General tactics for noob

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General tactics for noob

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General tactics for noob - 5/25/2012 9:46:53 PM

rosseau

Posts: 801
Joined: 9/13/2009
Status: offline

I am far from a noob at tactical games - although I still suck - but with PzC I just see the board and start pushing counters. This is not a fun or proper way to play the game, I am thinking. For example, Tiller's Campaign Series, and even Battlefield Academy, forces me to plan, and that is the fun part...

So on defense, what should I be doing? Putting arty near dug in infantry, with an AT unit near at hand? What about protection via aircraft?

On attack, what kind of kampgruppe should I put together as I move forward? Should I recon two hexes ahead with one or two units, or use air? I have all the DLC, so no lack of content. Initiative seems important. How do I know how my units compare to the enemy, or is that under FoG?

Thanks guys. The next step would be MP, of course.

Post #: 1

RE: General tactics for noob - 5/25/2012 10:22:35 PM

gids

Posts: 344
Joined: 12/2/2010
Status: offline

use mainly infantry backed up with arty ,put your panzers in the back to exploit gaps and weak units ,if you go on the offensive use mobile arty or stugs and JUB87 its a bit like the real thing
always keep an eye on the ground which you attack or defend,use favorable ground ,even if you have to retreat a few hexes ,dont attck infantry in wood with panzers(unless theyre surpressed with arty or bombers before)
before you start the scenario watch your objectives and try to calculate what you need ,rivers (engineers) ,Read scenario carefully,there are hints in there
Always use recon dont use em to attack ,i used a cav units for woods ,and mech unit for open road,you can also scout with airplanes :p not as effective but sometimes it will do

(in reply to rosseau)

Post #: 2

RE: General tactics for noob - 5/25/2012 10:38:37 PM

rosseau

Posts: 801
Joined: 9/13/2009
Status: offline

Just what I needed to start enjoying the game. Thanks gids!

(in reply to gids)

Post #: 3

RE: General tactics for noob - 5/26/2012 5:14:53 PM

artofwar85

Posts: 41
Joined: 5/8/2010
Status: offline

When you place units it may be best to put all your units on one spot of the map mostly necessary according to the level of difficulty you are playing. Anyway, when placing units consider putting an artillery unit on the closest hex to the enemy objective you have decided to attack first then put a tank unit then infantry and sneak in a recon unit at a front placement hex or if necessary 1 hex back. Check the weather when the scenario starts notice how far your units can see. Keep the stats panel showing press F7 to bring it up. Refer to page 14 of the manual for info on this button the manual refers to it as "The Statistics Panel" When you put your mouse cursor over it it this button reads "Toggle Stats Panel" This button is located in the middle betwen the other two buttons on the brown looking area of the Sidebar (page 13 of the manual). Ok so move your recon unit out. Decide whether you are going to charge ahead with it or move it a little at a time. A recon unit is the only unit that can move a little at a time. so if you want move it say 2 or 3 hexes and click off of it then check the map to see what it sees and respond accordingly to what it detects. Once I snuck up with it on tanks and infantry etc. I spotted them then retreated with the recon unit then move up tanks and other stuff. In the event you see an enemy unit at scenario start it may be in range of your arty unit you placed on the front lines. Having the units stats panel up you can mouse over your arty unit or click on it (dont move it) and see what its range is - hover your mouse over the little icons that pop up in the stats panel to see what they depic. the range of your arty unit is a cross hair looking then and will probably show 3 meaning 3 hexes. Also, of course clicking on your arty unit it will show rather or not you can fire on the seen enemy. If the enemy is 4 hexes out and your arty is 3 hexes away you could if you want move it one hex up and shoot the enemy. When doing this make sure since you can not move your arty any more this turn make sure you move up units in front of you arty unit so it does not get attaced when the AI has its turn.

See how much you can micromanage this all the strategy you can use may make you pull your hair out.

