Tank group strength

[Kuniworth]

Ok I´ve played the demo now with diffrent sides and strategies. I agree there is a risk that the game turns into trench-warfare because there is no retreat rules or the possibility for conducting multiple attacks(units cannot move after attack and blockin friendly units).

So I would suggest the following;

- Increase the tank gruops fire power with one or two points.

Further more, since I don´t got the manual, I would like to ask you what happens when a unit is cut off. What is the penalty for it and how does it change from round to round?

- I would like to see higher loss of readiness when a unit is cut off. Unfortunately I doubt that could be implemented with current AI.

[John DiFool]

Indeed. Unlike CoS (sorry Hubert), there is no

great impetus on the part of the German to do

encirclements. This is mainly due to the "no

retreat" feature you mentioned, which basically

means it is easier to kill a unit outright even

when it is fully supplied and has a viable

retreat hex (and I won't mention the "get full

supply in a pocket with a city, even an enemy

city" thing). In CoS units which you 'shattered'

were easily repurchased the next turn for a

pittance, so encirclements were the only way to

kill the durned things for good-in SC they are

gone forever no matter what and replacements are

full cost.

Plus (as I have found out to my chagrin), attempt

an encirclement in the face of enemy reserves and

your armor spearheads will get chewed to bits,

esp. if you are playing at Expert +1/+2. So

after September '41 it becomes a grinding battle

of attrition (and it is only the incompetence of

the AI which frequently allows its flanks to be

turned, the only benefit there being able to use

more units in the attack).

John DiFool

[Kuniworth]

Is it possible to change this with the editor?

[Gunslingr3]

I just won last night against 1.3's improved AI on Expert, 0. It makes for a much more aggressive defender and, like a human, will punish unescorted tank armies that roam into the hinterland without a defended supply line.

You don't have to make the tanks more powerful, just use your combined arms and most importantly - patience.

When making my encirclements flow along his lines for the weak point. Manuever is as important as firepower to the tank army. I tend to find/blast gaps of at least two or three hexes width for my tank armies to pour through on the shoulder of either wing. I make my encirclements on strategic scale, don't try to bag just two or three units. It's rare that I will make the hole in his line and link up in the same turn.

Do not expect the computer to sit passively by when you threaten his flanks. If you leave gaps between your tank spearheads and your main line he'll cut you off and you will find your tank armys ground up.

Once entire army groups are cut off they are recieving reduced supply, and thus have reduced readiness and cause less damage to your infantry and air fleets who are mopping up the pocket while your tank armies serve as steel curtain.

The additional cost of replacing armies and corps instead of just reinforcing them is obvious. After reducing several pockets last night the computer had hardly anything left (the Urals were defended by planes that flew away after contact, Stalingrad was surrounded with only one defending corps the next turn)

Gunslinger