Battlefield: Europe MOD v2.5.1

[Uhu]

Thank you!
It is really a great experience - only there would be more than 24 hours per day...

Just another update:

I will again make a reload. It will be the 4th. I made it earlier to turn 51. It looked better than the previous, but now in hindsight...

That is some amazing commitment!
Playing for a total victory with such little prestige is truly very difficult, if not impossible.

[McGuba]

As for house rules: at singleplayer I try to maintain always a coherent front line.

What does it mean? Where the front "line" is, as a chain, every hex should be watched. In good weather that could be two units with 4 hexes between them, or a unit and a town with 3 hexes between them. Important is that no hostile units could sneak through undetected (...except AT ).

I could imagine if some time a full BE can be created as a new game that if there are not watched hexes, there would be a certain chance that a hostile weak unit would spawn there and live it's life.

It is already implemented to some extent in the current version. There are several Soviet units which spawn randomly in the Urals spawn points with the order to move towards one of the victory objective cities in Germany, again randomly chosen to which one. So in theory at least, these would follow a random East to West route and thus would cross the frontline at a random place when they reach it (wherever it is),which may be unprotected, if the player does not pay attention to that principle. In practice, it is more likely that they would move along one of the main roads for faster movement. But if there are larger unprotected areas they may be able to slip through undetected, especially in bad weather. I think it happened in some of the recent AARs by others.

Why an unmanned town can also guard? It has also a watch radius and I imagine these towns that there is a small amount of garrison troops which are two small/weak to fight, but they can maintain an occupation.

Yes, that's fair enough, I agree with that small garrison idea. However, again, in the latest version(s) of the mod weak partisan units may also spawn in occupied cities unnoticed. I mean the city may look empty, but in fact there may be a partisan unit hiding there for some time. Which may be a somewhat nasty surprise to some. And it can still perfectly fit in with the "small garrison" idea: in that case the small Axis garrison coexists with the hiding small partisan unit in the same city, and the small partisan unit only "activates" itself if there is an Axis train or other normal ground unit crossing the city, ambushing it.

[Uhu]

Nice!
Hmm, there are single units, mostly inf, but sometimes obsolote BT tanks moving from the Leningrad area to the Pskov direction. Are these above mentioned ones or they are just Soviet recon in force units?

It is already implemented to some extent in the current version.

[caesar67]

Is there a tool or something to see the total losses of my and the enemy army during a match?

[Locarnus]

Is there a tool or something to see the total losses of my and the enemy army during a match?

"c" gives the casualty overview. Unfortunately thats all there is, no more details.

[JimmyC]

I am doing another playthrough of 2.5 and this time did Sealion. I mostly followed Uhu's advice that he posted in another thread for Sealion.

I'm at turn 50 now and progress is as follows:
* I have almost captured all major cities in the UK, with just Edinburgh left.
* Ive punched a hole through the defences at El Alamein and am reducing the remaining defenders before heading to Cairo/Suez.
* I'm barely holding back Torch and will need to transfer reinforcements there very soon. I mostly defeated the navy, but they have slight air superiority and significant ground superiority.
* I was beaten back from Rostov and hold a new line along the Mius River.
* Managed to hold onto Kursk (thanks to the Tiger) and will now redirect some of my defenders to assist attacking Moscow.
* Have started bombarding Leningrad, although counterattacks from the north east are causing significant issues.
* Have defeated all but the closest defensive belts west of Moscow, but am held up at the moment.
* Mostly on the Eastern Front i'm bogged down and am waiting to receive armoured reinforcements from the UK to break the deadlock (I have 5 or 6 tank units in the UK at the moment and will start transferring them back).

[PeteMitchell]

What turn did you land in the UK?

[Uhu]

Hi JimmyC,

I'm happy to hear, you could use my Sealion tutorial.
What armor and arty did you send to the island?

