Watchword Freedom

Dave_R · Post by **Dave_R** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 12:33 am

Ok! My sence of honor has got the better of me! I've just upgraded to ver 4.5 and had to start again! So I've reset the campaign backto it's original points values and trying again as Bill designed it!

This time I'm going with.

1 x Moterized Panzer Gren Coy.
3 x Tiget platoons
1 x Flame panzer section!

Plan is to leave the trucks behind and safe for the first battle, and hope that I can get then all upgraded fast to 1/2 tracks!

victorhauser · Post by **victorhauser** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 9:47 am

All of my fallschirmjager squads look like halftracks in v4.5 alas. Is there anything I can do to make them look like infantry again?

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 12:03 pm

Victor, sounds like some faulty icons. Let me check that.

Question, do you use a different German OOB from that which game with 4.5?

WB

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

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 12:06 pm

Igor, no they weren't. Where in the world did that 105mm gun come from? It is not listed in the aux units that already come in the battle. What is the unit (it's designation)?

I'd like to look into that.

Historically, nearly all the heavy equipment was abandoned including artillery in order to escape the Soviet pursuit.

WB

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

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 12:09 pm

I tried that once, Dave, no support points and no repair points. It was too challenging

One tends (or at least I did) to become protective of their units to the degree that affects play. Not being able to replace losses just did not work in a long campaign. In a short one it just might do okay.

Charles22 does have a very valid point about the breakdowns. It would be a problem with that option on. You get enough of them with it off

!

I'll take another look at the idea. Thanks...

Wild Bill

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

[This message has been edited by Wild Bill (edited December 23, 2000).]

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 12:14 pm

My pleasure, FM! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I think you were wise to upgrade to Tigers. Few battles portray their power in battle like this one, at least for me.

They saved my butt more than once

Wild Bill

Igor · Post by **Igor** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 2:00 pm

Regarding the 105:

I went back and checked all the wounded; AC0 is carrying the gun in slot 4, AC1 and AD1&2 are carrying panzerfausts. So it seems that either the glitch is in one unit, or that squad won a really high stakes poker game.

And as far as heavy equipment goes; even if there was no impetus to lighten the load; how the heck could they be carrying along a several ton gun? On a bicycle half hidden by recoil absorbers?

Btw; I managed to push a platoon of Panthers all the way past the hill to fend off the tanks persuing the various escaping units. I can only imagine that the various infantry stumbling through the snowy night were glad to see them lined up off the road there...

[This message has been edited by Igor (edited December 23, 2000).]

skukko · Post by **skukko** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 4:43 pm

Charles22: Your point of Panzerschreck is what I've noticed too, good that you mentioned it here, may help someone.

I started WF last night to find out what is so hard in it

WB: those sovjet infantry (who use warptechnology to get in the village) at first battle had no chance. They took out few single soldiers. (My losses so far, yet 6 turns to go. Objectives nearly finished) Poor guys arrived to the village just after I had secured area with two infantry companies. I have, besides infantry, one platoon and one section of Tigers. Infantry has 75mmAT:s with opels. And for Sturmovics I have 20mmflakvirgl platoon. Way I've handled this can be said in few words: Tracked FO recons and infantry moves one step at the time. Mg:s and 4 Tigers have stable positions. 2 Tigers loaded with infantry are moving right after FO and are ready to deal with anything. And I don't use any roads, so I found one mine also. Infantry rules at my core, they take out all that is in range of their AT weapons. Tanks do the rest.

mosh

Dave_R · Post by **Dave_R** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 5:44 pm

Originally posted by Wild Bill:
I tried that once, Dave, no support points and no repair points. It was too challenging

One tends (or at least I did) to become protective of their units to the degree that affects play. Not being able to replace losses just did not work in a long campaign. In a short one it just might do okay.

Charles22 does have a very valid point about the breakdowns. It would be a problem with that option on. You get enough of them with it off !

I'll take another look at the idea. Thanks...

Wild Bill

Perhaps a half way measure on this might work Bill. I know that I have a couple of books coming from Santa on the Chindit campaign of March 43 to September 43.
I'll be able to get a better idea of the campaign that I'd like to but together with them, but an initial idea might go like this.

Long March phase March to April - This would cover two or three battles, with the emphasis being on getting across the map with minimal casualties. These would have no support or rebuild after each battle.

Taking airstrips and 'White City'phase. A couple of possible battles here, where if the player does well then has a big rebuild, and lots of paras for support.

Raiding and Japanese counter attack phase. Open to several battles, with limited rebuild and senairio specific support.

Withdrawl phase. Perhaps a couple of rearguard actions as troops are airlifted out, or a running battle to get back to friendly lines if airstrips are lost. again here there would be no rebuild and limited support.

That's the initial outline, obviouisly it'll be tuned in tighter as I do my research

Warhorse · Post by **Warhorse** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 11:27 pm

Uh, so I'm a slacker, and all that, where to get this gem?? It's not on the scenario depot, WB, where is it!!

