Erik's campaigns, mods and multiplayer scenarios

[GabeKnight]

Germany West 41-43 (v2.1)

The feedback's about the same for the rest of the scens:

Basically, I would say that the ground power is about adequate, but the enemy air force is WAY too overwhelming. And as all enemy forces begin to attack from turn one on, I have to deal with too much resistance to be even able to hold my ground. I would suggest to remove about 30% of the enemy airforce altogether and let the rest attack in waves (maybe about 5-7 turns apart). And some expendable aux. forces (air and land) would be nice, too.

One often forgets how powerful naval bombardment is in this game. Like arty with the "precision strike" trait and no efficiency loss, allowing for continuous fire. And no way of sinking them. My StuKa woudn't survive even one turn in the air, and I needed my air CP for fighters anyway.

In the end I gave up, calmed down and did about what Dwight described, cheating myself a ton of money and additional land CP solely for the purpose of deploying multiple strong AA units:

The allied air force is overwhelming. I started with all fighters. Once they engage, they shoot down 1 German fighter per turn, ending up with a total of 6 shot down. While the allied bombers run rampant. I had deployed 4 88's as AA and was not enough, I add on more soon after the start. On turn 3, I gave myself and extra 18 land CP for the AA and gap stopping infantry, which was still below the available supply (i.e. good supply points). It was incredibly hard to keep the Allies from just breaking through the lines outright. By turn 10, of 30, I had a reasonable line of defense. I gave myself 1900 RP during the major fighting. [...]

And I've experienced about the same with them fighters, too. The allied air force shot down one (5-star!) German FW190G dogfighter (with a commander!) each turn - on middle difficulty. Even when landed and covered by two AA they attacked and bombed them to hell. It was impossible to save them. Actually it was the first time I've ever used the "#beammeup" cheat in a live game. I could not see my beloved core units die. I just couldn't.

Best thing is, there was even a secondary objective to "not lose any air unit"...

[Dwightd]

More news from the front! It is not good news for our boys in uniform.

Germany West 1944, V1.2 level 3, Monte Cassino scenario

First, the secondary objective. On the first turn, first move, the allies move right in and wipe out the Fallschirmjager and move into the VP. So this objective is literally impossible.

Again, this one is unbalanced I started by giving myself 400 RP just to get my core back into fighting strength. I tried to play this one straight, but I am at turn 12 out of 20 and giving up at this point. I have added additional 1200 RP up to this point, on top of the starting 400, and have a beleaguered core that is capable of nothing more than falling back. There are only two Fallschirmjager left and the allies have control of all Monte Cassino VP's. My forces are now under supplied. The US forces are pushing around the north of Monte Cassino pushing my defensive line back. South of Cassino, the allies are about to take San Giorgio. My fighters have been nothing more than lures to try to get the allied planes near my AA.

Not sure I have specific information to help you balance this one. I think you will have to pump some more RP at the start just for repairs from the previous scenario. Both the allied air force and arty are overpowering. My forces were always suppressed and not even capable of holding ground. I realize that historically the allied air force was overwhelming, but it does not make for good game play.

I might start with halving the US airfare and the US artillery numbers, if it were me. I am sure you have ideas yourself.

I am sure you will get it straightened out, you always do

[Erik2]

Dwightd

Thanks for the feedback, added to the list.

And yes, it will get fixed.
I'm almost finished with the Germany West 1941-43 issues.

[Erik2]

Germany West 1941-43 2.2
Link updated in first post.

Campaign:
Adjusted number of spec points per scenario.

All scenarios:
German commanders are no longer available at start, but are assigned as sec obj rewards in the scenarios.
All Allied air units are deployed in hangars at start.
Removed British Burma commanders.

01Belgrade:
Replaced substitute Romanian inf with proper unit type.
Added trucks to Romanian officers.
Added missing pri obj map marker.
Added flag to one Axis town.

02Metaxas:
Removed map markers for sec objs.
Added flag to one Axis town.
Fixed sec Bulgarian obj.
Added 2 more turns.

