Later campaigns against the AI?

[SchDerGrosse]

Hello there,

Has anyone tried the later campaigns (1942, 1943, 1944) against the Soviet AI?

I can pretty confidently defeat the computer on challenging with the Axis in the '41 one, and would want to avoid further increasing the difficulty as I fear that it would heavily push the game into science fiction.

Like a single pre buffed soviet rifle unit holding off the the Grossdeutschland division.

That would certainly mean losing the historical flavour (for me at least).

So, do you have any suggestions on which of the later campaigns could be fun against the Soviet AI? (and on which settings)

thanks!

[vandorenp]

Can tell you about playing Germans in the 43 Campaign game.

My thinking is although there is some potential in sliding the panzer formations over to weaker portions of the line and then attack, I believe the strategic situation calls for something very different. So I edited the scenario to release the German units from being locked down.

But out of curiosity I played the original version as the Germans and refrained from doing anything on the first turn. The Russian AI on the first turn began to reorganize the line leaving huge holes as consequence. So on second turn with barely any assaults and little casualties the Kursk bulge was cut off. Not worth playing.

[swkuh]

Did '42 campaign with "challenging" factors. Axis units are locked out at first, so Axis had limited play until pieces were reactivated. Soviet AI is not aggressive until '43 and Axis can get away with that. Worth trying to see force structures in '43, etc.

[coolts]

'42 on challenging is.......challenging. As rrbill says, you have to pick your fights with lots of units in static. A few pointers as this is my fave scenario.

1) You have a lot less Romanian ants so the south is more challenging
2) Prioritise freeing up southern panzers and striking for Rostov to get AG "A" as otherwise the OOB is a mess
3) Manage your manpower pool with judicious TOE changes. If you are successful, you can get you panzers up to strength before long

I turned down one of the soviet settings, (I forget which. The one that keep them at free 300 brigades all the time or whatever) as otherwise its whack a mole.

Turning the tide takes patience and forces risk taking. Much fun!

[STEF78]

Did the 43 and 44 campaign against the AI.

Not fun on my opinion, AI isn't enough aggressive and isn't able to manage big encirclements

[morvael]

Lack of AI script for first turn of GC 43 is fixed in 1.08.05, but it won't help much because the AI likes its front to be straight so they promptly evacuate any bulges (like Rzhev bulge in GC 42). IMHO these campaigns are good only for PBEM.