Matrix Games Forums

I am now in Aug 44 as axis - latest patch PBEM, doing quite well.

But as in all previous games the Panzers simply do not really want to upgrade. Esp the heavy Battalions. I have over 200 King Tigers rusting away and only one unit wants them , feels like the units must think they are Junk and lots of other good Tanks while front line units still want PZ III. I can understand some logistics issues but this is silly. There is no way of getting these units to take them, WE , Italy NR nothing makes any real chance or difference - we need to look at this as its really quite unrealistic and has never been addressed in any patch - why not have an optional rule at least to choose our upgrades? We can in planes after all

Do you have manpower or are there numbers behind the "Manpower" line in the Supply Detail Window of your Heavy Tank Units?

Thanks - I will check - but the manpower is already in the existing tanks is it not? they are just swapping over. Quite understand the position with replacement men.

Cav

Cavalry Corp wrote: Wed Jan 24, 2024 9:27 am Thanks - I will check - but the manpower is already in the existing tanks is it not? they are just swapping over. Quite understand the position with replacement men.

Cav

That's how we'd want it to be.
I am not 100% sure about the System, but I don't think you'll get those units upgrade to Tiger 2, which have Tiger 1 in their TOE like the FKL guys).

I am only after seeing the heavy tank units upgrading. Will post a screen on next turn. They really need to sort it out as its quite silly that units sit in old equipment when plenty of new stuff is available.

Cav

Ok here is the screen but TBH as the tank crews are swapping over there should be no need for more men!

A few things. You do need active manpower to bring in new ground elements. If the tanks upgrade from one to another due to the element upgrade path, then you don't need manpower. If they swap out one for another, they probably don't need manpower. Looks like you probably have sufficient active manpower so that's not an issue. Once the units have upgraded to the 44 version of the heavy tank units, they should want King Tigers. However, since this is a swap out, I'm not sure exactly what would trigger this. If you take a lot of losses in a unit, it will probably be more likely at that point to swap out the newer model that the OB wants. If you get a bunch of the newer tanks piling up in the pool and start running low on the old ones, you're more likely to trigger swaps. The system is probably not sensitive enough to the elements that generally have smaller quantities, so you may have to wait a while. Fundamentally, your problem could be you just haven't take sufficient losses to trigger shortages and cause swapping to take place (assuming your heavy tank units have upgraded their TOEs to the one requesting King Tigers). I think August 44 is still pretty early to see many King Tigers, and compounding this with your lower losses probably explains the situation. I think your 18k AFV losses to date are quite a bit below what was actually lost to this point.

Being able to micromanage that -like planes- would be great.

Kursk seems to be a historical example where we know that equipment was put in to fulfill a task, not just as a standard unit outfit.

I will come back soon - real busy with work etc...

Thanks for the replies

I think the problem is that ok unit wants medium tank . But it should not be random - which it seems to be.

A unit should receive the best tank that there are supply of in a chain decided by the computer. If there are no tanks of the best choice then it goes backward to the second best tank etc.

Ideally we should be able to choose but above would be much better.

So with heavy battalions, A unit will go from Tigers to King Tigers if it needs any and there are enough in the pools. But it will go back to Tigers if there are not enough King Tigers.

This would be realistic and acceptable In Sept 44 for LAH for example to have IIIJ with really good crews to die is just nuts when there are hundreds of better tanks sitting around rusting.

Well we have just finished the game that auto ends in Dec 44 . PBEM Axis major.

Seems like my Russian opponent has the same issue 1300 JS2 and not one on the map.

I have not looked at the King Tigers but I think I only had around 90 on the whole map and hundreds in the pool.

Sorry but the upgrade of units needs looking into as Russian losses were massive I will post the screens later.

We also need a campaign that does not auto end in Dec 44.

I think the game is working well until about 43 then the replacement of bad tanks with good tanks goes haywire.

you can also check tanks in transit pools for both sides
if you are close to a freight source then there might be massive amount of them, as shown here
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 7&t=399603

By 1944, the Soviets can build up to 50 heavy tank regiments, each with 21 tanks. These units will start with IS-1's in 1943 and the OB can upgrade to an OB calling for IS-2's 1943s in Feb 44. There are a few other units that call for the KVs but the KV-s should be getting scrapped in 1943 and 1944 . So it looks like he's only got at most 41 of these heavy tank regiments, and more likely only around 35. The IS-2 1944s are not called for in an OB until Feb 45, so they only swap in for the IS-2 1943s once those run low. So to get the 1944's in use, build out all of the 50 heavy tank regiments, and make sure to use your early model heavy tanks in heavy action. In my last test game of 1.03.xx, the AI used lots of IS-2 1944s. I don't think earlier versions of the game differed much in these various OBs.

Thanks, Joel. I was the Soviet opponent with the idle JS-2 tanks. They did look good on the showroom floor, though. Anyway, it occurred to me independently that I had not built out all of my heavy tank regiments. That was just a guess as I was trying to figure out how to get them involved. Your post was a great explanation. I will see what I can do the next game.

Carl H.