GC upgrade project replays

[nikivdd]

New upgrades became available for the final mission of DLC 41.
2x MG 34 to MG 42
5x Ju 87R to Ju 87D
3x Pz IIIJ to Pz IIIJ/1
2x Bf 110d to Bf 110e
Purchased a siG33

The Demyansk pocket was defended successfully. For the first time, i even managed to take the Soviet held objective , the city of Firovo. I also captured a T-34 along the way, i didn't even know until now that there was something that could be captured at all.
A DV in 19 turns, no core losses and 35205 PP.

33 - Demyansk Pocket (19 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

Let's start DLC 42. All Pz IVF have been upgraded to IVF/2. A MG 42 was purchased.
DLC 42 is played with AI prestige set to 200%, AI level 2, combat random normal, reform units on.

The Vitebsk railroad has been well defended, leaving this battlefield with a DV in 14 turns, 36195 pp to burn; no core losses.

34 - Vitebsk (14 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

Kharkov 42 begins with a few upgrades. 3 Bf 109e and f to model g. A second bonus Bf 110 was awarded.
The battle has been intense but once again my army prevailed. A DV was rewarded in 10 turns, no core losses, 38039 PP. The stuka bombers got a beating but nothing that cannot be repaired. In the meantime the Pz IVG became available, meaning that i will upgrade all the Pz IVs to the latest version in the next mission.

35 - Kharkov42 (10 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

The operations at Simferopol have been concluded. The Soviet units in this area have been defeated. A DV in 9 turns, no core losses, 36943 PP.
Sevastopol is next, and i chose to encircle the city, not to capture it; i liked the old PG map much better.

36 - Simferopol (9 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

This is not in my list of favorite scenarios, so i am glad to have finished the siege of Sevastopol, in 14 turns, no core losses, 36977 PP.

37 - Sevastopol Siege (14 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

It felt good to have so much space to do that Blitzkrieg thing again at Voronezh. It is also a breather before things get much more complicated in cursed Stalingrad. The battle was won in 11 turns, no core losses, 36195 PP.

38 - Voronezh (11 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

It was a good time to upgrade the propelled artillery to 17 cm; by demand i changed their range to 4. For the rest i sold the KV-1B i captured in the previous mission.
Novoanninsky felt like some of the DLC 40 missions against the French, in map lay-out and disposition of enemy troops. Without the stukas it would be much tougher to get rid of the T-34s.
Anyway, it felt good to clear a map and take all the objectives on turn 12. No core losses and 36814 PP.

39 - Novoanninsky (12 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

We're closing in on Stalingrad, so it is a good time to give another update of my army core composition (*=100 XP):

1x 40 Wehr inf *, 1x 40 Wehr inf ***, 1x 40 Wehr inf ****
1x 39 Gebirgsjäger ***, 1x Gebirgsjäger ****
1x 39 Pioniere ***
1x 39 Brückenpioniere
1x MG 42 *, 2x MG 42 ****
2x Pz IIIL ****, 2x Pz IVG ***, 1x Pz IVG ****
2x Char1B *** (waiting for the Tiger to upgrade)
1x Pz 38(t)F (waiting for the Tiger to upgrade)
2x Pz IIG ***
1x SS Pz IIIL ***, 1x SS Pz IVG ***, 1x SS Pz IVG****
3x 17 cm K 18 ****, 2x StuG IIIE ****, 1x siG 33 II (Sf) ***
1x SdKfz 7/1 *, 1x SdKfz 7/1 ***
1x Bf 109f ***, 2x Bf 109f ***, 1x Bf 109g *, 1x Bf 109g ***, 2x Bf 109g ****
5x Ju 87D ****, 1x Bf 110f ****
1x bonus Bf 110f ****, 1x bonus Bf 110f **
1x Do 217E ***, 2x Do 217E ****

[goose_2]

That is a solid army with no core losses at this stage in the game that is incredible.

[nikivdd]

That is a solid army with no core losses at this stage in the game that is incredible.

It has been a close call a couple of times, the hardest missions so far were against the French, especially those three missions after Sedan. For DLC 41, i count Vyazma as the most difficult and for DLC 42 (before Stalingrad), the llovya scenario that takes the army to the gates of Stalingrad. The strong bomber force has been a decisive element to decimate the Soviet tanks, and what i do forget too often, is to protect the weaker bombers; so on that regard i have been very lucky not to lose one yet.

[milliethedog]

Hi Nico, I have just arrived back from a holiday in Scotland (although it felt more like Siberia ! ) and I will post my battles in France as I have completed the French battles so we can compare. I wondered why you were holding on to the Char B's and Pz38, now I get it, you are just going to take 1 point hit straight to Tiger rather than 2 or 3 moves with PzIII or Pz IV. You use far more aircraft than me I think, so its good to see the difference and effect.

