santabear Posted April 22, 2003 Share Posted April 22, 2003 I'm writing to solicit opinions/ideas to help solve a conundrum. Most scenarios play "well to ok" (that is, they're competative but winnable) with the 'expert' setting AS LONG AS the experience bonus is knocked down to +1. Some scenarios are still winnable at +2 (though the games take FOREVER), but (for me) Barbarossa on is an Axis disaster...and any mod that gives the Allies an edge on the pre-packaged scenarios becomes impossible or nearly so. Even Bill Macon's 1939 mod gets very tough with that level 1, exp +2 French tank running around. General Gamelin laughs as Guderian and Rommel flee for their lives. The problem, of course, this that these nifty +2 units are only costing Mr. AI what I'm paying for a bunch of fuzzy-faced rookies (except in Russia, where they normally cost less cuz he gets ahead in IT fast). Has anyone found a way to make the +2 thing work? I'm trying to figure out a way to get a little more challenge; but obviously it's not much fun to sit there and watch your entire Western front get destroyed. Perhaps my military skills are weak? Any hints? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santabear Posted April 22, 2003 Author Share Posted April 22, 2003 I'm writing to solicit opinions/ideas to help solve a conundrum. Most scenarios play "well to ok" (that is, they're competative but winnable) with the 'expert' setting AS LONG AS the experience bonus is knocked down to +1. Some scenarios are still winnable at +2 (though the games take FOREVER), but (for me) Barbarossa on is an Axis disaster...and any mod that gives the Allies an edge on the pre-packaged scenarios becomes impossible or nearly so. Even Bill Macon's 1939 mod gets very tough with that level 1, exp +2 French tank running around. General Gamelin laughs as Guderian and Rommel flee for their lives. The problem, of course, this that these nifty +2 units are only costing Mr. AI what I'm paying for a bunch of fuzzy-faced rookies (except in Russia, where they normally cost less cuz he gets ahead in IT fast). Has anyone found a way to make the +2 thing work? I'm trying to figure out a way to get a little more challenge; but obviously it's not much fun to sit there and watch your entire Western front get destroyed. Perhaps my military skills are weak? Any hints? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6thAirborne Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 I know exactly what you mean!! its so fustrating beating back the allies to the point of victory only to see the glorious victories stop and crushing defeats start... Most of the problem for me is the cost of reinforcing both fronts and the free units of the siberian army in russia amounts to a huge Russian bonus. My latest tactic was to stop advancing on the russian front and spend MPPs only in an effort to stop my troops there being destroyed. The rest of my military and MPPs not on the front line were transfered to France and used to exclusivley to defeat the invasion. I managed to beat back the overlord attempt but only with huge losses. The Russians then managed to break my line in the east and with no reserve I was forced to retreat and along with the retreat went the initiative which meant I was forced to react to his attacks and not form my own. My last hope I thought was when i managed to stop his advance on the Polish/Romanian border for a number of turns and build some new units (a rare thing) however the USA/UK came back and instead of a retreat, I got a rout... the rest they say is history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6thAirborne Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 I know exactly what you mean!! its so fustrating beating back the allies to the point of victory only to see the glorious victories stop and crushing defeats start... Most of the problem for me is the cost of reinforcing both fronts and the free units of the siberian army in russia amounts to a huge Russian bonus. My latest tactic was to stop advancing on the russian front and spend MPPs only in an effort to stop my troops there being destroyed. The rest of my military and MPPs not on the front line were transfered to France and used to exclusivley to defeat the invasion. I managed to beat back the overlord attempt but only with huge losses. The Russians then managed to break my line in the east and with no reserve I was forced to retreat and along with the retreat went the initiative which meant I was forced to react to his attacks and not form my own. My last hope I thought was when i managed to stop his advance on the Polish/Romanian border for a number of turns and build some new units (a rare thing) however the USA/UK came back and instead of a retreat, I got a rout... the rest they say is history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santabear Posted April 25, 2003 Author Share Posted April 25, 2003 I posted the "if everything goes right scenario in your thread." When everything doesn't go right, that's exactly what happens to me. Actually, it turns out just like WWII is "supposed" to: Superior Allied production and manpower eventually wears down and overwhelms Germany. It's a good sign about the game, I think. The trick (as I said in detail in your thread) is for the Axis to get a big lead early on--then the Allies can't catch up. And playing at the expert level makes it extremely difficult to get that lead. SC models WWII extremely accurately on one level, I think: The war is decided by 1941. IF the Axis can get a lead, especially in the air; and IF they can dominate the air over Britain they're in good shape heading into Barbarossa. Otherwise the "two front war" gets em every time. ==there's also a thread going on the 1944 scenario. This is another manifestation of the same problem--once the Axis gets behind then can NEVER catch up (barring Allied mistakes, a fortunate roll in technology, etc.). So they have to stay ahead. If you do get behind as Axis, I think all you can do is fight delaying actions, hope for some luck and try for the stalemate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santabear Posted April 25, 2003 Author Share Posted April 25, 2003 I posted the "if everything goes right scenario in your thread." When everything doesn't go right, that's exactly what happens to me. Actually, it turns out just like WWII is "supposed" to: Superior Allied production and manpower eventually wears down and overwhelms Germany. It's a good sign about the game, I think. The trick (as I said in detail in your thread) is for the Axis to get a big lead early on--then the Allies can't catch up. And playing at the expert level makes it extremely difficult to get that lead. SC models WWII extremely accurately on one level, I think: The war is decided by 1941. IF the Axis can get a lead, especially in the air; and IF they can dominate the air over Britain they're in good shape heading into Barbarossa. Otherwise the "two front war" gets em every time. ==there's also a thread going on the 1944 scenario. This is another manifestation of the same problem--once the Axis gets behind then can NEVER catch up (barring Allied mistakes, a fortunate roll in technology, etc.). So they have to stay ahead. If you do get behind as Axis, I think all you can do is fight delaying actions, hope for some luck and try for the stalemate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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