03Iraklio, 04Maleme, 05Rethimnon:
Added supply to initial FJ spawn locations .
Added corresponding Allied pri objs.
Replaced suitable para support units with land command points.
Moved pri obj Timbake to sec obj (Iraklio, Rehimnon).
Fixed sec obj coastal guns (Maleme).

1943 Scenarios (Syracuse to Volturno):
Allied unit exp reduced from 3-4 to 2.
Removed all Allied commanders.
Halved Allied resource income.
Removed Allied specs.
Tripled German resource income.
Added 3-9 Luftwaffe command points to various scenarios.
Added more German supply to various scenarios.
Note that the Italians were on their last leg at this point, so no resource income and unit exp = zero.

[SirAllan]

Hi Erik
Its been a while I have made any post or even played your wonderfull campaigns (bussy testing red steel) - but now I shall have some time again
But as I tryed to download your updated Germany West 1941-43 v2.2 I got a 404 in stead of a download link - is it because you are in mitdle of another update or what
Looking forward to you have fix it - I allways enjoy your work

[Erik2]

The link works for me.
The campaign was probably uploading when you tried.

[GabeKnight]

Germany West 1941-43 2.2
Link updated in first post.

Thanks, man, Sisyphus indeed...

I'm too traumatized to test this campaign again so soon, but I will eventually.

[Erik2]

Germany West 1941-43 2.3
Link updated in first post.

03Iraklio, 04Maleme, 05Rethimnon:
Various minor fixes/changes

[blondus]

Hi Erik, take a look to Volturno objs
USCorps 43-44 scenario 11

volturno1.jpg (553.19 KiB) Viewed 2211 times

[airboy]

Finished the German Afrika campaign. It was a lot of fun. Thanks for doing this!

[rafdobrowolski]

US Corps 1942 - 1943, Enfidaville Scenario... I waited to the 15th turn to capture the primary objective (to get those resource points!!), and once I did, it gives me a draw at the end. Is there some sort of trigger issue perhaps?

[airboy]

I've started the US Pacific 1941-1946 Campaign and it has been very interesting. This is what I posted at www.grogheads.com
**************************************************************************************************************************************************************

I'm playing Erik2's WW2 US Pacific Campaign and it has been a lot of fun and quite different from any other campaign I've played in this series.

You start with the Pearl Harbor attack. You have four battleship units at Pearl and a whole bunch of aircraft in three landing fields. You have three carriers out in the ocean. Most of the Jap aircraft are approaching when the scenario starts. You can get your aircraft up - but they are weak on their takeoff turn and you cannot go beyond one hex from the airfield.

I ended up losing two of the battleships and sank 2 Jap carriers. The other two battleships were heavily damaged and every land based fighter except one was shot down. Almost all scout aircraft survived as did my land based bombers.

Then you go to the relief of Wake Island. The Japs have a ton of surface fleets and two carriers. You have whatever carriers survive Pearl, a bunch of cruisers and destroyers, and whatever battleships survived. But you have next to no points. Your objective is sinking the Jap infantry transports and having your carriers survive. This was a 48 turn slugfest. I lost a carrier fighter wing to land based aircraft, lost a sub and some destroyer flotillas, but sank two Jap carriers and several cruisers.

Unfortunately, the Wake Island defense did not hold over and you are next playing an amphibious invasion of Wake (held by the Japs) with the Atlantic fleet plus whatever survived. You still have next to no build points - so you will be using your surviving ships and carrier aircraft wings plus two carriers from the Atlantic and their flight wings. McArthur is holding out in the Philippines and this is the War Plan Orange meeting engagement in the Central Pacific.

This has been an different and very interesting what-if in the Pacific Theater which assumes Japan has some, but not total surprise at Pearl to start off with.

