Allied: Torch

[uran21]

Please post here your comments about this scenario.

[Longasc]

Torch Beta 2

Level: General
Start Prestige: 3100
End Prestige: 2787
Result: 17/18 Triumph.
Bought/Upgraded/Losses: M4 Tank on sea.

This is quite an interesting scenario, mostly due to the strong French fighters which caught me by surprise. I guess most players hate naval landings, and so do I!
But this was very well done, I almost missed one submarine. But there are enough destroyers in your army to deal with them.

What I did NOT like: "Garrison all ports and towns". Needed 3 turns to figure out that it was not done with 3 ports but that I also need to place a unit in the towns.

Can't we make the major victory objective to capture basically everything and the minor to only capture the 3 ports?
I found that requirement a bit silly, I already was done 3-4 turns earlier, after all.

Besides that, really nice scenario and a good start for the Americans.


REPLAY Feature:
Here is my replay: http://www.filedropper.com/longtorch

The "white flashes" of the hexfields when a unit moves should be able to be turned off and this should be done so by default, it makes it very hard to look at the replay.
And "undone" move of a tank was displayed, this was a bit confusing but well, some people might want to see this.
You must leave to the main screen to replay it properly, otherwise it just loads like a savegame, which also confused me.

[billmv44]

Beta 2. General. Starting prestige 3100, ending 1694. Lost 1 75mm arty. Replaced it with a M4A3. Triumph on 18/18.

The French fighters are very tough and so is their Navy. Fortunately, they do not have any panzers otherwise I'd be swimming! Fairly straightforward once you are ashore. Reduce the garrisons and forts, occupy every port and town. You do need to make sure you have forces close enough to occupy before the last turn.

A good first test for the Americans.

[Flaygor]

15/18, Colonel, lost one infantry and quite a few units took multiple hits on landing.

This was enjoyable to play and after the initial carnage at sea I had sufficient firepower left to weaken the forts with.

Got to agree with Longasc that the requirement to occupy every town was a bit redundant. Take them yes, but not have to spend two turns at the end filling them up again.

Overall one of the easier scenarios but a nice way to introduce the US forces and see how their gear stacks up.

[Kamerer]

No detailed notes but tried introducing the game here:

1) dictating placing a landing force both under shore guns and between enfilading naval units is a mistake you should leave to the player, not force him/her into. Kent Hewitt would roll in his grave.
2) while the French navy did indeed come out and fight here, they fought abysmally and futilely. Adjust the US naval presence accordingly.
3)Likewise, the air battle was with first-rate us naval units against 3rd rate French units. The balance here is all wrong; air and naval.

There may be an attempt to make a Welleslian "near run thing" out of it. But it just makes the game feel a bit artificial and random, not historical.

[produit]

Beta 3, Chess mode, FM, Triumph 14/18, ending prestige 3386.

My units barely survived on landing, but I didn't lose any unit. I used normal replacement to refill damaged units, losing thus precious prestige perhaps needed during the next scenario. Material is crap, I will really have to upgrade it.

[monkspider]

Torch
Beta 3
General Level
Marginal Victory 18/18
Losses: 1x Engineer (in their landing craft}

I actually enjoyed this scenario quite a bit. I like the small scale of it. Maybe it is just a nice change of pace after Crossing the Rhine/Advance to the Elbe. Fighting the Vichy French was a novel change of pace also. I would say to ma. In contrast to Produit, i really like the core that you start off with. It has a good variety of units. I feel like the landings are a bit too rough, especially for a first scenario. And I think the Fort at Fez is a bit too tough to knock out with the forces you have available to you.

-Edit oops, there I go again forgetting to put the replay

[Flaygor]

Come on monkspider, you could take out that fort with that armoured train of yours!

I do find it interesting that I found this scenario rather easy while others found it very tough. Yet in later scenarios where I got slaughtered, others cruised through on FM! That is the beauty of this game though, sometimes your tactics will work against an enemy's disposition and other times not. I lost a unit in this only because I got reckless and ran into a trap, but I find that awesome. Sometimes I win first up like here, and other times I have to replay several times before I get my tactics and force composition right. Well done to the development team for keeping it varied throughout the campaign!

[uran21]

Thanks to all for the feedback so far. This entry point can be considered slightly tougher but starting the game at any entry point than 1940 should feel like that.
Idea with garrisoning settlements was guided by thought player would have less and less units how he advances trough map but map is small enough to turn and occupy them later if scenario is finished faster.

[DeathMutant]

I made the same, apparently common, mistake in that I realized, 2-3 turns after I eliminated all opposition, that I had to place a garrison ALL of the towns for a Triumph.

One aspect I was initially confused about was the "neutrality" of the French Vichy units. They occupied victory hexes so I had to dislodge them but, I wondered, do they have different "rules of engagement?"