Eastern Front: Soviet Storm v1.96b (Link Fixed)

[Akkula]

Yeah, that could be great bite!
At the DMP forums report me an issue regarding Scenario 33: Siege of Budapest, it seems a flag is missing on a victory hex!!!. I will correct it for the next release in few days, meanwhile I uploaded the fixed scenario file:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/n1ppb ... iege.pzscn

Or, of course, everyone can use the "endscn 0" cheat to bypass the error.

By the way.... HAPPY VICTORY DAY!

[Philwd]

Hi Akkula,
I'm making slow progress up to Operation Polar Storm. I find that although I knew there was combat in these areas I never knew the details. I find myself reading up on the battles before I play the scenario. Actually reading up on Operation Star gave me the way to lever open the northern German front. Your attention to historical detail is very good. I also knew to expect a certain German weapon to appear but oh my did it tear up my tanks. I am very much enjoying your mod. I hear that music playing in my head when I try and fall asleep.

I think I found one bug in Operation Mars. I had taken every victory and minor objective except Vyazma and Repino. I got a MV and couldn't figure out why. Were any of those very southern cities supposed to be a victory objective?

-Phil

[BiteNibbleChomp]

Started Scenario 2 - Hanko Peninsula.

Pre-turn 1: Bought some T34s, upgraded the KV1s to E model, bought a few Yak-1s and a couple of other things. Still had >2.5k prestige left over (I'm playing on Lieutenant though). Immediately worked out that a DV would be impossible and decided I would only go for the 2 southernmost islands.

Turn 2: Did naval mines just attack my transports?! I think this should be looked at because two of my naval units (one a transport) appeared to be attacked by nothing, and took -3 (DD) and -7 (Transport). Quite irritating.

Turn 3: The front line at the eastern end of the map has already been broken - I didn't worry about it much though - the good stuff is waiting further back.

2-1.JPG (157.72 KiB) Viewed 4679 times

Turn 7: By now I have moved on to other targets, so I was slightly surprised by your kind donation of a few units to help take out another island (if you provide more I will reconsider my chances at a DV). The big one was captured and the centremost one is about to be assaulted. On the peninsula, the Finns are being taught quite a lesson - I managed to force the surrender of some BT-42s.

2-2.JPG (139.66 KiB) Viewed 4679 times

Turn 8: Katyushas have been invented. They will prove useful in later battles.

Turn 10: Pleased to see my T34 won't have to sit around guarding the lighthouse forever - something for it to fight actually appeared . Was dissapointed too see the Finnish start breaking through my line near Hanko - I'll have to kill them. Also bought a new T35

2-3.JPG (174.18 KiB) Viewed 4679 times

- BNC

[BiteNibbleChomp]

Turn 12: First hero of the campaign (+3 Attack on a KV). Also think I will lose the lighthouse now. No matter though, I have another 2 islands.

Turn 14: Decided I would go for a DV again due to the arrival of more marines. Bought a paratroop due to the imminent loss of the lighthouse that is sure to happen next turn. The Finns on Hanko are being killed in their thousands now, my command vehicle has just ruined 3 units.

Turn 16: Have lost the lighthouse, but was thankful for the units to attack another island. There are very few finns still on Hanko

Turn 17: Mines again attacked my transport. This is really not fair

Turn 20: Have pushed the Finns off of Hanko and am now attacking their supply point

Turn 21: Managed to capture the lighthouse back but only because the dumb AI decided to attack my navy instead.

2-4.JPG (139.19 KiB) Viewed 4676 times

2-5.JPG (131.04 KiB) Viewed 4676 times

Turn 23: Kicked out of the lighthouse, end up with an MV with 3 islands not conquered.

2-6.JPG (103.36 KiB) Viewed 4676 times

Overall: Extremely unhappy with many of the happenings of this scenario, mostly due to the naval mines (they sank 2 cruisers in the enemy's turn, stopped 4 of my units from reinforcing and made it impossible to conquer one of the islands due to their position). The finnish attack on the lighthouse also needs to be seriously weakened - I had 3 infantry, an artillery and a T34 and was slaughtered there. And the northernmost island needs another turn to be conquered. Also, I reconquered all of Hanko peninsula, so that attack should be strengthened. However it was still worth playing (though I won't play it again until everything is fixed up)

Ideas:

+1 Turn
Weaken Lighthouse attack
Tell us that naval squads will appear throughout the scenario
Strengthen Finns on Hanko itself
Stop naval mines from attacking in their own turn - their actions in this were unacceptable.

I accidently forgot to save the replay at the end so replayed the last turn so that I would have one. The deployment at the start of Tallinn may be slightly different by +/- 1 strength point

- BNC

[BiteNibbleChomp]

Scenario 3: Tallinn

Pre-turn 1: Decided that it would be easier for my core to defend Tallinn alone, so I will not even attempt for a DV this round. Pretty much just replaced my losses from last round, >4k pp left over.