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Mike Amos
Meine Ehre Heisst Treue

Warhorse · Post by **Warhorse** » Sat Dec 23, 2000 11:41 pm

Doh, never mind, found it on Rick's page!! Thanks!!

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Mike Amos
Meine Ehre Heisst Treue

victorhauser · Post by **victorhauser** » Sun Dec 24, 2000 1:14 am

Wild Bill,

I was in the middle of playing Watchword Freedom with the v4.4 when v4.5 came out. When I upgraded to v4.5 all of my fallschirmjager squads went from looking like infantry to looking like halftracks. I made no other changes to anything other than doing the upgrade from v4.4 to v4.5.

In fact, my saved WF game was the very first thing I looked at after upgrading to v4.5. So basically it went like this:
1. Upgraded from v4.4 to v4.5.
2. Loaded my saved WF game.
3. Noticed all my falschirmjager now looked like halftracks.
4. Exited SPWaW v4.5 immediately.
5. Went to the Matrix SPWaW Forum.
6. Posted my message.

I haven't touched anything else.

hhsohn · Post by **hhsohn** » Wed Dec 27, 2000 4:33 am

Field Marshall Wild Bill,

I just finished WF campaign, and I must say it was heart-pounding as only three weeks of turn based play can be.

That first mission to capture the bridges brought the first bitter taste of being unable to fulfill the mission. Even with all my armor upgraded to Panthers, Tigers, and Elephants, that last battle consumed half of my armor as they charged head-on in to Russian tanks, infantry, and minefields in hope of bringing home some of their brothers.

Fortunately campaign ended with decisive victory of 19pts, with 1MV and 4DV out of 7 battles.

Thanks for all your efforts, and it was truely an epic campaign.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Wed Dec 27, 2000 8:32 am

Victor, so I assume these fallshirmjager troops were your core units, or support units? If you have saves, go back to an earlier battle if they are in it and see if you get the same results. Standing by...WB

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

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Wed Dec 27, 2000 8:35 am

Thank you very much hhsohn! Very kind encouragment from you and the crowd. Did you try U2R as yet?

The newest, "The Victors" will be coming out shortly.

There will be two versions, one easier, one harder. They will initially be posted on the two SPWAW support sites run by Fabio and Rick.

These two guys, along with Bonzo and others, have really busted their chops to give their support to the game.

I sincerely hope we can continue that with future games from Matrix. It's looking very good for the future guys!

Wild Bill

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

Dave_R · Post by **Dave_R** » Wed Dec 27, 2000 6:03 pm

Ok Bill
I'm finally starting to make headway in this campaign at last, and with your original point settings too!

Core force is

1 Mot Gren Coy
1 Coy Elephants, minus their anti air section
3 scout teams

First battle was a solid marginal victory. I took two Inf foot coys, and some arty in support. Irealy took too long in getting to those points per turn victory hex's, but casualties were minimal.
Buld phase let me ditch all the trucks and replace them with halftracks.

Second battle was a turkey shoot! It was over on 4 turns! Nice to get a decisisve victory here.
Build phase let me get rid of the Inf ATG's and AAG's, and replace then with Theit self propelled equivalent. The four trucks used for dragging them around are being converted to Tigers! One tips guys. Trucks are good for converting to armour, as it seems that their default skills levels puts the most points into the armour skill!
Third battle is still ongoing, butI'm doing much better then I have before! And I took Great pleasure in roasting those damned Soviet Engineers that were hold up on the edge of the little town to the north! Pay back time!
After this battle things will get interesting because I've never got past the third battle so far! (grins)

Kluckenbill · Post by **Kluckenbill** » Thu Dec 28, 2000 2:02 am

I too had Fallschirmjaegers as core troops, and I too got the Halftrack Icon (also, they don't work, its not just the Icon.) The only way I could fix it was to go back to the rebuild screen and re-buy them as Fallschirmjaegers again. Its a waste of points but it worked.

I'm now starting (I think) the 6th battle and I have an awesome upgraded force:

AO is a Tiger with A1 FJ (Fallschirmjaeger) riding on top.

3 platoons of 4 Tigers each

3 Mech Platoons of 3 Spec Ops and i FJ all riding Halftracks

6 Hummels

2 sections of 2 SP 20mm FlAK each

The main things I take in support are:
1. Ammo Trucks
2. FO's
3. Motorcycles

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Target, Cease Fire !

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Thu Dec 28, 2000 5:57 am

I'm trying to find this. Send me a copy of a battle you saved with these icons and let me see what I can find, please...WB
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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Thu Dec 28, 2000 6:05 am

I can't repeat this FJ error. That was because I suppose I never bought FJs in 4.4

It must be something to do with the new 4.5 oobs but without being able to recreate the error, I can't find it. Sorry!

Wild Bill

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