I do not use any airpower as they have no chance against the 2 star Anglo-Saxons (but I have 4 AA's). Only one time when I start to siege the last, northeast defense line and I need my fleet protected above air. I did bring the +3A+2I hero PzIV as it is very good for both early British tanks as against infantry. But in my last reload I transported it back after the British armor was defeated at London (very good strategy is to let the British armor retake the northern part of London and than capture them with concentrated arty (art + capital ships). (This brings a lot of prestige and the hard-skinned beast can be also handled without the assistance of the weak German tank guns.) On the other hand, from late 1942, the PzIV is very much needed after the long barell upgrade to hold the stem in the East.

I brought up initially two more PzIIIJ's (short) and after removing the PzIV, another PzIIIJ. They are armored and no need for stronger gun against the infantry and other easier targets.

I brought initially a StuG A and the Semovente 75/18, later another StuG E. In my earlier reload I also transferred a 10,5 cm too from the East, but this time I see it much more needed against the Red Horde. My new plan is transfer another 10,5 cm from Cairo and maybe, when I will have somehow 130 prestige, upgrade one-two StuG's to StuH'42.

I am doing another playthrough of 2.5 and this time did Sealion. I mostly followed Uhu's advice that he posted in another thread for Sealion.

I'm at turn 50 now and progress is as follows:
* I have almost captured all major cities in the UK, with just Edinburgh left.
* Ive punched a hole through the defences at El Alamein and am reducing the remaining defenders before heading to Cairo/Suez.
* I'm barely holding back Torch and will need to transfer reinforcements there very soon. I mostly defeated the navy, but they have slight air superiority and significant ground superiority.
* I was beaten back from Rostov and hold a new line along the Mius River.
* Managed to hold onto Kursk (thanks to the Tiger) and will now redirect some of my defenders to assist attacking Moscow.
* Have started bombarding Leningrad, although counterattacks from the north east are causing significant issues.
* Have defeated all but the closest defensive belts west of Moscow, but am held up at the moment.
* Mostly on the Eastern Front i'm bogged down and am waiting to receive armoured reinforcements from the UK to break the deadlock (I have 5 or 6 tank units in the UK at the moment and will start transferring them back).

[McGuba]

I am doing another playthrough of 2.5 and this time did Sealion. I mostly followed Uhu's advice that he posted in another thread for Sealion.

That's very interesting!
What are your current difficulty settings? I mean is it game difficulty "General", BE version "realistic" with "Limited (Dice Chess)? Or something else? Also, are you playing it from 1939 or just started with Barbarossa?

Nice!
Hmm, there are single units, mostly inf, but sometimes obsolote BT tanks moving from the Leningrad area to the Pskov direction. Are these above mentioned ones or they are just Soviet recon in force units?

It is already implemented to some extent in the current version.

I think those that you mention are probably different ones, with different orders. But some of them may be coming all the way from the Ural spawn points and in that case yes. There are many different Soviet units with different orders and many of them are spawning randomly in every new game or even in the same game in case if you reload an earlier game save and then they spawn at a different place when their time comes, so it is hard to say.

[JimmyC]

Hi all. Sorry for the slow replies as i have been awol for a time.

What turn did you land in the UK?

I positioned my troops on turn 16 and landed on turn 17. I have included 2 screenshots - 1 from end of turn 16 and the other from end of turn 18.

Hi JimmyC,

I'm happy to hear, you could use my Sealion tutorial.
What armor and arty did you send to the island?

I do not use any airpower as they have no chance against the 2 star Anglo-Saxons (but I have 4 AA's). Only one time when I start to siege the last, northeast defense line and I need my fleet protected above air. I did bring the +3A+2I hero PzIV as it is very good for both early British tanks as against infantry. But in my last reload I transported it back after the British armor was defeated at London (very good strategy is to let the British armor retake the northern part of London and than capture them with concentrated arty (art + capital ships). (This brings a lot of prestige and the hard-skinned beast can be also handled without the assistance of the weak German tank guns.) On the other hand, from late 1942, the PzIV is very much needed after the long barell upgrade to hold the stem in the East.

