Matrix Games Forums

Guys, I'm sure we all tend to just focus and play the games as the main combatants, the Germans, Soviets, USA and perhaps UK. But I'd like to hear some experiences about some of the "forgotten countries" on the Dynamic campaigns. Before getting John Tillers campaign series I played East and West Front and atleast tried out all the countries. This is a rough analysis, I intend to go more in depth in the future after paying more attention to campaigns. Here are some.

Other Axis nations

1. ) Romanians. After the Germans on East Front, the most formidable force in my opinion has been the Romanians. Their R2 tanks can take on the Soviet T-26s. Artillery is excellent, especially the 100mm howitzers. Troops have motorized transport and infantry is about on par to the Soviets. Some accompanying anti tank guns are good enough. A good all around combination, I have been able to earn every Romanian medal. ..This all changes when the Russians came with the 1941 model T-34...everything got harder from their!

2. Hungarians Next in my opinion come the Hungarians. While their Toldi tanks are more like tankettes, they can infact take on the opposing T-26. Combine this with air support and you can cause some damage. Artillery is adequate, and they even have the mechanized transport for them like the germans, even with cool camouflage. Ifantry is satisfactory.As above, I have been able to earn every medal with the Hungarians, but was a bit harder. Again, once the soviets bring in even the most primitive T-34s, it gets really tough!

3. Italians A sad lack in tanks, ( I refuse to call L 35 as tanks) already cast a doom on the Italians. Add to this a general lack of motorized transport and we have a real problem. There are horses, the artillery can do some damage and their are some anti tank guns and aa guns. But the lack of armor and mobility snatch much potential...especially when facing KV-1s and T-34s. This game shows realistically how under equipped these poor fellows were going into their graves in Russia.

Other Allied nations

1. French The Char tanks (the B1-bis) and I believe the S-35 can handle the panzers well and have good armor, however, they are extremely slow and dont have the distance capabilities of the Panzers. This hampers their effectiveness to me as i like to fight mobile combat. It takes forever for me to go down and destroy HQs and artillery, and I simply get swarmed by Panzers all around me. All other tanks to me reek of WW1 and are nothing special. French artillery is strong though and does cause damage. The 47mm anti tank gun packs a punch, though is best used in groups. Infantry is comparable, but to me, again, seem better suited to world war one. Overall, if the French had more mobile tanks, they could have put up a better fight.

2. Poles The Poles, I played as them once....and it was my last time. It was just too painful. Infact, I believe even worse than the italians, they didnt even have armored cars as I can remember. They do have a few anti tank guns that can disrupt panzers and some artillery pieces can do damage. The infantry is nothing extra ordinary. Ill have to play as them again to get a better analysis

Pretty much everything can take on T-26, while T-26 can not take anything, including infantry. Well T-26 can take out immobile truck, if the stars are right. That is not completly historical. T-26 technically was on par with German/Czech Pz-38(t), and was actually more useful than early T-34. At least it was relyable and can make long march, while early T-34 could not. If I'm playing russian I'm always start with T-28. They are slow, but at least they can do some damage, and model with L-11 gun is actually quite good.

hmm I suppose as with all weak tanks, it is best to use the T-26 in groups of 3-4, have them all fire at the same time. This should work on infantry, then once disrupted have another group or pair of T-26 assault and eliminate.

Finns. You left out the Finns. The Winter War DCG game is fun when its snowing, but the last few missions when its muddy, not so much.

The Finnish Jaegar Bn. is great on skis, you use MG and Rifle Platoons to disrupt and surround. But the AT is weak and artillery spotty.

ORIGINAL: auHobbes37

Finns. You left out the Finns. The Winter War DCG game is fun when its snowing, but the last few missions when its muddy, not so much.

The Finnish Jaegar Bn. is great on skis, you use MG and Rifle Platoons to disrupt and surround. But the AT is weak and artillery spotty.

Lol yes you're right I forgot the brave Finns. I played as them a few times though never went more than three battles. Perhaps you can tell me more about them. You're right about the ski units, they have a longer range than foot infantry and look and sound cool when dashing through the snow. Where you able to play the whole campaign and earn every medal for the Finns? Where there some battles where you had to attack and had an exit point hex objective to make it easier? How did you deal with Russian armor since you mentioned the ATs werent that great? Let me know when you can, as soon as I get my computer fixed and play again Ill start a Finnish campaign and take it all the way through.

its been a while since I played the Finns, but you can't let them stand still, first of all you get limited replacements and secondly, sitting still draws artillery.

