Axis Operations FAQ and Tips

[Kerensky]

Excellent stuff, and just in time too as the base game was a bit played out for me!

I am intrigued by how the mine laying will work and if it will be available as a standard ability (for engies?) or be limited to specific scenarios/circumstances.

I don't want anyone to have their expectations raised too high on this, so I will be very honest about this feature. It is strictly limited to specific historical scenarios and circumstance. It is NOT an ability for normal units to invoke at will at this time.

Spoilers....




it plays a role in the Saar Offensive scenarios of DLC 1939, which historically was battlefield where mass minefields had a significant impact on the French attempts to advance in the region.

[sakura006]

Just a small but important question. Can I change the player general trait in the future AO campaign? For the Spanish Civil War, I don't see any reasons to take tank general or infantry general trait. But they might be useful in the future campaign, especially in the late war era.

[Kerensky]

Just a small but important question. Can I change the player general trait in the future AO campaign? For the Spanish Civil War, I don't see any reasons to take tank general or infantry general trait. But they might be useful in the future campaign, especially in the late war era.

Some players like Infantry General even in the Spanish Civil War. Discount Italian infantry for everyone!

But to answer you directly, it is planned for your character trait picks to be reset at the beginning of each DLC.

Anyone who wants to maintain their traits for the entire Grand Campaign... just repick the same traits.
For everyone else, totally free to repick at your heart's desire.

[monkspider]

I would just like to state for the record that I'm not a big fan of that idea. It seems kinda gamey to totally change your character's skillset every year, not to mention, has the potential to make balancing a nightmare if there are super cores with new killer teams coming online every year. I know you can't balance around the exploitative, OP builds, but is that really exploitative in this case if you are basically encouraged to do it? I dunno, maybe it won't be as impactful as I fear but I have concerns.

[Horseman]

I would just like to state for the record that I'm not a big fan of that idea. It seems kinda gamey to totally change your character's skillset every year, not to mention, has the potential to make balancing a nightmare if there are super cores with new killer teams coming online every year. I know you can't balance around the exploitative, OP builds, but is that really exploitative in this case if you are basically encouraged to do it? I dunno, maybe it won't be as impactful as I fear but I have concerns.

I'm sure at some point I'll run through from start to finish with the same general for a bit of rp fun. But at the end of the day the choice being there to swap and change is good. You could also use it to simulate changing conditions and your character growing. Ultimately for those who think it's too cheesy and don't like it they can choose to pick the same traits each year. For everyone else they have a choice. Choice is always good.

[kondi754]

Malaga (2nd scn) - I invested a lot of funds in Italian infantry, cavalry (just robbery ), fighters, bombers and tanks
Merida (3rd scn) - all Italian units have disappeared and I have only about 1,000 prestige and 10/32 aux units on the map I have already noticed it's not worth buying expensive aux units

Noticed error in Nationalists AI units, despite the fact that I told them to defend, one of the units continued to attack the bunker on the pass on the road to Malaga

[Horseman]

Malaga (2nd scn) - I invested a lot of funds in Italian infantry, cavalry (just robbery ), fighters, bombers and tanks
Merida (3rd scn) - all Italian units have disappeared and I have only about 1,000 prestige and 10/32 aux units on the map I have already noticed it's not worth buying expensive aux units

Noticed error in Nationalists AI units, despite the fact that I told them to defend, one of the units continued to attack the bunker on the pass on the road to Malaga

Remember all those times in the core campaign when the AI would attack out of fortifications/non victory hexes? Those guys basically had the defend order! It's more a "guard this place" than stay put. If you want them to hold, use the hold order.

[kondi754]

Malaga (2nd scn) - I invested a lot of funds in Italian infantry, cavalry (just robbery ), fighters, bombers and tanks
Merida (3rd scn) - all Italian units have disappeared and I have only about 1,000 prestige and 10/32 aux units on the map I have already noticed it's not worth buying expensive aux units

Noticed error in Nationalists AI units, despite the fact that I told them to defend, one of the units continued to attack the bunker on the pass on the road to Malaga

Remember all those times in the core campaign when the AI would attack out of fortifications/non victory hexes? Those guys basically had the defend order! It's more a "guard this place" than stay put. If you want them to hold, use the hold order.

I see, you're right
thanks

Can you share with me information on how you manage Elite Replecement?

[Horseman]

Malaga (2nd scn) - I invested a lot of funds in Italian infantry, cavalry (just robbery ), fighters, bombers and tanks
Merida (3rd scn) - all Italian units have disappeared and I have only about 1,000 prestige and 10/32 aux units on the map I have already noticed it's not worth buying expensive aux units

Noticed error in Nationalists AI units, despite the fact that I told them to defend, one of the units continued to attack the bunker on the pass on the road to Malaga

Remember all those times in the core campaign when the AI would attack out of fortifications/non victory hexes? Those guys basically had the defend order! It's more a "guard this place" than stay put. If you want them to hold, use the hold order.

I see, you're right
thanks

Can you share with me information on how you manage Elite Replecement?

