AO 1944E Historical
Shanderovka
Events
The usual suspects arrive at the start of a non-imported Campaign start, with a few changes to the lineup:
Reinhardt Herzog traded out his old skillset of Phased Movement and First Strike for +2 Speed, Alpine, and Prudent. On one hand, Phased Movement and First Strike for Prudent and Alpine is generally a poor trade in my book, but a +2 Speed that isn't locked to Infantry might just make up for it.
Helmet Kleib takes a more direct approach to combat, trading his Double Support for Envelopment. Unless you are looking to take Advantage of surrenders, I'm not sold on this one.
We also have a new face: Franz Baumann, with Vigilant and Rapid Fire 1.5x. A very welcome combo for any tank that has to fight in Close Terrain.
And Kloss, Rudel, and a nerfed Hartmann (-1 Initiative bonus and loses Legendary and Reduced Slots) as representatives of prior Campaign reward Heroes.
Sadly, our allies in the Azul Infantrie have finally left us (Unless you imported a core anyway).
Additionally, this Scenario includes an opportunity to reset your Prestige to 6600, if you want to reduce your overflowing Prestige to add a sense of challenge or to resupply if you are having issues, but otherwise for no reward.
Lysyanka
Objectives
Making Contact with the III Panzer Corps earns 2 Commendations.
Avenging the XXXXIII Corps rewards you with 25 Tiger II and 25 Jagdtiger Prototypes.
The Tiger II is a monster of a tank, and has a monsterous Slot Cost of 9 to go with it.
Much like the Tiger II does with tanks, the Jagdtiger also outclasses your current lineup of tank destroyers, and the Slot increase isn't quite as drastic this time.
Total: Earned: 2/Spent: 0
Operation Margarethe
Events
At Scenario start you can spend 2 Commendations for Gerhard Barkhorn. Barkhorn is a Fighter Pilot with Reduced Slots, Consolidator, Learns from Mistakes, and Famous. While Learns from Mistakes isn't the greatest, Reduced Slots+Consolidator is a great combo if you aren't playing with No Overstrength on.
Objectives
Capturing both sets of bridges earns 2 Commendations each.
Total: Earned: 6/Spent: 2
Targu Frumos
Objectives
Protecting the Destroyers rewards 2 Commendations.
Raiding Odessa serves as a cache of sorts, rewarding 40 Me 262A, 59 Spitfire Mk.IX, and 64 A-36.
Unfortunately the Spitfire Mk.IX can’t quite match your Fw 190As, let alone the 262s you get alongside it.
The A-36 on the other hand has some useful tradeoffs in range and tankbusting compared to your 190Fs.
Total: Earned: 8/Spent: 2
Cernauti
Events
At Scenario start you can spend 2 Commendations for Matthaus Hetzenauer. Another Infantryman Hero, Hetzenauer grants +2 Initiative, +1 Speed, Famous, Precision Weapon, and Unyielding. Pretty solid all around. Kinda wonder if anyone's stacked 3 or 4 of these Infantry Heroes with movement buffs on a single Infantry Unit yet...
Total: Earned: 8/Spent: 4
Note: This is oddly enough the last time Commendations are used on the historical path, future Bonus Objectives grant other rewards and there are no more Events to spend Commendations, so I'll stop keeping track.
Lublin
Objectives
Saving the 4th Panzer adds Ulrich Hoffmann to your roster. Hoffmann is a Tank/Anti-Tank specialist with No Supply and Zero Slots. And un-encircleable, 0 Slots cost Tiger II? sign me up!
Jokes aside, No Supply is an incredibly valuable Trait that I'm 99% sure will never show up on regular Heroes, so this is your only chance to grab it.
Battle of Carei
Objectives
Taking Szatmarnemeti serves as another cache objective, as you find 59 76mm Land Mattresses, 33 203mm M1931, and 29 KV-85.
The Land Mattresses are the only new captured equipment to talk about, and sadly they are identical to your older 15cm Nebelwerfer 41, so not much use outside Collector runs.
AO 1944E Alt-History
Case Orange
Events
The Hero lineup remains the same as in the Historical route. Kind of a shame, would have been interesting to see our cast diverge in skills depending on how events played out.
The starting Cores are different however, and you still get an Azul Infanterie in this timeline.
Like the historical path, partway through the Scenario you are given the option to reset Prestige to 9500, for no reward.
Objectives
Destroying the Soviet HQ Units reward 2 Commendations.
Taking Astara adds Emma Habermann to your team. Habermann is a lot like Kloss, granting +2 Range and Shock Tactics to an Artillery of your choice. Range increase is always great for artillery, and Shock Tactics to pin targets in place in the cherry on top.
