"Soviet Corps" unbalanced gameplay?

[Indigo121]

Hi
I'm doing the Soviet Corps campaign and I'm having real trouble. I'm finding it highly unbalanced. Some missions very easy, others impossible.
I know the Soviets lost Minsk and Smolensk, I get it. But in Stalingrad I had to win to progress, and the map is virtually packed in every square with Germans that advance until I simply run out of units and prestige, no matter what I do.

So I lowered the difficulty to get to operation Uranus, and it's the same. Even if I start it as a stand-alone scenario, there simply aren't enough units or prestige to make it.

I counted the units in operation Uranus- I have 6 tanks compared to 15 very strong German tanks/anti-tanks. With the other unit types the ratios are about the same. What's going on here? I've played Allied corps and never did I need to change the difficultly much because it was fairly balanced. AND I have to conquer 6 targets in 18 turns. Seems impossible.

This is bumming me out. Changing difficulty doesn't help much now because changing prestige or experience will only take effect the next scenario, and the amount of effect is of course a mystery. So I can only change strength- which feels like cheating and ruins the whole fun. :/

[Panzerpimp]

What's your difficulty level?
What units are in your core?

Playing the Soviet Corps now. At Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket.
Missions are quite easy, a lot of prestige, overpowered soviet tanks and AT etc...
Definitely not impossible.

Braccada did very good SC videos: (He is also playing with underpowered core)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guvyyHWDXsQ

[Indigo121]

Well I'm looking at the video of Stalingrad and it doesn't look even similar to mine. He has 6000 prestige which is a lot, tons of units, virtually no enemy units in sight. He is obviously playing at a lower level because even with triumph the most prestige I ever got was maybe 4000. And I never changed the prestige settings.

I've played at Field Marshall and the one below it up till now and it was too easy, and now its impossible on any level. I can lower the difficulty to a minimum too and say "its easy". That's not the point. The point is having a challenge and not wild difficulty differences between missions.

[proline]

Soviet Core is quite easy, at least on Field Marshal and below. Perhaps you took too heavy losses early in the campaign and arrived at Stalingrad without enough forces? Provide a bit more information such as what core you started the scenario with and perhaps people could help.

[Panzerpimp]

He is obviously playing at a lower level

I've played at Field Marshall

He is playing at Zhukov difficulty level.
It's higher than Field Marshall.

[PoorOldSpike]

Soviet Core is quite easy, at least on Field Marshal and below. Perhaps you took too heavy losses early in the campaign and arrived at Stalingrad without enough forces?

Yeah Indigo, managing our core is an art form, I personally haven't mastered the maths of it yet because I'm just a grunt wargamer not an accountant, and usually grind to a red-faced halt after the first few scens of each campaign because my core force has become a small ragtag motheaten mob due to my mismanagement.
I'm going to try to find some "how to manage your core force" articles and tutorials, I badly need them..

[Panzerpimp]

in Stalingrad I had to win to progress

For a victory (marginal) in Stalingrad you need only to hold the initial objectives. If you can't hold the AI near the city - just entrench some infantry near the objectives with the artillery backup as usual. Decisive victory there is more tricky and requires some careful maneuvering.

get to operation Uranus

I have 6 tanks

I don't remember Uranus particularly well. But there was nothing tricky there - basically just advancing quickly as the map unfolds. But I think 6 tanks is not much. You should buy more.

Here are some thoughts on core composition:

- Soviet infantry and air force are very weak - not worth investing into. (Used a couple of infantry units in Stalingrad, in other scenarios they were useless) (Maybe some Tactical bombers may be useful against tanks, don't know...)
- Mobile AA works ok. (1-2 per battlegroup) Some artillery, maybe Katyushas to dig out entrenched infantry... Although I changed all my artillery to ISUs - also works well...
- Tanks are great and overpowered. Instead of infantry I recommend using OT34 - flamethrower tank - works wonderful.
Heavy tanks - KV1C and later IS are also great - absolutely unkillable. Actually with such tanks german Tigers are not a problem. There are also overpowered AT/Artillery - different ISUs - also work great.

the most prestige I ever got was maybe 4000

4000 is quite a lot actually... In Afrika Korps or Grand Campaign you won't get so much.

[Indigo121]

I appreciate all the advice, guys. Saying how easy it is I appreciate maybe a bit less, as seeing with my own eyes that guy's Stalingrad mission looks completely different to mine. Less enemy units for sure. I'm starting to think maybe they tweaked this DLC. I agree it was easy until Stalingrad anyway, so repeating how amazingly easy it is isnt helping.

