New to this game and way in over my head

Gary Grigsby’s War in the West 1943-45 is the most ambitious and detailed computer wargame on the Western Front of World War II ever made. Starting with the Summer 1943 invasions of Sicily and Italy and proceeding through the invasions of France and the drive into Germany, War in the West brings you all the Allied campaigns in Western Europe and the capability to re-fight the Western Front according to your plan.

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RogerJNeilson
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New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

Ok lets ask what I hope is a simple question.... the manual talks about Deliberate atatcks, but how do you commit forces to such an attack in different adjacent hexes?
An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
cfulbright
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by cfulbright »

Hi Roger,

Don't apologize for asking questions. We all started with zero knowledge of the game.

If you select one or more of your units in a single hex with your mouse and then click on an enemy unit or units next to it, that will be a "Hasty" attack that uses less movement points but also is only about 50% of the attack strength. You can't do a hasty attack with units from more than one hex, and it also won't leverage its Corps HQ artillery support if the HQ moved before the attack.

The way to do a deliberate attack is to select all the units you want in the attack (using Shift-click to select units in multiple hexes adjoining the enemy unit(s) and then do a Shift-click on the enemy hex.

Hope that helps.

Cary
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

OK thanks that sort of worked. I was able to do that to select all units to attack the enemy 2:23 and also the enemy 3:14 with the stacks 2:4 and 10:32 and 7:31 and 4:6 respectively. But I could not get it to do a deliberate on 6:27 from the two hexes 10:32 and 7:31 - see attached screenshot.

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An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

Ok next turn I was able to select those units to do a deliberate, guess there must have been something about them that did not allow one the move before. Odd
An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
cfulbright
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by cfulbright »

You shouldn't be able to use the 2-4 unit in a deliberate attack because infantry units need at least 5 movement points for a deliberate attack (more if attacking across a river or in certain terrain).

What are the movement points of the other units in those middle two stacks?

Cary
cfulbright
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by cfulbright »

Did you have all four stacks of Allied units selected? If so, it won't let you attack the 6=27 hex, because the leftmost and rightmost Allied units aren't in hexes that adjoin that German stack.

Cary
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

Ah it will be the number of movement points I guess. I only had the relevant stacks selected. OK that's one of a thousand things I have to learn......

I am focussing on the Mareth Line so I can keep things tight and learn in little chunks. Looks like its pretty well impossible to break.

Thank you.

Roger
An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
cfulbright
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by cfulbright »

Roger,

Focus on the coastal hexes, which are clear terrain. Just keep hitting them and then having a unit to advance into that hex, then reinforce it with a Tank or Armored Brigade which can be Converted and advance one hex after combat. Then assign some support units to that unit to withstand a possible counterattack.

Cary
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

Thank you, slow but steady learning going on, indeed attacking the coastal hex did the trick and busted the defence line.

Getting to grips with assigning air support and support units to attacks now.

It all seems very elegant once you start to understand how it works. Very different to WITP (AE)


Roger

An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
cfulbright
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by cfulbright »

Very different to WITP (AE)
Yes, though the underlying values for aircraft, weapons, and ground elements are mostly the same.

For WitP, you probably had to have daily turns, but in WitW, you'd never be able to achieve a major breakthrough with such short turns.

Cary
cfulbright
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by cfulbright »

Keep advancing on the clear terrain coast hexes. You'll peel the defenses.

Don't know if it's historical, but it works. I tell myself the game is accurate, therefore Mark Clark was a bozo.

Cary
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

Tunisia 43......Ok I broke the Axis lines and the game ended with a marginal victory to them..... those AK forces certainly don't bruise easily. I have a distinct feeling that I am missing loads and loads of tricks and subtleties that would have improved my chances. I was doing turns in a manner of a few minutes so I suspect I may have to slow right down and consider all aspects carefully to maximise my success in combats.

Roger
An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

Is there an easy way of checking is new troops have arrived in the theatre? At present I am mousing round to discover this and its a bit of a pain.

Roger
An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

Is there an easy way of finding if new troops have arrived in Theatre? At present I am mousing round the map and its a pain.


Roger
An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
mllange
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by mllange »

ORIGINAL: Roger Neilson 3

Is there an easy way of finding if new troops have arrived in Theatre? At present I am mousing round the map and its a pain.


Roger

Info screens tab - select the 'show reinforcement/withdrawal schedule {i}' option.
There's a simple answer to every complex question - and it's wrong.
-Umberto Eco
cfulbright
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by cfulbright »

How are you using your fighter bombers and medium bombers? And what loadouts are you giving them?

You should be able to achieve strong Allied ground attacks by targetting just one or two hexes with heavy Group Support missions, either set to Interdict or Unit.

Cary
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

Ah now that raises a great deal of questions for someone who basically has just been telling the AI to sort the air war for me. I have got as far as assigning air to support a unit - though it seems to become an assignment for a group of units when I do that. In AE I am used to an info screen per air unti that I can then control, so maybe I need to get my head around a very different control system that actually allows me to do the same here.....


Roger
An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

ORIGINAL: mllange

ORIGINAL: Roger Neilson 3

Is there an easy way of finding if new troops have arrived in Theatre? At present I am mousing round the map and its a pain.


Roger

Info screens tab - select the 'show reinforcement/withdrawal schedule {i}' option.

Aha thank you. I have to say I find the manual for this game incredibly opaque.

Roger
An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
cfulbright
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by cfulbright »

I never trust the AI to handle the air war. I know it adds a lot more time to each turn. Depends on how much time you want to spend per turn. There's definitely a return on the investment, but it may or may not be valuable to you.

On the manual, I've never read it!

Cary
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: New to this game and way in over my head

Post by RogerJNeilson »

OK I have spent quite a lot of time on this now, have explored logistics, air use and HQ positioning. I now sometimes get to unhinge the Mareth Line around move 6 to 8 though not always. When I do I really cannot seem to make any progress and the DAK and Italians manage to slow and road block me all the time so I get nowhere near the objectives. I so want to love this game, but it is getting so frustrating. Any advice guys?

Part of the problem seems to be how weak my units become through constant use.

Roger
An unplanned dynasty: Roger Neilson, Roger Neilson 11, Roger Neilson 3 previous posts 898+1515 + 1126 = 3539.....Finally completed my game which started the day WITP:AE was released
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