This was a crazy battle that I did a lot of planning and watching Night Pheonix and Ulvergaming’s run through’s at least the first few days to know what to expect and thoughts on what to bring. My results were very different, but something that I was willing to keep, basically because it feels cool to do an acceptable run through on first go and I got a couple of sweet heroes, I wanted to keep.
Starting prestige 10596 after replacements, some Overstrengthening, and New Purchases 8099.
Bought 2 Fallschimjager’s, 2 Pioniere’s with trucks, 1 Panzerjager.
In air I am taking 4 Fallschimjager’s, 3 Fighter’s including my +2 Defensive fighter, 3 Bf-110 D’s including Helmut Lent and my +3 defensive plane.
To go for the first 3 open Northern Ferry Doc’s SE Pz3F, SE Gerbisjager, Sturmpaner, and 10.5cm Arty.
To go South to seize all of those 2ndary Objectives and acquire Somua at Margut: 2 10.5cm arty’s, 2 Sturmpanzer’s, Albert Kerscher, Pz4D, Pz3F with +2 Att Hero, Pioniere, 88 with +3 Att hero, and Oleh Dir.
I plan on flying my group of 4 Fallschimjager’s over to seize the weakly held Poix-Terron, Felize, and airfield near Chehery, and then use that airfield and the subsequent air force it can supply to mass my units to overwhelm Chehery. My Northern Force will simply seize Northern Ferry Ports and then rush down South to help in assault on Sedan and the Southern Force will overwhelm the French and capture Margut for that free unit.
That is the plan any way, let’s see how I do:
Battle Report:
Day 1: Sunny
Seized 2 of the 3 Northern Ports.
Destroyed MS.406 fighter.
Day 1 and 2 ai CA: Nothing
Day 2: Rainy
Seized last Northern Port and airfield near Messincourt so pressuring Messincourt.
Destroyed Cavalry and 25MM AA.
Day 3: Sunny
Seized Filze and airfield near Chehery and Messincourt, and pressuring Poix-Terron and Gaulier.
Destroyed M.S.406 Fighter, Potez, French Inf, and 25mm AA.
Day 3 ai CA:
25mm AT hit Fallschimjager -1 each.
Day 4: Sunny
Seized Poix-Terran, Gaulier, and 1 Southern Port.
Destroyed 2 25MM AT’s, French Inf, and Leo Strat Bomber.
Awarded Heinrich Bar and my 21st Bf-110D awarded +3 Att Hero.
Day 4 ai CA:
AA hit Fighter -3 me and Panhard and Hotchkiss hit Oleh Dir and trapped them -4 me with one ammo.
Day 5: Sunny
Destroyed Panhard, 25MM AT, and Strongpoint. (I was able to escape Oleh Dir.)
Bought 2 Reg Replacements for Fallschimjager.
Day 5 ai CA: (Rough Round)
Bomber hit Sturmpanzer -9 me; arty and Strongpoint hit SE Pz3H guarded by Sturmpanzer leaving me with 2 Str.
arty and French Inf hit Pioniere -4 me; I watched the French Army racing towards Chehery which will require me to abandon the airfield near Chehery and completely give up the idea that I can seize Chehery. (My goal now is to use the river to keep them across and keep a hold of Poix-Terron)Day6: Sunny
Destroyed Potez, Cavalry, and Engineer.
Bought 6 reg reps for Sturmpanzer and 4 for Pioniere and 8 for SE Pz3F.
Day 6 ai CA:
Enemy seized airfield near Chechery, Hotchkiss went on River to hit Fallschimjager -2 each; Hotchkiss hit arty -6 me.
Day 7: Sunny
Seized 2nd South Dock and pressuring Carnigan.
Destroyed Hotchkiss on river with Helmut Lent for which he was awarded an Iron Cross 2nd Class and my Fallschimjagers ( That felt Good). Destroyed another Hotchkiss, Cavalry, and 75mm arty.
Bought 4 Reg Reps for Oleh Dir
Day 7 ai CA:
Oh Nuts!!!
The enemy has bridged the river and have seized Poix-Terron and destroyed 1 of my Fallschimjager. (I do not think I will be surviving across the river, because what they have sent is unstoppable, at least on Manstein level.)
