Insanely difficult

[stratman59]

O.K, I have reached the point where I just have to post. This game is just driving me insane, not because it’s a bad game far from it, I think it’s great. The reason, the insane level of difficulty. I have read all the tips on the forum but am still unable to achieve anything but total annihilation on the very first Polish campaign map, and I’m talking 8 attempts all on easy level. I read that some have completed most maps on hard. I’m sorry but I think your all fibbing that or your all descendants of Genghis Khan. I admit that I’m no tactical genius but I have been playing P.C games of all types since Wolfenstein 3D and that’s a lot of games. I have a theory about game designers, they spend so much time on the games that they know every little trick and detail so to them it becomes easy. They then forget that the people who they are making the games for dip in and out of them for perhaps a few hours mow and then, we have to make a living so we can buy the games for heavens sake. Don’t get me wrong I like a challenge, there is nothing worse then breezing through a game. I always play games on the hardest level but I’m sorry on this occasion the peeps at IC have cocked it up big time. Just look at the units for the first Polish map, I don’t know the exact numbers but it’s something like this. Poles = a handful of troops 3 totally useless tanks some artillery that is blown up within minutes of starting (yes I am hiding the behind trees as per advice on the forum) Germans = about 25 fast moving tanks + dozens of foot troops. It’s all very well having reserve troops to re-man the guns but once the German tanks know their position as soon as you move the reserve to the guns they are blow up the instant they arrive. I know I’m ranting now so I’ll stop, I just so want to play and like this game but I was hoping the patch would sought some of these issues out but no. I’ll just have to wait for some modders with normal human abilities to produce some maps. I’m going for a beer!

[Barrabas]

I think I won that mission on the second attempt (at hardest).

How did I do it? Let me think....

The light Bofors guns need to be rather close to the trenches, quite close to where they start. Put them behind bushes, the more the better.

The bigger guns I put behind bushes too, but somewhere on the ridge. Make sure all infantry are on 'crouch'.

I instruct all units, infantry too, to hold fire for as long as possible. When the first enemy tank fires its first round, I pause and go through the units, removing hold fire. I then try to concentrate fire, two guns on each target. When a target is knocked out or its main gun is out of action, move on to a new one.

The AT-rifles are also useful, especially at close range.

The reinforcements are key. The tanks and armoured cars I moved past the village, engaging the tanks coming from my right. The AT-gun I placed somewhere close to the village, providing flanking fire for the upper left trench, where enemy tanks seem to rush and where I placed an infantry squad.

You need some luck and timing when replacing gun-crews. It's definitely doable. Crews from knocked out tanks make great AT-gunners, by the way.

Pause a lot, micro-manage a lot, especially targeting - this is supposed to be a slooow game. Good luck!

Edit: Oh, and getting drunk won't help.

[ June 28, 2007, 02:02 PM: Message edited by: Barrabas ]

[stratman59]

Update, 9th attempt. Result: Germans 6 tanks and 12 troops left. Poles (me) a truck! Once your guns are destroyed and there is no way to stop them being the German tanks just roll in. Ehat the hell, I'm going for a beer, hic, hic!

[Slapaho]

On hardest setting - I aint no fibber

I have repeated this and won using the tactics shown in the video every time but once. I will be making more videos when I get time. I have completed all missions on hard pre patch and I shall complete the all again post patch.

[Elmar Bijlsma]

Barrabas has pretty much the right strategy. I only differ that I put my 37mm ATgs on the ridge too. That way they are safer from German rifle fire and are easier to re-crew with reinforcements. The poor quality of the German armour means the Bofors can still knock out most tanks at long ranges. Those they can't knock out you save for your 75mm guns.

Also, keep an eye out for good quality gunners and make sure they are at the best guns. A TKS with a good gunner is just a waste, assign him to a 75mm. Do this also during unit purchase. You might want to take ALL gunners! I mean, swap the gunners of vehicles you aren't using with infantry in a squad you are taking along. Keep these spare gunners close to the guns for when the gunner gets killed.

If that doesn't work: Some people swear with deploying on the reverse slope.

[SlapHappy]

I found the single mission (non-campaign) Polish mission to be harder than this one. I believe it's called Command Decisions.

You should try that baby out! I got my ass kicked!

[MikoyanPT]

Originally posted by SlapHappy:

I found the single mission (non-campaign) Polish mission to be harder than this one. I believe it's called Command Decisions.

You should try that baby out! I got my ass kicked!

Yep, i remember this one. Is one of my favourites.

I also love the british single mission.

