AK: El Alamein

[VPaulus]

Please post here your comments about this scenario.

[radic202]

I played this scenario late last evening and played it at the easiest level to get a feel for a large combat type scenario but I could never get a Victory Declaration popup.

At turn 11 or 12 I had destroyed every Allied Unit, capture every city/Airport/Objective point and totally explored the entire map to make sure I was not missing any units either ground or air. All that was on the map was my Axis Units plus my German/Italian Flags in all the objective points but no matter what I did the Victory notification never appeared. I had to click end turn for the XX number of turns seeing the Allied AI doing absolutely nothing. It took less then 2 seconds would revert back to my turn and I needed to do this until the final turn and only then did I get a Victory notification but not major or anything. I mean there was like 9 or 10 turns left with no enemies to attack and yet only got a simple victory.

My main problem here is why did I need to continue clicking end turn until the end when their was simply nothing to fight?

[nikivdd]

Beta2
Colonel.

Upgrades: a Bf109g to Fw 190 , Purchases: a M41M da 90/53 (great unit) and a Fw 190

A very intertaining mission. The enemy infantry are real ammo drainers and ofcourse followed by their tanks... After resupply i did some tank hunting and it was nice to battle a Sherman and finally a Churchill tank.
I did manage to force some units to surrender, which always helps to take away enemy pressure. By turn 12 their front had collapsed, and i managed to take the other (unnecessary) city/airfield hexes in the east.
Nice to find yet another piece of captured equipment. Got my DV. Surely there shouldn't be any 10 strength allied tanks here, at least 11-12 str. Good airactivity, painful at times - my precious artillery!
The only thing i missed or overlooked were the hexes marked with A. I suppose they are there if you want to remove units from the battlefield.

DV: 16/16, 5567PP
Losses: 3 aux italian infantry, 1 core pioneer

[uran21]

Thank you for your feedback!

Hexes marked with A are exit zones (we do not have dedicated tile overlay). If you move unit there it will instantly disappear from the map and it will be place in Reserve list.
This is if things go wrong. Scenario is much more challenging in stand alone mode but this is because of difference in quality of troops used. So you think buffing Allied tanks is in order? Looking forward to hear more feedback on this campaign path.

[nikivdd]

Thank you for your feedback!

Hexes marked with A are exit zones (we do not have dedicated tile overlay). If you move unit there it will instantly disappear from the map and it will be place in Reserve list.
This is if things go wrong. Scenario is much more challenging in stand alone mode but this is because of difference in quality of troops used. So you think buffing Allied tanks is in order? Looking forward to hear more feedback on this campaign path.

I started this scenario with a mixed core (didn't dismiss any of the italians) and i bought 2 more italian core units along the way (a lvl bomber and a SPAT). All my tanks are 12-14str with a least one hero. The two italian tanks even have favorable heroes (attack, initiative). Whether i play this on colonel or FM i'm pretty sure the outcome will be the same. I'm still convinced the allied tanks can use a few extra strength points. My front line bend but did not break and than it was my turn to give some punches.
The lighter allied tanks are only good against infantry, the heavier ones could make a difference. A few more shermans and churchills wouldn't hurt in a follow up wave. I think the scenario is okay with the number of allied infantry and aircraft but light on the armour department. This is El Alamein afterall.
I hope a few more people will find the time to try out this scenario and post feedback, it is a very interesting one.

[billmv44]

General level. Starting prestige 7285, ending 3520. Elite replacements for all core units.

The British swept aside most of my Italian non core troops with relative ease. I was able to hold the southern airfield and re-take the victory hexes lost in the initial attack by turn 12. By turn 16 I had cleared the board. DV on 16. I think the British could use a bit of strengthening. Either stronger tanks or more of them. As the Italians melted away, a huge gap opened up between my two groups of core forces. If the Brits had a bit more armor to exploit it, things would have become very interesting.

[LostAgain]

Play FM. Finally broke down and intentionally lost Alam Halfa so I could take a run at the Kasserin Pass! I was disappointed in El Alamein. I was sure I was facing a real beating but there either aren't enough Allied units or they need to be strengthened. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't difficult enough by half imo. I've been able to upgrade the majority of my tanks to Panzer IVG's, and they just run roughshod over everything they come in contact with, so more Brits please.

[monkspider]

El Alamein
General level
DV turn 16/16
Ending prestige 3800

I took the loss at Alam Haifa so I can explore this campaign branch. I have to concur with earlier posters that this battle was fairly trivial. For this battle's legendary reputation, it deserves a significant buff to the British. As it was, I never even considered needing to retreat to the A zone hexes. Still it was fun and defensive battles are my great love in this game. I think it has the potential for a great scenario. A bit of a buff to the British and we will be there.

[Kamerer]

El Alamein Beta 2

FM level played
Start Prestige: 6,300. End: 7,800. Net: +1,500
Result: DV at 13/16 (map cleared then)
Several armor and artillery units left damaged instead of repaired.

Nice defensive game, this was a fun scenario. I thought it was reasonably balanced.

1) The two southern aux. Fallshirmjager outfits have Italian names in the unit description? Same with the two aux. Grenadier units in the north.
2) Some airfields are called “airstrips” others “airfields,” and one “RAF base.” Not a big deal, but in most scenarios the naming is uniformly “airfield.”
3) Possible to end game if map cleared instead of having idle turns?

[Kamerer]

El Alamein, Beta 4
Level: Field marshal
Prestige start: 1,100. End: Not meaningful*
Result: DV at:

Problems:

1. The allied tanks spawning at turn 8 (allied turn) are free to do so inside zoc of axis units. Very frustrating. Tried to include some screencaps but can't do easily with size limit. Don’t think this unit behavior should be possible.**
2. Same problem at turn 11 around ‘RAF Base.’
3. “Airfield,” “Airstrip,” and “RAF base” all used in same scenario – only place I know that happens so not consistent with other scenario nomenclature.
4. What is “PAA HQ” and significance? It is not in the briefing or any other notes I can find, so it’s just a tad confusing.

* damage, losses from spawning units inside lines invalidate it.

** I did serious recon and saw they had nothing behind the lines to the south. So I made the north (my left wing) very strong and pushed along the coast. So perhaps you didn’t expect axis forces near those zones then, but it’s easy to do.

[uran21]

PAA HQ stands for Panzer Armee Afrika HQ. Significance of it is to allow players to buy units in that area and since position of this supply hex is not inspired with any precise settlement in the region it needed to be renamed somehow. Airfield naming is just playing around, designers need to have some fun as well!

[LostAgain]

I don't see there being any real problem with the three different identifications for airfields. It's not as if the designations are ambiguous or misleading. If you say greenbacks, cash, moola, bucks, or bills everyone knows the connotation relates to money and I see no difference here. Everyone will know what they are immediately.

[Kamerer]

No, it's not a problem. Though it's worth pointing out as some value consistency. No one is going to have a problem with it.

The tanks spawning inside unit zoc's and game mechanics that are wonky ARE worth addressing, however.

[uran21]

Tank issue is worth addressing but at this point I cannot give you guaranty when this is going to happen. Regarding airfields, there are also some airfields named as Gambut, El Gubbi, Derna, Sidi Rezegh, El Adem, Benghazi Airfield, etc. so from the point of validation of scenarios in the editor and freedom to use custom names at will, renaming is someone's way of expression and in this respect consistent with that specific person.