What are peoples favourite maps and why, also most hated

[goose_2]

... or asked differently: are there any must-play MP maps?

Ok sir you have cut me to the quick, and I have some extra time at work today to share thoughts on the various Vanilla Scenarios on the historical side of the game:

Poland:
Best starter scenario I have ever seen. Especially the way it is set up in mp.
Great way to get training on how to use limited units, limited income, and limited maneuverability on a map, to get creative enough to surprise most opponents and great quick sand box to train up people in the intricacies on how to best win the game.
The map favors the Germans, and if played right is impossible to lose as the Germans, but since most people do not know about the tricks to employ to guarantee the win as such I have been able to beat supremely naïve opponents who gave themselves +3 Axis advantage.
In fact there was a German opponent that played me over 20 times as the Germans until he figured out all my tricks and how to counter them so that he could garner the win.
Love this map.

Norway
Another map that has a lot of intricacies that are very similar to Poland, and again highly favors the Germans, but since there are ships in this scenario creates some complicated and sometimes very wonky results as the randomness of the ships hitting/suppressing can be so very frustrating as it sometimes breaks the game when you are able to do 4 damage on a unit that you had a 1% chance of hitting. that kind of wonkiness kind of breaks the game, and something I hope is fixed in the new game.
But again very fun map and love to turn it around on the mostly successful Germans.

Low Countries
This map tends to favor the Germans, but only slightly and is a real toss up on which army is going to win this map. Most players bring all units as far forward as possible to stem the German tide, which if done makes this impossible to overcome, but one Germans are able to generate income by seizing territory it becomes impossible to stop them.
1st loss for me in the Tournament.

France
This map highly favors the Germans, for the very reason that Low Countries is more balanced, the units France has and is able to throw into the battle is limited and almost impossible to stop the German tide...No great areas to defend, and creativity is limited with the lay out of the map. Do not get me wrong I still love this map, but it is for the reason that I enjoy surprising opponents that are expecting an easy win as the Germans.

Sealion 40
Map is impossible to win against a good player, way too easy to beat back or prevent any units from garnering a toehold on this map. I do not like playing.
This is the same for Sealion 43

Greece
One of my absolute favorite maps. Favors the Germans, but so many ways to play this map as the allies and love to play it in various ways but usually follow simple tactics that are extremely difficult for the Germans to counter, they can and should be able to as the Germans have plently of prestige going into the battle but most players squander this advantage which I just love exploiting. I still lose some of the time on this map as again it favors the Germans, but I so enjoy frustrating many players with unexpected shenanigans with sneaky Pete type of stuff that I relish opportunities to play this map. (It also helps that I pulled off an epic win on this map in the Tournament against last years Tournament winner.) That felt so great, so super great.


Barbarossa
Unfortunately this scenario has been broken based on the Soviet Corps update. This used to be an extremely balanced map, but after Soviet Corps came out the new units that are now available for the Soviets to purchase makes them almost unbreakable. Germans can still win on this scenario but not against most players.

Kiev
Super fun map that I have beaten people on and also have gotten my butt kicked on way too many times. This is a super fun map that I have not fully mastered, but would love to play with you when you are ready.

Rush to Moscow
Super easy barely an inconvenience. The rare times you can stop the Germans are few and far between so enjoy them when they come.

Moscow 41
The exact opposite of Moscow 41, anytime you can win as the Germans enjoy because it is rare.


Stalingrad
Love this map. Also love Battle of Stalingrad that came out in Soviet Corps an almost unkown gem that is in that game that most people are not ready to play on mp, but once you understand the mechanics of the map is super fun to play. (Anyone who wants to play this map with me send me a pm and I will set it up)
But Stalkingrad is an extremely dynamic map that would take a lifetime to master, most players are not ready for its complexity and vast scope, most Germans can win but how well you win is extremely important to count it as a win when playing a paired game, this is the map I was hoping to reach in my Tournament but did not make it.

Italy
This is a difficult one for the Germans especially with Naval force that does not quite help like it should on a map like this. Not as much experience in these later scenarios.

Kursk
Apparently this is broke based on the trigger mechanic that is in the game. I did not realize when I issued the scenario this is also the case with Ardennes. Live and learn people, live and learn...

That is all for now , as not much experience with latter scenarios just know that they are almost all broken except for Germany East, Germany West. Gustav Line is one of the best historical scenarios for latter war.

I have not tried Lake Balaton too much.

