Allied: Cobra

[Razz1]

I found a bug: Hex 10,11

I placed a tank there and it can not move.

Okay, I restarted and I have the same problem. Repeated it twice, then I loaded a new game from the desktop playing the Cobra map.

Churchill Mk VII is bugged. It can not move into any bocage.

I checked the database and can not see anything wrong. Yet, this Churchill can not move into a bocage.

[uran21]

It is because of the movement of 3 Churchill VII has. Bocage requires more movement points for tracked vehicle.

[Razz1]

The last map Normandy was blood and guts. This map Cobra is Hell!

Beta 3
General
start 9494
end 400
Victory

Almost had a Triumph but not enough prestige and units to pull it off.

German air force is too powerful. They killed mine. The last two maps would have been good for a mobile AA unit, however all the other maps it would be a wasted slot. Therefore, a player can not bring up his experience for an AA unit.

Finally the AI moved and began a counter attack near the end. That was good. At the start the AI comes after you so that is good too.

[billmv44]

Beta 3. General. Prestige start 5944, end 522. Triumph on 20/20.

This is another prestige sucking scenario. I think the Germans are too strong in front of Caen. By the time Cobra was launched, they were a spent force there, just hanging on. They were not the powerful armored force that I faced there. I think they should be reduced to half strength units there (perhaps even dug in with a light level of entrenchment). That is, if we are going for historical accuracy. If not, then this is a fine, very challenging scenario. I did use cheats a couple of times to restrengthen my aux units in front of Caen (I felt this was "fair" since the Axis was overly strong there anyway). If the Germans aren't going to be reduced in strength, then perhaps add a few more Aux units to contend with them.

[uran21]

Thanks to all for the feedback so far. From first iteration of this scenario Axis units are now scripted to counterattack. They are going to chose various places at various times. Very good map to show how tank is king of open ground and infantry queen on difficult terrain. Deployment of troops should follow this rule. Some auxiliaries were added for Beta 3 to help hold the counterattacks and enemy armour was reduced (strength points) at places for upcoming Beta 4. General change is increase of prestige for late war scenarios.

[dawks]

This isn't a bug report so much as me wondering about basic game design.

I'm looking at 2 screenshots of Strategic View for Cobra, 1 for Allied ("Capture and Hold 7") and 1 for Axis ("Hold at least 4").
What's on my mind is a scenario for the Caen area I'd like to create. (see my thread of "Defense of Caen")

What I see is that for both Allied and Axis the scenario is about offensive.(BTW I find the wording for the Allied mission a bit confusing; I see only 6 Objectives, 1 already in Allied hands and 5 Axis, South West and East. And Axis mission also confuses me, but in a different way: it calls for "Hold" but I see no Objectives in Axis hands at the start. Simplest explanation: I'm reading the map wrong. Objectives are CP with gold circles, yes?)

What's on my mind is the very skillful strategic retreat later, East through the Falaise Gap and across the Orne.
Are there scenarios where the victory depends on strategic withdrawal? or even rugged defense? (For the latter, I'm thinking of D-Day afternoon, where Juno/Nan and Sword/Oboe and Peter were threatened by the counterattack by 21PzDiv that almost reached the beach. Denying that advance was paramount.)

With this map, if Axis had a number of Objectives at the start and needed to combat Allies as they surged forward, that's what I imagine as attempting a strategic withdrawal, but I hope to practice with "Defense of Caen". (Ortona comes to mind as another candidate for this on the Axis side ... "Little Stalingrad". 49th Loyal Edmonton Regiment / 3PPCLI was my infantry reserve unit.)

[RobertCL]

Beta 4
Standalone scenario
Leutnant level

Nothing to say except congrats.
I liked the way AI counter-attacked me, I was close to lose two VHs but hopefully at Leutnant level the prestige is huge and I could conquer all VHs at turn 15.
I lost a SE Tempest.
I lreally love the look of Allied SE units with the black and white markings.
I also liked the music which is different when you play the scenario "Berlin West".

