Panzer Command: Ostfront is the latest in a new series of 3D turn-based tactical wargames which include single battles, multi-battle operations and full war campaigns with realistic units, tactics and terrain and an informative and practical interface. Including a full Map Editor, 60+ Scenarios, 10 Campaigns and a very long list of improvements, this is the ultimate Panzer Command release for the Eastern Front!
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On that note, I've almost finished the Boot Camp campaign and I can't help thinking it's been misconceived. Sure, it's achieved its aim in that I'm now familiar with the techniques I'll need to use infantry properly in PC: O. However, PC: O is clearly a platoon level simulation, by which I mean that the game's basic unit of manoeuvre is the platoon. PC: O is meant to be played by platoons. By using only one core platoon, Boot Camp encourages players to think at the squad level, which I'm not sure the system is optimised for. I'm wondering if a multi-platoon Boot Camp would make more sense.
Cheers,
Andy
You make a good point, PCO is meant to be played more at the platoon level than the squad level.
But I think the Boot Camp really did accomplish it's aim showing players the tactics needed for using Infantry successfully in PCO. Perhaps a followup set of Boot Camp showing how to successfully manuever a company of Infantry would be useful.
Back to one of my early points about scenario spread; I am at game 16 in a 97 game campaign and am only at 09 Oct 41! This is roughly 20% of the battles and I have only covered 3 and half months of the war??? Is this WAD? Was hoping for a better spread across time, especially the later period when there is so many more interesting items. For comment and consideration.
Assuming you generated a random campaign, I looked in Data\Random Campaigns and opened the xml for 7th Panzer Division 1941-44 Long
If you look at the entry rptbattle that is how many times you will repeat that battle. Add that for a year.
<campaign id="7th Panzer Div 1941-44 Long" name="7th Panzer Div., Jun.22,1941 - Aug.1,1944" epilogueXMLFile="7th Panzer Div 1941-44 Long Epilogue.xml" currentScenarioId="German Summer 41 (First) - 7th Pzr Div" desc="7th Panzer Division - Germany [cr] LONG Campaign for 1941-1944 [cr] [cr] Difficulty: Very High (at Historical level) [cr] [cr] === OVERVIEW === [cr] [cr] Runs from June 22, 1941 through August 1, 1944. Follows the fortunes of the 7th Panzer Division in the Soviet Union from the initial days of Operation Barbarossa through the Soviet Summer Offensive of 1944. [cr] [cr] === CORE UNITS === [cr] [cr] 7 x Panzer 38t Medium Tank [cr] 5 x Panzer IIB Light Tank [cr] 3 x PanzerGrenadier Squad [cr] 3 x Opel Blitz Truck [cr] 2 x SdKfz 222 Armored Car [cr] [cr] === SUPPORT UNITS === [cr] [cr] Chance of support units in each battle, ranging from artillery and air to additional infantry, armor, anti-tank and reconnaissance forces. [cr] [cr] === DIVISION HISTORY === [cr] [cr] (From 'Hitler's Legions') [cr] [cr] Formed at Gera in 1938 as the 2nd Light Division, the 7th Panzer turned out to be an outstanding combat unit. It initially included the 66th Panzer Batttalion and the 6th and 7th Mechanized Cavalry Regiments, as well as a reconnaissance regiment. It took part in the invasion of Poland, was converted to a Panzer Division in the winter of 1939-40, and placed under the command of Major General Erwin Rommel, who would become the 'Desert Fox'. [cr] [cr] Equipped mainly with captured and inferior Czech tanks, the 7th Panzer smashed its way through Belgium and France, repulsed the major Allied counterattack of the campaign at Arras, and cut off the escape of major French and British forces at Cherbourg. It was engaged in occupation duties in the Bordeaux region until being sent east in the Spring of 1941. [cr] [cr] It crossed into Russia in June and fought in the battles of the Minsk Pocket, the Dnieper crossings, Smolensk and Moscow. It suffered such heavy losses in the winter fighting that it was sent back to France in May 1942 to rest and refit. In November of that year, it took part in the occupation of Vichy France. [cr] [cr] Sent to the southern sector of the Russian Front after the fall of Stalingrad, the 7th Panzer defended against heavy Soviet attacks aimed at Rostov in early 1943. Later if fought in the 3rd Battle of Kharkov. After being repulsed in the Kursk offensive, the 7th Panzer fought in the battles around Kiev and Zhitomir, where it was twice cited for distinguished conduct. In November, the division took heavy casualties in the Kiev withdrawal. [cr] [cr] The 7th Panzer fought in the Tarnopol area until March 1944, when it was overrun and the 1st Panzer Army encircled. The remnants of the division broke out, but not a single tank survived the operation. [cr] [cr] Down to battle group size, the 7th nevertheless fought on and was reinforced to oppose the Russian Summer offensive of 1944 as part of Army Group Center. Escaping disaster, it was again officially cited for distinguished conduct in August 1944 for its action in the Battle of Raseiniai in Lithuania. [cr] [cr] Beyond the scope of this campaign, it was heavily engaged when the Russian Winter Offensive of 1944-45 hit the Vistula and was trapped in Danzig as part of Army Group North in early 1945. Evacuated by sea, but without any vehucles or tanks, the 7th Panzer took part in the Battle of Berlin in April 1945. Some of its men managed to escape to