Matrix Games Forums

Hi folks,

in this thread i will randomly post scenes from the testing & balancing of Soviet Dawn. It will not be a complete documentation but rather some peeks into whats going on and - hopefully - what to look forward to in this new campaign for Germany at War.

If you want to have a look at the campaign tree, its posted in this thread:

Soviet Dawn Campaign Tree

Hi folks,

testing the reworked victory conditions on the Smolensk offense operations and pondering if i should create a guards unit or stick to my usual choice of additional support units for longer endurance in battle. Artillery is not hit that often and this is the last support unit i can get if i keep it as a regiment size formation. So its questionable if i can profit from the reduced loss in experience.

Hi Ronald,

What is the objective of this attack?

To destroy the enemy artillery unit? Attack it with your infantry divisions.
An artillery duel? The Soviet 150 mm gun has advantage of longer range if compared to German 105 mm, and ML-20 has even longer range than German 150 mm howitzer.

Marshal Vasilyevski has ordered a group of General Staff officers to address issues on the frontline, to help the Soviet line units to defeat the enemy with less casualties - also learning from the German experience in 1941. Their artillery was very nasty back then, especially in the AG North sector!

Hi AngrySwan,

the decision was rather a strategic than a tactical one as it affects the unit through the campaign. I decided to make it a guards unit aa i consider it the best long term choice. And what do you know the next thing that happened it was hit hard and had to have replacements. We will see if it works out as i want. Never underestimate artillery units with veterans calling the shots. [;)]

Testing a new feature (which i will show soon) brings me to Kalinin in 1941, the battle for the city rages and several of my units got a bloody nose trying to cross the river.

Even though the German Panzer divisions are worn down at the beginning of the Kalinin Offensive, they still are hard nuts to crack.

At Stalingrad i expanded the artillery branch dramatically to weaken the Romanian lines before my guards units and the cavalry make their breakthrough.

Stalingrad is save and we will soon see if the new feature worked flawless. Kursk is divided in two sectors of hard fighting. Both need balanced forces to be victorious.

Is that Joukov in the first picture ?




It is the signature of whom ?

Hi terminator.

in the picture is Zhukov, the signature is from mass murderer Joseph Stalin. The "C" is the cyrillic "S" - its not easy to read it in block capitals but for me its often impossible to decipher the hand written stuff. Then again i do not use Russian sources that often.

Regards,

The final test was successful and your units will get battle honours after certain battles, based on the historical ones. Although they were mostly issued to individuals and only few to formations. And it will look like this:

So after successful operations in the Kursk area a had to choose the northern or southern path and i went towards the Sea of Asov. My units are now reunited and have to be prepared to take Saparoshe and block the Crimea for the north. The force is a bit artillery heavy, but it worked well out so far.

Where is the Soviet Dawn Campaign Tree ?
I do not find it any more (?)

ORIGINAL: terminator

Where is the Soviet Dawn Campaign Tree ?
I do not find it any more (?)

I finally found it : http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4376284; it was posted in november 2017!

Hi terminator,

its also included in the first post of this thread now for a better overview.

A hard cut to the north. Autumn fog limits the sight while hard fights erupt due to German counter attacks after the Soviets took the airport and the northern part of Smolensk.

The units south of the river made good progress and took their objectives, but intelligence shows that there are heavy defences on the way to the southern districts of Smolensk while German attempts to retake Roslavl are still a regular occurrence.

This mission had to be cut, my ambition for it was too big and it got a bit out of hand. So i reduced the players objectives. Now its shorter and more fun to play. Also it is faster to test. Maybe i make a single map out of the original plan one day, but for now the shorter version will get into 1.09.