conboy's campaigns

[timberwolf15]

Great idea about the railroads I always forget about them I restarted the campaign putting it on stupid level cause its to demoralizing running out of turns. My tactics are as the English say a little dodgey - All of my airfields in the 2nd play through seem to work fine just when one presses the spacebar the do not show any numbers but they work so who cares. I never could get planes to act right when I made a campaign the enemy planes would not fly back to the airfield and land to refuel they just crashed and burned was kind of funny.

So I repalyed it all and did San Matello and Modelo wait its San Fratello and Brollo (now everyone knows why I do not even attempt to request to Beta test the Us Campaign thing or whatever the email said) Now its too easy on the easy setting best thing is I can switch betwixt battles ... I think ..

San Met by Jim Smyth, on Flickr

so comments are for San Fratello and Brollo
[*] Another great different map the bottlenecks on the road which is realistic are such a joy.
[*] Lots of Objectives and Secondary Objectives one needs to be in the mood for this type of Campaign but it has its place. The reward though because of the way this is - is simply a "You got a Major Victory" With this type of Campaign not sure what the rewards could be for the Secondary Objectives .... there is no reasearch which is fine . .. then if you had a reward ya gotta figure out how it may affect play balance. Maybe you could add a Recon plane or vehicle something insignificant that would be fun to have like a German Bautrap Engineer unit for example if this was a German Campaign. Or another Artillary unit but something really weak and silly though would be cool.
[*] Everything worked fine I also learned better how to do landings
The Campaign pics are great see below

Messina by Jim Smyth, on Flickr

Otay its off to Messina on a harder level whoo hoo

[timberwolf15]

Ok so I open up Messina and figure ok this is going to be a pain in the neck crowded map harder difficulty don't have all my troops oh look an enemy unit with a 2 thats different but its different so interesting ok here goes ....
Order of Battle - WW2 2020-12-17 20-37-56-63 by Jim Smyth, on Flickr

[timberwolf15]

Ok so here is my loadout:
[*] I took all of the blue guys
[*] of the US Flag guys I took Fast moves a mobile arty then my tanks.


Here is where I was at turn 7 ... how did I get there ...


I am starting to learn the personality of my S1, S2, S3 etc. so I attacked the enemy 2 engi unit with my engie unit got em to move and landed on the bridge with my engi unit turn 1 down except for move a few units up one hex Then on Turn 2 I repaired the Bridge and basically Went for it. I zoomed my Heavy Infantry hoping nothing was in Tonarrella which noting was there this was risky but I fear Patton more than I do someone who can shoot at me. so that worked out then I moved all the other units up. Took that primary objective and pinned the enemy infantry out on the penissula and just ran my army by them. Used the recon plane to spy on the Brits. Used the engiy unit to capture the 2ndary objective since there were no more rivers ( no more need to keep him out front) Overran Villa Franca and ended up turn 7 in this location ....

Then on Turn 8 I blew up the mines thinking I was going to block the Brits I instead from my vantage point blew up the mines and gave them a shot at Messina but did not know there was an AT unit also blocking them so then we get to turn 9
Turn 9 I block the brits move the engie unit to block and fun my blue guy towards Messina

Then I forced my way into Messina so it worked out

[conboy]

Gunny,
Love to read your remarks!
Glad you made it through all the wickets at San Fratello and Brolo - that can be tricky!
Thanks for the remarks about the pictures - lot of work went into finding them.
Regarding rewards for secondary objectives, most of them were en route to the main objectives and I put them on there to enable Major Victory because you can't have one without having completed secondary objectives. Later, there are some rewards and stuff, like a date with Betty Grable and a shiny new Strategic Bomber. I get your point though, but at this point, I am doing no new triggers on this campaign! (unless there is a error that affects gameplay)
Glad you're back in the saddle, hombre, and thanks for commenting.

I wish somebody would shoot a Brit just once to see that Patton pop-up!

conboy

[timberwolf15]

I do saves often and keep them at the beginning of a scenario and at the end etc. So I can replay and shoot at the Brits whoo hooo

Just finished Salerno to Multerno the one where ya cut off the enemy and send units this way and that Everything is good the early ending option and the separate objectives for different parts of the 3rd Division This is an interesting campaign and adds a lot of depth to Order of Battle.

