1939 - Storm over Europe, soft or hard build limits?

[AshesFall]

We're looking to start a new campaign with Storm over Europe and we're wondering whether we should go with soft or hard build limits. What is the recommended setting? What's the impact of the different modes on the campaign?

[Will95]

Also, as the guide doesn't cover it, could someone give a run-down of the correct usage of:

- Special forces

- Paratroopers

- Anti-tank

- Anti-air

In the 1939 scenario?

[Strategiclayabout]

Hi there ^^ ,

- Soft build gives an advantage to the side who has more MPPs, usually it simulates Allies advantage in manpower and industry giving them the ability to bypass their historical force pool at a cost.

- However it also allows more flexibility in your battle order for both sides. Each unit you buy over your base force pool limit will cost more than the previous one. As it is your first game, you can go with soft builds just to keep options open .

*

- First, don't expect artillery to be as efficient as in WWI campaign (only 2 base shells, 1 deentrench and 15% demoralization), it's nice but not as many shells or destroying power as your prvious heavy arty (though those 2 shells come back every turn), it's mostly a cheap deentrenchment tool.

- Second, fighters have a base 4 tiles land (NOT naval) spotting ability (not other planes) and it grows with long range tech so use it well (land units have only 1 or 2)!

- Third, tactical bombers have three main uses:

1) kill unentrenched units on open ground (2 soft attack, as much as an army), especially tanks

2) weaken entrenched units (2 deentrench bonus, 30% demoralization) usually after artillery and before SF units

3) kill naval units/transports

(don't expect your stukas to destroy half of a fully-entrenched army in a city with one strike)

- Fourth, I'd advice to toy some turns with units in Poland to get a grasp of basic changes before launching your campaign .

*

- SF units probably are the most polyvalent unit of the game, consider them as "assault/shock troops" and don't waste them on defense if possible:

1) they have better mobility than infantry armies (+1 = 5) and can be used as "mechanized" infantry to follow tanks

2) they can be used for amphibious operations anywhere (no need for ports, think Sealion, Med or Black Sea), especially since amphibious move/range is quite big (10)

3) they have demoralization (30%) and deentrench (+1 = 2) bonus so they're good to weaken a city or fortress before other units attack (but after artillery if you have any around)

4) they have an attack bonus against tanks (+1 = 3) so they can soften enemy armor units before your own ones come in

5) in exchange they have lower attacking stats against air and naval units

- Paratroopers are what you make of them but usually they are used to grab undefended/poorly defended objectives or raid enemy rear to cut supply as they have:

1) big operational range (8) without any MPPs cost

2) same defense stats as an infantry army but lower attack against tanks

3) small demoralization bonus (10%) but weak tank attack (-1 = 1 lack of heavy equipment)

4) however they are vulnerable to interceptors and rough terrain when landing

5) they can't be used on rain tiles

(though they are currently allowed to drop on a rain tile at the edge of a rain zone if starting their move in a clear tile...)

Alternative uses are:

1) reinforcing encircled or poorly supplied forces

2) helping amphibious assaults

3) deep recon in enemy territory (be ready to lose your unit)

4) working as a frontline tactical reserve

(to drop near that annoying 1 step unit who refused to die despite all assaults)

(to plug an unexpected gap in your lines)

I'll continue next post ^^ .

[Strategiclayabout]

- Anti-tank are of big use against... tanks . Actually they are like corps with increased tank attack and defense (+4 = 5). Better used on defense, they are:

1) cheap to buy

2) working with infantry tech to increase their stats (+1 by tech level)

3) weak against infantry (1 soft attack/defense like corps)

4) able to deentrench like infantry (1)

5) slower than SF, tanks or corps (4 like armies) so they'll tend to lag behind in any offensive unless you force-march them

They are usually put behind an infantry screen or at crossroads/cities in the rear to prevent tank exploitation. That is if you can guess where enemy tank groups will strike . SF units and planes are natural enemies of AT units.

- Anti-air, I'll admit I havn't used them much, the base unit attacks any air unit (thus the "0" strike) targeting the tile where they are and all adjacent ones, tech can increase that range and attack power. They are cheap and can be used as defensive land corps if necessary but better avoid to waste them like that, you'll need them to guard your main supply/MPPs sources against enemy bombers.

Hope you'll be good with that .

I'll add some things on your WWI brainstorming thread later.

[Will95]

Awesome guide, you guys should add this to the Storm Over Europe doc

Regarding paras, how do they actually 'get airborne'? Or is their operational range just everywhere, ie not restricted by enemy lines or influence?

[Strategiclayabout]

Thanks but keep in mind I'm only a player, not a designer so it's only my view of it ,

- On the turn before you want them to drop, use the unit menu and select "prepare", your para will have a nice "P" on it meaning next turn they will be able to fly 8 tiles (anywhere, even over neutral territory, but they can't drop ON water tiles or neutral tiles, you need some land you're at war with ). Available drop tiles will be reachable while moving the mouse over the map.

- Para can move/operate and then prepare, they can also attack after being dropped. If you drop them over a tile occupied by an enemy unit you didn't spot, you will take casualties and paras will be moved to an adjacent tile .