Total: Earned: 2/Spent: 0
Operation Corridor
Events
You can recruit Gerhard Barkhorn for 2 Commendations.
Objectives
Protecting the caches rewards 1 Commendation per cache, of a max of 4.
Total: Earned: 6/Spent: 2
Operation Tusk
Objectives
By destroying depots you gain 1 Commendation for the British depots and 2 for the American ones.
Saving the PoWs rewards 1 Commendation, plus their aid in combat if needed.
Total: Earned: 10/Spent: 2
Operation Stormbird
Events
Just from arriving, you receive an Me 262A Gift Unit and 170 He 162A Prototypes.
The He 162A is similar in stats to the 262A, which means it outclasses pretty much everything else you have.
Objectives
Defeating the Paratroopers rewards 1 Commendation.
Army Group B capturing Victory Points rewards 1 Commendation as well.
Sinking the Allied Battleships grants another Gift Unit, this time a Go 229A.
The Go 229A is better than both the 162A and 262A, so as long as you don’t mind wunderwaffe it’s an excellent addition to the Core.
Total: Earned: 12/Spent: 2
Riga 1944
Events
You get a 2 part Event on Turns 1 and 2, giving the option to spend 8 total Commendations; 4 on Turn 1 for 81 M3 Satan, 51 Sherman Firefly, 72 Cromwell Mk.VII, 66 M4A3E2, 70 Typhoon Mk.IB, and 70 B-17G and then 4 more on Turn 2 for 49 M10 Wolverine, 64 M14 MGMC, 55 Churchill AVRE, 75 Calliope, 70 P-47D, and 70 Spitfire Mk.XIV.
The M3 Satan isn’t great, as the SdKfz 251/16 Flamm is on par if you do want a 3 Slot flame tank.
The Sherman Firefly and Cromwell Mk.VII serve as capable alternatives to the Panther A and Panzer IVJ, respectively.
The M4A3E2’s main niche is as a potential 6 Slot tank if you need one for some reason.
Typhoon Mk.IB is pretty much junk compared to your FW 190 Fighter-Bombers. It’s closer in stats to the older Hs 129B2, but costs an extra Slot which is not great.
Much like the captured F model from 1943, the B-17G serves as a decent alternative to your own strategic bombers.
The M10 Wolverine is the best Tank Destroyer available to you now…in the 3 Slot category at least.
The M14 MGMC is not great, only real advantage is movement.
The Churchill AVRE actually becomes your best Assault Gun, at the cost of +1 Slot Cost and -1 Movement
The Calliope trades less firepower for higher defense values compared to the Panzerwerfer 42.
The Spitfire Mk.XIV is on par with your best Fw 190, and the P-47D beats them both.
Objectives
Building defenses rewards 1 Commendation.
Total: Earned: 13/Spent: 10
Lvov 1944
Events
For 2 Commendations you can recruit Matthaus Hetzenauer.
Turn 7 is this version of the campaign's Prestige Reset, allowing you to reset your Prestige to 7900, once more for no reward.
Objectives
Building defenses rewards 2 Commendations this time.
Defeating the Polish force grants you 44 Panzer VII Lowe.
The Panzer VII Lowe is just a better Tiger II. If you can afford the 9 Slots cost, it’s a great addition to your army.
Total: Earned: 15/Spent: 10
Operation Panzerschreck
Objectives
Clearing the rebels rewards 1 Commendation.
Delivering supplies rewards 2 Commendations and gives the Hungarians 10000 Prestige to help fend off the Soviets.
Total: Earned: 18/Spent: 10
Kolozsvar
Events
You can spend 4 Commendations to acquire some equipment from your allies: 60 41M Turan II, 70 TACAM R-2, 40 Maresal, and 60 40M Nimrod
The main thing about the Turan II is it’s mere 2 Slot cost while still comparing favorably to your handful of remaining 3 Slots vehicles, making it an interesting budget option.
While the TACAM R-2 is generally inferior to your German options, the Maresal is superior to them.
Finally, the 40M Nimrod compares very favorably with the Gepard in the 2 Slot Self-Propelled AA category.
Total: Earned: 18/Spent: 14
Battle of Ploesti
Events
Capturing Jijila (You
will need Paratroopers to reach it) rewards you with 85 KV-85 and 40 T-44.
Despite what you might expect, the T-44 isn’t that great in my opinion. It only trades 1 point of Hard Attack for 1 point of Ground Defense compared to the Panther G, but costs an extra Slot.
But wait, inscreased movement might be a trait that doesnt stack?!