Close combat and tanks. Probably dont want to move a tank into woods or mountains to attack an infantry unit because the infantry has an advantage at this close range and the terrain its in a hills vs open area. But then it depends on what you are wanting to do. If the units number are red because you hit it with arty then go for it - the unit is so suppressed it can barely fight back but then remember your tank will now be in hills or woods what is the AI going to do about that ? For me arty and bombing a unit with a plane before attacking it is key. Take out there arty first and or there AA find the arty and aa and take them out first unless your attacking enemy that is not next to their arty or in range of it. Use the stats panel to figure out there range. Use the stats panel to figure out what there units are vulnerable too - hard or soft. If its vulnerable to hard attack use tanks.

There is so much strategy you can get that arty unit that is tracked it has less ammo that the truck driven arty and moves shorter distance but can move a longer distance depending on the terrain one finds itself it. also it has a better defense value than the truck pulled arty also until your arty can be upgraded it has a better attack value against tanks.

Pioneer infantry units are great but for me a headache because there movement on foot is only 2 hexes as compared to most other infantry which is 3. It seems I often have to decide to move them forward 3 hexes in a truck and they stay in the truck and the AI can wear them out next turn whereas with other infantry I can move them 3 hexes on foot and they stay on foot so they are better at defense and ready to attack 3 hexes away next time of course this depends on what terrain you are it.

kampruppe Arty unit with a truck to pull it. (don't really on planes being assigned to a group as weather may make them unusable, or lack of fuel, or ammo or the enemies aa or other aircraft) Do buy the tac bomber air craft but allow it to be used as needed with any group. ok so an arty unit with truck at leaast 2 infantry units at least one tank more like 3 infantry units and two tanks (keep your units upgraded) upgrade any infantry unit to a truck or other transpost when you can. Ok so 1 arty 3 infantry and 2 tanks and a recon then before anything else in my opinion another arty unit. then maybe whatever next another tank or the powerfull 88 anti air tank unit.

oh when you have fighters when possible mover your soft arty units under a fighter or move the fighter over the art at turns end in the event the enemy has planes. But keep the bomber protected to. your bf109 must be in a hex next to the Ju tac bomber.

Keep your aa unit if you have one in the center of your kamp grouppe or where needed for enemy planes. Remember if the plane is out of range of it you can move it 1 hex to maybe within range and fire on it. Destroy completely enemy aircraft when you encounter them even if it prevents you from doing the air op .. operaton you were planning on. hit them with the aa unit then any bf 109s you have attack there fighters first unless there bomber is alone meaning does not have an enemy fighter next to it. If you attack bomber with an enemy fighter next to it your fighter gets shot at by there fighter before it even shoots at the bomber. All this depends on strategy if there fighter is a level 3 and there bomber is a level 2 and your plane is at level 7 and you want to make sure you completely destroy one of there planes you may go after the bomber.

whole lot of strategy involved with this game can give one a headache ?

Ok so hit a unit with arty make sure its strenght number goes yellow or red then attack it red is better. take out there arty and or aa units first before attacking a flag unless tactics dictate other wise.

Read the manual and figure out everything its talking about hope this helps

(in reply to rosseau)

Post #: 4

RE: General tactics for noob - 5/26/2012 8:10:03 PM

rosseau

Posts: 801
Joined: 9/13/2009
Status: offline

Great stuff. I knew there was more to it

And in a MP game, it is worth the effort. Really appreciate you writing all this out for me.

(in reply to artofwar85)

Post #: 5

RE: General tactics for noob - 5/27/2012 10:47:23 AM

terje439

Posts: 5328
Joined: 3/28/2004
Status: online

I would also say, do not forget to add one or two tank destroyers to your group. True, they start out a little weak, but if they gain some experience and get upgraded to StuGs, they are your best bet against T-34s. These guys are also very adapt at takin gout bunkers.

Apart from that, I will say that the most important thing is to know how to best utilize your units, and what their weaknesses are.
Example:
Tanks crush infantry in the open, but infantry kills tanks in city/wooded/hilly hexes. Artillery are very effective against soft units, but are very vulnerable to attacks etc etc.