[conboy]

Thank you Gunny!
It's just my look at the history of the war using OoB as both a conveyance of (generally) historical information and providing some (I hope) entertainment along with. I really learned a LOT about the war and how infantry was used therein.
So I'm very glad you find it entertaining, my man.

thanks again,

conboy

[timberwolf15]

Hey Psycho Played Valermo to Barbara another great map barely finishedit on time played on a harder level midway
[*]Was nice to have all the engineers to work with and then they disappear after we do not need them so its lets units to move around ...
[*]Lot of strategy getting up the bridges which is welcomed
[*]I got this message but in the heat of battle no time to figure it out
bridges by Jim Smyth, on Flickr

Then kept playing and on the last turn I had all the objectives notice pic below
volt to barb no works by Jim Smyth, on Flickr
well it shows turn 23 of 22 I think it would not give me Pietra but the I reloaded an earlier turn and got it to work
see below:
vol to barb works by Jim Smyth, on Flickr

I made sure a unit was in the hex that caused all the triggers to work having designed one campaign I found out how aggravating triggers are
so for some reason for me anyway it seems I had to have a unit in this Pietra hex for it to show it as being taken.

Dont ya hate triggers sometimes ...

[*]Enjoy the Tac air its not so powerful as the Germans so its vital to knock down certain enemy one strength point at times I like how some position do not have enemy in them ya never know I was doing a long strategic envelopment to cut off supply in this map but was running out of time so had to attack and made it work in time on the medium difficulty so that was great.

[timberwolf15]

Ran into a few problems at Anzio the non core units I ran them straight north to "loop around" ended up sending one into a mine field and the other one near Sessano wherein this unit got ambushed down to a 1 strength so I had a bright idea since I was going to loose it was to simply send it South into Sessano in doing this it triggered enemy units to show up and my units in this area were already battered so it triggered the Armeggedon trigger Then I almost got the 1st primaries in 12 turns less than got em on the 12th the mountains slowed my movement down so I could not get there and then an enemy unit flew into a area I left open one of the gold flags which I pounded this unit with arty and was able to push it out with a weakened infantry unit but it was to late. At this point I also had a couple units thinking Campoleone Station way out in the boonies may be light defended it was not even had a hidden machine gun nest so I had to pull back then the scenario basically eneded as I encountered the 12 + enemy arty units and the army which is basically lined up shoulder to shoulder and larger than my attacking army so I had to do a cheat to proceed but am going to replay it first and see it can win it. As far as a reflection of anzio it uh reflects that we got slaughtered I suppose but we did eventually prevail which is what am going to try to do now ...

[conboy]

I think you can beat it gunny, with straight-up tactics and not letting your units get too tired before and during contact. Don't get too far ahead - make sure your units support each other. You know, regular fire and maneuver and then maximize use of indirect and supporting fires in a tough situation.

thanks again, mate!

conboy

[stevefprice]

Ran into a few problems at Anzio the non core units I ran them straight north to "loop around" ended up sending one into a mine field and the other one near Sessano wherein this unit got ambushed down to a 1 strength so I had a bright idea since I was going to loose it was to simply send it South into Sessano in doing this it triggered enemy units to show up and my units in this area were already battered so it triggered the Armeggedon trigger Then I almost got the 1st primaries in 12 turns less than got em on the 12th the mountains slowed my movement down so I could not get there and then an enemy unit flew into a area I left open one of the gold flags which I pounded this unit with arty and was able to push it out with a weakened infantry unit but it was to late. At this point I also had a couple units thinking Campoleone Station way out in the boonies may be light defended it was not even had a hidden machine gun nest so I had to pull back then the scenario basically eneded as I encountered the 12 + enemy arty units and the army which is basically lined up shoulder to shoulder and larger than my attacking army so I had to do a cheat to proceed but am going to replay it first and see it can win it. As far as a reflection of anzio it uh reflects that we got slaughtered I suppose but we did eventually prevail which is what am going to try to do now ...

Gunny, I struggled too with this one and it took many replays. In the end I got it with a little help from conboy's replay he kindly sent (useful for initial deployment and avoiding the red herrings). I found teeing up the last 3 objectives to take them on the 10th or 11th turn helped as I could then slot in AT guns and artillery behind then hold out till the end.

Be curious to see how you get on with Anzio part II?

[prestidigitation]

Coastal guns trigger did not occur first time even though I knocked them out well before turn 7 and occupied the hexes. Scenario 1, landing at Casablanca.

https://imgur.com/a/LZKzfkp

edit: looks like you have to clear the tiles they're on plus everything around them to secure the obj.

