Newb help please

[George40]

I am an experienced war gamer with RL military background. This game is giving me fits (in addition to the random lockup problem I am having). I started with the German campaign and I am not getting past mission 1. I clear the Polish infantry in the trenches and the Polish tanks with a pretty simple turning manuver to the right. However, when ever I get the two 75s on the hill at the end of the mission I get torn to shreds. They tear through tanks and infantry with an amazing series of one shop kills.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

[eniced73]

George,

I seen there were no replies to your thread. I will retry this mission tonight to see if I can help you out if you still need it. I found alot of the missions challenging but eventually got past them.

[Chirac75]

A fast tank or 222 on each far side of second set of trenches. One pops up until seen by the 75's then withdraw (remember to prevent it from shooting or it might stop, aim and...die). the second one comes up and shoot at what is now the back of the soldiers manning the guns. Rinse, repeat.

Also, unless you go at them with a PzIVc, use MG only. Much more efficient on guns.

Finally, try to save one or two air support for those last two guns.

Hope this helps.

[kreisi70]

i dont find this mission difficult, try to use supports as advantage, so you dont get hurt by at-guns, try to destroy tanks with so minimal casualties as possible.:cool:

[~Viajero]

Reading these old threads as I have just installed ToW 1... I am playing the Polish campaign and I believe this is the same scenario I am currently playing but from the Polish point of view... equally challenging for the Polish side!

My 75mm guns not as efficient as the ones you describe although I also positioned them in the hill at the back... I only managed to get 2 of them of the total 4 available in the initial set up troop list though. Maybe I need to sacrifice some troops for guns, hmmm

[Sneaksie]

I've played the first Polish mission not long ago, took 3 75mm, a couple of infantry squads and a light AT gun. Position your precious 75mm guns in 'hull-down' position, ideally behind a bush - this way they likely won't be seen until they open fire. Assign best gunners to them and hold fire until enemy armor comes closer (but not too close of course) to not waste ammo. And don't forget to save from time to time:)

[~Viajero]

I've played the first Polish mission not long ago, took 3 75mm, a couple of infantry squads and a light AT gun. Position your precious 75mm guns in 'hull-down' position, ideally behind a bush - this way they likely won't be seen until they open fire. Assign best gunners to them and hold fire until enemy armor comes closer (but not too close of course) to not waste ammo. And don't forget to save from time to time:)

Thanks,

Managed finally to get past the 1st two Polish missions and onto the 3rd one. This one really looks like a challenge, including PZ IV's!

I still reel at the seemingly unrealistic behaviour of AI tanks just swarming through trenches and within the lines of my own armour as real heroes... but maybe that is just the real blietzkrieg and my own understanding of WWII tactical issues is poor!

[Sneaksie]

Well, here enemy just overruns you - with such superiority tactics are optional:)

[~Viajero]

Well, here enemy just overruns you - with such superiority tactics are optional:)

Addmitedly I am playing at Veteran level, for realism, but does your comment mean this 3rd Polish scenario is harder than average because the historical background of the event or is this the general level of difficulty for the rest of campaigns?!?!

[Sneaksie]

IMO difficulty setting ranges from almost impossible to adequate: Polish, Strategic Breakthrough, Battle of Moscow, Russian, German, Allied, Panzer Lehr and Belorussia. Dunno about the French one, i've played it long ago.

Difficulty setting affects only bonuses to your or enemy accuracy and penetration ability: on Novice setting you'll face the same number of enemy troops.

[Knokke]

Playing at veteran level is not the most realist choice IMO:

Novice means your troops have a bonus over the ennemy troops (better trained and better morale)

Normal means that no sides as an unfair advantage

Veteran mean that your troops will be at a disadvantage because the ennemy will benefit from better trained troops and have an advantage in morale.

I find most of the missions very challenging playing in normal mode, so it's not surprising that you had trouble with the first polish missions. It meant that your inexperienced troops went against crack gunners. You'll notice a big difference in the performance of your units once they start to gain experience after a few battles

[Gnasher]

What Knokke said. Also don't forget to save regularly on the stock missions as they are typically single solution & fairly tightly scripted. You'll find you need to revert to a saved game quite often.

[Sneaksie]

I would add that on Easy setting your unit projectiles have a bonus to their penetration ability.

[~Viajero]

Thanks guys,

It seems I got the difficulty levels wrong then. I thought the hardest level was just the base line for realism, AI accuracy etc including moral. And that the other 2 "easier" levels where just downgrades on enemy accuracy, penetration etc?

Does the hardest level give extra-ordinary (above realistic) bonuses to the AI? If yes, what would be the normal, realistic difficulty level then? The medium one with moral?

I am not planning on inflicting more pain on myself than strictly necessary!