Iron man

[lhughes]

I'm curious as to what level of challenge in Afrika Korps folks have been able to pull off Iron Man. I define iron man as playing the campaign with no reloads and (ideally) encountering scenarios for the first time. I have been unable to pull this off at Colonel (or whatever is the level 1 above the middle).I am thinking I may have to drop down a level to keep the immersion factor of not reloading and accepting losses without losing the campaign. Curious what others have pulled off...

[KeldorKatarn]

Well it's my first campaign to complete on Field Marshall with only DVs. But Iron Man, I don't think I could do that, especially encountering the maps thef irst time. In AK I had trouble with some maps where I completely missjudged the tactical situation. On race to the wire I didn't really know what I was supposed to do, on Alam Halfa I missjudged the minefield and moved my units too far to the south and also completely underestimated the Royal Air Force. On Persia I was surprised by the min fields, making my initial plan mute and on Caucasus I didn't think I'd have to transport my heavy units that early with gliders, And finally in India I was completely surprised by the size of the fleet in the Indian Ocean and approached the coast far too early, getting completely shot up after a very good performance up to that point. So yeah, I think being prepared for all contingencies and quickly re-adjusting a battle plan... I guess I'm by far not experienced enough to pull that off on such a high difficulty yet. I've pulled off several of the scenarios on first try, Basra e.g. which was my first ever large-scale urban map. Even the "surprise" that scenario had in store didn't throw me off, but all scenarios in such a long and tough campaign... I don't think so Although it is of course always very very nice if you pull off a scenario that you haven't seen before on first try Because it means you were ready for it and your initial strategy was sound.

[Kamerer]

I have played AK through on "Rommel" with all DVs. I don't "reload" or such if there's an outcome I don't like - in general I play methodically and with copious artillery to avoid that result! However I had played the AK campaign through on "first encounter" before on Field Marshal during the beta stage. But I believe I did the same or close to it on FM in the beta.

Basra e.g. which was my first ever large-scale urban map.

So in your case, your experiences are normal. You haven't played all the Grand Campaign, etc. and learned the right tactics and ways to exploit unit characteristics. With experience, it will get easier. Oh, and once you see Stalingrad, et al., you won't think of Basra as a "large" urban map.

[johndoe2]

Wining the battles losing the war - that's how I experience Afrika campaign. Experience melting because of the need to replenish during battle, prestige disappearing because of that... Guess Afrika Korps was done in such a way to balance the boredom of '44/'45 East - lot of shady areas and twists and turns. So although (if memory serves me well) you can finish the battles without reloading you probably will have to do so because down the line you will lose the war. I think if the prestige points for getting DV were little bit higher I would have enjoyed the campaign more - simply because the need to replay certain scenarios would have disappeared.

[brettz123]

I have played AK through on "Rommel" with all DVs. I don't "reload" or such if there's an outcome I don't like - in general I play methodically and with copious artillery to avoid that result!

No reloading for me on FM on my first playthrough with all DVs. But like Kamerer I am slow and methodical with lots of artillery which really helps (a lot).

[lhughes]

Impressed. I'm an old PG hand but not as good as you clearly. More artillery a I guess and I might try sticking some sacraficial weak units in front more...

[KeldorKatarn]

I think I could do it. But for that I'd have to be very very methodical and preplanning all the time. I CAN do that but most of the time I'm getting tired, distracted, don't watch every single move... I guess if I did only 5 turns in a row and those only when I'm absolutely concentrated and focused,.. but I think that would take some of the fun out. It is a game still after all.

I don't mind reloading a scenario every now and then because I made a mistake. It teaches me new stuff, slaps my hands when I screw things up. But continuing on although I lost a unit to a stupid mistake just because I was unconcentrated or too tired and should have saved one turn earlier and go to bed... nah that's too hardcore for me I think. It is still a game Putting myself under that amount of stress is (at least right now) not my idea of relaxation I'm a developer so I need to make sure I deliver 100% quality work all day already. When I start playing games I want the luxury of "reload when you made a mistake"

[Razz1]

I never re-load.

[Longasc]

I always play "Iron Man". But I reserve myself the right to replay scenarios if they go totally wrong. For example Sealion or now East Coast USA.
My latest addition to my Iron Man is not to reload to "force" getting SE units.

This makes every campaign harder, even the relatively easy default campaign. I am really anxious to even start East Coast USA!

The DLCs get extremely hard this way. I could no longer compete at Field Marshal after DLC42. I will try again soon.
I made it to Palestine or whatever the name of the scenario was in Afrika Corps and lost a bit interest in the fictional scenarios following this, so I started an Iron Man default campaign.

[KeldorKatarn]

I usually only reload if I miss a DV (simply because I want to know how I need to adjust my startegy to make it. Or if I plan to play a certain campaign path because I want to see the scenarios and need the DV to get there).
Or if I lose a core unit. The latter simply because reloading and having to play it all over again is a bigger punishment to myself than having to continue without the unit, also I want the units alive for RPG purposes

[lhughes]

My problem is immersion. If I reload too many times I start to lose the feeling that I am actually accomplishing anything. Plus it starts feeling 'unrealistic' (silly for a game as unrealistic as PC ).
I was able to play the old PG successfully in iron man. One thing that makes it harder in PC is the increased range of random results. The alternative of 'chess' is too extreme. The increased range of random results leads naturally to more core losses. But I am whining while beating a dead horse

[KeldorKatarn]

If I reload too many times the game is telling me it's time to go to bed

[brettz123]

If I reload too many times the game is telling me it's time to go to bed

That is a pretty good way to look at it

[shawkhan]

Afrika Korps is a guaranteed reload on the first playthrough. Some of the surprises from the scenario designers are downright diabolical.

[Razz1]

Mu ha ha...

Your welcome.