Sicily scenario unbalanced ?

Kyrian · Post by **Kyrian** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:00 pm

I played the Campaign on German side against the Allies (US, English, ...) starting in 1943 with the sicilt scenario.
Using the "General" difficulty setting.

I find out that it is impossible to win (at least for me)....
At the 9th round, the Allies had 11 M4A3 tank unit in Italy !!!!!! And, I was struggly with only a few Panzer IV and Panther tanks without prestige to cop with my loss.

And I don't talk about all the Allies bombers and ships that kept firing at everyting moving...

Maybe this is close to reality but since it is the first scenario of the campaign it seems too hard to me.

lordzimoa · Post by **lordzimoa** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:18 pm

Start as Sergeant (Easy) or Lieutenant (Normal) level first.

Kyrian · Post by **Kyrian** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:22 pm

Well since I've played PGI and PGII a lot both all the campaigns and PBEM, I really familiar with all the mechanisms and I'm not a rooky!
the "General" level is just in the middle of the list so I was expecting some kind of "neutral" setting (neither easy nor difficult)

Kerensky · Post by **Kerensky** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:29 pm

Step 1: Open map editor.
Step 2: Open Italy.
Step 3: Tools -> show statistics.
Step 4: ???
Step 5: Win!

I honestly have never play tested Italy, but the numbers in statistics tells me everything I need to know about that scenario.

My testing has been focused on 1939 campaign viewtopic.php?t=24208&highlight=1939+impossible and multiplayer maps of course.

lordzimoa · Post by **lordzimoa** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:50 pm

Sergeant is Easy
Lieutenant is Normal
Colonel is Hard
General is Very Hard

The other 4 are more or less the same and options really for SM patients, in next build his will be made more clear.

Field Marshal is Extremely Hard
Guderian is Insanely Hard
Manstein is Ludicrously Hard
Rommel is Impossibly/Total Mental/Going Berserk/Obnoxiously Irresponsible/Close to Forbidden Hard

Kerensky · Post by **Kerensky** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:59 pm

Well I'm sure starting West front 1943 on the easiest setting is quite doable, but then what?
Gustav line that follows up actual favors the Germans. So that easy scenario is made painfully simple.
Overlord is similar to Italy in difficult and favoring the allies, but against 5 strength allied forces, it shouldn't be too hard.
Ardennes strongly favors the Germans, so that easy scenario will be made pitiful.
Berlin West also strongly favors the Germans, although I guess you will be sent to Germany normal which is probably on the difficulty level of Italy and Overlord because of the sheer amount of units arrayed against you.

uran21 · Post by **uran21** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:17 pm

Kerensky wrote:I honestly have never play tested Italy, but the numbers in statistics tells me everything I need to know about that scenario. Smile

Those numbers could not tell you everything you need to know. You do not know how much prestige you get for campaign for example and if you look at that statistics more closely you will see 2/3 of disproportional prestige goes on ships, now compare ground forces prestige. That excellent level bomber in scenario is the unit that receives most awards and heroes for me just in one scen.

Personally I do have enough prestige for replacements and new purchases and not any kind of purchases but top fighters (you do not need more than 1) and Tigers, Panthers. Trick with this scenario is not to place all your cards on the table on the first turn and you need to deal with multiple landings separately concentrating on one by one. Only tricky thing from time to time can be that objective on top of Italian toe between mainland and Sicily. It requires planing how to recapture it if you get Allies trough. I would recommend Colonel difficulty setting for start.

Kerensky · Post by **Kerensky** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:29 pm

Hmmm well I won't say anything more about this topic then, it's not my area of expertise as it is.

Suffice to say the 1943 campaigns are meant to be difficult.
Unlike 1939 where you are expected to win all the time (losing causes immediate campaign ending) you can 'lose' in 1943 and still continue your campaign.

Kyrian · Post by **Kyrian** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 6:19 am

Ok, thanks for all the replies!

I did not know that I could loose the game.
Moreover it is true that I did not attempt to concentrate my troop because I did not know the ennemy landing would be so massive...
Therefore I tried to kick them of at every beach head... which end up being ineffective.

I like challenge therefore I will try again at a lower difficulty level and with a different strategy!

Steakenglisch · Post by **Steakenglisch** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:22 am

For me it worked fine to buy 2 levelbombers ... and upgrade the fighters you have and buy new ... they deal really quick with the allied fleet and after that they are fine to supress enemy units before you attack ...

i like the Ferdinand as Unit, its extremly armored and very effective against enemy tanks and tank destroyer's ..

my plan was to hold in sicily, especially the connection to the mainland, first goal gain air superiority you can do that in the first 4 turns with a mix of figthers and airdefense units, 8,8mm is usefull, high air attack and high ground attack and its am multirole unit

, second is sink the allied fleet before they devastate your ground units. During this time i was focused on holding ground, blocking enemy citys if possible to prevent them from building. Third is than counterattacking

I ve played on colonel ... it works fine ... at the end i've landed in north africa and captured the airfields/harbor/city

And Fire concetration is always a good thing

Kyrian · Post by **Kyrian** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:36 pm

Indeed, I replay the scenario this evening with a minor victory.