Starting Uranus I have 6 battered tanks, some useless conscript infantry and 3-4 artillery. By the time I fill their depleted ranks I have 1500 prestige left to start, which is obviously not enough against about 40 enemy units. :/

I just saw there are cheat codes for prestige so I'll try them just so I can get back up and running after my Stanligrad disaster. :/ thanks.

[PoorOldSpike]

I just saw there are cheat codes for prestige so I'll try them just so I can get back up and running after my Stanligrad disaster. :/ thanks.

I'd like to have a crack at the Stalingrad scen, can you tell me exactly which folder it's in, as I suspect there might be different versions, one for campaign play and one for playing as a standalone scen outside the campaign.

Regarding cheat codes, you could alternatively just do what I do and open unbalanced scens in the Editor, hit Parameters > Sides (below) and give both sides whatever prestige allowance you like to make the scen more balanced, then save it as 'aaa-name of scen', (the aaa marks it out as your own in the scen list)..



PS- and while you're in the Editor you can give yourself a bunch of extra Shermans or whatever, how about it Oddball?

"Yeah man, a few Shermans can give you a nice edge"

[goose_2]

I just saw there are cheat codes for prestige so I'll try them just so I can get back up and running after my Stanligrad disaster. :/ thanks.

I'd like to have a crack at the Stalingrad scen, can you tell me exactly which folder it's in, as I suspect there might be different versions, one for campaign play and one for playing as a standalone scen outside the campaign.

Regarding cheat codes, you could alternatively just do what I do and open unbalanced scens in the Editor, hit Parameters > Sides (below) and give both sides whatever prestige allowance you like to make the scen more balanced, then save it as 'aaa-name of scen', (the aaa marks it out as your own in the scen list)..



PS- and while you're in the Editor you can give yourself a bunch of extra Shermans or whatever, how about it Oddball?

"Yeah man, a few Shermans can give you a nice edge"

The Stalingrad scenario is one of my favorite in multiplayer, but it is rare that I can find a player wanting to take me on in that very fun scenario, it is tricky

[Indigo121]

I just saw there are cheat codes for prestige so I'll try them just so I can get back up and running after my Stanligrad disaster. :/ thanks.

I'd like to have a crack at the Stalingrad scen, can you tell me exactly which folder it's in, as I suspect there might be different versions, one for campaign play and one for playing as a standalone scen outside the campaign.

Regarding cheat codes, you could alternatively just do what I do and open unbalanced scens in the Editor, hit Parameters > Sides (below) and give both sides whatever prestige allowance you like to make the scen more balanced, then save it as 'aaa-name of scen', (the aaa marks it out as your own in the scen list)..



PS- and while you're in the Editor you can give yourself a bunch of extra Shermans or whatever, how about it Oddball?

"Yeah man, a few Shermans can give you a nice edge"

Thanks spike, good idea, ill try it out. This editor looks nice.

[turn4441]

I don't mean to be harsh, but it would appear that your strategy and/or tactics need some work. I'm currently doing a Field Marshall campaign and I'm a couple of scenarios behind you as the Sinyavino Offensive is next. I don't consider myself an incredible general and I still make stupid mistakes, but I already have a core of 40 units including 10 tanks and 8 artillery and 14,000 in prestige to begin deployment/resupply. Sovier Corps is by far the most generous with prestige, especially in the early going, relative to the other games.

PoorOldSpike: it is in your Data folder if you have the Gold Edition. Look for BattleofStalingrad. The one named Stalingrad is for the vanilla campaign of Panzer Corps Wehrmacht. The other Stalingrad ones are in the GC42 data folder (Ruins, Storming, Docks).

[Indigo121]

I don't mean to be harsh, but it would appear that your strategy and/or tactics need some work. I'm currently doing a Field Marshall campaign and I'm a couple of scenarios behind you as the Sinyavino Offensive is next. I don't consider myself an incredible general and I still make stupid mistakes, but I already have a core of 40 units including 10 tanks and 8 artillery and 14,000 in prestige to begin deployment/resupply. Sovier Corps is by far the most generous with prestige, especially in the early going, relative to the other games.

PoorOldSpike: it is in your Data folder if you have the Gold Edition. Look for BattleofStalingrad. The one named Stalingrad is for the vanilla campaign of Panzer Corps Wehrmacht. The other Stalingrad ones are in the GC42 data folder (Ruins, Storming, Docks).

Then Im pretty sure I have a different version of the game, since after all triumph wins the most prestige I ever got was 4000. Either that or I changed some other custom setting, because I definitely had more prestige in the core game and in other DLCs. So lets agree that our expriences are very different. As I said, the first missions were easy until I got to Stalingrad. But I never had so much prestige.

Im downloading 1.3 patch and Ill see if it makes a difference.

