DLC '39 and '40 are too easy

[Locarnus]

@brettz123:

You had 10 fighters @Stalingrad or you deployed 10 fighters?

If the latter, then
Without Strat & only 1 Tac?
What core do you deploy in the DLCs?

[brettz123]

@brettz123:

You had 10 fighters @Stalingrad or you deployed 10 fighters?

If the latter, then
Without Strat & only 1 Tac?
What core do you deploy in the DLCs?

Had and deployed 10 fighters. I will have to check the DLC but I know at the end of the 1940 DLC I had:

? infantry (not sure about the number but 2 are SE units)
6 tanks (including the S-35, Char b1, and one SE unit)
4 artillery with half tracks
4 fighters
1 tac bomber
1 tank destroyer
1 recon vehicle

I never buy AA or AT guns and wouldn't bother with the recon if it didn't come with the original DLC core. Not really a big fan of Tac or Strat bombers. I would prefer an artillery piece which seem to do more damage to entrenched stuff. When I first played the original campaign I took 4 Tac bombers and just felt once I got later in the game they just weren't doing a great job so on my second play through I went with fighters instead.

[deducter]

I'm a bit tired of people complaining the game is too easy when they don't play on one of the bonus difficulties, Manstein in particular. Try playing on Manstein without saving/reloading.

On a scale of 1-10 (10 is most difficult), then colonel is like a 3, FM is like a 5, and Manstein would be the 10.

The problem seems to be that the base game can't be made harder without alienating a lot of people. I have long been an advocate of making the scenarios harder without resorting to +5 strength to all enemy units, but until the AI can play like a human, this is probably the only solution.

[brettz123]

I'm a bit tired of people complaining the game is too easy when they don't play on one of the bonus difficulties, Manstein in particular. Try playing on beat Manstein without saving/reloading.

On a scale of 1-10 (10 is most difficult), then colonel is like a 3, FM is like a 5, and Manstein would be the 10.

The problem seems to be that the base game can't be made harder without alienating a lot of people. I have long been an advocate of making the scenarios harder without resorting to +5 strength to all enemy units, but until the AI can play like a human, this is probably the only solution.

What is Mannestein level and how do you unlock it? I have only ever seen the levels running up to Field Marshall.

[deducter]

To unlock the three bonus difficulties, you need to win DV on USA West Coast on FM. To unlock it quickly, just use the cheat codes.

There are many posts that list what the bonus difficulties do, but for the record:

Rommel = -50% prestige.
Guderian = -5 turns for scenarios.
Manstein = +5 strength to ALL enemy units. This mode is the hardest, at least for the DLCs.

[brettz123]

And that unlocks all three levels? Now I am guessing that these don't stack correct? So if I pick Manstein I only have +5 strength to ALL enemy units?

[deducter]

Yes all of them get unlocked.

And no, they don't stack. Until the devs offer the ability to customize the difficulty...

[Rudankort]

Is it possible to edit the difficulty levels, or they are hardcoded?

It is not possible to mod difficulty levels, because we wanted to have them "standard". I. e. when somebody says he is playing on level X, there should be no confusion what kind of difficulty he is talking about.

However, we do plan to allow custom difficulty levels in one of the future updates.

[Uhu]

Thank you for the answer. In the meantime, I could find the custom way - for myself - with the help of deducter - so I edited the game rules.

Is it possible to edit the difficulty levels, or they are hardcoded?

It is not possible to mod difficulty levels, because we wanted to have them "standard". I. e. when somebody says he is playing on level X, there should be no confusion what kind of difficulty he is talking about.

However, we do plan to allow custom difficulty levels in one of the future updates.

[kjeld111]

In my opinion, the 39-41 DLC are not easier than the corresponding base campaign scenarios (we haven't seen how the late war DLCs compare with the harder late war campaign) - I'd say quite the contrary actually (see Piatek or Spoils of War vs Vanilla Poland ...). I'd say that you face actually harder battles.

However, I think what can be perceived as easier is that the MV/DV conditions are less stringent, especially because they are not linked to a very restrictive turn timer like in the base campaign (with some notable and deliberate exception like Vyazma, aka Moscow 41 v2.0 :p ). Personally, I prefer it that way.

[Kerensky]

However, I think what can be perceived as easier is that the MV/DV conditions are less stringent, especially because they are not linked to a very restrictive turn timer like in the base campaign (with some notable and deliberate exception like Vyazma, aka Moscow 41 v2.0 :p ). Personally, I prefer it that way.

Yup, and this was done very intentionally based directly on player feedback and comments.
Sure it's traditional for PG titles to be 'races against the clock', but it's also pretty traditional for that aspect of the game to somewhat be frowned upon. A lot of players felt that a strict time limit was the only way to make up for an otherwise lackluster AI that is only a challenge because of the limited time allowed to roflstomp it into the ground. Thanks to some robust scenario design and some very nifty triggers and AI settings (not to mention expanded difficulty settings!), moving away from 'fighting the clock' and moving towards 'fighting the enemy' is more of an option now for Panzer Corps.

[Aloo]

In my opinion, the 39-41 DLC are not easier than the corresponding base campaign scenarios (we haven't seen how the late war DLCs compare with the harder late war campaign) - I'd say quite the contrary actually (see Piatek or Spoils of War vs Vanilla Poland ...). I'd say that you face actually harder battles.

However, I think what can be perceived as easier is that the MV/DV conditions are less stringent, especially because they are not linked to a very restrictive turn timer like in the base campaign (with some notable and deliberate exception like Vyazma, aka Moscow 41 v2.0 :p ). Personally, I prefer it that way.

