1941 Barbarossa Campaign Update

[Hubert Cater]

Thanks for the feedback on this one everyone and Bill has put together an updated version as a result.

It can be downloaded here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q3wgrkny8jvyx ... e.rar?dl=0

You do not need a Dropbox account, there should be a Download button but often it is a little difficult to spot as they unfortunately draw it a bit subtle on the screen.

All you'll have to do is download it, decompress it and then copy/paste it overtop of your existing Barbarossa campaign files within your SC installation 'Campaigns' folder.

This is typically found in a location like this:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Matrix Games\Strategic Command - WWII War in Europe\Campaigns

Enjoy

Hubert

[Philippeatbay]

The download button that you need to click on is located in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Clicking on the big one in the center of the screen starts a dialog about opening an account.

I have a Dropbox account but only use it as a back-up for when my main account runs out of bandwidth. I use Box for my main account: the engineering is better and it's much less invasive. I've noticed that over time Dropbox keeps adding features that were standard with Box from the get-go. My only complaint about Box is that if you have a free account, you need to remind them to reset your bandwidth every month.

I haven't played it yet, but I noticed that the Barbarossa update includes a 1941 Operation Barbarossa CGN file but does not replace the DAT file. Is that correct, or is something missing?

[Hubert Cater]

That's correct, the DAT file is something that is generated the first time you launch the select campaign screen... it stores minimal info about the campaign that allows the game to subsequently load the campaign info much quicker.

Same for the save files and can be deleted at any time as it will always be re-generated as needed.

[jpinard]

Excellent - grabbing now.

[Blond_Knight]

I think there's definitely an improvement the way the Soviet AI retreats at the start of the game.
But I still feel like there's: (as the German player)

Too few units for the size of the operation. (maybe they historically felt this way too)
Soviet's still fight well, too well maybe in june-aug even without a coherent front.
I feel like the Panzer groups dont have enough points to have enough penetration.
And I still dont like how encircled units can return to full strength. It forces me to keep some of the Panzer groups back to mop up. And makes encirclement pointless.

[Ason]

ORIGINAL: Blond_Knight

I think there's definitely an improvement the way the Soviet AI retreats at the start of the game.
But I still feel like there's: (as the German player)

Too few units for the size of the operation. (maybe they historically felt this way too)
Soviet's still fight well, too well maybe in june-aug even without a coherent front.
I feel like the Panzer groups dont have enough points to have enough penetration.
And I still dont like how encircled units can return to full strength. It forces me to keep some of the Panzer groups back to mop up. And makes encirclement pointless.

Completely agree! Amount of units seems too low, and encirclements are pretty pointless, it's much easier to just "plough" through the soviet units. Imo the pros of encirclements should be bigger, as mentioned before; making cut off resource hexes only provide 100 % supply for 2-3 turns then gradually lowering supply could be a better solution.

[TheBattlefield]

ORIGINAL: Mrslobodan

ORIGINAL: Blond_Knight

I think there's definitely an improvement the way the Soviet AI retreats at the start of the game.
But I still feel like there's: (as the German player)

Too few units for the size of the operation. (maybe they historically felt this way too)
Soviet's still fight well, too well maybe in june-aug even without a coherent front.
I feel like the Panzer groups dont have enough points to have enough penetration.
And I still dont like how encircled units can return to full strength. It forces me to keep some of the Panzer groups back to mop up. And makes encirclement pointless.

Completely agree! Amount of units seems too low, and encirclements are pretty pointless, it's much easier to just "plough" through the soviet units. Imo the pros of encirclements should be bigger, as mentioned before; making cut off resource hexes only provide 100 % supply for 2-3 turns then gradually lowering supply could be a better solution.

Strangely, in the main campaign the supply works exactly this way. Has the supply system been changed for the shortened Barbarossa campaign?

[Ason]

It's great if it works like that now.

Since the start of the beta the only way to make a cut off resource hex lose supply was to surround it with 4 or more units
(or to attack it with bombers or artillery)..

[BillRunacre]

Hi

Just to confirm that the supply rules are the same for all campaigns, but the change so that a resource will lose supply if the enemy have 2 or more units around it is a new one.

And a reminder that no resource, unless it is a Major's Capital, Industrial Center or Primary Supply Center, provides full supply if cut off and isolated.

In the first turn of the 1941 campaign, it is very worthwhile to encircle as many of the Red Army units on the border, isolating them from any resources and destroying some of them in the second turn, as if they are destroyed at less than supply 5 then the USSR cannot buy them back for a reduced price.

Bill

[Blond_Knight]

if the enemy have 2 or more units around it

Ok I'll try that. I was thinking it was enough to encircle and race past with the majority of units.

[Mithrilotter]

The latest version is very nice, but play balance still favors the Soviet Union. The Axis got 11 cities further in this time. I shut down the Arctic Convoy on July 1942 because the UK needed the MPP's more.

As for surrounding Soviet units in cities, my experience has been that they then are killed in one or two turns. If they hold out too long, then I have to buy them back at full cost. Unless I believe that I can hold the city and its flanks, I am better off withdrawing.

