Some help with campaign strategy

[11Bravo]

Hello folks,

I'm still kind of new to this game, but having played a few PBEM and scenerios, I want to try a campaign.

It looks like choosing the core units is key to continuing success in the campaign.

I am leaning toward choosing core units that will be needed in any generic battle, like armor and infantry. Then, support points can be used to purchase things like transportation, or cannon fodder (my recon units suffer horrible casualties).

What are the winning strategies out there for choosing units in campaigns?

[Slayer]

As you said, being prepared for as many situations as possible is important.

I believe what you choose should reflect how you play. When I am playing a campaign, I play much too aggresively, and so often have an armour-heavy force, with a mix of cheaper, faster tanks that can grab objectives quickly, no matter the cost, and use them to try to hold the objectives until my smaller groups of heavily armed, armoured, slow, expensive tanks can reach them and counter-counter-attack the enemy trying to reclaim the objectives. This worked particularly well for me on the "Heroes of the Motherland" campaign, with masses of T-26s and T-34s backed up by KV-1s.

Just choose something that suits your style of play, and whatever you do, make sure you bring enough infantry!

[ May 26, 2001: Message edited by: Slayer ]

[victorhauser]

Basically, you want a combined arms core force. Yes, leave most transport and all cannon fodder for support points. You should have a mix of armor, infantry, antiaircraft, antitank, and support artillery in your core.

Also, choose your core with upgrades in mind for later in the campaign.

I typically start my long campaigns with 3500 core points. That allows me to do everything I just recommended above.

[achappelle]

I've found it depends who you pick. For me, I play the Soviets(big suprise). What I found is that I'll pick 3 or 4 companies of light tanks, BT5s or T26s, and 2 or 3 companies of cheap infantry and 2 or 3 cheap inf gun or at gun batteries. I generally suffer through the first couple of battles with high casualties, but eventually i'm cruising around with an upgraded force of 50 or 60 t34s and tank desant troops, and 4 or 5 120mm mortar batteries with ammo dump resupply. I guess what you can do is look forward at what you want your detachment to contain in the long term, and then make that your goal. My method seems to work for the Sovs, but I haven't tried it with anyone else.

[nimu]

Hi Bravo11!!!!I think Morozov is right:I tried that way with the british and i worked fine!The point is that if u choose a strong starting force u'll be able to pick only few tanks and only few platoons of infatry,and probably no chance to purchase any good arty.While if u buy cheap units and try to limitate the losses in the first battles u'll sure get a deeply strong and crowded battallion!
Regards

[Alexandra]

If you choose one of the user created campaigns, most of the authors give advice on force structure. A good learning one is Tulagi - only 3 missions. Heroes of the Motherland is another short one.

Alex

[Stukadawg]

After my armor and infantry are selected I'll spend the remainder on armored cars. They can be upgraded later (I traded mine in for mortar carrying halftracks and anti-aircraft units). The German Sdkfz 221s are cheap but that MG34 can do some damage to infantry until they're traded in for something else.
Also, the German armored car company has 3 platoons of 6 vehicles each. I traded the last two 221s in each platoon to anti-aircrat gun carriers (with the quad 20mms) and allocated them to the commanders of my armor company (overstrengthed with 8 platoons)and to my 2 infantry companies.
A couple of really cheap units at the end of your force can become the saviors of your force after a few battles.
Good luck,
SD

[11Bravo]

Thanks everyone!

I did not know about the option to upgrade/replace units. That means I won't have to fight the whole war with just my cheap tanks.

Also, until I find a way to keep my scouts alive, they will have to be support.

I will give it a try on a short campaign.

[Possum]

Hello 11Bravo.
May I modestly suggest that you search for 2 posts I did, labeled 2nd NZ Cav AAR#1 and AAR#3.
They are about a hypothetical New Zealand Cavalry regiment (actually a real regiment, just the equipment & troop organization I used is hypothetical). In the Two AAR's, I give an outline of my force, so the AAR's sould be good for giving you an idea on how to assemble an all arms force.