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gettin close and man do I want to upgrade that 105mm wz.29 to something with a HT! running around in a HT is bad enough but a truck is suicide waiting to happen. I have come close to losing that arty a number of times by the sneaky slimy dirty enemy calvary 
drove me to add another recon 
The Russian bear is no joke in this game--he is gonna come for you when you get to the Eastern Front! You should strive to put all of your towed arty/AA in HTs. I have always made the investment to buy the best HTs available (the one that costs 200 prestige) for my units because of its movement and protection. However, I would also consider purchasing a couple StuG IIIB mobile arty units when they become available. They provide excellent defensive arty support for your armor, as well as your HT's.dks wrote:hey Zhivago....I'm looking forward to the Bear
They are pretty good at first and get better. But the really nice thing about them is that they can go toe-to-toe with tanks in an armor dust-up, or suffer close attack by infantry, and survive. This means that you can deploy them more aggressively than other artillery.brettz123 wrote:I still haven't used StuGs yet. Are they that good against armor?
The StuG IIIB is not an anti-tank weapon--it is just an arty unit. It only has a soft attack of 7, and a hard attack of 8. However, it's a mobile arty platform that will make a Russian "soft" unit like infantry think twice about attacking a half-track. When they are behind armor, they give you a defensive shot with a small (but decent for 1941) punch, and allow your armor to get the first shot back. I have found that if the AI knows you have a StuG IIIB behind a unit, whether it is armor or a half-track, or whatever, it will most times avoid attacking it because it is going to be at somewhat of a disadvantage. Obviously a StuG IIIB is not going to do you much good by the time you get to 1943.brettz123 wrote:I still haven't used StuGs yet. Are they that good against armor?
Next playthrough of the DLC I might pick one up. I usually get wurfrahmens instead of StuGs. Is there a benefit over the wurfs? I know it has some bunker buster special rules which sound promising.Zhivago wrote:The StuG IIIB is not an anti-tank weapon--it is just an arty unit. It only has a soft attack of 7, and a hard attack of 8. However, it's a mobile arty platform that will make a Russian "soft" unit like infantry think twice about attacking a half-track. When they are behind armor, they give you a defensive shot with a small (but decent for 1941) punch, and allow your armor to get the first shot back. I have found that if the AI knows you have a StuG IIIB behind a unit, whether it is armor or a half-track, or whatever, it will most times avoid attacking it because it is going to be at somewhat of a disadvantage. Obviously a StuG IIIB is not going to do you much good by the time you get to 1943.brettz123 wrote:I still haven't used StuGs yet. Are they that good against armor?
The StuG IIIB does not have the soft-attack punch of the wurfrahmen, but it has a lot of other advantages. The StuG has 8 ammo to the wurf's 4, and it also has a ground defense of 10, which is equal to that of the Panzer IIIH or Panzer IVE. It has an initiative of 5, and can move 5 hexes at a time. The range of 1 kind of sucks, but again, it is more of a defensive support weapon. I would recommend playing around with it to see if you like it. It sounds pretty vanilla on paper, but I actually found myself really liking the unit in the heat of battle.brettz123 wrote:Next playthrough of the DLC I might pick one up. I usually get wurfrahmens instead of StuGs. Is there a benefit over the wurfs? I know it has some bunker buster special rules which sound promising.Zhivago wrote:The StuG IIIB is not an anti-tank weapon--it is just an arty unit. It only has a soft attack of 7, and a hard attack of 8. However, it's a mobile arty platform that will make a Russian "soft" unit like infantry think twice about attacking a half-track. When they are behind armor, they give you a defensive shot with a small (but decent for 1941) punch, and allow your armor to get the first shot back. I have found that if the AI knows you have a StuG IIIB behind a unit, whether it is armor or a half-track, or whatever, it will most times avoid attacking it because it is going to be at somewhat of a disadvantage. Obviously a StuG IIIB is not going to do you much good by the time you get to 1943.brettz123 wrote:I still haven't used StuGs yet. Are they that good against armor?
I would be more willing to experiment with units if I could convert them to different classes. For instance converting Recon, AT, and SPARTY to tanks later on and vice versa.
I'm at Crete now in 41 DLC playing at general. the StuG IIIB became available at Belgrade I believe and was having a terrible time deciding if I want to upgrade the 105mmm wz.29 to either the StuG III or the 15cm Nblwp 41. I need that 3 range experience the 105 has at 375 points. I would stay with the 105mm only, if I could upgrade its transport. it has been a killer as well as a suppresion maker. it has 266 kills so far. 10.5 I purchased way back at Poznan has 405 kills. upgraded my Poznan, 7.5 to a 15cm which has 340 kills. my ace and love is my Poznan, Sturmapanzer which has 460 kills.I would also consider purchasing a couple StuG IIIB mobile arty units when they become available.
I still want that 3 range it has though. 
The AI seems to go after these units with single-minded determination, often passing up what I would have considered better targets in the process. And the StuG survives. That alone is worth something, I guess.Zhivago wrote:I have found that if the AI knows you have a StuG IIIB behind a unit, whether it is armor or a half-track, or whatever, it will most times avoid attacking it because it is going to be at somewhat of a disadvantage.
