Grand Let's Play series: Rommel, Manstein and Guderian

[Vorskl]

Hola!
I've started watching your videos and noticed some interesting techniques and tactics, great job!

I found AlliedCorps scenarios VERY easy, but Afrika Korps is daunting, especially after-Egypt scenarios. so if you're going to play those at Rommel, I'll gladly follow your video leadership

[braccada]

Thanks! I think especially on Guderian and Manstein you might find some interesting approaches. Afrika Korps will be on Rommel - of course

[Vorskl]

Thanks, I am actually watching your Guderian series now - just wondering if Moscow-43 is possible, for example
The first thing I spotted is how you use visibility range and make sure your enemy does not have one. Because of that, I noticed, you freely move your troops in trucks w/o defense. In AK you'll find an unpleasant nasty surprise of constant enemy's counter-attacks from your flank or even rear.

Another interesting concept is damaging enemy's bombers and arta and letting them re-survive again and again to deplete enemy's prestige.

Questons:
a) Why do you use Stug-Artillery (with 1 range) i/o towed or Stpgz1 with the range 3?
b) I see you prefer Flampanzer to Pioneers?
c) What's the use of paratroopers? In your Moscow-41 video they played as a normal infantry. Can you please recommend scenarios where they play a decisive role?

[braccada]

My playstyle is highly based on control and flexible battle groups trying to exploit that. So yes vision absolutely is a key element and a chaotic situation like in afrikakorps is going to complicate things a lot.

And Interesting questions, I like that!

• Artillery is a complicated matter. I consider the Sturmpanzer too slow and lacking ammunition. With the towed versions I am able to deliver more shots in total. The Stug on the other hand is for emergency close range support. It can be put into more exposed positions and it is cheap.
• I do not like Pioneers. They are expensive, slow and have low initiative. For bunker busting I prefer Fallschirmjäger and the Flamm is simply more flexible. The insane rate of fire is just a bonus.
• The Fallschirmjäger have very high initiative, so in good weather they are extremly powerful as infantry in their own right and sometimes they are needed for special missions. One of them beeing actually Moscow 43 they had to secure bridges over the Moskva ahead of the tanks. Stalingrad, Sealion and USA West are other scenarios where they were key for the decisive victory.

[Vorskl]

Thanks for answering these! I'll try experimenting with fallscrims.
Two more questions:
- your take on Flak 88? IMHO it is extremely powerful and versatile, but quite expensive. Yet with immense power of allied Airforce in 43+ scenarios I find it useful. OR do you prefer mobile flak?

- do you have videos of defensive scenarios? Such as Overlord, Sicily-43 etc - just wondering what will be a good tactics there.

[braccada]

Actually no Flak at all, because I like units that are usefull every single turn. A mobile flak has very limited use and how to use the 88 in an offensive role is beyond me. Fighters are able to establish control in the first turns anyway and are great support units after that.

But I think that is only true for the Wehrmacht campaign, because there are no defensive missions on the winning path (so no video for that) and no additional fighter waves.