This scenario plays better with Yugoslavia as the AI. The game is loosely based upon the module from the Europa series I've had knocking about for years reflecting the brown base colour for the Yugoslav Army. I intended to incorporate Greece as well, but thought I should walk before I can run. The build of the scenario is largely based upon the developers tutorial design posted on the matrix forums.
To reflect racial tensions and the poor performance of the largely Croatian Fourth and Seventh armies their unit have been given a base morale of 10. The Yugoslav Army have been given 5 PP which will enable them to build a few new units. All production is non combat ie supply.
Border command forces and reserve army units regiment and under have been allocated to the areas relevant HQ as rifle units which will hopefully simulate mobilization and friction. It also gives a non AI Yugoslav player along with PP some flexibility.
The Yugoslav forces have been equipped with a reasonable amount of artillery which is intended to hurt the Axis player if he tries using his superiority of unit in static battles of destruction rather than conducting a Blitzkrieg type of campaign
Terrain in this game I use as a method of balance rather than 100% accuracy. If the Germans find it too easy I would increase the landscaping.
The Campaign in the Balkans was considered one of the finest hours of the General Staff. Victory conditions reflect the tight timetable before Barbarossa which I have tightened 5 days major victory (doable) up to ten days marginal victory over ten the Allies claim victory even with the destruction of Yugoslavia.
I'm not proficient enough with the event engine to know or to factor in losses in the victory conditions.
The Germans have not been given any political points and come with a couple of house rules.
No strategic transport and no disbanding units in dead sectors to create ones in live areas. Likewise the Luftwaffe has been rooted to the spot with flak for a purpose.
This is to reflect the incompatibility of the terrain and transport network in the Balkans, the second reason is to create the element of risk abandoning a town and not eliminating weak Yugoslav units
The historical premise for this is with Barbarossa coming up the General staff did not want Kampfgruppe strung out all over the Balkans
Belgrade is worth 10 VP and its fall causes a morale hit (This will be altered depending on how easy the game is for each player,its 9 atm) as centralized government breaks down, Cities are worth 4, towns 2 and villages 1. Axis start on 63 and need 107
Some of the German units should have more XP but as the scenario is doable in 5 turns play testing has so far not overruled the needs of the game over the needs of History.
I've left a few German rifle units in HQ's lvl 1 to reflect low grade security units
Paratroopers have been included because they are fun! (They should be lvl 2 but as the game is doable in 5 I've not changed them yet)
I've tried to make the game reflect the importance of movement to achieve the victory conditions.
Turn 1
Human German v AI
The plan is simple, momentum, momentum, momentum. I'm strong in air assets so they will smash the path for the armour. The Para drop coupled with I Panzergroups advance should cut off the South, The Italians from the Albanian sector will speed forward to relieve the Paras. XLI Pz Korps will threaten Belgrade whilst the Hungarian army (which I have made little better than the Yugoslav for balance) will act as a hard shoulder for XLVI Pz Korps.
In the North the Italians (again about as proficient with the Yugoslav army except they have a motorized and cavalry corps) should overwhelm the defenses and take out the coastal sector.
Everything went to plan and to schedule, no friction as yet
