KP/TAO3 strategy hints needed!

Korsun Pocket is a the second game using the award winning SSG Decisive Battles game engine. Korsun Pocket recreates the desperate German attempt to escape encirclement on the Russian Front early in 1944. The battle is a tense and exciting struggle, with neither side having a decisive advantage, as the Russians struggle to form the pocket, then try to resist successive German rescue efforts and last ditch attempts at breakout.
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Wallenstein
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KP/TAO3 strategy hints needed!

Post by Wallenstein »

Hello!
After celebrating the arrival of my KP copy, I started a TAO3 game on the German side.
Hm, somehow I can´t make significant progress as in TAO2; it´s the allied strongpoints, they´re driving me mad. I can deal with them in the northern part of the map quite well, but the area near Clearvaux and below is almost impossible to penetrate during the first turns. I can´t get my units over the rivers when a strongpoint is on the other side of the water, because they can´t be attacked. It takes a huge amount of time to seek for gaps and move my units through. This takes about three or four turns - in TAO2 I used to be already southwest of Bastogne.
As this happened three games in a row, I thought it was time to ask you for some hints with that issue...and yes, I admit, I haven´t read the whole manual yet... ;)
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e_barkmann
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Post by e_barkmann »

with some practise, Clerveaux can be reached by the Germans on the first turn. My suggestion would be to start a game up with the Germans on AI (don't select AI- though) and then step through each move that the AI is making - and observe Roger Keating's opening move.

Alternatively, get Rob Gjessing to play you as the Germans..he's got the opening move for Clerveaux down pat :-)

If you want to nut it out yourself, the Combat Advisor should be invaluable.

Hint: you may need to use a nearby Para regiment to help you get to Clerveaux on turn 1...

Cheers Chris
Wallenstein wrote:Hello!
After celebrating the arrival of my KP copy, I started a TAO3 game on the German side.
Hm, somehow I can´t make significant progress as in TAO2; it´s the allied strongpoints, they´re driving me mad. I can deal with them in the northern part of the map quite well, but the area near Clearvaux and below is almost impossible to penetrate during the first turns. I can´t get my units over the rivers when a strongpoint is on the other side of the water, because they can´t be attacked. It takes a huge amount of time to seek for gaps and move my units through. This takes about three or four turns - in TAO2 I used to be already southwest of Bastogne.
As this happened three games in a row, I thought it was time to ask you for some hints with that issue...and yes, I admit, I haven´t read the whole manual yet... ;)
Scourge of War multiplayer group

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Wallenstein
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Post by Wallenstein »

Chris Merchant wrote: My suggestion would be to start a game up with the Germans on AI (don't select AI- though) and then step through each move that the AI is making - and observe Roger Keating's opening move.
Thank you, spying on the German opening move did indeed make the beginning easier. Still I think strongpoints are too "strong" to overcome for the German player...especially if there are so many to clear a path.
On the other hand, playing TAO2 as the Germans on normal difficulty was a piece of cake anyway ;)
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Fred98
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Post by Fred98 »

Near the back of the manual, just before the history of the battle, are a series of tips on how to win.

Print this page separately and refer to it each and every turn. You will soon be an expert.
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Wallenstein
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Post by Wallenstein »

Hehe, I´m definitely getting better, but can anyone explain me how it is determined if a unit is allowed to attack a strongpoint across a river?
It seems to have something to do with the OP values in the battlefield popup, but I couldn´t figure out the system behind it...
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tempest
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Post by tempest »

Wallenstein,

Allied strongpoints start behind both major and minor rivers. The Terrain/CRT buton display shows that in thaw conditions there is halved combat allowed over minor rivers and no combat over major rivers. This is the only criteria for permissible combat, OP point values don't matter.
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Wallenstein
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Post by Wallenstein »

Ah, I see, thank you for making that clear...I didn´t bother too much with the secrets of the terrain/CRT screen till now...takes too much time to study ;)
...only one thing: I don´t want to be nitpicking here, but then why can the Germans attack southwest from hex 44,28, whereas it´s impossible from 44,26? From both hexes a major river must be crossed.
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Rob Gjessing
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Post by Rob Gjessing »

Simple (I think)..., that river changes from a major river to a minor river between hexes 45,25 and 45,26.

So when you are attacking hex 44,26 - the crucial part is the attack coming from hex 45,25. You can see this yourself if you load up hex 45,26 with 4 units and try and attack hex 44,26 - you wont be able to do it. Now move one unit to hex 45,25 and you should now be able to attack. This because the attack from 45,25 is now across a minor river.. and the attack from 45,26 is over a major river.

Also the orange arrow head in the combat panel confirms that your attack is coming from the direction of hex 45,25- albeit without giving you a tactical shift though.
Isn't that bizarre?
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Wallenstein
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Post by Wallenstein »

Rob,
I can follow you with the river change from major to minor, but attacking southwest from hex 44,28(with one Panzer Lehr and two 26 VG units) is possible for the Germans, although a major river runs between them and the strongpoint.
It´s not that it´s disturbing me, it just caught my eye when I was studying the opening move.
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Rob Gjessing
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Post by Rob Gjessing »

I assume that you are talking about attacking the strongpoint at hex 43,29 - and I have some bad news for you. You are not using any of the units in hex 44,28 in that assault. Even though if you select the stack of units in hex 44,28 and then hover the mouse over hex 43,29 and it will report as a valid combat and it will also let you enter the combat panel.. the actual unit that is being used in that combat is the 39Gren from the 29th VG in hex 44,29.

This can be confirmed be either moving that unit in hex 44,29 away or by entrenching it so that it loses its combat ability. You will then find that you are not able to assault with the units in hex 44,28.

Whoosh!
Isn't that bizarre?
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Wallenstein
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Post by Wallenstein »

Rob, that´s it!
I was confused when I thought I launched the attack from 44,28 but couldn´t select any units to participate. Then I always worked around it by hitting the Max button and didn´t examine the neighbour hex.
Anyway thank you for your patience.
By now I´m rather experienced with the opening as the Germans and making good progress just like in TAO2. :D
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Rob Gjessing
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Post by Rob Gjessing »

Glad I could be of help. Lets us know when you are ready to playing a human :)

It seems you have adopted my best advice, and thats to watch what the AI does in opening move to clear the strongpoints. My second best advice is dont play the scenario as you would TAO2. Its a different game.
Isn't that bizarre?
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Wallenstein
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Post by Wallenstein »

Rob Gjessing wrote:Glad I could be of help. Lets us know when you are ready to playing a human :)
A little practice is still needed, but I´ll step forward when I have the guts. :)
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