In my first 1941 game, Saudi Arabia tipped to the Allies almost immediately. Those extra convoy MPP's made a lot of difference. In this game, Saudi Arabia tipped to the Allies about a year later. How soon Saudi Arabia gets an Allied diplomatic hit affects play balance. I would prefer that this be done instead by a decision event on a certain date.

[jpinard]

You all need to state if you're playing with Fog of War on or off. Because right now I'm playing my best game ever as the Allies with FOW on in the Barbarossa campaign, and Germany may well hit Moscow by November 1941 despite my best efforts to stall them. They are pulverizing my troops, leveling up as they go, making them even harder to deal with. If you're playing with Fog of War off, you might as well be playing a different game balance-wise.

In the Russian theater I've lost 30 units, meanwhile Germany + Allies have lost just 2. After I hit the end-turn button I'm going to lose another 5-10 units without making a dent in the German warmachine.

[Mithrilotter]

I am playing with Fog of War on, Difficulty 0% and Bonus 0. The Axis AI never took Leningrad, Moscow or Rostov. I lost Smolensk in this game, but the river line behind Smolensk held.

I am losing less Soviet units because of my strategic decision of only holding a town if I can defend the flanks. Otherwise, I will lose the town and the unit. Most towns only hold for one or two turns before I withdraw or rail out the unit, or the unit is unexpectedly destroyed. More Soviet units survive with the new strategy and therefore the increased number of Soviets hold lines better with less losses. But no Soviet line will hold forever until a tipping point happens around May 1942 after the Siberians have arrived (late April) and have been deployed. Even then, there are Axis advances in the Soviet Union for a while.

[jpinard]

ORIGINAL: Mithrilotter

I am playing with Fog of War on, Difficulty 0% and Bonus 0. The Axis AI never took Leningrad, Moscow or Rostov. I lost Smolensk in this game, but the river line behind Smolensk held.

I am losing less Soviet units because of my strategic decision of only holding a town if I can defend the flanks. Otherwise, I will lose the town and the unit. Most towns only hold for one or two turns before I withdraw or rail out the unit, or the unit is unexpectedly destroyed. More Soviet units survive with the new strategy and therefore the increased number of Soviets hold lines better with less losses. But no Soviet line will hold forever until a tipping point happens around May 1942 after the Siberians have arrived (late April) and have been deployed. Even then, there are Axis advances in the Soviet Union for a while.

Glad to see your response and strategy. I've been doing about that about half the time trying to stall the Germans more. I haven't railed anyone out to save on money though. Just reinforcing til they die. I'm really, really loving this playthru. It is so scary how close it is to history. I'm now in December of '41 and Leningrad is cut off. Smolensk got run over despite some valiant efforts of the armies to hold it, and Crimean peninsula is isolated and cut off. But I do have a large group of units that just came available to place so if I can keep them out of battle so they're resting then I can start defense and maybe even a countgerattack. The Germans are just 10 hexes from Moscow

What did you do about the lack of officers? Did you buy a few early? I'm up to 3 (really crappy) officers and this is hurting my ability to do anything interesting with my troops.

[jpinard]

Benedict asked about our experience with AI encirclement. My experience in my current Barbarossa campaign with FOW on, is that the AI is nearly human-like in it's ability to coerce me into making mistake which it quickly and efficiently utilizes to encircle and destroy me. Several times I'd see a weaker German unit just a hex or two away and would send in a force to try and kill it only to end up getting cut off despite trying to make sure my flanks and rear could hold up. There was also a German "bulge" that I was desperately hoping to cut off to eliminate their supply, and in a surprise twist, I ended up being cut off by the AI and was in a retreat or or lose everything situation instead.

On the Russian front, I have not been able to do anything productive through mid 1942. Maybe that will change when I can open up a second front.

[rjh1971]

I missed this one, do we need to download and overwrite after the release of v1.00.10?

[jpinard]

ORIGINAL: rjh1971

I missed this one, do we need to download and overwrite after the release of v1.00.10?

Uninstall 1.09, go into \\Documents\\Strategic Command...\\ and delete the sc3.ini file, then install 1.10. That's the safest way to always do these updates.

[rjh1971]

Yes i did that, thanks.

[Mithrilotter]

I first upgrade all Soviet units. I then invest heavily into Soviet research as the Soviets can't usually counterattack very well with inferior tech. Sadly, they can't defend that well either with inferior tech.

I have read on other forums for prior Strategic Command games that HQ's are more necessary for offense than defense. So I generally only have the starting two Soviet HQ's for quite a while.

Please note that HQ quality improves with Logistic's Tech. Logistic's Tech also decreases the cost to rail damaged units back to safety or to rail in reinforcements. Logistic's Tech also increases the HQ built limits.

[jpinard]

ORIGINAL: Mithrilotter

I first upgrade all Soviet units. I then invest heavily into Soviet research as the Soviets can't usually counterattack very well with inferior tech. Sadly, they can't defend that well either with inferior tech.

I have read on other forums for prior Strategic Command games that HQ's are more necessary for offense than defense. So I generally only have the starting two Soviet HQ's for quite a while.

Please note that HQ quality improves with Logistic's Tech. Logistic's Tech also decreases the cost to rail damaged units back to safety or to rail in reinforcements. Logistic's Tech also increases the HQ built limits.

Ohhh, that is some good information.