I brought up initially two more PzIIIJ's (short) and after removing the PzIV, another PzIIIJ. They are armored and no need for stronger gun against the infantry and other easier targets.

I brought initially a StuG A and the Semovente 75/18, later another StuG E. In my earlier reload I also transferred a 10,5 cm too from the East, but this time I see it much more needed against the Red Horde. My new plan is transfer another 10,5 cm from Cairo and maybe, when I will have somehow 130 prestige, upgrade one-two StuG's to StuH'42.

I found that i had mostly air parity or slight air superiority. All my fighters were 2 star and i upgraded 1 out of series from Bf to Fw. I could do this as i play on General, but the prestige still hurt! I would swarm any unprotected bombers and soften enemy fighters with AA before engaging.
I did struggle to take London though and actually ended expanding west along the coast and captured Bristol and Plymouth before i had fully captured London. I really stripped the Eastern front of my best units (armour, artillery and fighters) and this hurt me in that theatre later on. All up i had about 6 armoured units (panzer III, IV and Stug IIIE) in Britain.

That's very interesting!
What are your current difficulty settings? I mean is it game difficulty "General", BE version "realistic" with "Limited (Dice Chess)? Or something else? Also, are you playing it from 1939 or just started with Barbarossa?

Im playing on General, realistic and fully random dice (I always do fully random). I just started from Barbarossa as there seems less incentive to play through the earlier ones now.

Currently im on turn 66 and still havent captured Moscow nor Leningrad. But other fronts are doing much better. It will be interesting to see if i can get a DV in the timelimit.

[JimmyC]

I forgot to mention that during Sealion the British home fleet sends its capital ships/destroyers somewhat piecemeal (they don't come all at once). This makes them more manageable and i targeted the capital ships with strat bombers and u-boats, whilst enemy destroyers were targeted by my capital ships. I tended to use the e-boats and sometimes destroyers as sacrifices to save my capital ships (the enemy loves to target e-boats). You also have to block the narrow entrance with a uboat as Uhu suggests in his guide. Even still, i lost a panzer III sunk in its transport as the enemy managed to break through from the west. I also lost the Brandenburgers on turn 17 as their landing blew off course and they landed directly next to the Str12 defending infantry.

[Uhu]

How are you my fellow BE Generals? The silence was long.

I would give an update about my advances, after the 5th reload.
I'm at turn 80. While some errors were made, I'm mostly satisfied with the results.
What really annoying were the Allied level bombers who could not make bombing runs on major German cities ever, but they bombed other major cities and these resulted in 20-60 prestige losses/turn. Which is not much if you have full prestige income, but when I have an average of 100-120, than it is a big blow... So I placed AA next to Paris and the English major cities - sometimes even the major cities in Tunis had to be guarded! - and so the bombing raids became rare and even if happened the prestige loss was smaller.

I found one little bug: the late German SPW 251/1 have SA, HA 5-5 which is probably a mistake as it should be 2-1.

Events:
Turn 47 - Fuel crisis over
Turn 55 - Tunisia total victory
Turn 61 - England captured (mop up operations still ahead)

So, it is now 20th September, 1944.

1., Middle East
I transferred most of my strength from here, partly to Tunisia and the Eastern front after capturing the Suez canal and the British counteroffensives stopped. Here I made some minor errors as while Rommel's Pz IIIJ panzers were transported away, they awaited many-many turns an upgrade in Europe in str 5 state (no prestige for anything else), not participating in the battles, except some partisan hunting in the Balkan. If they stayed longer in the Middle East, I could still capture some more cities from the Tommies there. So, the weak forces did not much there: I could sneak with an str 1 AB41 recon to Raqqa and capture it.

Later, when the battles were over at Tunisia and the fuel crisis was over I transported the Regia Marina in full might to Cyprus and captured it. A single motorized British infantry unit tried to break trough to the Suez canal but with the help of the Regia Marina and Italian bombers it could be weakened so far the it could be than destroyed with my weak Italian ground troops. A cold surprise was the arrival of Soviet aviation which weakened my unsuspecting and unguarded bombers at the area and made some damage to the Italian fleet too. Now, with Cyprus captured, German fighters diverted, I'm at the start to capture the coast with these still weak ground forces what I have there.