A lot of variables...generally I like to use elite reinforcements all the time but i try to never reinforce in scenario

[Moransky]

Malaga (2nd scn) - I invested a lot of funds in Italian infantry, cavalry (just robbery ), fighters, bombers and tanks
Merida (3rd scn) - all Italian units have disappeared and I have only about 1,000 prestige and 10/32 aux units on the map I have already noticed it's not worth buying expensive aux units

Noticed error in Nationalists AI units, despite the fact that I told them to defend, one of the units continued to attack the bunker on the pass on the road to Malaga

I'm playing as Field Marshal with Trophy Hunter and one unit with Envelopment. With the help of this tank at the start of Merida I have 1800 prestige (after reinforcements and changing equipments to 2 units of BT-5, one Trubia, one super powered Soviet unit).

P.S. And at Merida everything will be better because I've got hero with Overwhelming Attack.

[Kerensky]

I'm playing as Field Marshal with Trophy Hunter and one unit with Envelopment. With the help of this tank at the start of Merida I have 1800 prestige (after reinforcements and changing equipments to 2 units of BT-5, one Trubia, one super powered Soviet unit).

P.S. And at Merida everything will be better because I've got hero with Overwhelming Attack.

That's insane how fast you built that hero combo. Well it's allowed to exist, and so it does.
But the fact that it is possible to exist means that in future DLC... expect future Nemesis and hero units to gain the 'no surrender' ability.

Not much of a Nemesis if you can just slap it for 1 damage and instantly annihilate it.

[Kerensky]

Malaga (2nd scn) - I invested a lot of funds in Italian infantry, cavalry (just robbery ), fighters, bombers and tanks
Merida (3rd scn) - all Italian units have disappeared and I have only about 1,000 prestige and 10/32 aux units on the map I have already noticed it's not worth buying expensive aux units

To each their own. Sinking prestige into temporary units is by no means required. It's there for people who want that power boost if they need it.

B. AUX typically is for nations also assigned for your use, such as Italy. These units provide temporary increase to your army strength on any given scenario. A very popular tactic of Spanish Civil War testers is to rely heavily on supporting Italian CTV units to bolster their early scenario fighter air force before swapping over to much more potent and permanent He-112s and Bf-109Bs as they arrive toward the middle of the Spanish Civil War.

6. Don't be shy about using non-standard resources at your disposal
Very frequently in the Axis Operations, you will have access to non-standard assets to bolster your CORE force. One prime example of this takes the form of Italian CTV (Corpo Truppe Volontarie) Auxiliaries in the Spanish Civil War. Unlike the usual lackluster performance of Italians during World War II, your Italian allies are extremely potent and a force to be reckoned with during the Spanish Civil War. The only way to directly control infantry is by purchasing Italian CTV infantry. Italian fighter aircraft are also far superior to the German starting He-51 biplane fighter. A very common tactic among our testers was to use the maximum allotment of auxiliary slots to deploy a host of Italian infantry, fighters, and artillery to supplement their primary Condor Legion forces. The extra cost in prestige to buy auxiliary units is more than offset by the extra firepower you can bring to the battlefield!

[sakura006]

and be especially wary of special Nemesis level enemy units that come loaded with Overstrength, multiple hero abilities, and can potentially follow you into future scenarios if they are not destroyed!

I just notice that. I forced him surrender the first time I saw him. He did not follow me afterwards. I suppose surrender is the same as destroyed? I love RPG elements and story narrative in this DLC. But I am already in the Aragon Offensive, I need to start a new campaign I guess. Care to give some hints of how many such nemesis level enemies are so that I don't have to restart again.

[Plaid]

How bad will be picking green army for these campaigns?
Slow experience growth and prestige abundance hints, that elite replacing everything is intended way to play.

[Horseman]

How bad will be picking green army for these campaigns?
Slow experience growth and prestige abundance hints, that elite replacing everything is intended way to play.

It might actually be reasonable.....xp progression is a lot slower so early years the content is balanced around not having high star units.

[monkspider]

One trait I really recommend is slow modernization. It gets you two perk points and only allows you to upgrade three units per battle. Given the much slower and more time-compressed nature of the campaign, it is barely a negative at all! In fact, I don't like to upgrade ALL my units to the latest top of the line tech just for RP purposes.

[Plaid]

It might actually be reasonable.....xp progression is a lot slower so early years the content is balanced around not having high star units.

Problem is experience growth is very slow, but experience loss from replacements is normal, so most units will stay 0 stars forever.

[Snake97644]

Will our prestige carry over from DLC to DLC? I believe I had read somewhere that in the PC1 GC you had to hoard prestige in the early years to make it to '44-'45.

[dalfrede]

Will our prestige carry over from DLC to DLC? I believe I had read somewhere that in the PC1 GC you had to hoard prestige in the early years to make it to '44-'45.

Carry over:
Prestige Yes.
Commendation Points, I believe not.

Since no one has made it to '39, no one knows what you will need for '44-'45.
But you probably will will need lots of prestige for ' '44-'45.

[SineMora]

Will our prestige carry over from DLC to DLC? I believe I had read somewhere that in the PC1 GC you had to hoard prestige in the early years to make it to '44-'45.

Storing a large surplus of prestige from the early parts of the campaign was the meta for the PzC GC because of the soft cap on prestige (with the caveat that it's been a long time since I played it). Because of that it was very difficult to actually gain any prestige once your core largely consisted of heavy tanks, so you made do with what you had built up from the early years. At this point no one knows how it'll work in PzC2, but having surplus prestige is never a bad thing (having too much can be a signof inefficiency, but that's a different matter).

You'll be able to keep prestige from prior campaigns, but I don't think the old mechanic will return, at least not in that form, because it was something that casual players hated. It practically forced you to meta, and not everyone is interested in that.