Erik2's campaigns (including US Pacific 1941-1946) can be found at: viewtopic.php?f=374&t=80862

[rafdobrowolski]

Two very minor issues in the US Corp 1942 - 1943, Bizerte Scenario - One, the pre-game prompt and instructions, the second of the two, uses the word "grace" where I think it was meant to say "thanks." Might be a translation issue, perhaps. Secondly, for the location of the troop transports, one of the arrows points to empty ocean, rather than on top of a transport.

[Erik2]

US Corps 1942 - 1943, Enfidaville Scenario... I waited to the 15th turn to capture the primary objective (to get those resource points!!), and once I did, it gives me a draw at the end. Is there some sort of trigger issue perhaps?

Maybe, I've added this to the list.

[Erik2]

airboy, thanks for the review.
The US Naval Campaign needs some additional work, though.
I have a to-do list...

[airboy]

airboy, thanks for the review.
The US Naval Campaign needs some additional work, though.
I have a to-do list...

I'm on the War Plan Rainbow scenario (meeting engagement). I've found a bug and I have a couple of suggestions for you to consider.

The bug: The game is claiming that I've lot 2 battleships on turn 3 (screenshot). Thus far, I've not lost any ships. I think the AI believes that the two damaged BBs that I never put into the ocean and that are in my reserves have been "sunk." I usually choose cruisers over battleships in ocean encounters.

The Suggestion: I sank one Jap carrier at Pearl Harbor. I sank both Jap carriers at the Wake Island replenishment. However, during the meeting engagement I seem to be facing seven total Jap carriers including the ones I sank earlier. Is it possible to fix this so if you manage to pull off a major victory at Wake that you do not subsequently lose the island and have to face this many Jap carriers? I managed the Wake Island major victory on the next to last turn - it was a massive struggle.

Enjoying the campaign. Very different take on the War than I've seen done in Order of Battle and I'm really enjoying it.

THINK I FIGURED OUT WHAT HAPPENED. THE OILERS GOT SUNK AND THE AI CREDITED BATTLESHIPS SINKING.

[GabeKnight]

The bug: The game is claiming that I've lot 2 battleships on turn 3 (screenshot). Thus far, I've not lost any ships. I think the AI believes that the two damaged BBs that I never put into the ocean and that are in my reserves have been "sunk." I usually choose cruisers over battleships in ocean encounters.

Erik, I think this is the old "kill&casualties" problem that you've already changed in your other campaigns. I remember it, too, while playtesting your US Naval: It's the killed BBs during Pearl.

I know you have a lot on your plate, well, I guess as always, but please don't forget to update your Naval campaign eventually, too.

[Erik2]

Gabe, I sent you a link with my unfinished naval/air mod.
So let's make a deal.
You incorporate my historical naval movements in your mod and then I start working on the US Naval campaign

[airboy]

Finished the Rainbow Plan invasion of Wake Island with a draw. The scenario credited me with sinking 4 Jap oilers (I sank 2) and faulted me for losing two battleships (I lost none, but lost all of the US oilers). The weird thing about the scenario was having all of the AI controlled US Marines in transports and the supply ships sailing to their doom into the teeth of the Jap surface fleet.

This was interesting and fun, but unrealistic in terms of the US troop and supply ships.

I have a couple of suggestions:
1] Put all of the ships under player control
2] Keep the original victory conditions, but change them (like Sandstorm does) when the huge wave of Jap aircraft is spotted on radar.
3] Changed victory conditions
a] Get the troops to safety (need more exit points).
b] Keep the oilers alive
c] Sink 2 Jap Aircraft carriers
d] Keep the carriers alive
e] Give bonuses for sinking additional carriers or any battleships
f] Give bonuses for every Jap oiler sunk.

I think that with these modifications the scenario becomes more interesting. You have a plan that quickly becomes a recipe for disaster. Strategy gets altered early in the scenario (like Sandstorm) and you wage a fighting retreat.

Again, really enjoying your work. Finished Germany 1939-40 and Afrika.

Appreciate your hard work and willingness to share your work with others.

[Erik2]

Thanks, airboy.

I have added your suggestions to my one and only Naval list.