Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Wow, that's a heck of a wake up call!

Interesting though - I notice the event log calls that a mortar strike, but those are the rocket effects. Were you just looking at a different part of the event log there or should we investigate?

Regards,

- Erik

Oh there were Katyushas, 82mm & 120mm mortars and 122mm artillery going off - it was like 5th November or 4th July, depending on which side of the pond you live [:)]

Our valiant HMG team on the far left has succumbed to an apocalyptic artillery barrage. The rest of the kampfgruppe has pushed forward further, encountering numerous infantry units - here a Pz Kpfw II has got too close for comfort and goes into reverse gear!

The central objective is now in our control. There appears to only be one 45mm AT gun still firing - and causing much concern - but hopefully we will neutralise it now we have several guns to bear on it. Depending on how the next turn goes, the Pz III platoon may hook right behind the woods to finish off any resistance there.

Our 81mm mortars have shelled the woods to our left very heavily and our half-tracks nose in cautiously... The long grass does not give away many secrets...

Switch the grass off (Backspace) and we see the effect of the barrage.

The objective on our left has been secured by the survivor of the recon platoon and the two attached Pz IIs. The main armoured line has pushed past the central objective and, as they crest the rise, come under fire from two infantry guns who can hurt with HEAT rounds.

After some brutal, close range fighting, both 76mm infantry guns are knocked out at the cost of one immobilised and one damaged Pz III. All down the line, Soviet infantry press home a counter-attack and are cut down. This continues for a number of turns while the panzers consolidate and push towards the final objective. Another massive Soviet barrage kills an MG team.

33 minutes after the fighting started, the panzers overrun the final objective.

The reckoning - we have lost one Sd Kfz from our core force, but crucially both damaged panzers return to service.

Congratulations and good luck in the next battle!

Recovering both damaged Panzers is great news from a campaign standpoint and two Iron Crosses in the first battle (and a War Merit Cross too for your HQ tank) is not bad at all. Recovery is more likely if you keep damage to a minimum. Track damage is almost always recoverable, whereas a tank that has lost its engine and its main gun usually ends up being scrapped for spare parts.

Regards,

- Erik

Congratulations on the legendary victory FNG, hopefully it will be the first of many.

I wouldn't worry to much about losing the recon vehicle, at least I haven't really found a use for the Sd.Kfz 222's thus far. They're too fragile for the front, even a regular Rifle squad can knock a wheel off.

I also don't really miss their Sighting bonus much. It's only +4 and something like an Iron Cross 2nd Class already gives you +2. Their movement speed is also quickly decreased in difficult terrain, in part because there's no all terrain wheeled movement (or a bonus for vehicles with more than 4 wheels for the 231 for example), at least not that I'm aware of. The 222 didn't perform too well off-road historically, but it's remarkable how slow it is. I can work with Sd.Kfz. 231's as those are less fragile, but the 222's are a bit too fragile to be of much use in my campaign thus far.

Units that have recon in their attributes have a sighting bonus. Give them a SOP Cautious and use short Advance orders with a pause during reaction. Enemy movement may reveal itself. Also since they are higher than troops heads, you may spot something that troops don't.

The 222s are difficult to use well. I would say they are not a particularly strong unit, but anything with a 20mm cannon can be useful when Soviet infantry abound. Their vulnerability and poor off-road performance are definitely their weak points. Their ability to spot better than your other vehicles does give them some utility, but I have a tough time getting them through missions without damage to. The Advance -> Cautious is one of the better methods to use them if you can be patient and if you don't have enough infantry to scout ahead, they are the next best thing.

Regards,

- Erik

I started out using Advance > Cautious until I had some idea of where the enemy was located. After that, short Rush orders from cover to cover helped expose more units for artillery barrage or to be attacked by panzers. They are very flimsy but as noted above, a 20mm cannon is useful if you deploy them as security on an objective once the main force has passed.

I forgot to mention that the second Stuka arrived and attacked one of my HMG teams! Fortunately there were no casualties. Onward to the next engagement...

ORIGINAL: FNG
I forgot to mention that the second Stuka arrived and attacked one of my HMG teams!

That was really not a good day for the HMG teams!

Regards,

- Erik

I guess that as my most static units, they were the most likely candidates for Soviet artillery and overly keen Stuka pilots...

Soviet artillery can be a real pain, on the first few turns of the battle I'm playing now, my forces were greeted by 203mm, 120mm and Katyusha barrages. It felt a bit like SPWWII, where you could set around 1/5 of the map on fire on turn 1 with Wurfrahmen.

By the way, it must've been quite a skilled Stuka pilot if he could see and engage the HMG squad and gave it priority over all other targets. During my first battle, my trucks parked 600 meters from the front were also engaged by a Stuka, luckily the bomb missed.

ORIGINAL: FNG

The reckoning - we have lost one Sd Kfz from our core force, but crucially both damaged panzers return to service.

after a turn out like this, your no longer considered an FNG. I really like the down to the ground screens . I speak for myself when i say don't hold back on the screens. the more the better.

a good start and looking forward to learning new tactics.

how do you like to proceed when faced with multiple objectives? heavy at a weak point or strong flankers with whater else you have at the center.

I just love the depiction of artillery in this game. how do you plan to defend and attack with the God of War.

Thanks for the feedback!

With multiple objectives, it depends on their relative positions. Usually I'll go for a left or right hook, using artillery smoke to protect the open flank and a small holding force to watch out for counter attacks or mobile forces that I haven't previously spotted. Concentration of forces is very important to gain local superiority.

I tend to save my artillery for smoke barrages and attacks of opportunity when you spot infantry in the open.

To defend against artillery is a bit more random. If I have an armoured platoon that has been stationery (or not moved far) for a turn or two, then my next order, wherever possible, will be a Rush. Their previous position will frequently get carpeted It is imprecise though and you will occasionally get caught with your trousers down! Infantry are less mobile and more fragile, so I try to keep them moving or in hard cover. This is not always possible so you have to accept that occasionally you'll get hammered.

That's a good strategy against artillery attacks on your forces and pretty accurate as to cause and effect.

Good Hunting.

MR