allied lines and surrender to the Anglo-Americans. [cr] [cr] === CAMPAIGN NOTES === [cr] [cr] You start this campaign in command of a mixed Kampfgruppe, equivalent to a bit more than half a battalion in strength. Your soldiers are experienced veterans of prior campaigns. They will prove themselves to you in many more battles to come, but you must take care of them as they will not be easily replaced. [cr] [cr] Your equipment, unfortunately, is not as good as your soldiers. Throughout this campaign, you must make do with the Czech-produced Panzer 38ts and the light Panzer IIBs, which are both inadequate for facing the heavier Soviet tanks. Careful and clever tactics, combining use of cover, smoke and ambush will be required to survive and succeed in your missions. [cr] [cr] There are a minimum of 39 battles in this campaign and a maximum of 97. More battles will generally make the campaign more difficult, fewer battles will make it more survivable. [cr] [cr] You may wish to play this campaign on 'Easy' difficulty the first time through. It's difficult to recover from even one defeat, so strive to win each battle as decisively as possible and with as few losses as possible. Be aware that there are possible reinforcements in each battle, there is no guarantee they will arrive, but sometimes patience can be a virtue. [cr] [cr] As in history, you can expect to receive virtually no replacements from your first battle through your last. Your goal is simply to survive as the easier summer battles change to desperate contests of strength in the fall and near hopeless situations in the winter. Many units in the 7th Panzer Division were effectively destroyed by the end of 1941. Your goal is to be one of the few that survived the winter and was withdrawn to France for refit. [cr] [cr] By simply completing this campaign and winning all the battles, even if by the slightest margin, you will have survived what many of your historical counterparts could not. Good luck and watch out for those T-34s! [cr] [cr] === UPGRADE NOTES === [cr] [cr] You will receive very few replacements in 1941 and 1942. You will receive no upgrades in 1941 or 1942. Use your forces carefully during the Summer and Fall as you will need as many as possible in order to survive the Winter of 1941 and the subsequent Spring. [cr] [cr] There is no question that your initial equipment of Panzer 38ts and Panzer IIBs is inadequate for some of the forces you will face, but by 1943 things will start to improve. [cr] [cr] In May of 1942 you will be withdrawn for rest and refit and will receive replacements and upgrades in the form of new Panzer IIILs. In January of 1943 you will return and they will have to carry you through to the difficult Spring of 1944, after which your entire force will receive new Panzer IVs and finally be a match tank-wise for your foes. [cr] [cr] During the Summer of 1944, your infantry will receive Panzerfausts. [cr] [cr] The most important lesson is to plan for the long-term and use good tactics to preserve the strength of your forces. The instances where your replacements will be able to restore you to anywhere near your full strength will be few and far between.">
<scenarios>
<scenario id="German Summer 41 (First) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS0"/>
<scenario id="German Summer 41 (Att) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="3" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS1"/>
<scenario id="German Summer 41 (Att) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="4" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS2"/>
<scenario id="German Summer 41 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS3"/>
<scenario id="German Summer 41 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS4"/>
<scenario id="German Fall 41 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="3" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS5"/>
<scenario id="German Fall 41 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="3" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS6"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 41 (Attack) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS7"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 41 (Attack) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS8"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 41 (Defend) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS9"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 41 (Defend) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS10"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 42 (Defend) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="4" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS11"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 42 (Defend) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="4" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS12"/>
<scenario id="German Spring 42 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="4" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS13"/>
<scenario id="German Spring 42 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="4" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS14"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 43 (Upgrade) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS15"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 43 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS16"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 43 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="4" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS17"/>