I think the DLC are easier. The AI isn't much of a challenge, so the main campaign has time as your biggest enemy. Thats why everybody hates bad weather and snow - it makes getting a DV very difficult. You have to rush and place your units in risky positions to get a DV and for me many scenarios ended on the last possible turn (even Vanilla Poland).

In the DLC the missions are more interesting, the AI gets reinforcements and in some missions has waves of units, but not having a strict time limit lets you play out the missions much more carefully and avoid many losses.

PS I really like the DLC and prefer the approach to victories that they introduce vs the race against the clock in the base campaign, but up till now (just finished the firs scenario in 41) think they are easier than the core campaign.

[Kerensky]

I think the DLC are easier. The AI isn't much of a challenge, so the main campaign has time as your biggest enemy. Thats why everybody hates bad weather and snow - it makes getting a DV very difficult. You have to rush and place your units in risky positions to get a DV and for me many scenarios ended on the last possible turn (even Vanilla Poland).

In the DLC the missions are more interesting, the AI gets reinforcements and in some missions has waves of units, but not having a strict time limit lets you play out the missions much more carefully and avoid many losses.

PS I really like the DLC and prefer the approach to victories that they introduce vs the race against the clock in the base campaign, but up till now (just finished the firs scenario in 41) think they are easier than the core campaign.

Well remember, the last thing we wanted to do was create another Bagration/Balaton situation. There were some pretty epic forum threads about that scenario combo and the brick wall they created. I think having easier DLC campaigns is a compliment actually. I want people to play and enjoy the content, I don't want people to play half a DLC and give up in utter frustration. Even so, I'm certain that the DLC campaigns are not THAT easy. I suspect that people are finding them easier because they have experience playing the stock campaign, and they are familiar with the mechanics of the game.

The DLC are designed for people who have zero experience with Panzer Corps. At least on Colonel level, if you go Field Marshal or higher, that's definitely not for your first time gamer.

[Uhu]

I will try to continue the DLC'41 with settings of 20% prestige (Rommel mode is 50%) and reduced xp growing. I think, this will help.

In my opinion, the 39-41 DLC are not easier than the corresponding base campaign scenarios (we haven't seen how the late war DLCs compare with the harder late war campaign) - I'd say quite the contrary actually (see Piatek or Spoils of War vs Vanilla Poland ...). I'd say that you face actually harder battles.

However, I think what can be perceived as easier is that the MV/DV conditions are less stringent, especially because they are not linked to a very restrictive turn timer like in the base campaign (with some notable and deliberate exception like Vyazma, aka Moscow 41 v2.0 :p ). Personally, I prefer it that way.

I think the DLC are easier. The AI isn't much of a challenge, so the main campaign has time as your biggest enemy. Thats why everybody hates bad weather and snow - it makes getting a DV very difficult. You have to rush and place your units in risky positions to get a DV and for me many scenarios ended on the last possible turn (even Vanilla Poland).

In the DLC the missions are more interesting, the AI gets reinforcements and in some missions has waves of units, but not having a strict time limit lets you play out the missions much more carefully and avoid many losses.

PS I really like the DLC and prefer the approach to victories that they introduce vs the race against the clock in the base campaign, but up till now (just finished the firs scenario in 41) think they are easier than the core campaign.

[Aloo]

Kerensky - Im not sure I made myself clear: I really like the DLC much more than the stock campaign, and think its really very well done. All Im saying is the DLC is not such a time rush which makes in more fun less frustration
It is easier because if you know how you can play slower and better position your units. I still make stupid mistakes and loose units.

SO all in all a much better approach.

[Uhu]

Maybe, the DLCs are for many player more difficult, because the course of action is depending more on the player's acting. I mean, if you are not acting well from ther very first scenario and don't handle your units carefully enough, you can think, "hey, that's not a big problem, I still can refill, upgrade my units". But at later, harder scns, these, already spent prestige will be missing.
IMHO

[deducter]

I will try to continue the DLC'41 with settings of 20% prestige (Rommel mode is 50%) and reduced xp growing. I think, this will help.

Uhu, you might want to check out in the Scenario Design section a proposal I have for making Rommel difficulty harder. In addition to prestige change, I modified the combat value for various units too and some game rules.

[Ritterkreuz]

Well remember, the last thing we wanted to do was create another Bagration/Balaton situation. There were some pretty epic forum threads about that scenario combo and the brick wall they created.

Funny that you mention those scenarios because they were my favorite one (with Stalingrad) in the Maingame.

What do you actually mean by brickwall?

[VPaulus]

www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27768
www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28222

[Uhu]

Hmm. Interesting.
I rewrote the prestige allocation on campaig file of the DLC 41 + the xp grow (gamerules) of the DLC 41, but when I do it, the DLC 41 dissapears from the Custom Campaign menu. When I change, after I selected it, than it simly not loads it.

Another quick solution is to open DLC's campaign.pzdat file in Notepad and divide all prestige numbers you see there by 2. It is very easy to do, but if anything is not clear to you, feel free to ask. Don't forget to backup the file before changing it.

Then, if you play on Rommel, the cumulative effect of this change will be that you will get 25% of normal prestige amount, except for capturing the cities - exactly what you want.

I did not know DMP team added one more difficulty level. Interesting. What does it look like? Let me guess: 50% prestige and experience, +5 enemy strength and -5 turns?