Another thing to keep in mind, is that although the game is called Panzer Corps, and that when people think about the German Army during WWII, they think of tanks, you cannot succeed with tanks only. A mixed pool of units is a must!.

Terje

_____________________________

Incompetent Allied commander in witp:AE
Trying for Lebensraum in WitE
Emperor in CoG:EE
Sultan in CoG:EE

(in reply to rosseau)

Post #: 6

RE: General tactics for noob - 8/19/2012 12:32:47 PM

Trifler

Posts: 75
Joined: 5/7/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: artofwar85
upgrade any infantry unit to a truck or other transport when you can

Just a quick mention that you should not give transports to Paratroopers or Mountaineers as they negate their abilities. Transports cannot be loaded onto planes so giving them to Paratroopers negates the whole point of having Paratroopers in the first place. Likewise transports cannot move on mountain terrain at all, negating the point of having Mountaineers. Keep in mind this also means that any infantry type with transports will not be able to travel from one airport to another on a plane, but that's not such a big deal.

< Message edited by Trifler -- 8/22/2012 10:39:55 PM >

(in reply to artofwar85)

Post #: 7

RE: General tactics for noob - 11/3/2012 7:35:02 PM

henri51

Posts: 916
Joined: 1/16/2009
Status: offline

You probably already know this, but almost NEVER attack an enemy unit defended by artillery, destroy the artillery first by hitting it with artillery, planes and ground units. If there is an additional enemy AA unit (the toughest nut to crack is a city protected by entrenched infantry protected by artillery and AA), it may or may not be worth getting damage to your planes to kill the artillery first - and unless a plane can finish off the artillery, I usually keep them away until the AA is gone. SOMETIMES (rarely) consider attacking the AA unit first with infantry, but only if you can destroy it in one turn. Kill the enemy infantry in the city last.So the usual drill is kill the artillery, kill the AA, then bring in the bombers to soften up the city then destroy it.

Also enemy units in cities are usually entrenched up to 7 levels, so attacking them before softening them up with artillery and aircraft is expensive and not advisable.Sometimes you get the impression that your bomber has caused no damage, but if it has reduced entrenchment by 5, that is far from negligible. You can see the level of entrenchment by mousing over the enemy unit (shovel symbol).

Keep your core unit with strengths below 5 out of enemy range - if you lose them you lose them forever along with their experience.

(in reply to Trifler)

Post #: 8

RE: General tactics for noob - 11/3/2012 8:48:04 PM

Josh

Posts: 1804
Joined: 5/9/2000
From: Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Status: offline

"...So the usual drill is kill the artillery, kill the AA, then bring in the bombers to soften up the city then destroy it..."

Heh that's funny because I play it just the other way, first kill the AA and then the Arty.

If it so happens I have an artillery piece nearby, they fire at the AA, but most importantly I use Strategic Bombers to supress the AA... they're great at it.Then the Artillery becomes an target for my bombers... then the rest. Although sometimes the defence is so well set up (defended city with river, AA and Arty...) that an extra turn of preparations is needed. All in all Strategic Bombers rule IMHO.

(in reply to henri51)

Post #: 9

RE: General tactics for noob - 12/16/2012 4:31:53 PM

thedrillsgt

Posts: 17
Joined: 8/21/2011
Status: offline

Agree

i use firepower heavy groups, but my strategy there would be to get an SP arty unit in range of the AA.

1. Arty on AA
2. bomb now suppressed aa with a Strat Bomber
3. bomb the adjacent enemy Arty with a stuka.
4. protect both with a fighter, hopefully allowing a fighter ground spt attack at the same time.
5. run in a tank to attack the suppressed enemy arty
6. move up infantry to screen the sp gun and set up for the attack next turn on the dug in city troops

rinse and repeat

YMMV

(in reply to Josh)

Post #: 10