need help with PanzerLerh "in defense" mission

[Knokke]

Hello everyone,

I'm unable to win this fight and have no idea how I can succeed. What is happening is that i'm able to wipe-out the british attacks without losing a single tank or AT gun, at least until the Churchill MkVIIIs are entering the battle. thoses tanks with their 150mm frontal armor are crushing all my tanks and AT guns without me having the slightest chance of destroying them all.

I have 2 Pak40 AT guns, 2 panther tanks, 1 stugIV and 1 stugIII.

The stugs and AT guns are destroying the first attacks easily (Armored cars, AT guns on the hill, and Archers) with the help of the PanzerBuchse when they get to close from my infantry in the trenches. When the Cromwell tanks are entering the fray, they're destroyed by a mix of AT gun fire, PanzerBuchse and by (mostly) an ambush by my two panthers hiding on the reverse slope right next to the river.

This is when the tide of the battle is turning against me: the Churchills are entering, and start destroying my tanks and AT guns. At the best, I can destroy one or two of them with my StuGIV ambushing amongst the house near the river, but lacking mobility, it is soon over for him. The other StuGIII also gets destroyed without firing most of the time (like if the crew was terror frozen and unable to react). Once, they managed to immobilize one of them by blowing one track, but where killed right away by retaliation fire from the same tank. The AT guns, even when ambushing, waiting for the Churchills to get close before opening fire, seems to be unable to turn the tide. they manage to destroy or immobilize one or two of them before being destroyed.

The panther are next to useless, and gets destroyed easily even with an elite crew inside.

Usually, my remaining infantry is wiped out by the 2 or 3 remaining Churchills, the PanzerBuchse being unable to dent their armor, even when shooting in their back (when they can survive long enough in their trenches till the tanks go past them).

Any hint would be appreciated.

-Knokke

[Sneaksie]

Strange, i remember that even one StuG hidden in the village near the river immobilized or destroyed at least 2 of the Churchills. You may order your units to shoot at their turrets (good chance of knocking out their guns, while shooting at front hull will be useless). Just how much Churchills you encounter? Normally there should be 3 of them if i recall correctly.

[Knokke]

I finally succeeded by doing just what you said: firing at the turrets. One of my two tanks lost a track and the other one got its gun damaged in the process, but they managed to destroy the weapons of 2 or 3 churchills and knock out their accompanying Cromwell MkVIIIs. Once the guns where useless, my 2 StuG could position themselves to finish off the Crowmwells. All my infantry died during the final ennemy infantry assault on my positions, (except 2 members of a squad) because they could not be supported by my tanks and AT Gun who where ambushing the Churchills and cromwells inside the village. They went out of ammo and where finally submerged. the two soldiers left survived only because my StuGIII who was a bit closer rushed to their help as soon as the Churchills where out of action, helped by one of the tank that still had the hull MG functionning.

One funny devellopment of the battle (of course not so funny at the moment it happened) was that one of the ground attack plane strafing my AT guns was shot down by my Flak38 panzer, and crashed on top of it, putting it out of action, and damaging the turret of my tank hiding nearby.

What bother me is the lack of realism of it all if I want to progress in the campaign: I can win the battle only if I know exactly what the ennemy will be doing and where his forces will move. otherwise, the opposition is so numerous and powerful that it is impossible to survive. I lost 56 infantry, the ennemy a staggering 181 soldiers and about 20 tanks or more, but they keep attacking without ever retreating. Of course on the other end, this is realistic, the germans where unable to withstand the allied onslaught in Normandy, but it gives for a less interesting gameplay, all the more because the missions are scripted in a way that don't let you choose your best troops and armament from your force pool. For example, on the next mission, I don't have access to a single tank (my elite tank crews are no longer part of my force pool), and the several tanks I have in the mission are controlled by the AI and keeps hiding behind the village, not taking part in the battle, being virtually useless. Once the troops in the trenches are out of PanzerSchreck, the battle is one sided, and the infantry is wiped out by the still numerous surviving allied tanks.

[Dietrich]

In ToW, the last tank standing decides the battle. Campaign battles often end for me this way -- I've managed to knock out all but one of the enemy AI's tanks, but then that lone surviving tank wrecks my last tank or AT gun; then my remaining forces (infantry) have no recourse but to crawl hopefully out of LOS, and I can do nothing but wait for the scenario to end by default. If attacking, my troops can't advance to the objective (so as to finally 'win' the scenario) because the tank will charge after them and wipe them out. If defending, my troops have no recourse but to cower in their trenches or otherwise in cover. (Also, having your infantry in trenches at the start of a battle is often foolhardy, since the AI typically bombards any trenches when the battle begins.)

But as far as effectively dealing with enemy tanks:

-- Put your AT guns in bushes or in as much cover as you can find. Estimate the direction along which the enemy will attack, and rotate your AT guns so that they will be able to fire on enemy tanks from the flank. Also, toggle Hold Fire on your AT guns until the enemy is well within effective range; this will prevent them from firing too early, getting spotted, and then drawing fire not only from the tanks but from the accompanying infantry.

-- If a tank or AT gun of yours is firing over its target, aim for the chassis or the hull. If the tank's or AT gun's shells are hitting the ground in front of its target, aim for the hull or the turret.

To help your infantry survive, toggle Hold Fire on them until the enemy is well within range, then un-toggle it. That way the enemy infantry will not spot your troops until they have opened fire.

[Sneaksie]

In the next mission man your AT guns again if they are knocked out, consider placing the soldiersnot far from them. Also, AI tanks usually do a decent job, only Churchills are problem for them. Furthermore, they may be given under your command after random time.

This mission is kinda difficult, but in few tries you should beat it. What is really difficult, it's mission six. Even with 7 Panthers enemy may overwhelm you. But have no fear - you'll get your revenge in 7th mission)