Day 8: Sunny
Seized Carnigan and last Southern Port, also pressuring Margut.
Destroyed Hotchkiss and French Inf.
Bought 1 Reg Replacement for 2 of my Fallschimjager’s.
Day 8 ai CA:
The destroyed 2 more Fallschimjager’s and the only one remaining is my 6 Strength guy holding Flize.
Day 9: Sunny
Seized Margut.
Destroyed 75mm arty and French Inf..
Brought out another arty and Panzerjager and bought 1 more rep for Beleaguered Fallschimjager
Day 9 ai CA:
Enemy reduced my last Fallschimjager down to 2 Str.
Day 10: Sunny
Destroyed French Inf.
Bought 1 reg rep for SE Gerbisjager.
Day 10 ai CA:
Enemy destroyed last Fallschimjager and seized Flize.
Day 11: Sunny
Pressuring Raucourt-et-Flaba.
Destroyed 47MM AT.
Awarded Somua for capturing Margut.
Day 11 ai CA: Nothing
Day 12: Sunny
Albert Kerscher awarded Iron Cross 1st Class.
Day 12 ai CA:
2 arty’s hit Pz4D -2 me and a weakened arty hit my arty on the river -3 me.
Day 13: Sunny
Seized Sedan.
Destroyed 25MM AA and 155mm arty.
Day 13 ai CA:
Arty hit Pioniere -1 me; arty hit arty -1 me; Pz4D reduced to 1 Str by Strongpoint.
Day 14: Sunny
Seized rest of Sedan.
Destroyed Strongpoint and 105MM arty, retreated that 1 str Pz4D to be refitted for free before the next battle.
Day 14 ai CA:
Arty hit Pioniere -1 me and Panhard unexpectedly seized Northern Port.
Day 15: Sunny
Seized Last Ferry Dock.
Destroyed 75MM arty and Engineer.
Day 15 ai CA:
Panhard swung around and was surprised by my gaggle of Artillery which stopped him cold.
Day 16: Sunny
Destroyed Panhard.
Day 16 – 18 ai CA: Nothing.
Day 17: Cloudy
Destroyed Somua and French Inf.
Day 18: Sunny
Seized Raucourt-et-Flaba and Wadelincourt.
Destroyed Chasseurs and 25MM AA.
12th Sturmpanzer awarded Iron Cross 2nd Class and my 33rd Sturmpanzer awarded a +1 Movement Hero.
+1 Movement hero is great on artillery, but I would have preferred it on one of my Towed units. Should I upgrade it to a towed Nebelwerfer in 1941 or wait until I can upgrade it to the in family sIG33 which comes much later, because having that extra movement on that slow moving sIG is pretty awesome?
Thoughts?
Finished with a Marginal Victory with 9378 in prestige.
I did not like losing my entire Fallschimjager Brigade consisting of 4 Battalions, but at the same time finishing in the first go felt pretty good. My thoughts are those units were able to distract the French army so I could pull off my Southern Assault across the Meuse, that otherwise would have gotten bogged down at the riverside with all of those overstrengthened tanks they were fielding, so in that sense the Fallschimjager did their job. It was just a costly job, which I probably will not repeat in furture missions, but nice to know that it is an option for players to consider.
My overall thoughts on playing Manstein level is that it is definitely not for the weak hearted, but I enjoy the challenge as well as gives the whole battle somewhat of a real feel as the real life enemy units did the Germans serious harm in these historical battles, so to compare the 2 Guderian is definitely easier, but it seems unrealistic, whereas Manstein has a real punch to it that makes it seem more like a real struggle and helps increase the immersive feel for me.
I am going the British route on Manstein and following more or less Night Pheonix’s strategy and slow steady movement because it allowed him to get Decisive Victory’s and steadily push forward with his units, not sure I can match it on Manstein, but I will try.
Next time Maubege with 10978 to play with.
Aw Man! They awarded me another SE Gerbisjager which I will immediately sell off.
I NEED TANKS!!!!
Until then…Stay Lutheran My Friends.
I am bringing mostly greenish units without heroes, wee at least this first time I was thinking, but it was enough. 
