DLC '44 West #08: St. Lo

[VPaulus]

Please post here your comments about this scenario.

[Kamerer]

8. St. Lo – beta 1

Level: Field Marshal
Prestige: Begin: 11,700. End: 13,500. Net: +1,800
Result: DV 18/18
Replacement policy/prestige: none used.

Problems: None noted.

General impressions/comments:

Seemed like a straight –up linear defense. It worked clearly and simply; no surprises.

edit - oh yeah, I also finally got around to updating all my infantry to '43 specs. Yeah, apparently I had been fighting them that way even the last campaign. Oops.

[zappel]

Beta2 - Colonel-Level - Imported core - DV at turn 18
The first scenarios of GC 44 West were easy to win with lot of fun. The last scenarios are more challenging and also made a lot of fun. I like this one!
The first attack at St. Lo was hard but winable and afterwards several counter-attacks occured at different places. I had always take a look at any point of the map, that was great. I placed some units at the bottom of the map to prevent allied unit from the exit-zone. At the next time I'll place some of these units more in the middle but who knows it before the first victory.
Does anybody know of the campaign tree? I decided to stay in the normandy because of this I won't get to Southern France?

[zappel]

Forget to mention that now a lot of more prestige is available than at the beginning of the campaign. Now I can refit all units and upgrade every scenario one of my vetrean unit. Perhaps this is also a reason why the last scenarios made more fun than the first ones.

[Kamerer]

8. St-Lo – beta 2

Level: Rommel, stock core
Prestige: Begin: 0. End: 1,250. Net: +1,250
Result: DV 15/18 (ground map cleared then, game continued)

Core changes:

• • Disbanded Caen captures.
  • Purchased 21cm Nebelwerfer and truck.
  • Upgraded Firefly to Tiger II
  • Upgraded Pz.IV/H to J model.

Problems:

• • None noted.

General impressions/comments:

Beta 1, I played this with a more cautious approach, challenging points at river crossings and hills down in the south. That was a straightforward scenario and little damage. This time I deployed in the north and fought choke points at roads and for St. Lo itself, then challenged for the whole map. This way I had a bit more fun, cleared the map, and earned more pp, but took more damage. Interesting to win decisively with such different strategies; not many scenarios allow that.

To add some authenticity, I'd have some more unescorted B17s to simulate the overwhelming air the US used here. And I'd also have four of them bomb their own units outside St. Lo on Turn 1. Now that would be something folks would notice.

[monkspider]

St. Lo
General Level
Default Core
DV 18/18
Ending prestige 1300
No losses

This was a solid overall scenario, and a fun defensive scenario that lets you apply a defensive approach to where you want to create your defensive lines. I took a cautious approach, challenging the river crossings where possible, and then using my strongest units to fight the enemy in the open. One enemy got past my defenses, but I had a few other close calls. It might be reasonable to slightly increase the difficulty on this one since this is supposed to be on the harder path but I would increase it only slightly since the margin for error is rather slim.

[Kamerer]

8: St-Lo – beta 3/rc

Level: Rommel, stock core
Prestige: Begin: 550. End: 1,900. Net: +1,350
Result: DV 11/18 (effectively)

Problems:

• • None noted.

General impressions/comments:

• • I took all hexes at 11/18, cleared map of units 13/18. Also, hardly any of my units were even scratched. This one is pretty easy given the nature of the battle – so many units filling Caen or Villers Bocage, but so few here where there was an actual breakthrough.

[billmv44]

Beta 3. General Level, imported core. Starting Prestige 4996, ending 1882.

I had plenty of prestige to restrengthen/over strength all units, with enough left over to upgrade my captured Sherman to a Panther G and my captured Churchill to a Tiger II. I decided to concentrate along the southern edge of the map. I didn't want to get into a situation where I had to chase the American units all over the map, so I let them come to me. The arrived somewhat piecemeal so I was able to destroy them in detail as they appeared. None were able to leak through. The American air power was very strong, but careful use of my limited air power, plus AAA units negated their influence. DV on 18/18. I will probably play this differently next time, since it isn't the best way to maximize prestige. No issues with game play. Overall an interesting scenario.