Matrix Games Forums

How do engineers place mines during the game, and how do they detonate bridges?

Also, I have seen the posts regarding the inability of US forces to hit targets even when stationary and locking on a target. I have the same problem, but conversely, the Germans appear to be supermen; half-strength squads assaulting and killing tanks who have just decimated the squad during that turn. Many other examples...

Is this German bias built into the game? If so, what is the recommended troop quality increase to equalize things?

Thanks,

Ed James

I've played Gerry exclusively with SPWAW, and I can report the same deal, where half-strength squads (of the Poles mind you) can destroy my tanks. If any of us played any of the earlier SP's we would recall that unsuppressed half-strength squands could destroy our tanks, particularly if we stumbled upon them in some remote corner, when we were advancing to mop up or exit the board. The problem, here, is that half-strength squads no longer go off into hopeless flight of rout; they rally rather easily. We just have to adjust to the idea that squads are rallying more easily; nothing more.

In this game, there's generally a lot more fighting and a lot less running away. Believe me, when your front is crumbling and the enemy has forgotten enough about your half-strength units, you'll see how the enemy has just as much as you do to fear from such units. I've been hanging on threads like that in more than one battle, and they can be quite heroic at times. The last one or two half-strength entrenched units can make quite a profound difference, whereas before they were just so much target practice for the enemy. Hopefully, it should be a mark of us knowing how to fight well, that we complain of the tenacity of a defeated enemy, because we know little about being in that situation, but on the other hand, the side that considers that the enemy should now give up because it's been whooped, has forgotten just how it put the other side at half-strength in the first place.

The only good enemy, isn't a half-strength enemy.

[This message has been edited by Charles22 (edited 06-05-2000).]

Yes, engineers can place mines and they can destroy bridges.

I've got to go back into the game and refresh my memory but someone may give you the answer before I do.

Germany was at a highpoint by 41-42, their best armies, veterans, well trained, innovative and well disciplined.

Their soldiers deteriorated through the war with excessive losses mainly on the East Front and a loosening of training and entry requirements.

On the other hand, the US began green and learned as they went, becoming better..better trained, more experience, better and more equipment.

But you know all of this.

This is portrayed by high morale and experience values for the Germans that go down with each year that passes. The Germans of 44-45 are nothing like those of 41-42.

That was the thinking behind the designers of the game.

Modifying the troops in the preference menu will help change this if you feel it is too much...Wild Bill

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Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

The patch shopuld address some of the difficulty getting things to rout. There seems to be a minor bug we need to fix <sheepish grin>