Turn 1: Where are these transports? I don't see any. Began the huge fallback to Fortress Tallinn. This is one huge map!

Turn 3: OK, I see the transports now. Tallinn is starting to get crowded!

3-1.JPG (180.1 KiB) Viewed 4670 times

Thats all I have time for today, and I want to get back to Rome, but I'll keep working at this still

Replays will be put in the AAR forum: viewtopic.php?f=145&t=64495

- BNC

[Akkula]

Hi Akkula,
I'm making slow progress up to Operation Polar Storm. I find that although I knew there was combat in these areas I never knew the details. I find myself reading up on the battles before I play the scenario. Actually reading up on Operation Star gave me the way to lever open the northern German front. Your attention to historical detail is very good. I also knew to expect a certain German weapon to appear but oh my did it tear up my tanks. I am very much enjoying your mod. I hear that music playing in my head when I try and fall asleep.

I think I found one bug in Operation Mars. I had taken every victory and minor objective except Vyazma and Repino. I got a MV and couldn't figure out why. Were any of those very southern cities supposed to be a victory objective?

-Phil

Pay attention, I dont remember in which turn, your objectives change (there is a warning message). Be ready to recheck the map .
If that didnt solve the issue please let me know!.
Thanks a lot!.

Turn 12: First hero of the campaign (+3 Attack on a KV). Also think I will lose the lighthouse now. No matter though, I have another 2 islands.

Turn 14: Decided I would go for a DV again due to the arrival of more marines. Bought a paratroop due to the imminent loss of the lighthouse that is sure to happen next turn. The Finns on Hanko are being killed in their thousands now, my command vehicle has just ruined 3 units.

Turn 16: Have lost the lighthouse, but was thankful for the units to attack another island. There are very few finns still on Hanko

Turn 17: Mines again attacked my transport. This is really not fair

Turn 20: Have pushed the Finns off of Hanko and am now attacking their supply point

Turn 21: Managed to capture the lighthouse back but only because the dumb AI decided to attack my navy instead.

2-4.JPG

2-5.JPG

Turn 23: Kicked out of the lighthouse, end up with an MV with 3 islands not conquered.

2-6.JPG

Overall: Extremely unhappy with many of the happenings of this scenario, mostly due to the naval mines (they sank 2 cruisers in the enemy's turn, stopped 4 of my units from reinforcing and made it impossible to conquer one of the islands due to their position). The finnish attack on the lighthouse also needs to be seriously weakened - I had 3 infantry, an artillery and a T34 and was slaughtered there. And the northernmost island needs another turn to be conquered. Also, I reconquered all of Hanko peninsula, so that attack should be strengthened. However it was still worth playing (though I won't play it again until everything is fixed up)

Ideas:

+1 Turn
Weaken Lighthouse attack
Tell us that naval squads will appear throughout the scenario
Strengthen Finns on Hanko itself
Stop naval mines from attacking in their own turn - their actions in this were unacceptable.

I accidently forgot to save the replay at the end so replayed the last turn so that I would have one. The deployment at the start of Tallinn may be slightly different by +/- 1 strength point

- BNC

In the briefing I wrote about the amphibious operations during the battle. Maybe I have to clarify a little bit more, no problem with that. All your other suggestions make sense and I will implement in the next update
Thanks for the feedback bite!.

[nikivdd]

Tallinn



Taste and gameplay differ from player to player...
It is turn 8 and sofar my line of defense is holding...
I began moving all 6 transports in group, with screening ships; sofar the enemy ships within my scope have all been sunk, with a huge help of 2 Pe-8s and 2 Pe-2s.

I do agree, especially for beginners or less experienced to add in the briefing that reinforcements will appear during gameplay or by ingame message at turn [1,1], so people won't get discouraged so quickly. I was also scratching my head how i was going to capture all those islands and keep the Fins at bay in the Hanko peninsula at the same time...

[Philwd]

Hi Akkula,
I went back and re-ran the last 10 turns for Mars. The only message was the reinforcements keep up the pressure on turn 10 but no change in victory conditions that I could see. Nothing in the briefing messages changed for victory conditions. And I saw no new flags.

I played Hanko under the beta and the last turn the AI spawned Finnish pioneers in the last victory city that I had just cleared. Let's just say some colorful language was spoken. With 1.0 I see much less of the AI spawning, maybe none at all.

Tallinn required very good scouting to navigate the mines. Tricky.

[nikivdd]

Tallinn is a very enjoyable mission with plenty of action. The line of defense barely held to the end but those brave comrads pulled it off; i had to press the green reinforcement button rather often.
Avoiding the mines is really risky and costed me a couple of ships; some of the transports had 5 strength or less left; the 15 strength coastal gun is overkill.



