What do you think of the "historical" hero units?

[heinzrondorf]

The scripted, historical “hero units” you receive in the Grand Campaign are a big part of the GC.
Some people like them whereas some might find them too extreme.

This is an old but good thread which lists the scripted special units/heroes you receive in the Grand Campaign.
See this link:
https://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=43374

I almost exclusively play GC East and I would like to hear your thoughts on the historical hero units awarded throughout GC East and which are added to the core, not the AUX ones. This is going to be a long post since I will go through them one by one with my thoughts on each unit

I would love to hear what you think of the these historical “hero units”, how much you like them, the ones you like/dislike, how you use them etc? Do you keep them? Disband them? Thoughts on upgrades?

Unit: “Recon Rudel”
Type: Ju 87B
Awarded: Poznan 1939
Bonus: Att: -5, Def: -2, Spt: +2 / Exp: 0, Str: 10
Comments: Not very useful in actual combat due to the handicap/bonus stats with the exception of spotting and I know many players only deploy this unit in Minsk 41 since that is all you have to do to be given the “Uber Rudel” unit. I never deploy it after Minsk 1941 though I can understand it being useful for instance in Stalingrad Docks in 1942 where you need to spot all those freight ships.
Rating: 2/10 - for combat purposes but 10/10 in another way since it is essential to deploy in Minsk 41 in order to receive Uber Rudel.

Unit: “Oleh Dir”
Type: Gebirgsjäger
Awarded: Lodz 1939
Bonus: Ini: +3, Mov: +3 / Exp: 50, Str: 10
Comments: An awesome unit which is essential for new players but one which might experienced players might find too unrealistic and powerful. I have begun limiting how I deploy this unit since I now prefer to have a more balanced force where the other infantry units get more kills instead of Oleh Dir being a one man Rambo show. I usually turn him into a Pionere since he will still move fast enough to keep up with the mechanized units.
Rating: 10/10

Unit: “Albert Kerscher”
Type: Panzer 38(t)A 

Awarded: Modlin 1939
Bonus: Att: +2, Def: +2, Spt: +2 / Exp: 50, Str: 10
Comments: An essential unit in the early scenarios where the +2 in attack and defence make a big difference since other units at that time have so low/poor stats. The additional spotting stats are great especially from 1943 and onwards when it sometimes becomes too dangerous to deploy dedicated recon units. If either of my second hero or third heroes are move heroes I will upgrade him with the heaviest tanks such as Tiger I and then Tiger II but if its anything else I will usually keep use him in a Panther until the very last scenarios where he finally becomes a Tiger II or a Maus.
Rating: 8/10

Unit: “Helmut Lent”
Type: Bf 110C

Awarded: Spoils of War 1939
Bonus: Att: +1, Ini: +6 / Exp: 75, Str: 10
Comments: I love this unit and I almost always deploy it. As a Bf 110, Me 410 or a Fw 190G it will usually be the Luftwaffe unit with the second highest kill stats after Uber Rudel and it is extremely useful in killing off enemy fighters after your own fighters have done their job and also for taking on bombers and tactical bombers directly. It is of course also great in the air to ground attack role against enemy tanks etc.
Rating: 9/10

Unit: “Heinrich Bär”
Type: Bf 109E

Awarded: Sedan 1940
Bonus: Att: +2, Def: +1, Ini: +2 / Exp: 50, Str: 10
Comments: The best fighter unit overall in my opinion since you get it in such an early stage of the war and it will be extremely decorated and experienced by the end of the war, reaching 2 heroes at a minimum but usually 3 heroes. This is the unit I select for the most dangerous missions such as taking on the enemy’s best fighters and sometimes escorting Uber Rudel or other bomber units in areas where there might be enemy AAA since it has a the Def +1 bonus.
Rating: 9/10

Unit: “Hans-Ulrich Rudel”
Type: Ju 87B

Awarded: Minsk 1941
Bonus: Att: +9, Def: +9, Mov: +1 / Exp: 200, Str: 12
Comments: Too overpowered for some people’s taste but there is no disputing its effectiveness in the game with bonus stats like that. Regardless of which second and third heroes you get it will most likely be the most decorated unit (with the most kills (like in the real war) regardless of if you keep him in a Stuka or give him an other aircraft type.
Rating: 10/10

Unit: “Helmut Wirnsberger”
Type: Gebirgsjäger

Awarded: Smolensk 1941
Bonus: Att: +2, Ini: +3 / Exp: 120, Str: 11
Comments: An interesting mix of stats which in my opinion does not make the upgrade path obvious. Unless the second hero is a move hero I will not convert him into a Grenadier or Pionere though since he becomes too slow for my liking.
Rating: 6/10