[demyansk]

Beta 4, I lost but I am not sure if this is on purpose or a bug. I included a screenshot and this unit British tank at 10,13 couldn't move I think for the entire scenario. This is a hard scenario and I am not sure if I had the right mix of units or I was to spread out.

[uran21]

It is due to movement of 3 for Churchill VII tanks, they cannot move trough bocage with such small movement. It happened before so movement of that tank is increased to 4 as of now.

[okiemcguire]

Cobra - Beta 4

Level: General
Prestige Begin: 10895 At Deployment: 1585 End/Vict: 98/+5047
Results: Triump 15/20

Core: 2 SE Rangers, 2 HW Inf, 6 Churchill IV, 1 Crocodile, 2 M4A3(76)W, 1 Daimler, 2 Hellcats, 2 M7 Priest, 2 BL 7.2 inch, 2 155mm M12 GMC
Air Forces: 2 SE Spitfire IX, 1 Tempest V, 2 Mosquito VI S2, 1 Lancaster, 1 B-24 Liberator, 1 B-29

Upgraded Crusader III to Sherman Firefly, 2 x SE Spitfire IX to 2 x Meteor III, and 1 Hurricane IIC to Tempest V.
Purchased B-17G
OS All deployed units.
Loss British Inf.

First of all, this was much more challenging than my first two times through at Colonel level. The armor and infantry were much more aggressive. I liked it..

Air Core: 2 SE Meteor III, 1 Tempest V, B-17G, 2 Mosquito VI S2, and 2 Lancaster III. Support all forces. Had to fend off more (and tougher) fighters than I remember in previous playthrough.

Southern American Force: SE Ranger, 2 x M4A3(76)W, M18 Hellcat, Calliope, 155 M12 GMC. Supported by Aux M8 Greyhound, M24 Chaffee, and 105mm M2A1. Retian and Hold Avranches and airfield. Small force will break off and take the southern town of Fougeres. The core forces will then swoop around the south and east to take Mayenne. Then Assualt and take Alencon using two forces. One from the NW and the next will cross the Sarthe River and attack from the South.

Coutances Force: British Inf, Churchill IV, Wolverine and Sexton. Supported by another Wolverine and HW inf. I was glad I manned this city in that the armor force stationed to the SE immediately attempted to take it back. Defeat the armor and then hold town while also providing support to hold Avranches and St. Lo.

Bayeux Force: HW Inf, Commando, Daimler, 2 x BL 7.2inch, 3 Churchill IV, and M7 Priest. They will first take the town of Villers-Bocage with the Infantry, Daimler, and 2 artillery. The Churchills will destroy the armor east of the city and then join the Caen Force. The remaining infantry and artillery will support and hold Villers-Bocage and St. Lo.

Caen Northern Force: Sherman Firefly, Crocodile, Churchill IV, and 155mm M12 GMC. Clear the infantry and artillery in the swamp near the beach. Move East and take the fortified city of Liseux. Then, join the Caen Force.

Caen Force: Starts mainly with all auxillery units (infantry, artillery, recon, and Sherman Firefly). They are to hold Caen and fight off any attacks. Once the armor from the Bayeau Force and the Caen Northern Force join up, they will sweep south and take Falaise and finally Argenton.

On to Market Garden...

[produit]

Beta 4, FM, Chess mode, Triumph 16/20 (could have finished on turn 10, but stayed to clear the map : exp. + prestige), ending prestige 2368.

Prestige is still dropping. My core has perhaps too many good units in it.

For the map itself, no problems. Reduced enemy tank strength make you survive the attacks if you don't do anything wrong. Enemy airforce is really bigger than what I remember before. You have to protect your bombers.

[zappel]

Beta4 - Colonel - DV at turn 11

What a exhausting scenario, I hate the Bocage! On the one hand the SE-Tanks in the north east were hard to destroy, on the other the opponents in the south west were harmless. So I was thinking about a trick and was waiting for Panther and Tiger to arrive. In the end it went very quick and I could capture all objectives. I'm not sure yet if I like or hate the scenario. The opponents were many, hard and tough - my Prestige is lost and I couldn't the cities in the Bocage. Solved the scenario by leaving the Bocage and concentrated on the objectives.

