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I wrote some time ago that I would forego the Desert fox and head for the Lost Victories mega campaign. The main reason for this was that I feared that the desert battles would offer too little variation, I mean a desert is a desert, isn't it?

Then I started thinking about how much I played the original Steel Panthers. The SPWaW is free, and yet: Hadn't I been willing to pay for this game, once I knew how good it is? Of course I would!

Am I willing to give up the thrill of a good, long campaign because there MIGHT be too little variation. NOO!! The idea is preposterous!!

So, www.duchet.com just got another order...

Despite the desert terrain, there is a huge amount of variety in Desert Fox - enough to satisfy the most demanding gamer. In many ways it's more challenging than Watchtower or Lost Victories because you don't have as much cover. If you manage to survive North Africa, you might be good enough for Guadalcanal and the Russian Front. <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

I gotta agree with Warrior <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> F is defenetly a challenging campaign,especially when u start losing your best tank crews.....the replacements are often very very weak,so the 'tilds become an incredibly hard enemy!!!!

Variety, CHPO?

You underestimate me! How about stealing Matilda tanks out of a British Tank depot? How about an amphibious assault against Tobruk? What do you think of a raid to rescue German and Italian prisoners?

How do you like the idea of a rescue mission to save Rommel, or thwarting a British commando raid to kill him?

Do you like the idea of hitting a British train loaded with supplies in a lightning raid? How does the idea of raiding Tobruk and stealing secret documents grab you?

Or perhaps escorting 88s to the front and protecting them against LRDG attackers (Holy "Rat Patrol!")? Maybe you would enjoy trying to kill General Waveell, or a raid on Malta?

Variety, cmon, CHPO! When have you known me to be boring and predictable?

You may be pleasantly surprised. ...Wild Bill

I thought the Desert was tough, HA! I'm 6 games into LV's and I feel like I've been through an entire campaign, already!! 2 MV, 1 DV, & 2 Draws has me barely hanging on...

I won't give away anything, suffice it to say...I had just screwed up and fought my way to a draw, and was pretty sure I would have to fight my way back into things. Hmmmmm, a delay action..okay, WHOA!! There aren't a lot of units to defend this wide a front. Maybe reinforcements (I pray!) a few turns into the game. Then I start the game. Okay, infantry to the South, Armor probing in 3 spots. Hm, man, lot of armor. No, a LOT of armor, what, 3..no maybe 50...uhuh 75 or more armored units. Phew, here comes some armor support, and 4 88's, THANK GOD! This will be like holding back a flood....

Anyway, you get the idea...this was THE TOUGHEST delay action I have had to date. Man, this was the hardest scenario in the campaign so far. I used everything I had available to beat back the armor. I'm proud to say they made it to the bridge, and that's it! I decided early on to keep a platoon of PzIV's & one of PzII's on my left, and it was a life saver. I lost 3 Pz's that were supporting the defense of one of the bridges to fire from KV1's & T-34's, and if it hadn't been for the support I had on my left, I would have been mopped up. I had to fight for every inch of ground, I wonder if it will be like this every time........

No, no, Wild Bill, you misunderstand me completely!

When I say that I fear too little variety in the desert I don´t mean the missions but the terrain. It is just a matter of preference, I prefer the european mix of field, gullies, hills, houses and forests to the more bleak desert.

Of course they had to fight the war in any circumstances given, but I for one play this as a game rather than having to reconstroct every issue of history.

Btw, I have a lot of your SP1 scenarios! Thanks, Wild Bill for posting and not assuming that a misconception was a fact.

Anytime, my friend. Thanks for the confidence! If you don't have all those old SP1 scenarios and ever want them, write me.

Gosh, that was five or six years ago, and the game is better than ever. Good hunting!

Wild Bill
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