[turn4441]

Again, I'm not trying to disparage you, just trying to figure out the issue. Soviet Corps prestige values by scenario and victory/loss type and per turn are shown below. Those are the values you should get unless you're playing Zhukov level or moved the prestige slider lower than 100% for you. It's odd that you had more in other games because through 9 scenarios (where I am) Soviet Corps would give 29100 for all triumphs while you'd only get 11350 and 11500 for the same in Allied Corps and Afrika Korps, respectively and that doesn't count the 3 scenarios where you get a per turn amount (none in Allied Corps and 2 through 9 scenarios in Afrika Korps). I didn't get 14,000 for winning Kharkov alone, that's just what I've accrued so far. Are you spending a lot during the scenarios instead of just between?

[Yrfin]

lol. More Field Marshall Indigo121 plz

[Indigo121]

lol. More Field Marshall Indigo121 plz

This isn't a forum for trolls. Off you go. At least learn English if you're gonna troll.

[proline]

You still haven't provided enough detail on your core to be helpful, but it sounds like you aren't using all your deployment spots. You shouldn't have conscripts in your core either. Maybe try again from the start keeping the following in mind

1) The Soviets have good heavy tanks from the start (KV-1 and KV-2). The Germans have nothing that compares to them. Buy some. Similarly, the T-34 is great though not as rugged.
2) The Soviets have great artillery. Buy lots.
3) Guards and SMG infantry are great. Use them.
4) The Il-2 series tac bombers destroy tanks, and they are very rugged. They don't need too much escort.
5) Soviet fighters are weak early on. I usually only get 2-3 and rely on the 85mm AA which is also awesome against tanks.
6) Soviet AT sucks early on. Use the 76mm artillery in AT mode instead. Later in the war, when the 76mm is in AT mode it can be upgraded to any anti-tank, including the devastating SU-100 in 1945.

In general, you need to abandon all claims that there is something wrong with the scenario design and/or your computer and just focus on identifying ways to improve your play. I guarantee your computer is working fine.

[Indigo121]

You still haven't provided enough detail on your core to be helpful, but it sounds like you aren't using all your deployment spots. You shouldn't have conscripts in your core either. Maybe try again from the start keeping the following in mind

1) The Soviets have good heavy tanks from the start (KV-1 and KV-2). The Germans have nothing that compares to them. Buy some. Similarly, the T-34 is great though not as rugged.
2) The Soviets have great artillery. Buy lots.
3) Guards and SMG infantry are great. Use them.
4) The Il-2 series tac bombers destroy tanks, and they are very rugged. They don't need too much escort.
5) Soviet fighters are weak early on. I usually only get 2-3 and rely on the 85mm AA which is also awesome against tanks.
6) Soviet AT sucks early on. Use the 76mm artillery in AT mode instead. Later in the war, when the 76mm is in AT mode it can be upgraded to any anti-tank, including the devastating SU-100 in 1945.

In general, you need to abandon all claims that there is something wrong with the scenario design and/or your computer and just focus on identifying ways to improve your play. I guarantee your computer is working fine.

I never said my computer is the problem. I said its possible I have a different version of the game. And I do. I have 1.2 while the latest is 1.3. It might not make a difference, but still.
BTW The Panzers I'm against in this scenario have something like 14 defense and attack and are destroying my KV-1 and 2 in literally 2 rounds. How can you say the Germans have nothing against them?

[proline]

Checking the scenario on Field Marshal the Germans have a measly 7 tanks (yes they are mostly over-strength):

3 Panzer III
3 Panzer IV
1 Obsolete Panzer 38

Along with 6 mobile AT:

3 Marder
3 StuG

You have 6 T-34s, a KV-1 and a KV-2, and one armored AT if you play the scenario. In campaign, you could easily have 6 KV-1Cs at that point in the game to steamroll everything. The KV-1C is ridiculously superior to the Panzer III and Panzer IV having a defense of 20 compared to at most 15 on the Panzer III. I see a few possibilities

1) You've taken such high losses throughout the campaign that your KV-1Cs don't have enough stars of experience. If the panzers have more XP they can turn the odds in their favor.
2) You've bought mostly KV-2s, because 2 seems better than 1, not realizing that the 1C is better (though I buy some 2s for their artillery ability too).
3) You are attacking AT units with your tanks. Don't do that. Ever. Kill them with air, or surround them and suppress them fully with artillery, or lure them into close terrain and hit them with infantry.
4) Maybe you aren't supporting your tanks with artillery to prevent the enemy from attacking them

Just a few guesses, might be totally wrong. However, we're facing but 7 crappy tanks, so there is definitely a way to win!

[Indigo121]

I will consider these points, thanks. My tanks are all new after Stalingrad, which mean they are indeed significantly weaker. The Panzers are 3-4 stars, so that's a problem.