[Raven_427]

First Impression: where can i get all those tanks, to at least secure a borderline that long?

Beta 4
- concentrated almost 2 thirds of my troops to the east, leaving the west quite weak. Had hoped to be able to counter german attacks by air.
- The rule "tanks in the open, inf in the bocage" had to be learned. But at least one Panther had to learn it too, trying to attack St. Lo.
- over all, the german tanks have been more aggressive this time .. having me shifting my bombers a lot. Had a difficult time, but an enjoyable too.
- Also, even more axis fighters appear, being a threat. Well done. Lot's of AA took my fighters away from enemy troops .. so they had to do something else
- I'd really like to buy such a recon plane for later scenarios (or earlier when replying it in the final)
- Tiger II has been tough. But it has to be ... still a strange feeling to counter that beast, being the core tank in my later axis grand campaigns ..
- Eastern front got easy after Falaise has been secured.
- Some people stated, that this one doesn't seem to be historically accurate. I guess they are right. But if i have to choose between accuracy and fun, i'd take fun .. and i really had fun beating this one

DV @ 15/20. Prestige still melting heavily.

[RobertCL]

Standalone scenario
Leutnant level
RC1

It seems easier than in Beta 4!
The lack of German counterattack is frustrating (except the King Tiger).
Strange to say this but I preferred beta 4 version.
No real opposition in the Southern part of the map.
But good opposition everywhere from the Luftwaffe.

[billmv44]

RC01. General. Starting prestige 12659, ending 597. Triumph on 20/20.

This seems much more balanced that in the prior release. The German armor around Caen is appropriately weaker. The AI still made a few foolish moves. Advancing a 3 strength artillery instead of retreat or restrengthen, but that is nothing new. The AI is so much better now than in the initial release of the game. It was still a tough slog to stop the German advance, but I had plenty of infantry in the bocage and was able to blunt their attack and clean. Once that was done, it was a race to take all the VHs before time ran out. This was a huge prestige drain (check the numbers above). I had to restrengthen some units several times. I think the balance (at least at the higher difficulties) is about right. Seems like this is ready for release.

[wargovichr]

Played Cobra scenario. Not enough Allied fighters! Only three? Limits safe Allied carpet bombing used historically.
Drive south not possible--not enough mobile troops. Those placed are immediately needed back north to fight off driving Germans leaving two weak recon units for the drive.
I believe Germany has more troops in the filed than the Allies!
No prestige at all when playing German side.

[Warhaven]

After Doing well on the D-Day scenario I was ready to breakout during Operation Cobra.
First I noticed the Germans got tons of Armored units. Germany by this time was not so well equipped in numbers of armor.
They did have very experienced units with super tanks, but they were not that many.

I also notice lack of battleship gun support.
Allied firepower is the only reason Operation Cobra went forth.
Total control of the air.
Should have received at the start some Bombers, to represent the 8th Air Force Strikes at the beginning of the offensive.

As it was I got my armor completely wasted.
My Air Force got slammed by 2 FW190 squadrons. I brought 5xElite fighter squadrons (12 or better) and they got their heads handed to them.

And while I killed 4 panther units I got pushed back to the beach.

Will have to try it again.

[demyansk]

I wrote something on another thread and I got whipped on this map and a big fat LOSS!!!!

[Warhaven]

Well three different attempts and a big fat nothing.
I cant figure out how to beat this scenario.
I used the little observer plane to check out the map.
What I saw left me stunned.
How the Germans managed such high level of armor!
They used the terrain to their advantage but in this scenario as it stands, they got more units than the allies.
Also there should be no units that were in complete supply. The allied air power had caused major damage to the German units moving during the day.
So how you can justify 14 or even 12 level tank units?
There should be level 6 or 7 unless the Elite units that were the only ones near full strength.

[demyansk]

I played the scenario again and I changed my set up. I placed about 4-5 units on the southern eastern part of the map below that river. I then went due south and captured I believe those two flag locations. I never was able to attempt the flags on the eastern part of the map but I played this scenario more conservatively and let the panzers run into me. i ended up getting a victory