The German battlegroup took Loksa (upper right corner) and sat then on its lazy butt. I expected them to move westwards, therefore i stationed some of my units near the Jagala river but the enemy never came.

[Philwd]

The German battlegroup took Loksa (upper right corner) and sat then on its lazy butt. I expected them to move westwards, therefore i stationed some of my units near the Jagala river but the enemy never came.

I set up in the exact same place. When nobody came calling I took a chance and sent a fast unit and re-took the airfield. That caused at least 1 German plane to crash. This isn't the worst scenario for needing reinforcements. I found Moscow and Sevastopol in particular needed lots of green reinforcements and buying fresh new units. It may play differently now as I played those in the beta and the AI still spammed Pz3J's. 30 of them... but they made me figure out creative choke points.

[Akkula]

I will check the Mars Operation triggers to figure it out what is going on Phil, don´t worry . Thanks for the report. By the way, whats your status at Velikiye Luki?, did you take the city?
It is intentional that the Loksa attack group stay on defensive positions . And it seems I achieved what I intended: FEAR . So far nikivdd you are performing very very well, now I want to see what you can do at Leningrad -

Some minor updates from my expansion
My final version (so far) for my deployable defensive units (at the top right corner you can see the mobile unit before the deployment):


And now, some of screenshots of the scenario terrain (it is taking me A LOT of time to finish it ). Baltic and central areas of the URSS (bottom right you can have a glimpse of Moscow):


Central Europe and part of the Carpathians:


Kiev area, some industrial centers you will have to defend if you want prestige per turn!!:


Next week I will post the official announcement.
Best regards and thanks to all those AARs, they are very enjoyable!

[Ason]

I'm not sure I understand, will you make a giant europe/russian map scenario(like chris10/Mcguba) in the end or will it always just be small separate scenarios?

[Akkula]

Hi Ason, its going to be one big scenario covering the eastern front, since june 41 until june/july 45.
Regards.

[Ason]

Nice! will it be playable as germany or soviets?
thanks for the fast reply:)

[Akkula]

It is going to be Soviet playable only. The main reason is because I am focusing of the Soviet side, we already have the fantastic McGuba´s Battlefield Europe covering the German side of the war.
And technically the scenario will have a LOT of triggers which would make almost impossible to allow the selection of the faction to play with. Maybe in some distant future, if this project has some success I could try to create the German option to play .
Best regards!

[Philwd]

Hi Akkula,

By the way, whats your status at Velikiye Luki?, did you take the city?

I took the city but it was slow going. German counterattacks into entrenched infantry and tanks backed by artillery during blizzard turns was the key in weakening them enough. if they stayed defensive it would have taken far longer to root them out. The Panzer Division attack turn 1 almost killed both my T 34's. Ouch. Both had to run with a single point left. I hate Stugs. I'm finding my T34's to be near useless now in late 42/1943. They get mauled by everything even fully overstrength with 3 heroes. I may upgrade them into KV-13;s also. I have 64K prestige I may as well spend some.

Mars was not a big deal. Just wanted to let you know while you were doing an update.

-Phil

[Akkula]

Hi Akkula,

By the way, whats your status at Velikiye Luki?, did you take the city?

I took the city but it was slow going. German counterattacks into entrenched infantry and tanks backed by artillery during blizzard turns was the key in weakening them enough. if they stayed defensive it would have taken far longer to root them out. The Panzer Division attack turn 1 almost killed both my T 34's. Ouch. Both had to run with a single point left. I hate Stugs. I'm finding my T34's to be near useless now in late 42/1943. They get mauled by everything even fully overstrength with 3 heroes. I may upgrade them into KV-13;s also. I have 64K prestige I may as well spend some.

Mars was not a big deal. Just wanted to let you know while you were doing an update.

-Phil

I advice you against upgrade your T-34 to heavy tanks, in later scenarios you WILL need speed to achieve the objectives. Try use a good mix of medium and heavy tanks to face the Tigers, assault guns are good also.

[Philwd]

Ah but the KV-13 still has a move of 6. I'll have 5 if I convert my T-34s to go along with 4 KV-1C/E. I'll definitely buy some assault guns when they become available.

[uzbek2012]

About about the Soviet Union by the company ) necessary to play, still there is not anything official on this subject ))) besides модs need something else to install ?
http://www.mediafire.com/download/6ufbb ... ULL%29.rar

[Akkula]

Hi uzbek. This Mod requires the Massi´s terrain mod:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/fhpta ... +massi.zip

And after the installation of Soviet Storm, please copy this hotfix in the scenarios folder (overwrite the previous one of course):
http://www.mediafire.com/download/n1ppb ... iege.pzscn

Please the read the readme file to further installation details.

Best regards.