the various nations.

But what about interior color (the color of the rectangle inside the unit). Some are green on a grey background, some are blue on a grey background, pink on grey, purple on grey...and so forth.

[randallw]

Interior colors are the division of units under corps or army HQs.

[Berkut]

For the Germans, the color indicates what Army/Panzer Group they are in. So that is the second level under Army Group.

So 18th Army, 4th Panzer Group, etc., etc.

For the Soviets, it indicates what Army they are part of, which is the level under Front/Military District. So for all those Soviets that show up as white, that means the divisions are either directly attached to Stavka, or attached to a Army that is attached to Stavka (as opposed to a Front/MD).

So, the way to keep track (or the way I keep track) of who is associated to what unit is first by this color scheme. Then, for the Germans, I will select a unit. If it is a combat unit, like a division, I know that all other units with a yellow outline are in their Corps, and the unit with the orange outline is the corps HQ.

For the Soviets, same basic thing, except that the associated Army units (I tend to get rid of my Corps HQs as soon as possible as the Soviets) are going to be yellow.

[CheerfullyInsane]

ORIGINAL: KGrob

At this point, I'm not sure if it's better to try to take ground or to simply focus on encirclement and destruction of Soviet units.

It seems as though I could capture a lot of territory up north. But it also seems like I may be able to encircle some large groups of Soviets in the center and south regions.

In the CG, kill Russians. Then kill more Russians.
While capturing ground is nice for ones ego, the Russian replacement-rate is terrifying.
The consensus is that you'll need to have inflicted 4+ million casualties before December to stand a half-decent chance of surviving the blizzard.
The only real exception is Leningrad. If you want to capture that, you'll need to push hard.
You'll probably also need to take the ports to the east of it, cutting off its supply.