The secret in the first polish mission is the reverse slope position of the 75mm guns, kill that panzers from a distance, and you will slaughter them, beware of the panzer right flank manouver in the end. And get the men with best gunner skill in gunner position of the 75mm guns.

I don´t like to drink, so i don´t know if getting drunk helps !!!...

The slapaho tutorial is great.

Oh and i almost forget... F5 quick save F6 quick load

[ThePhantom]

OK, Slapaho and Elmar Bijlsma - You two have it all figured out. Great video, Slapaho. Let's play the multi player. Email me if you're ready.

[Sivodsi]

The problem with the first mission I found was with scripting. I put all my guns on the reverse slope, and it worked very well for the tanks that came over the ridge. Not all of them did so unfortunately. I wondered why nothing was happening so I sent a few brave scouts forward who saw PIII and IV parked over the first line of trenches. The only way you can take them on is with the tankettes, and that is **difficult**.

You do need something that can put reasonable fire onto the first line of trenches.

Have yet to play it post-patch, but it should be easier.

[Mick15]

Stratman59

I love playing this particular scenario (on the hard setting) and have tried all sorts of deployments and unit combinations and have been well and truly blitzkrieged but also had the immense satisfaction of successful defence.

Consider two things

1 Redeploying your troops

2 Changing the initial units

Spoiler

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The victory by the largest margin was achieved by

1 Getting rid of the Bofors

2 Adding a third 75

3 Deploying on the reverse slope (2nd Trench line) with some infantry and the A/T rifles forward in the corn but just behind the crest i.e. no LOS (to or from) the German side

4 The sting - look to the left and there is a protected defilade across the German slope. Place a 75 there in the trees/bushes with a hold fire order - pick the one with the best gunner. add 3/4 infantry for recrewing.

It should come as a very unpleasant shock to the German armour heading upslope. It stops the German armour from having the opportunity to wait for its infantry support. If your lucky you will also get the chance to use plenty of HE on that same infantry support.

5 Keep your reinforcements reverse slope as long as possible as well. Let the German armour come to you.

6 Don't use the mortar support unless you absolutely have to - it is very handy to shift German remnants from the first trench line when it is time to head back down.

DOBRE SZCZĘŚCIE

[stratman59]

Hi guys, thanks for all the help and advice. Calling those that have succeeded fibbers was said with tongue firmly in cheek, no offence meant. I think what has surprised me is that this game is so hard from the off. Most games kind of open on a gentle leaning curve and gradually toughen up. Anyway as I said I think this is a great game and I’ll keep on trying.

[Elmar Bijlsma]

Polish campaign as Poland and you were looking for a gentle learning curve? That, stratman, may have been an error on your part.

[12Bravo]

It is tough. I got it on the fourth try (using a save point from try #3). Using 3 75mm guns is key (as was previously mentioned).

SPOILER FOLLOWS

Also, if you don't knock out those panzer IV's (3 of them?), you're toast. I managed to get two of them with the 75mm guns and the few APHE rounds I had left (HE probably won't do it against the panzer IV's). The last one I took out with my 3 TKS tanks by attacking from the right flank and aiming for the panzer IV's turret).

I pulled back the infantry I had in the front trenches to the rear when the few enemy tanks that were left got close. The enemy infantry took the front trenches, which I followed up with motar fire to break them up and then finished them off with my infantry, and the two guns I had left (one 75mm and one bofar (sp?) ).

It was fun to finally win this one, and real world tactics appear to work

DV

[SlapHappy]

Personally, I think in the French and Polish campaigns (playing as either of those two nationalities vs. German) the hardest part is dealing with the over-armored Czech PZ 38 which has twice the frontal armor it should for the period.

After an overview of the tank guns, it also seems the short PZ IV is modelled to be as accurate as the other weapons with higher velocity barreled lengths. These are the bastards who are blasting your field guns to pieces with alarming frequency. I'm seriously thinking of going through the data files and giving some tweaks to some of these issues ala Dr. Jones tool. Just those two fixes alone will probably make the Axis horde not quite so scary anymore.

[stratman59]

Latest Update, I've completed the first two Polish missions all be it on middle difficulty level. Considering how badly I was doing I'm quite pleased with that. Lessons learnt:

(A) When the target is pink it means your gun can't see the target, wait until it turns red, Dooo!

( Make sure you have a gunner in the gunner position in tanks and artillery.

© Artillery (75mm) seems to be much more effective at long range.

All learnt from reading the posts on this forum, so thanks to all and keep posting.