<scenario id="German Spring 43 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="3" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS18"/>
<scenario id="German Spring 43 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="6" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS19"/>
<scenario id="German Early Summer 43 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS20"/>
<scenario id="German Early Summer 43 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS21"/>
<scenario id="German Summer 43 (Kursk) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS22"/>
<scenario id="German Summer 43 (Kursk) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS23"/>
<scenario id="German Late Summer 43 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS24"/>
<scenario id="German Late Summer 43 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS25"/>
<scenario id="German Fall 43 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="3" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS26"/>
<scenario id="German Fall 43 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="6" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS27"/>
<scenario id="German Winter Late 43 (Defend) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS28"/>
<scenario id="German Winter Late 43 (Defend) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS29"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 44 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS30"/>
<scenario id="German Winter 44 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="4" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS31"/>
<scenario id="German Early Spring 44 (Kessel) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS32"/>
<scenario id="German Early Spring 44 (Kessel) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS33"/>
<scenario id="German Spring 44 (Upgrade) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS34"/>
<scenario id="German Spring 44 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="1" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS35"/>
<scenario id="German Spring 44 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="4" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS36"/>
<scenario id="German Summer 44 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="2" keybattle="true" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS37"/>
<scenario id="German Summer 44 (Mix) - 7th Pzr Div" rptbattle="4" keybattle="false" player="German" mediaFile="00.png" textFileDesc="SS38"/>
Conflict of Heroes "Most games are like checkers or chess and some have dice and cards involved too. This game plays like checkers but you think like chess and the dice and cards can change everything in real time."
Back to one of my early points about scenario spread; I am at game 16 in a 97 game campaign and am only at 09 Oct 41! This is roughly 20% of the battles and I have only covered 3 and half months of the war??? Is this WAD? Was hoping for a better spread across time, especially the later period when there is so many more interesting items. For comment and consideration.
Regards,
Tony
Tony,
I think junk2drive pasted the file that controls how the battles are distributed through the period. Keep in mind that if you don't care for the distribution, you can edit this file, or create your own with the kind of distribution you want.
The Random Campaign system is really very flexible. It does take some time, but for random Campaigns, once you spend the time making it just the way you want it, it can be used over and over and still be Random, just "randomized" the way you want.
I am playing my own German campaign (97 battles) based on a core force of 14 tanks, 9 x squads and 4 x A/Cars. Three questions for those who may know:
1. I seem to find in every scenario yet played (half way through my 8th one now) that when attacking (7 out of 8 so far) I face an incredible hoard of AT guns, it would seem to rival the soviet PAK fronts at Kursk! The average is between 14 and twenty AT guns; plus Inf/tanks and off-board arty (60% 0f the time). To add to the pain 40 -50% of these guns are 76mm which can generally see and engage from one end of the map to the other (terrain pending, but sometimes they seem to have amazing line of sight!). Do others find an incrediblely high amount of AT guns?
2. As noted above I am playing a long campaign of some 97 battles. I am in my 8th battle now but only up to the 29/7/41. So nearly 10% of the allowed battles but I have only covered some six weeks ........ Is this normal?
3. I assume that when you mod an existing campaign with your own core force that the map does not increase in size to match an increase in core size?
In thanks for any comments or thoughts.
regards,
AKL
ORIGINAL: Andy Brown
Wrt the Sov AT guns. I've noticed that, when I opt for 100% Sov infantry, the RBG give me a lot of man-portable (small calibre) AT guns. Quite often, they will comprise 50% of the force, which is quite frustrating when I'm trying to set up infantry-only battles.
Can this be fixed? I suspect it has something to do with making the AT guns man-portable. The system seems to consider them as infantry when, strictly speaking, they're not.
Thanks,
Andy Brown
Tony and Andy,
I think I have this issue fixed. I've posted the modified files in the Mod section in this thread: fb.asp?m=3163545