Martin.

[goose_2]

My play style is too aggressive, but strategic, it costs me but I like to play that way, I will try to play more cautiously my next playthrough because I will be trying a harder level and will still be blind as I will go West this time.

I think I will try Guderian this time since it does not seem played that often and it would be something different, but we are talking months away as I still need to finish 1945 and start my Blind Italian Afrika Corps Campaign before I attempt a Guderain Blind playthrough in the West. more time...need more time

Oh yeah and stop playing multiplayer so much, but it is so much fun.

[goose_2]

Hi Nico, I have just arrived back from a holiday in Scotland (although it felt more like Siberia ! ) and I will post my battles in France as I have completed the French battles so we can compare. I wondered why you were holding on to the Char B's and Pz38, now I get it, you are just going to take 1 point hit straight to Tiger rather than 2 or 3 moves with PzIII or Pz IV. You use far more aircraft than me I think, so its good to see the difference and effect.

Martin.

As I played East especially in the early stages I played units until they got their first hero or close to maximum experience and then I switched them out for a green unit to build up a strong force that could sustain losses, as my play style is very aggressive.

I am now desperately trying to attain 100 heroes but am struggling as still losing units.

[nikivdd]

We finally reached the gates of Stalingrad. I expected worse, but the bomber force contained most of the Soviet armor. So another DV in 12 turns, 37205 PP and appearingly another captured KV-1 as well.
It is time for some prestige shopping at Buzinovka depot.

40 - Ilovlya (12 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

At the beginning of Buzinovka depot, i upgraded a SS Pz IIIJ/1 to L; i completely overlooked that one. Also all three level bombers are upgraded to He 177a's, i believe they will come in very handy soon.
We turned all depots upside down and found some equipment. By turn 11 the job was done, no core losses and 34128 PP.
The time has come to tighten the belt and made some prestige choices, from now on tanks and fighters will receive 2 points overstrength only.

41 - Buzinovka Depot (11 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

Stalingrad has been stormed. The key to success is to create two battlegroups for ground and air attack...and a lot of patience not to fall into the enemy's traps; advancing too hastily will surely result in painful losses. In this version of the scenario, i replaced the Italians by Rumanian troops and they performed more than admirably; after the partizans are defeated, i also moved some of them to Stalingrad for extra prestige pickings. What those Italians were doing there in the original version, remains a mystery.
All objectives were taken in 18 turns, no core losses, 35603 PP.

42 - Storming Stalingrad (18 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

We're nearing the docks. Once again, keeping a tight formation backed-up with artillery and a dedicated airforce (those level bombers are their weight in gold) and a proper amount of restraint gets the job done. There are plenty of turns and so there is no need to rush. Altough not intended by scenario design, most of the auxiliary bombers and fighters were quickly committed to pound targets inside the city, not wasting precious time to sink boats; auxiliary bombers can be sacrificed especially when within range of enemy AA but a particular ground unit near it must be destroyed whatever the cost. Also, in the updated version, the Italians were replaced by Rumanian units and they surely did a proper job, a few times i reinforced them with green reinforcements. A DV was rewarded at turn 17, no core losses, 36732 PP.

43 - Stalingrad Docks (17 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

I decided to escape Stalingrad. Together with the Hungarian allies all objectives were taken and seven Hungarian units made it to the designated area.
DV in 11 turns, 33829 PP, and first core loss of the campaign: a Bf 110f.
I'm impatiently waiting for the Tiger I to appear, but as my army needs a bit more armor, i bought two StuG IIIF/8's.

44 - Escape from Stalingrad (11 turns).rar

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[nikivdd]

The next mission is a tough one, if i recall well, possibly one of the most difficult missions of DLC 42, Tatsinskaya.
The final Pz III model is available, so i will upgrade (for peanuts) the three Pz IIIL to M. The three Bf 109f's are upgraded to FW 190's and both SdKfz's 7/1 to 7/2.
This mission is also the final mission to commit both CharB1s before upgrading them to Tiger I; outdated as they might be, they are still doing surprisingly well against Soviet infantry.

[milliethedog]

Hi Nico, Just checked my last play through of this game and I found this one hard on my fighters as I got caught a couple of times by 85mm AA, I upgraded my 10/10 PzIV's to Tigers during the game as if you take the towns around the multiple airfields you can upgrade about 5 tanks at once, then the Russian tanks are easy meat.
Just watch out for a very late resurjence of Russian aircraft and protect your Tacs.

Martin