Turn 80 - Middle East.JPG (375.81 KiB) Viewed 153 times

2., British Isles
While England was captured at turn 61, the mop up operations are still not finished. The cause is the I have here a small force and it is not protected by fighters just by AA. Of course it is not a must to make these mop ups, but I finally want to get rid of the Anglo-Saxon planes so I could finally only focus to the East. Cardiff and Belfast and more important their airfields are yet to be captured than it is finally over. Also finally the lot of AA's can be transported to the east where they are really needed.

Turn 80 - England.JPG (384.01 KiB) Viewed 153 times

3., Balkans
As I transferred most of my guarding inf units and even what were left were not resupplied (therefore retreated to safer area) the partisan problem soon run out of control. Now, with the support of low caliber arty I recapture slowly the lost territories and do not let the partisans capture any airfields because that would be critical to let the Allied planes have a wider bombing area.

Turn 80 - Balkans.JPG (485.37 KiB) Viewed 153 times

[Uhu]

4., Western Europe
After the capture of England the arrival of swarms of Allied level bombers finally stopped so I could slowly transport my guarding air force to different theaters. On the other hand absolute no source could be risen for the upgrading of the obsolete Romanian and Italian planes so they still used for secondary duties in the hinterland except the 2 star MC.202. Recently some partisan activities were started so I had to allocate some forces to recapture the captured cities and even more the airfields to deny any new airfields to the Anglo-Saxon air menace.

Turn 80 - Western Europe.JPG (514.22 KiB) Viewed 152 times

5., Finland
The Finns are still passive as Leningrad could be not yet captured. Some major Soviet offensives were in the direction of Viipuri and Petrozavodsk which caused some losses to the Finns (2 Inf lost) but they were defeated and the situation did not change.

Turn 80 - Finland.JPG (544.53 KiB) Viewed 152 times

6., Eastern front - North
While sporadic Soviet advancing units were detected in the Narva - Kalinin front, they could be eliminated. Until now no forces could be spared to initiate any significant offensives here. But for a few turns ago I started a small offensive with some arty, AA and inf to clear the area for major offensives to capture Leningrad. Soon I will move many of my arty to this area and eliminate the strong Soviet defense forces here to clear the path to the city.

Turn 80 - Eastern front - North.JPG (566.98 KiB) Viewed 152 times

[Uhu]

7., Eastern front - Moscow area
Since September 1943 I dominate the whole area east of the city. There were some break-ins because the Soviets try massively to recapture their former capital but I did not let him to do so. As I still cannot get the Finns to advance in the direction of Archangelsk, I started finally to move north, capturing Yaroslav. Although I do not plan yet send here strong forces.

Turn 80 - Moscow.JPG (587.94 KiB) Viewed 151 times

8., Eastern front - Tula - Voronezh - Stalingrad line
I was here very long time in defensive and fought very hard defensive battles. The Kursk area hat do be abandoned as Orel, Belgorod, Harkov too. But it was this time a planned move. The frontline could be hardened at Bryansk - Chernigov - Izyum - Rostov line. After strong forces could be finally deployed to this theater in the beginning of 1944, a counteroffensive could be started. The Kursk area could be recaptured and now I'm at the position to seal off the crossings at the Don. The Soviets are attacking frantically so additional forces armored has to be deployed here, but as I finally can slowly upgrade my Pz III's to Panther G's, it will be done.

Turn 80 - Tula - Stalingrad.JPG (510.58 KiB) Viewed 151 times

9., Eastern front - SE of Stalingrad, Caucasus
Until now the Soviet counteroffensives to recapture the oil fields were relentless. Much off my forces were here tied down. Later some of it could be deployed elsewhere. In the last months I could finally mount a slow advance with a small force to capture the shore of the Black sea and the western part of the Caucasus. Now I move even more south to clear the path for later, stronger forces to capture the last British positions and oil fields at Baghdad and Abadan. Until now I did not have any meaningful force to advance to Stalingrad. So I plan this at the final push in 1945.

