Got through the first 2 battles of the Japanese campaign with victories at the hardest level. With Bataan I cannot win. I tried twice with no luck.
So a) are things improved over PC with the AI so I need to go down a level (or two) or b) anyone have any suggestions on the best way to win this at the hardest level?
What difficulty do you play on?
Moderators: The Artistocrats, Order of Battle Moderators
Re: What difficulty do you play on?
You need to get rid of Panzer Corps/General thinking as the game is deceptively much like them but also plays quite differently. That is what made things difficult for me.
Some hints:
1. Use more artillery. At least 2 if not even 3. It reduces enemy efficiency and has really long range.
2. Just take a break for 1-2 turns. Your units need time to recover when moving over difficult terrain. Their efficiency recovers when they do exactly that - nothing - during a turn.
3. Read 2 again. Efficiency of your units vs theirs is key to victory.
4. Use a mix of Japanese Infantry and Engineers supported by Artillery. Marines and more expensive units are not too efficient early on. Tanks don't shine in Bataan either.
I play at the 3rd of 5 difficulty levels. That's enemy units at 10 strength, the game start by default starts one level lower. But all achievements etc. are earned at this level and above. For Japan it might work out better to play at 5, but especially for the US campaign I would say go with 3. Resources are tight and if you are already in trouble in early scenarios later scenarios can be fatal and hard if not near impossible to recover from low resources.
I found the US version of Bataan to be much more difficult, as it forced me to use delaying tactics in OoBP style, quite different from Panzer Corps grand campaign delaying tactics.
Some hints:
1. Use more artillery. At least 2 if not even 3. It reduces enemy efficiency and has really long range.
2. Just take a break for 1-2 turns. Your units need time to recover when moving over difficult terrain. Their efficiency recovers when they do exactly that - nothing - during a turn.
3. Read 2 again. Efficiency of your units vs theirs is key to victory.
4. Use a mix of Japanese Infantry and Engineers supported by Artillery. Marines and more expensive units are not too efficient early on. Tanks don't shine in Bataan either.
I play at the 3rd of 5 difficulty levels. That's enemy units at 10 strength, the game start by default starts one level lower. But all achievements etc. are earned at this level and above. For Japan it might work out better to play at 5, but especially for the US campaign I would say go with 3. Resources are tight and if you are already in trouble in early scenarios later scenarios can be fatal and hard if not near impossible to recover from low resources.
I found the US version of Bataan to be much more difficult, as it forced me to use delaying tactics in OoBP style, quite different from Panzer Corps grand campaign delaying tactics.
Re: What difficulty do you play on?
I agree on the Art
I have 2 already but may need another.
The briefing hints at going through the mountain area at the beginning. I tried that with two units and they ended up in pretty bad off due to the terrain and supply. Or should I not care and just Banzi
Although when I did that, a message popped up and said the front line units had to pull back. Somehow I did not think that was a good thing since they would be just more to have to kill later. But it could be since they will now be getting hurt by moving through the terrain correct?

The briefing hints at going through the mountain area at the beginning. I tried that with two units and they ended up in pretty bad off due to the terrain and supply. Or should I not care and just Banzi

Although when I did that, a message popped up and said the front line units had to pull back. Somehow I did not think that was a good thing since they would be just more to have to kill later. But it could be since they will now be getting hurt by moving through the terrain correct?
Re: What difficulty do you play on?
Well the 3rd try did it on the hardest level
Needed 3 Art, a Val bomber, Strat bomber (great for disruption), a tank, and the rest Engr, Inf, and, Hv Inf. I put everything but 1 Inf on the West side and took 4 inf over the mountain in the middle. I left everything sit for like 3 turn on the front while the units crossed the mountain. This gave me time to pound the units on the Western side while waiting. Also once the right most bunker guarding the road is gone, the engrs can put down a pontoon bridge which helps a lot. Obviously learned to pay attention to the briefing
But it was still by the skin of my teeth as I took the last VP on the last turn
So it was most certainly a close run thing.

Needed 3 Art, a Val bomber, Strat bomber (great for disruption), a tank, and the rest Engr, Inf, and, Hv Inf. I put everything but 1 Inf on the West side and took 4 inf over the mountain in the middle. I left everything sit for like 3 turn on the front while the units crossed the mountain. This gave me time to pound the units on the Western side while waiting. Also once the right most bunker guarding the road is gone, the engrs can put down a pontoon bridge which helps a lot. Obviously learned to pay attention to the briefing

But it was still by the skin of my teeth as I took the last VP on the last turn

Re: What difficulty do you play on?
I completed the hardest mode for both campaign. Honestly it gets ez once you get the idea.
First off is supply, that's the lifeline so pressing space bar in the beginning and study the supply point first. Plan the capture well and understand how many troops a supply point can hold hence planning on supply cut off.
I didn't use arty much as 1 they are expensive, 2 they are not mobile and 3 they are not killing machine but suppression
Here is what I use to do is cut off supply, hit entrench uniy with engineers then go in with at least 2 infantry that can flank, lastly don't use too much marine as they are expensive to replace. In Bataan the key is infantry, cut off supply and bang with engineer. The fort need engineer to bust thru easy, the pocket on left flank with arty must be cut off from supply and use bombers to wack AT guns and gunboats and the fort in the island.
First off is supply, that's the lifeline so pressing space bar in the beginning and study the supply point first. Plan the capture well and understand how many troops a supply point can hold hence planning on supply cut off.
I didn't use arty much as 1 they are expensive, 2 they are not mobile and 3 they are not killing machine but suppression
Here is what I use to do is cut off supply, hit entrench uniy with engineers then go in with at least 2 infantry that can flank, lastly don't use too much marine as they are expensive to replace. In Bataan the key is infantry, cut off supply and bang with engineer. The fort need engineer to bust thru easy, the pocket on left flank with arty must be cut off from supply and use bombers to wack AT guns and gunboats and the fort in the island.