AK: Mareth Line

[VPaulus]

Please post here your comments about this scenario.

[greg1863]

I encountered a runtime error in this scenario around turn 13. After that, the game froze up. I could move around the map, but I couldn't select units or move them. The error occurred about 2/3 of the way through the Allied turn.

[greg1863]

My 88mm FLAK unit was unable to attack Allied aircraft in this scenario.

[nikivdd]

Before i actually play this scenario...i am wondering if this is the first mission of operation Barbarossa or Mareth line? The allied bombers have 0 ammo or close to.
This is the screenshot of turn 1, after the allied made their overture.



???

[nikivdd]

Beta2
Colonel.

Upgraded a SE pzIIIL to Tiger I (have 3 now), no purchases. Upgraded a pioneer to the 43 version. On purpose i did not upgrade the rest of the PzIIIL tanks to Tigers although i had enough prestige to do so.

I protected my west flank near the desert with a Tiger I, two StuGIIIG, two PzIG, two aux italian infantry, one aux italian M14/41 and the two aux G.55 Centauro. I saw no fire animation with the G.55.
By turn 8 all attackers that came from that direction were history. The planes that came later there were actually too late. They attacked a few rounds and then retreated to the nearest airbase, only to be intercepted and destroyed by my own planes. Cute to see allied units in captured italian and german transport units.

The Mareth line itself. The attack is too slow and too few units, except for the few strongpoints, nothing more they could do. From turn 6 i went on the counterattack and by turn 14 all except Medenine was taken. Medenine was mine by turn 17. I expected heavier tanks and more artillery up front, not the cluttered artillery further south-east around the airfield (30,28) that cannot offer any protection.

I wonder why, as in the previous post, the purpose of those airunits with no ammo or very low and not at full strength. Things might have been different with a full ammo load (or nearly) and overstrengthed. In two turns they were all downed. And last but not least, i think the number of auxiliary units on this map is far too generous. Either keep them and lower the number of core units that can be deployed or less auxiliaries and the same number of core units as it is scripted at present.

A very nice surprise was the repaired unit out of the workshop.
Also i was wondering what about those cities with a neutral flag? The allies didn't claim them but i did.

DV 18/18, 5652PP
No losses.

[LostAgain]

Playing FM. 15 enemy a/c right off the hop kind of messed me up for a bit until I noticed some were just recon. I liked this scenario right from the get go. I was glad that the mission briefing dropped some subtle hints about there beiing better defensive lines farther back, and that there were concerns of being outflanked, so I kept units back and played completely defensively until the flanking units started to appear. Good thing to, I'm pretty sure that had I played my typical game I'd have been in real trouble. THIS is more like it again. Challenging. I love it.

I wondered what the "Recovery Workshop" was for, although I had a pretty good idea, and sure enough, a message appeared that my mechanics had recovered an enemy tank from the battlefield, and there at the workshop was a "Recovered Churchill" with a strength of 7 out of 11!

I did run into a rather strange turn of events on turn number 7, 3 P-40's, all identified as 1st P-40 Kittyhawk appeared on the strategic map and a Spitfire Mk IX also showed up, but none of these were on the play map! On turn number 8 a fourth P-40 showed on the strategic map. The location of the P-40's was 0/17, 0/18, 0/19, and 0/20. The Spit was on 34/33. On turn number 13 the Spitfire disappeared, but the rest just stayed there the whole game. I couldn't shoot at them and I'm assumiung the same was true for them. Are they supposed to come into play at some time? And what happened to that Spit?

[uran21]

Did you controlled Allied airfields when issue with planes happened?

[LostAgain]

Did you controlled Allied airfields when issue with planes happened?

Yes I did. But I've noticed a/c spawning in many scenarios where I've controlled the air fields.

[Kamerer]

Mareth Line, Beta 2

FM Level played
Start Prestige: 5,150. End 8,000. Net: +2,850
Result: DV secured at turn 9, map cleared at 15
Most all units reinforced with elite during play.

The scenario was well crafted – The briefing warned you adequately to watch the west. I withheld deploying six or eight units at the start – the auxiliary units were adequate to fill in much of the Mareth defense. The air game was a pleasant difference, and the recovery unit a nice touch. The mix-and-match nature of combat transport was also a nice touch.
The prestige was rather generous per turn, but I imagine needed in the next scenario. I did lose my SE Stuka to the four P-40s appearing from vapor; that will be missed. The captured M10 from the prior scenario was fun to play with, and useful with containing the flanking maneuver.