[prestidigitation]

Max difficulty win, 16 turns. Neat campaign thus far. Fairly messy initial battle.

https://i.imgur.com/4fmxM7o.png

[conboy]

Pre-dawg,
I really enjoyed the playthrough. Quite well done -- I always take the objectives in east-to-west sequence, but your approach shows a great deal of confidence and skill. Keep 'em coming, please!
I am trying to run to ground the source of the error re:shore guns. The trigger is set to award the objective when both hexes are occupied. No one has reported an error with that trigger since the very first playthrough 6 months ago, so I am checking. Your map in the playthrough is up-to-date so no problem with the version, I think.
If you get another error, it'll clue me in better.
Thanks for playing!
conboy

p.s. I see that the trigger is set for turn start after the objectives are taken, and that you were awarded the objective on the next turn start after your screen shot. This should be changed to "Capture VP Event" to avert angst and consternation. Thank you for pointing it out!

[timberwolf15]

Anzio 1 I had to dumb it down to get through it I do not enjoy defensive battles much at all but this did happen a lot. So on Anzio 2 (Anzio Breakout) I barely won on medium level at the very last turn only because there was not an enemy unit in the last gold flag hex. Lots of mountains so it is difficult to move fast even when no enemies anywhere around. Stick to the roads. I did not use the railroads though I think I was suppose to I do not like railroads cause half the time ya load a train and you can only get off in a town hex or something then other times you can get off the train anywhere so I do not bother with them.
But overall the campaign is great. With Anzio 2 I also did not try and take the objectives according to orders just ran whatever units I had close that had enough strength to keep attacking and let others rest as needed. Thankfully the Free French showed up realizing its before to live free or die and better to be dead than red. Ya gotta use the planes to supress the arty they you gotta use your arty to do the same thing or weaken the Tanks I despise having mobile AA that command gave me It can attack if I lower the gun but it doesn't do anything except make noise regarding planes it just about does nothing but ya can use them to recon and draw attacks Probably should have studied the terrain better in order how to move units around better and maybe there a turn earlier.

[conboy]

Gunny, I really get a kick out of your write-ups!
I'm very glad you are enjoying the campaign.
It's a little bit lighter fare after anzio.
Enjoy and keep on letting us know how it's going,
Thanks for playing!

conboy

[prestidigitation]

Stick to the roads. I did not use the railroads though I think I was suppose to I do not like railroads cause half the time ya load a train and you can only get off in a town hex or something then other times you can get off the train anywhere so I do not bother with them.

Look for the light freight trait. Units with it can unload anywhere, units without it must be unloaded in a town. In this campaign I suspect only infantry and heavy infantry are valid unloads without a station.

My personal beef with railroads is you can’t use them to enter enemy territory even if you have an armored train leading the charge. I was hoping to do some Russian Civil War style train mounted attacks, but no dice.

[GabeKnight]

In this campaign I suspect only infantry and heavy infantry are valid unloads without a station.

And probably some light AT and AA pieces.

My personal beef with railroads is you can’t use them to enter enemy territory even if you have an armored train leading the charge. I was hoping to do some Russian Civil War style train mounted attacks, but no dice.

Yeah, the transport-train limitation with enemy territory put the lid on some previously successful tactics, especially on maps with large forest portions.
Anyway, to my knowledge those limitations do not affect the Armoured Train unit and it can lead the charge, only transports can't.

[timberwolf15]

Stick to the roads. I did not use the railroads though I think I was suppose to I do not like railroads cause half the time ya load a train and you can only get off in a town hex or something then other times you can get off the train anywhere so I do not bother with them.

Look for the light freight trait. Units with it can unload anywhere, units without it must be unloaded in a town. In this campaign I suspect only infantry and heavy infantry are valid unloads without a station.

My personal beef with railroads is you can’t use them to enter enemy territory even if you have an armored train leading the charge. I was hoping to do some Russian Civil War style train mounted attacks, but no dice.

Having read the entire manual a long time ago my reading comprehension failed me as it did whilst in high school and college the manual clearly states the following:
Railroad transportation
When a unit is positioned in a city or village with a railroad line it can be moved by train. Select the unit, click on any of the available marked hexes with a locomotive icon and the unit will turn into a Train transportation unit, moving it to the chosen destination. In the following turns, infantry units can leave the train transportation from any hex. Other classes such as tanks or artillery
need to be in a city or village to be unloaded from the train.

- - - There are always pros like yourself lurking around with other pertinent info such as the "light freight trait"

- This info will be quite helpful and enable me to get more out of my maneuverings. Thanks !!!

[timberwolf15]

Gunny, I really get a kick out of your write-ups!
I'm very glad you are enjoying the campaign.
It's a little bit lighter fare after anzio.
Enjoy and keep on letting us know how it's going,
Thanks for playing!

conboy

Okay

[GabeKnight]

- - - There are always pros like yourself lurking around with other pertinent info such as the "light freight trait"

The tooltips are very helpful when in doubt:

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