DLC '44 West #05: Bayeux

[VPaulus]

Please post here your comments about this scenario.

[Kamerer]

5) Bayeux – beta 1

Level: Field Marshal
Prestige: Begin: 6,975. End: 7,950. Net: +975
Result: DV 14/18
Replacement policy/prestige: ~50 used for aux units.

Problems:

• • The tactical map (in the UI sidebar) kept showing one Bayeux hex (19,17) as allied (green) despite being in my control – allies had controlled it briefly; it did not switch back. Main map showed it correctly.
  • Game command pop-up not working fully. If I hit ‘esc’ to load/save/quit etc., all works normally except “save” and “load.” If I click on it, nothing happens. If I hit the UI button for ‘esc,’ it works normally. After doing that, accessing the panel via manually pressing ‘esc’ works for a short while, then quits. Have not experienced this before in other versions.

General impressions/comments:

• • Map seemed clean, scenario was straight forward.

[ThvN]

beta 1
Colonel, Imported Core, DV 13/18

Prestige before/after deployment: 9131/8008
Prestige on last turn/incl. victory bonus: 8921/10421

Nice scenario because of the extreme variation in pace, I rushed a fast group along the open terrain in the east to capture the Allied airfields, a small and slow group in the west to help encircle Bayeux and after that they moved towards Port-en-Bessin. The center group quickly secured the airfields on the edges of the city, meanwhile I lost two aux units and the rest got damaged.

Luckily I kept my east group together, because I ran into a bunch of armored units at the eastern airfield. This scenario rewards careful scouting and keeping your advancing formations together, if anything comes at you out of the fog the units that have outrun their support are doomed. The allied bombers that appeared did some damage but mostly just slowed me down, because I have a very dedicated anti-air core. On my last turn (13) a new Allied air wave appeared, but they remained stationary because I had just captured all airfields, so I think I dodges quite a few bullets there.

I got two captured units (M10 and Firefly) after I took over Port-en-Bessin, I believe after I flagged the hex with the transport ship. A nice reward.

As Kamerer noted, the hex at (19,17) stays marked as allied on the mini-map, but as an additional remark, it does not show as a flag hex at all on the strategic map. At least, I did not see any marker on the strategic map for this hex, allied or axis, it looks as a plain city hex without flag.

[LostAgain]

Playing FM with imported core.

Not sure exactly what happened but on turn 10 I was notified that the SdKfz 234/1 8 Rad was now available. I'm not exactly sure when, but I DO know that earlier on I received the same notification.

[ThvN]

Not sure exactly what happened but on turn 10 I was notified that the SdKfz 234/1 8 Rad was now available. I'm not exactly sure when, but I DO know that earlier on I received the same notification.

You are correct, and it has an interesting cause: the SdKfz 234/1 becomes available on 17-6-1944. But this date passes multiple times during scenarios: the first time during Beaches of Normandy, which starts on 6-6-1944 and lasts 14 days max, and than Bayeux which starts at 8-6-1944 and lasts 18 days. Villers-Bocage starts at 13-6-1944 and lasts 18 days, so the date 17-6-1944 would pass three times total, and each time you would receive notification that it becomes available.

Very odd, perhaps the 'turns per day' setting in the scenario files should be increased a lot from the current setting of 1.

[Kamerer]

5) The medieval combat tapestry that is Bayeux – beta 2

Level: Rommel, stock core
Prestige: Begin: 0. End: 625. Net: +625
Result: DV 15/16

Core changes:
No purchases.
Upgraded 190F to G model (that was about all I could afford – Normandy was costly).

Problems:

• • Captured Port-en-Bessin at turn 15, did not get equipment captures (Wolverine, Firefly). I thought rule was if you captured a town with a capture and still had turns remaining, you would see captures in core next at the next deployment. I took last objective and town both on 15 with one turn remaining, but did not get captures.

General impressions/comments:

• • Reduced turn count not a hindrance to completion, even going carefully in “Rommel” mode. I even backed all the aux units out of Bayeux proper on turn 1 to let the allies take them - so I could get 200 points for retaking the four objective hexes on the south side of the ‘ville.

[RobertCL]

Not sure exactly what happened but on turn 10 I was notified that the SdKfz 234/1 8 Rad was now available. I'm not exactly sure when, but I DO know that earlier on I received the same notification

+1

Great scenario: very easy at Lt level.

General comment: the DLC campaign on the Eastern front is really harder than this one on the Western side.

[zappel]

Beta2 - Colonel-Level - Imported core - DV at turn 14
Well, like the first scenarios again a amazing scenario. But still on a easier level than GC42/43 West. Perhaps I've to change the difficulty level at the second play.
This was a good chance to refit the units after Normandy .

[monkspider]

Bayeaux
General level
Beta 2
DV on turn 16/16
Ending prestige 600

Thanks for posting the lovely tapestry Kamerer!

This was a very solid scenario that seemed to be perfectly tuned. Capturing all of the victory hexes was non-trivial, and I was only able to do so on the very last turn. I didn't get the captures however. Next time I will definitely have to try to divert some forces to the northwest. I really loved the line about from the Feldmarshall in the opening briefing that he would "bet his Iron Cross that the Allied armor wasn't a problem that a Tiger or two can't solve" or something to that effect. One of my all-time favorite quotes in this game.

[billmv44]

General Level, Beta 3. Ending prestige 1053. DV on 16.

A tough fight. As usual, the American infantry is very tough. Their air power is strong, but not overwhelmingly. I've upgraded my 3 Fw-190's to the D models. In combination with my AA units, I'm able to eventually wipe them out. I captured the port on 15 and received the captured units on 16. American tanks cannot stand up to Tigers or Panthers (no surprise there). A good scenario.

[Kamerer]

Bayeux - beta 3/rc

Rommel, stock core
Begin pp: 0 End: 475, net +475
DV 16/16

Problems:

• I was awarded the capture tanks without taking all of the town – the Ami infantry in the last hex moved out into the clear hex to the south into a trap I set. but without killing them or taking the last hex, I got the tanks on the next turn. So actually I then used the captured tanks to kill the infantry in the open and take the last city hex. Odd.

Comments:

• Otherwise, none. Nice scenario with challenges and tight but not unrealistic timeline.

[zappel]

Beta3 - Colonel-Level - Imported core - DV
Didn't noticed any changes to Beta2 but this time I was able to capture the units in Port-en-Bessin. Sold the Wolverine to get the prestige but upgraded the Firefly to Königstiger. Sure an expensive upgrade for a captured unit without any experience but a Panzer VIB with a +2 Movement hero: this will be a monster.
Like the first time a amusing scenario.

[ThvN]

beta3, colonel, imported core. DV 12/16

No problems, I used my knowledge of my previous efforts to greatly speed up my advance while taking less casualties. Got a bit unlucky at Port-en-Bessin, so it took me a turn longer than it had to.The difficulty was already balanced previously so no new comments on that.