[billmv44]

Just started this scenario. I notice there is a 2nd New Zealand unit at 4,20 in a SdKfz 251/1 with German markings. If they are using it as captured equipment, shouldn't it have have allied markings. If not, I may have to shoot them as spies.

Also, so far I don't see any messages or the scenario briefing when I call up the messages (I'm on turn 2).

[Rudankort]

Also, so far I don't see any messages or the scenario briefing when I call up the messages (I'm on turn 2).

Strange. Have you updated to beta 3 already? Do you see "Version 1.10 beta 3" on the main screen?

[billmv44]

Also, so far I don't see any messages or the scenario briefing when I call up the messages (I'm on turn 2).

Strange. Have you updated to beta 3 already? Do you see "Version 1.10 beta 3" on the main screen?

Yes, I'm on Beta 3. I did see the message about the recovery of the captured tank once that appeared but not the scenario briefing. I do see the briefing on the Tunisian Bridgehead scenario (side note, it has some formatting characters visible (<p><b>April, 20 1943</b></p> but is otherwise ok).

[billmv44]

General level. Starting Prestige 4359, ending 5689. Elite replacements for all units.

When I saw the message about a flank attack is not expected, I figured I better prepare for it. I held back some of my forces to deal with what I thought would be a small scale raid. Wow, a full corps sized attack. I was barely able to hold it off. The AI really helped me out. It made six consecutive attacks against my 13 strength SE Tiger on the same turn. Each time suffering 100% casualties. I think it was trying to finish off the damaged Italian recon unit that was behind the Tiger. While that helped me contain the flank attack, that's not really desired behavior for the AI. Otherwise, the scenario was fun. I cleared the map getting the DV. I also found the supply base for the New Zealand corps and destroyed it too. I enjoy the little extras like that. The recover workshop was a nice addition too.

[monkspider]

Mareth Line
Ending Prestige 6000
No losses
DV turn 18/18


This was a fun one, with some great ideas. The unit workshop was awesome, as was the captured Churchill. The scenario premise was quite sound in that you try to hold a defensive line with your main force while defending a flanking manuever with a light screen. Unfortunately, like El Alamein, it was altogether too easy. I am using a core with a large number of Italians and only one Tiger and still found it easy, I can only imagine how trivial the powergamers will find it.

I used my elite SS units, including my Tiger to defend my flank and used the rest of my units to hold the main line. I didn't find either attack to be especially dangerous and was able to brush them aside with little trouble. If the AI could be given more strong armor both on the flank and on it's main force, I think it would benefit greatly. There is also no need for the air units to have so little ammo at the beginning. If they had those units the entire battle, it could have made a key difference. As it was, I shot down a large portion of their airforce on the first turn.

[uran21]

In Beta 4 some changes that should affect difficulty of this scenario.

[billmv44]

General. RC2. This was much harder than the earlier version. Even though I knew the flank attack was coming, I could barely contain it. Heavy pressure all along the Mareth Line prevented me from reinforcing the flank. DV on turn 18, but unlike the previous run, I did not clear the map. Also lost my captured Spitfire and a Recon. Heavy casualties elsewhere.

[ThvN]

RC2, on Colonel. Small remark about the map: at (26,22) there is one of those nearly impassable 'Wadi' hexes, but it just looks like plain desert instead of rough. I must have overlooked it earlier due to my rapid 'tactical repositioning' while playing it as a stand-alone scenario...

Played as part of the campaign this time, and it was fairly hard, the allied airpower is almost overwhelming and seemed to come in sooner. The new AI now often bombards with artillery before moving in, which makes a lot of difference in this scenario. The mix of defending at one front and racing to intercept the flanking force on the other side is very interesting. It is a nice touch to have some Allied units ride in captured German equipment BTW, gives a nice little bit of flavour.

One oddity was that a Churchill wandered up my line in the centre, I depleted its ammo, but it just seem to stay there, hugging the frontline, so I could slowly finish it off. If it had retreated one hex it could have been back in the fight a turn later. I'm glad it didn't, those things are tougher than most bunkers in the game.