Turn 80 - SW of Stalingrad.JPG (446.82 KiB) Viewed 151 times

Overall status: there are still a lot to do: capturing Leningrad, Archangelsk, Sevastopol, Stalingrad, Baghdad, Abadan, Middle East.
But this time I'm more optimistic that all of it can be done timely. As I can slowly but steadily upgrade my Pz III's, there will be a force to advance to Kubyshev (...but first defend the lines in the winter of 1944!). After that I can hopefully upgrade my StuG E's, some of my fighters, and start overall a resupply of many of my very weakened forces. I feel that my air force is this time in better shape and now I can better fight the Soviet airforce plus assist better my ground troops too. Although they would need also a big resupply and some upgrade. I hope I will have the prestige and opportunity in the winter of 1944.
The siege of Leningrad will be a complex operation but I hope with the many arty and air support it can be done relative fast. I still have to focus to not let my focus down as Sevastopol is also a stronghold and to let enough time to capture Abadan and the region. Let's see!

[milizltk]

Dear everybody,

this thread has now over 200 pages and I read from time to time some of the messages. I try to find some hints, how to maximise my prestige income. form me, it is almost impossible to buy new units, becaus I need all the prestige to refill the existing units. ev. after taking Malta, Leningrad, Cairo and Moscow it is not possible, to buy as much units as it would be allowed? Any ideas? (I am currently in turn 34 and I have 34 core slots free to buy units, but I cann't)

[Locarnus]

Overall status: there are still a lot to do: capturing Leningrad, Archangelsk, Sevastopol, Stalingrad, Baghdad, Abadan, Middle East.
But this time I'm more optimistic that all of it can be done timely. As I can slowly but steadily upgrade my Pz III's, there will be a force to advance to Kubyshev (...but first defend the lines in the winter of 1944!). After that I can hopefully upgrade my StuG E's, some of my fighters, and start overall a resupply of many of my very weakened forces. I feel that my air force is this time in better shape and now I can better fight the Soviet airforce plus assist better my ground troops too. Although they would need also a big resupply and some upgrade. I hope I will have the prestige and opportunity in the winter of 1944.
The siege of Leningrad will be a complex operation but I hope with the many arty and air support it can be done relative fast. I still have to focus to not let my focus down as Sevastopol is also a stronghold and to let enough time to capture Abadan and the region. Let's see!

Thank you very much for this detailed account.
Shows very well what is possible on such an extreme difficulty setting for BE.

Dear everybody,

this thread has now over 200 pages and I read from time to time some of the messages. I try to find some hints, how to maximise my prestige income. form me, it is almost impossible to buy new units, becaus I need all the prestige to refill the existing units. ev. after taking Malta, Leningrad, Cairo and Moscow it is not possible, to buy as much units as it would be allowed? Any ideas? (I am currently in turn 34 and I have 34 core slots free to buy units, but I cann't)

Panzer Corps game mechanics are very punishing towards strength losses and extremely punishing towards full unit kills ("fuk").
Buying a new unit with 10 strength points costs 4 (four) times as much as reinforcing that same unit with 10 strength points. Thus it is of the utmost importance to keep your units alive.
Losing units is a steep downward spiral in Panzer Corps.

The more units lost, the thinner your frontline, the more damage you take, the more prestige you need for reinforcements and the higher the chance to lose more units.

Suppression from defensive artillery for every single frontline ground unit is one of the most important tools.
As well as offensive suppression by arty and strat bombers combined with mass attacj bonus when attacking.

Mass attack ini bonus is crcial for your air attackers.
But the most important aspect for your fighters is keeping their experience as high as possible. By only using elite reinforcements for them. While every other unit class can make do with normal reinforcements.
Oh, and capturing two more oilfields against the aircraft experience drain. Every oilfield also gives 40 prestige per turn.