Unit: “Heinz Rondorf”
Type: Panzer IIC

Awarded: Smolensk 1941
Bonus: Att. +1, Def: +1, Ini: +2, Mov: +1, Spt: +1 / Exp: 120, Str: 11
Comments: As you may understand from my nickname this is my favourite panzer unit . I like this unit more than Albert Kerscher since it is so well balanced with a bit of everything, in particular with the movement bonus, so you can immediately convert him into a Tiger I/II without losing mobility if you want to. I start by upgrading him into Panzer II Flamm and keeping him as that until the end of the Stalingrad scenarios. He will have a huge amount of infantry kills at that time already. I usually find this unit, even though awarded so much later than Albert Kerscher, actually has more kills at the end of the war.
Rating: 9/10

Unit: “Otto Kittel”
Type: Bf 109F

Awarded: Streets of Moscow 1941
Bonus: Att: +3, Def: -2, Ini: +2 / Exp: 145, Str: 11
Comments: An interesting unit which I try to deploy as much as possible as it can be extremely useful when you have the initiative in the combat and feel you are in control. Every once in a while it will be at the wrong place at the wrong time though and will fall prey to enemy AAA which usually has disastrous consequences with that defensive handicap. Still a great unit though when used properly and with some babysitting.
Rating: 7/10

Unit: “Walter Nowotny”
Type: Bf 109E

Awarded: Voronezh 1942
Bonus: Att: +3, Def: -2, Ini: +3 / Exp: 90, Str: 11
Comments: See above for Otto Kittel. Slightly better initiative bonus than Otto Kittel but since you are awarded this unit at a later stage it will take a bit longer time to build up its experience. That is why I give it a slightly lower rating for its overall usefulness.
Rating: 6/10

Unit: “Friedrich Pein”
Type: Grenadier

Awarded: Voronezh 1942
Bonus: Ini: +3, Mov: +2 / Exp: 140, Str: 11
Comments: Similar stats to Oleh Dir and almost as good but since it is awarded so much later in the GC it might not get the third hero but the second hero should be achievable in most circumstances. Extremely useful in the Stalingrad scenarios or any scenario where you need a good, mobile, infantry unit.
Rating: 7/10

Unit: “Josef Allerberger”
Type: 43 Gebirgsjäger

Awarded: Orel 1943
Bonus: Att: +2, Def: +2, Ini: +3 / Exp: 285, Str: 12
Comments: A quite useful unit which I usually keep as 43 Gebirgsjäger or change into 43 Infantry since I do not like infantry units with poor mobility such as Grenadier or Pioniere unless they have a move hero. Since it is awarded so late in the war it won’t have too much of an impact though.
Rating: 5/10

Unit: “Bruno Sutkus”
Type: 43 Gebirgsjäger

Awarded: Orel 1943
Bonus: Def: +2, Ini: +2, Spt: +1 / Exp: 285, Str: 12
Comments: The bonus make it a tricky one. Not as good as Allerberger and with no move bonus it does not make sense to convert it into Pionere or Grenadier either in my opinion.
Rating: 4/10

Unit: “Eric Litzke”
Type: Tiger I

Awarded: Korsun Pocket 1944
Bonus: Def: +4, Ini: +2, Spt: +1 / Exp: 240, Str: 12
Comments: A great panzer unit but awarded too late in the war to have too much of an impact. If I can afford it I prefer to change him into a Panther since I think his bonus stats are better suited for that than Tiger I. That way you keep the Panther’s mobility and attack but get a very rugged unit which can defend itself well.
Rating: 5/10

Unit: “Matthaus Hetzenauer”
Type: 43 Gebirgsjäger

Awarded: Korsun Pocket 1944
Bonus: Def: +3, Ini: +3, Mov: +1 / Exp: 260, Str: 12
Comments: I love the infantry units with move heroes since I can convert them into Pionere or Grenadier without sacrificing movement and Hetzenauer is no exception. With the additional initiative bonus I think he makes a great Pionere. Still awarded too late in the war to have too much of an impact.
Rating: 5/10

Unit: “Gerhard Barkhorn”
Type: Bf 109G
A
warded: Korsun Breakout 1944
Bonus: Att: +2, Def: +3, Ini: +2 / Exp: 280, Str: 12
Comments: A fighter with such bonus stats is always useful, especially considering the strength of the Soviet Air Force in 1944. Still it is awarded a bit too late for it to realise its true potential in terms of second and third heroes.
Rating: 6/10

Unit: “Wilhelm Batz”
Type: SE Bf 109K 

Awarded: Goldap 1945
Bonus: Att: +4, Def: +4, Mov: +1 / Exp: 350, Str: 13
Comments: Great bonus but handicapped by being stuck in a Bf 109K with no upgrade possibility. I usually keep it but I can understand if someone would prefer to disband it in order to get an extra SE tank instead?
Rating: 4/10

Unit: “Erich Hartmann”
Type: SE Bf 109G

Awarded: Berlin 1945
Stats: Att: +3, Def: +5, Ini: +2 / Exp: 599, Str: 20
Comments: Great bonus especially with that Str 20 but comments for Wilhelm Batz applies. No upgrade possibilities but so late in the war it does not really matter. It is “free” and is pretty good, especially against enemy tactical and strategical bombers.
Rating: 5/10

[eskuche]

Don't underestimate late war awards. The stats generally make up for the difference in maximum stars, but the ceiling is much higher. I try to get these units to fight at LEAST once a turn for the minimum 1 experience, even going so far as to having them smush around conscripts in a safe area.