I get to upgrade my 105mm wz.29 to a ground thumping shaking enemy mind blowing 17 cm K18 with a Half Track to boot 
game still calls it a 105mm wz.29 but I'll take it name and all not only that, I can upgrade my Pz 38(t) to a enemy thumpin PzIVF. not only that, I can purchase my new StuG IIIB AND my new Wurfrahmen 40 look out Bear, my core is getting better all the time and I have 2534 prestige in reserve after upgrades, purchases and overstrength I am interested in how you do with the StuG IIIB.dks wrote:yahooo, patience finally paid off at Minsk41
was thinking hard about upgrading my 10.5 to the StuG IIIb to help it out some. no choice for the 105. had to go with the 17 to have my 4 x 3 range guns. could have purchased a new 10.5 but would have to start over for its experience. no want to do I think. plus to ugrade my 10.5 to the StuG it would cost 221pp and to purchase a 10.5 with HT would cost 292pp and have no experience again.
suppression is the key to arty I feal and the Stug amd Wurf should do fine starting out green.
hmmmm....never took notice the first time I played Minsk41. it's called Minsk(((41))). does this mean there is gonna be another Minsk? hmmmmm.............must have my arty ready for a loooooong war
We planned aheaddks wrote:hmmmm....never took notice the first time I played Minsk41. it's called Minsk(((41))). does this mean there is gonna be another Minsk? hmmmmm.............must have my arty ready for a loooooong war
I got lost in the battle of Brest-Litovsk and forgot to looooook at the map in the south corner near Siedlce there is what I need. I can't believe I did it again....there it is! the 15 strength Karl-Gerat 040 waiting for this dumb general to use it had been hammering at that strongpoint for I don't know how many turns I'm still laughing at myself, oh my word what a dummy I can be. I thought it was toooooooooo easy getting to Minsk StuG IIIB at 151 experience/14 kills and the Wurfrahman 40 at 100 experience/26 kills. usually the StuG takes first shot and then the Wurf. looks like I might change that around. might help the StuG get more kills. so far so good as a tandom team I'm still laughing at myself about the first Minsk and that damn big gun I left sitting there for the longest time. man I thought I was the new Napoleon strategist advancing on Minsk. was there at turn 10. then my jaw drops when those inf and tanks show up at Brest-Litovsk....you dirty rats The Bear's home is very large and there is a lot of area to cover (and lots of units to contend with), but I am glad you found the StuG IIIB useful in your campaign. Good luck with the campaign!dks wrote:Zhivago, just finished Minsk41 and man I did it again
then I get greedy and start chasing city/airfield hexes from Brest-Litovsk and thank the war gods I left my Char BI in the main objective hex of the city....cause....here comes the counter attack. inf and tanks and their buddies
back to arty and the StuG IIIB. I teamed it with the Wurf as my arty with my center group. had 3 groups starting out. worked real well as a team arty. the Wurf lacks ammo but the StuG can get right up the city for the kill and protect the Wurf along with my infantry when I'm ready to take the city. both units purchased green but eack earned a star fot the battle
The StuG IIIB has a ground defense of 10, while the wurf has a ground defense of 2. Also, the StuG has an air defense of 10, while the wurf has an air defense of 4. This means that the wurf is a much tastier treat for the Bear--for both its attacking ground units and air units--than the StuG. That is why the AI is zeroing in on the wurf. If you could have a wurf soft attack value (20) on a StuG body, you would have the ultimate arty piece!dks wrote:a little update. just finished Smolensk41 and here are the stats of StuG IIIB and the Wurfrahmen 40 going into Zhitomir.
StuG: 307 exp 36 kills
Wurf: 177 exp (66) kills.
as can be seen, the StuG is racing in experience points in two scenarios. the Wurf is the honey to the Bear I'm finding out. the Bear will go after the Wurf first if it has a choice it seems. enemy planes or artillery will strike the Wurf if they can before the StuG. had to keep re inforceing the Wurf at Smolensk. the Wurf is smiling at the StuG though. almost double the kills
well time for some R&R and see if I'm still married to the same woman. could be a stranger sitting in for my wife since I've been gluuuuued to PzC
ahhhh....now that opens up another need. maybe a tag along SdKfz 7/1 for AA support. don't like being dependent on my 8.8 for AA. it's so much better for me as a land unit killer. it has a +1 movement that is just perfect to move in for that KV final kill attackZhivago wrote: The StuG IIIB has a ground defense of 10, while the wurf has a ground defense of 2. Also, the StuG has an air defense of 10, while the wurf has an air defense of 4. This means that the wurf is a much tastier treat for the Bear--for both its attacking ground units and air units--than the StuG. That is why the AI is zeroing in on the wurf. If you could have a wurf soft attack value (20) on a StuG body, you would have the ultimate arty piece!
I'm thinking of enlisting the 15 cm Nblwf 41 with HT. my core seems strong enough to have less Panzers and maybe pick up that SdKfz 7/1 as well. have the prestige for it leaving me a surplus. want to get used to the reserves option more anyways.