The only Soviet tanks you meet in Winter War are generally T-26 and T-28's, which can be disrupted by ATR or rifle platoons.

Also use double time and you can get out of trouble... and on ski's you can really make tracks going through the snow.

If you're on the offensive in a break through scenario, then you can often times out run HAL to the exit hexes and obtain an "Outstanding" result with minimal losses.

Its hard to pick up Medals as Finns, or at least it was for me.

In DCG Poles are indeed weak, however in scenarios, when they have tanks, it is not so easy for Germans.
 
Italians - I hate them. Their infantry is wortless. Only tanks M13/40 are some kind of support - but in LCG  of 5th recon, as cannon fodder.
 
 
 

ORIGINAL: Przemos19

In DCG Poles are indeed weak, however in scenarios, when they have tanks, it is not so easy for Germans.

Italians - I hate them. Their infantry is wortless. Only tanks M13/40 are some kind of support - but in LCG  of 5th recon, as cannon fodder.

Hey Przemos19 do you know in which scenarios the Poles have tanks? I've never seen that...perhaps I havent thoroughly checked each scenario.

Hey
For example - in The Battle of Mokra - there is 1 platoon of 7TP, Action Along Bzura - 2 platoons of 7TP (I do not count several TKS and wz 34 Armoured Cars because they are like Panzer I = nothing good), The Western Gate - 2 platoons of R35 as a reinforcements, First Blood - 2 platoons of 7TP.
So there are indeed Polish tanks in game
 

What do you Guys think of the Japanese and Philipines and Marines military units abilities!

one of the best scenario (in my opinion) is Romanian vs Soviets - Bloody Odessa, complexity 4, 15 turns
a lot of possibilities, good for infantry tactic and maneuvers

I've played the monster Manila scenario that one was a blood bath for the Japanese. EF Deadly Diversion Hungarian vs Russian was a pretty good scenario.
 
 

Does the monster Manila scenario come with the Matrix edition or is it something that has to be downloaded from another site?

It's a custom scenario you can get it here http://www.theblitz.org/scenarios/show_scenarios.php?opart=2&order=scen_title&game=9&army=0&h2h=No


It's not converted to the Matrix version though It's call City of Death

Cool, thank you. 
 
Didn't the Japanese prevent the civilians from leaving?  I'm thinking there may have been something along the lines of a million civilian deaths, because the Japanese fought block by block with the civilians caught right in the middle of it.  The Allies, fearful of civilian casualties, were reluctant to use artillery (which I believe may have been the Japanese motive for keeping the civilians there).  I think Manila had several winding rivers running through it, and Manila may have had some sort of fortress right in the middle.  It seems like it would have the makings of a real slugfest.
 
Will this scenario run on the Matrix Edition?

I'm not sure about the civilian casualties from what I remember they where very high. The fortress is in the scenario as a high wall

ORIGINAL: Przemos19

Hey
For example - in The Battle of Mokra - there is 1 platoon of 7TP, Action Along Bzura - 2 platoons of 7TP (I do not count several TKS and wz 34 Armoured Cars because they are like Panzer I = nothing good), The Western Gate - 2 platoons of R35 as a reinforcements, First Blood - 2 platoons of 7TP.
So there are indeed Polish tanks in game

Ok thanks man I will check it out when I get a chance, I only wish you could have some of that in the campaign game so one could get some medals after battling the germans!

ORIGINAL: Miamieagle

What do you Guys think of the Japanese and Philipines and Marines military units abilities!

Good question. I still have not had a chance to play the Phillipines and Marines yet as my computer is crashed and I only had JTCS for a week. Prior to that however I did play Rising Sun. Here's my take on my slight playing as the Japanese

4. Japanese Overall the Japanese infantry seem fairly equipped to take on the US and British. The rifle units are about on par with the enemy, but they have the awesome feature of the banzai attack option. The machine gun platoons and sections are ok, as are the light mortars. Artillery does the job well enough. An interesting weapon is the 70mm ( I believe) infantry gun...which despite being a cannon can only be used for direct fire. It is best used in the defensive as it is slow, however it doesnt deliver immediate damage to enemy units, you have to get a few rounds off. There is self propelled artillery, the Type 1 HO-Ni which does a good job, though not as good as the US M7. AT guns are effective against light tanks and armored cars especially. Unfortunately the Japanese did not take cue from their German allies and didn't developed excellent tanks. Their tanks are of 1930's design, with light firepower, nothing special at all...but atleast they have several varieties.

Gerald Astor and John Costello both put the civilian death estimate in Manila at 100,000.