[heinzrondorf]

I understand where you are coming from but what I did not write in my initial post is that my opinion of the usability of these units is of course also related to what difficulty level one is playing on. I usually play on Field Marshal, General or Rommel.

If I am playing on Rommel where prestige is more limited I am of course more grateful for receiving a "free", expensive unit, such as Litzke in a Tiger I, than if I am playing on Field Marshal or General for instance where I will have a lot of prestige and my regular core units will be equally good or better than the special, "late war", units.

[rubyjuno]

Great post, you've been very thorough and it's fascinating. In general, I love these heroes, apart from “Recon Rudel”, who stays in the hangar after a few early outings. I upgrade them to whatever unit suits them (obviously you have to stay in class). My “Oleh Dir” is a super-Pioneer, for example. I completely agree that some of them are extreme and therefore unrealistic, but I guess they are there to simulate particularly powerful/experienced units? Not really sure, but I know I've been glad of them at times.

[faos333]

This is really a great post thank you for your detailed work and analysis of traits.

All of this analysis is affected as you said on the level of difficulty. I played the Grand Campaign east twice, first in General, then in Manstein. In the later case in late 44 and after, regarding the tanks, everything turns to Tiger II. While in General level I could afford to make more choices, as you proposed.

Infantry wise I like very much Sutkus and Allerberger and Hetzenauer using as a late Grenadier, especially in difficult defensive situations. Pein and Ole Dir, I use rarely after 43, always without a truck, since I want to train my other infantry.

Air: Kittel and Nowotny I give average rating and lots of time I do not use, due to lower defense. You might not believe it but Helmut Lent is one of my less useful units, not a good bomber, he needs protection also and always turn him to Stuka and later on to Fw Tactical bomber. Recon Rudel as soon as he completes his purpose is disbanded asap. To put in simple, there is no battle without Rudel deployed; he stays as Stuka until the end in Berlin 1945.
No opinion on Heinrich Bär, since I lost him early 41 in Crete, he run out of fuel and did not replay the battle.

Tanks: Rondorf and Kerscher are basic part of the core till 43, then after 44 they make fewer appearances. Litzke takes the place of the previous too, being in every battle, since he appears.

Overall my greatest rating for a hero 10/10 goes to... Rudel.

All these of course are personal tastes and depending on the liking of each player.

[sbpc1]

some of them are hilariously overpowered (rudel, oleh dir) and i have reduced their values in the scenario editor. and there are probably a couple too many in the DLC campaign as a whole. it would be nice if there were some minor negative values to offset the large positive values so they are less uber-excellent

[LevV]

with AI of this game the whole single player is a more of arcade, so most of these heroes are just a splash of bright colors meant to light it up some more. which is good at its place. otherwise, should the game be meant for some hardcore tactic exercises there shouldnt be a room for so many stats upped and still 2 more hero slots available. "less is more" principle could be employed here, i guess

[heinzrondorf]

Thanks for the feedback guys, much appreciated!

@faos333 - I think you are right the more I think about it . I overrated Lent somewhat. He is probably more of 8/10 imo. I have not experienced what you describe about him needing protection though but I never use him as a Stuka, only Bf 110, Me 410 or Fw 190 G since I like to take advantage of his initiative bonus when attacking other aircraft. I find him to be extremely useful in finishing off the work of the fighters against aircraft (even fighters) that have been brought down to strength of 3-4 or so. He very rarely take any losses when used this way.

Nowadays, since I have played the GC East more times than I can remember and from my own subjective perspective, I think there are probably too many of these units in the campaign and in a strange way I almost feel frustrated when I receive some of the ones late in the war since I feel I “have to” deploy them (especially Sutkus) and use them to bring their experience up when I instead would have preferred to use my regular units and work on getting them their 2-3rd heroes. I of course have the advantage of having played the GC so many times so I can plan my core in a way a first time player is not able to. I know this sounds silly and no-one is forcing me to use them . I can just disband them or whatever but that’s the way I feel .
Again, if you play on Rommel or another level where prestige is tight you are of course more grateful towards any freebies!

So overall I think they are a fun component and extremely useful in the early years of the wars where their bonus make a big difference and they definitely add flavour to the campaign but I can understand why some would prefer to reduce their stats.