Hope this helps someone.

[Gwaylare]

... or asked differently: are there any must-play MP maps?

Sure there are
I returned to Panzer Corps because of Goose tournament and the last time I played a multiplayer map is about 5-6 years ago. I realized that those map changed a little bit over time, same a rules and units. So my information may be a little bit out dated. My favourites were:

Retun to Kiev: This is a map with a lot of option. It is quite good balanced and has a lot of symmetry, but there are lots of ways to play it.
Battle of the Bzura: A small map perfect for beginners but even hard to handle for experience players. Polish army is not as weak here as it seems to be and germans have to be carefull.
Bersaglieri and the Bear: Winter maps are really cool. Frozen rivers add an additional option to the game. Soviets are attacker and have to play a mix out of patient and rush attack.
Bocage Breakout: Because of the terrain this is an excellent map to practive close combat terrain. But it has the risk to get a little bit static.
Partisan Uprising: I like early war maps most and this is quite different, because there are no strong germans. Really good to practice defence with artillery. It almost seems like a WWI scenario.
Iron Cross, Red Star: This is really good balanced and focused on tactical positioning in the middle of the map.

Multiplayer maps do not need a paired game, so you can play them stand alone. For sure a paired game is better, because balance never is totally fair, but paired games are.

[PeteMitchell]

... or asked differently: are there any must-play MP maps?

Sure there are
I returned to Panzer Corps because of Goose tournament and the last time I played a multiplayer map is about 5-6 years ago. I realized that those map changed a little bit over time, same a rules and units. So my information may be a little bit out dated. My favourites were:

Retun to Kiev: This is a map with a lot of option. It is quite good balanced and has a lot of symmetry, but there are lots of ways to play it.
Battle of the Bzura: A small map perfect for beginners but even hard to handle for experience players. Polish army is not as weak here as it seems to be and germans have to be carefull.
Bersaglieri and the Bear: Winter maps are really cool. Frozen rivers add an additional option to the game. Soviets are attacker and have to play a mix out of patient and rush attack.
Bocage Breakout: Because of the terrain this is an excellent map to practive close combat terrain. But it has the risk to get a little bit static.
Partisan Uprising: I like early war maps most and this is quite different, because there are no strong germans. Really good to practice defence with artillery. It almost seems like a WWI scenario.
Iron Cross, Red Star: This is really good balanced and focused on tactical positioning in the middle of the map.

Multiplayer maps do not need a paired game, so you can play them stand alone. For sure a paired game is better, because balance never is totally fair, but paired games are.

Thanks a lot, I have only tried Return to Kiev yet and it is good/fun from both sides. Will try the others as well once time allows I think...

[PeteMitchell]

... or asked differently: are there any must-play MP maps?

Ok sir you have cut me to the quick, and I have some extra time at work today to share thoughts on the various Vanilla Scenarios on the historical side of the game:

Thanks a lot goose_2 for your thoughts! This is a very good summary with many valid points. I tried all maps from Poland until including Rush to Moscow as well as Lake Balaton and Ardennes so far plus a few from AK.

My impression (based on the few games) is that several maps can turn out completely different depending on whom you are playing with!

When you say broken, you mean they have a reinforcement trigger OR they are just completely unbalanced so only paired games make sense (i.e. are unwinnable against a human player from one side)?

[goose_2]

When you say broken, you mean they have a reinforcement trigger OR they are just completely unbalanced so only paired games make sense (i.e. are unwinnable against a human player from one side)?

That is exactly what I mean, broken as in the other side has absolutely no chance against a human player. On most of the historical maps there is a certain balance to the way they are laid out that it really shows the love the developers poured into making them

[auda]

The maps I enjoy most playing and load them once and a while to play:

The early Afrika Korps scenarios (until Alamein) are very special, I'll just give these two highlights:
- Dash to the Wire, have to find those supply dumps
- Second Offensive, because fighting that withdrawal and then counterattacking is just so much fun, and the replayability factor is great, especially in the first half
- Battle of Gazala, a continuation of the above, a brilliant map with so many ways of solving it

Piatek in GC 39. Somehow I very much enjoy beating back a superior opponent using terrain and fast movements
Pelleninkin in GC45. Link up with encircled troops in Pelleninken and extract them. I love scenarios like these.

I don't think I hate any map/scenario in particular. Basra in Afrika Korps is somewhat tedious, and some maps in GC 44 with endless Soviet tanks and air force too